Format: Paperback

#BookReview To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before (Pine Hollow #3) by Lizzie Shane @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #ToAlltheDogsIveLovedBefore #LizzieShane #PineHollowSeries

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#BookReview To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before (Pine Hollow #3) by Lizzie Shane @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #ToAlltheDogsIveLovedBefore #LizzieShane #PineHollowSeries Title: To All the Dogs I've Loved Before

Author: Lizzie Shane

Series: Pine Hollow #3

Published by: Forever on Nov. 30, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 385

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

First love gets a second chance when a mischievous dog finds a way to keep fetching the town librarian’s high school sweetheart in this charming small-town romance. 

The last person librarian Elinor Rodriguez wants to spend time with is her first love, Levi Jackson, but it seems her mischievous rescue dog has other ideas. Without fail, Dory slips from the house whenever Elinor’s back is turned. And in Pine Hollow, calls about a dog herding cars on Main Street go straight to Levi. The quietly intense lawman broke Elinor’s heart once, and now she’s determined to move on, no matter how much she misses him.

As the kid who barely graduated—and still struggles to hide his dyslexia—Levi always believed that Elinor was way out of his league. Even though he ended their engagement all those years ago, Elinor still takes Levi’s breath away whenever he sees her. But with a little help from a four-legged friend, Levi and Elinor may just get the second chance they deserve.

Includes the bonus novella I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Hope Ramsay!

Review:

Sincere, charming, and fun!

To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before is a heartwarming, rewarding tale featuring the intelligent, sensible Elinor and the stubborn, reliable Levi as they discover that the heart wants who the heart wants, and some things are definitely worth a second chance.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are warm, dependable, and funny. And the plot is a delightful mix of life, love, family, friendship, small-town living, adventurous endeavours, nostalgic moments, romance, and a lovable, four-legged rascal named Dory.

To All the Dogs I’ve Loved Before is the third title in a series that, for me, just keeps getting better and better. It’s a sweet, playful, amusing read by Shane with characters I couldn’t help but root for and a swoon-worthy ending that left me smitten, satisfied, and hoping for more!

 

This book is available now. 

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

       

 

 

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

 

About Lizzie Shane

Contemporary romance author Lizzie Shane was born in Alaska and still calls the frozen north home, though she can frequently be found indulging her travel addiction. Thankfully, her laptop travels with her and she has written her way through all fifty states and over fifty countries.

Lizzie has been honored to win the Golden Heart Award and HOLT Medallion, and has been named a finalist three times for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA Award®, but her main claim to fame is that she lost on Jeopardy!

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#BookReview The Bloom Girls by Amy Pine @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #TheBloomGirls #AmyPine

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#BookReview The Bloom Girls by Amy Pine @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #TheBloomGirls #AmyPine Title: The Bloom Girls

Author: Amy Pine

Published by: Forever on Aug. 3, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Gilmore Girls meets My Big Fat Greek Wedding in this humorous, multi-generational story about a mother and daughter who discover that life happens when you least expect it.

Gabi Bloom doesn’t believe in signs. She believes in photographic evidence, the view through her camera lens, and the snap of the shutter. It’s why she traveled to Europe—to satisfy her wanderlust and to kick off her photography career. But in Ireland, all of that changed when Gabi gazed into the impossibly blue eyes of an American bartender. She wasn’t prepared for their intense and immediate attraction, or the fact that she’d be bringing Ethan home with her . . . as her fiancé.

Gabi’s upcoming marriage is the cherry on top of her mother’s current predicament. Stumbling toward forty, Alissa is a pastry chef who raised her daughter single-handedly while Gabi’s father traveled the globe. Now her baby girl is getting married after a whirlwind romance and Alissa—well, Alissa is pregnant. Again. And not only is her ex the father, he wants her back. For good. Until she can figure out that part of the puzzle, Alissa is hiding her big little secret even as she helps Gabi plan a happily-ever-after wedding. But somewhere between disaster and hope, life might just bloom in a way that is breathtakingly unexpected . . .

Review:

Heartwarming, moving, and sweet!

The Bloom Girls is an intimate, sentimental tale that sweeps you into the lives of the Bloom family, Gabi, Alissa, and Matthew, as they confront the past, accept the things they cannot change, take chances, repair relationships, and embrace the future.

The prose is genuine and smooth. The characters are hesitant, supportive, and compassionate. And the plot is a tender tale about life, love, forgiveness, responsibilities, familial drama, parenthood, friendship, hope, second chances, and new beginnings.

Overall, I found The Bloom Girls to be a nostalgic, uplifting, charming tale by Pine, complete with strong female characters, a heartfelt storyline, and an insightful look into the complex ties that bind us as family. 

 

This novel is available now.

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

                

 

 

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

 

About Amy Pine

A librarian for teens by day and a writer by night, Amy Pine can't seem to escape the world of fiction, and she wouldn't have it any other way. When she finds that twenty-fifth hour in the day, she might indulge in a tiny bit of TV to nourish her undying love of vampires, superheroes, and a certain high-functioning sociopath detective. She hails from the far-off galaxy of the Chicago suburbs.

Photo courtesy of read-forever.com.

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#BookReview Dream Keeper (Dream Team #4) by Kristen Ashley @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #DreamKeeper #KristenAshley #DreamTeamSeries

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#BookReview Dream Keeper (Dream Team #4) by Kristen Ashley @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #DreamKeeper #KristenAshley #DreamTeamSeries Title: Dream Keeper

Author: Kristen Ashley

Series: Dream Team #4

Published by: Forever on Nov. 30, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

Pages: 544

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Spinning off from the bestselling Dream Man and Rock Chick series, this is the emotional and steamy contemporary romance fans of the Dream Team series have been waiting for!

He’s perfect—but he can’t be hers.

Pepper Hannigan is determined to keep any romance off the table—and out of her bedroom—while her daughter Juno is still young. Sure, a certain handsome commando is thoughtful, funny, and undeniably hot, but Pepper’s had her heart broken before, and she won’t let it happen again. Not to her or her little girl, even if this hero could melt any woman’s resolve.

Augustus “Auggie” Hero can’t deny his attraction to beautiful, warm-hearted Pepper or how much he wants to make a home with her and her little girl, but Pepper’s mixed signals have kept him away. That is, until Juno decides to play matchmaker. Her efforts finally bring Pepper into his arms, but they expose the danger Pepper is in. To protect Pepper and Juno, Auggie will have to live up to his last name and prove happy endings aren’t just for fairy tales. 

Review:

Provocative, sassy, and fun!

Dream Keeper is a steamy, engaging tale that features dancer and single mom, Pepper Hannigan who happens to be next up on Lottie’s setup list, but between her religiously consumed extended family, her poor past history with faithful men, and always putting her daughter’s wellbeing first she’s a little hesitant to give the handsome, commando Augustus Hero a real shot at her heart.

The writing is seductive and sweet. The characters are protective, supportive, and committed. And the plot is an alluring mix of friendship, family, drama, sisterhood, danger, palpable attraction, sizzling tension, and sweet romance.

Overall, Dream Keeper is another touching, spicy, exciting addition to a series that is not only seductive, enticing, and exceptionally entertaining, but one I definitely can’t get enough of.

 

This novel is available on November 30, 2021.

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

            

 

 

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

 

About Kristen Ashley

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

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#BookReview The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey @healeyJane @AmazonPub #TheSecretStealers #JaneHealey #LakeUnion

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#BookReview The Secret Stealers by Jane Healey @healeyJane @AmazonPub #TheSecretStealers #JaneHealey #LakeUnion Title: The Secret Stealers

Author: Jane Healey

Published by: Lake Union Publishing on Apr. 1, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 456

Format: Paperback

Source: Amazon Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

A female American spy in Nazi-occupied France finds purpose behind enemy lines in a novel of unparalleled danger, love, and daring by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Beantown Girls.

Anna Cavanaugh is a restless young widow and brilliant French teacher at an all-girls school in Washington, DC. Everything changes when she’s recruited into the Office of Strategic Services by family friend and legendary WWI hero Major General William Donovan.

Donovan has faith in her—and in all his “glorious amateurs” who are becoming Anna’s fast friends: Maggie, Anna’s down-to-earth mentor; Irene, who’s struggling to find support from her husband for her clandestine life; and Julia, a cheerful OSS liaison. But the more Anna learns about the organization’s secret missions, the more she longs to be stationed abroad. Then comes the opportunity: go undercover as a spy in the French Resistance to help steal critical intelligence that could ultimately turn the tide of the war.

Dispatched behind enemy lines and in constant danger, Anna is filled with adrenaline, passion, and fear. She’s driven to make a difference—for her country and for herself. Whatever the risk, she’s willing to take it to help liberate France from the shadows of occupation and to free herself from the shadows of her former life.

Review:

Immersive, pacey, and affecting!

The Secret Stealers is an absorbing, gripping tale set predominantly in Nazi-Occupied Paris during WWII that follows Anna Cavanaugh, a young widow and french teacher who, after taking a position as a PA to the director of the OSS, General Donovan, finally gets her wish to return to Paris as an undercover spy using her unique skillset to infiltrate, befriend, and acquire special intelligence from the enemy to help the efforts of both the French Resistance and Allied Forces.

The prose is polished and eloquent. The characters are spunky, driven, and resilient. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel into a sweeping saga of life, loss, family, heartbreak, betrayal, secrets, espionage, danger, survival, tragedy, friendship, and a touch of romance.

Overall, The Secret Stealers is a rich, evocative, tense novel by Healey that grabs you from the very first page and is sure to be a big hit with historical fiction lovers everywhere. I devoured, enjoyed, and highly recommend it!

This book is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Amazon Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jane Healey

Jane Healey is the author of three historical fiction novels. Her novel THE BEANTOWN GIRLS was a Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller. Her latest novel, THE SECRET STEALERS, was an Amazon First Reads Editor’s Pick, one of the New York Post’s Best New Books in April 2021 and was a Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choice pick.

Jane has given presentations about the history behind her novels to hundreds of libraries, book clubs and organizations around the country, including through the Jewish Book Council Network and the American Red Cross. She is also the host of Historical Happy Hour, a monthly webinar and podcast featuring premiere historical fiction authors and their latest novels.

A graduate of the University of New Hampshire and Northeastern University, Jane shares a home north of Boston with her husband, two daughters, and two cats. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, running, cooking, and going to the beach.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview The Orphan House by Ann Bennett @annbennett71 @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #TheOrphanHouse #AnnBennett

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#BookReview The Orphan House by Ann Bennett @annbennett71 @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #TheOrphanHouse #AnnBennett Title: The Orphan House

Author: Ann Bennett

Published by: Forever on Oct. 5, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Two women uncover the secrets of the past in this emotional and poignant story that’s perfect for fans of Lisa Wingate and Kristina McMorris.
 
1934: Connie Burroughs loves living in the orphanage that her father runs in the English countryside. Exploring its nooks and crannies with her sister, hearing the pounding of a hundred pairs of feet on the wooden stairs, having a father who is doing so much good. But everything changes the day she sees him carrying a newborn baby that he says he found near the broken front gate. A baby she recognizes . . .

Present Day: Arriving at her father’s beloved cottage beside the Thames, Sarah Jennings is hoping for peace and quiet, and an escape from her difficult divorce. But when she finds her father unwell and poring over boxes of files on the orphanage where he was abandoned as a child, she decides to investigate his elusive past herself.

The only person left alive who lived at Cedar Hall when Sarah’s father was there is Connie Burroughs, but Connie sits quietly in her nursing home for a reason. The sewing box under Connie’s bed hides secrets that will change Sarah’s life forever, uncovering a connection between the two women that has darker consequences than she could ever imagine.

A heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting tale inspired by the lives of the children who lived at the author’s great-grandfather’s orphanage

Review:

Pensive, tense, and emotive!

The Orphan House is an engaging, mysterious tale that sweeps you away to the idyllic village of Weirfield and immerses you into the lives of two main characters, Sarah Jennings, a young woman who, after heading to her father’s home to regroup after her marriage falls apart, finds herself taking care of her father, purchasing a historic home, and endeavouring to rebuild a new life in a house that needs a lot of work and seems to contain a lot of hidden surprises; and Connie Burroughs, an elderly woman who, after a recent fall and subsequent move to an assisted-living facility, decides to let the memories she’s been protecting and her father’s long-buried secrets finally come to light.

The prose is evocative and expressive. The characters are focused, troubled, and attentive. And the plot, set in both the 1930s as well as present-day, is a tender, heartfelt mix of life, love, family, friendship, self-reflection, history, abuse, power, negligence, community, new beginnings, and second chances.

Overall, The Orphan House is a hopeful, absorbing, reflective tale by Bennett that, with its compelling storyline and endearing characters, I’m sure glad I didn’t miss.

 

This novel is available now.

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

                

 

 

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

 

About Ann Bennett

Ann is the author of several historical novels about WWII. She has a Law degree and works full time as a lawyer. Since her early twenties she has spent as much time as possible travelling in the region. She's married with three sons and lives in Surrey.

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#BookReview The Wonder Test by Michelle Richmond @michellerichmon @PGCBooks @groveatlantic #TheWonderTest #MichelleRichmond

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#BookReview The Wonder Test by Michelle Richmond @michellerichmon @PGCBooks @groveatlantic #TheWonderTest #MichelleRichmond Title: The Wonder Test

Author: Michelle Richmond

Published by: Atlantic Monthly Press on Jul. 6, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 430

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Escaping New York City and the espionage case that made her question everything, recently widowed FBI Agent Lina Connerly returns home to sell the house she has inherited in tony Greenfield, California. With her teenage son Rory, Lina hopes to reassemble her life, reevaluate her career, and find a clear way forward. Adrift and battling insomnia, she discovers that her father’s sleepy hometown has been transformed into a Silicon Valley suburb on steroids, obsessed with an annual exam called The Wonder Test. When students at her son’s high school go missing, reappearing under mysterious circumstances on abandoned beaches, Lina must summon her strength and her investigative instincts, pushing her own ethical boundaries to the limits in order to solve the crimes. Meanwhile, an old espionage case called Red Vine keeps calling her back into the fold. While Lina struggles to balance her new role as a single mother and the complex counterintelligence puzzles she is so adept at solving, Greenfield’s shadowy dangers creep closer to her own home.

A searing view of a culture that puts the wellbeing of children at risk for advancement and prestige, and a captivating story of the lengths a mother will go for her son.

Review:

Suspenseful, edgy, and chilling!

The Wonder Test is a brisk, menacing tale that introduces us to FBI agent Lina Connerly, a recent widow who, after both the loss of her husband and her father, moves to Silicon Valley where her teenage son can attend the prestigious, local public school and she can tidy up her father’s affairs. But when her son’s girlfriend Caroline goes missing on the eve of the annual “Wonder Test”, and the case looks eerily similar to that of three other students who previously vanished without a trace only to reappear a week later naked, bald, and malnourished, this idyllic spot suddenly seems a little less perfect and danger seems to be lurking around every corner.

The prose is intricate and tight. The characters are inquisitive, tenacious, and intelligent. And the plot unravels and intertwines effortlessly into a sinister tale of deception, manipulation, secrets, power, privilege, revelations, gossip, grief, deviance, and malicious intentions.

Overall, The Wonder Test is a shrewd, sharp, intense thrill ride by Richmond that highlights just how dark, dangerous, and ruthless some people can truly be, especially when driven to conceal an underworld filled with lust, greed, and sinful proclivities.

 

This book 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 in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Michelle Richmond

Michelle Richmond is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels and story collections, including The Marriage Pact, Golden State, The Year of Fog, and Hum. She received the Truman Capote Prize for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Short Story. Her books have been published in thirty languages. She lives with her husband and son in Northern California.

Photo by Nick Elliott.

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#BookReview An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire by Manda Collins @MandaCollins @readforeverpub @HBGCanada @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #MandaCollins #AnHeiresssGuidetoDeceptionandDesire #ALadysGuide

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#BookReview An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire by Manda Collins @MandaCollins @readforeverpub @HBGCanada @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #MandaCollins #AnHeiresssGuidetoDeceptionandDesire #ALadysGuide Title: An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire

Author: Manda Collins

Series: A Lady's Guide #2

Published by: Forever on Nov. 16, 2021

Genres: Historical Romance, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

Former lovers become reluctant allies in this delightfully witty historical rom-com from the bestselling author of A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem—for fans of Evie Dunmore, Enola Holmes, and Netflix’s Bridgerton!

England, 1867 : As half of the writing duo behind England’s most infamous crime column, Miss Caroline Hardcastle has quite the scandalous reputation. It may have cost her a fiancé, but she would much rather bring attention to crimes against those ignored by society than worry about what the ton thinks of her.

After Caro’s dear friend is kidnapped, however, she has no choice but to work with Lord Valentine Thorn, the same man who broke her heart. Worse, when her actions put her father’s business at risk, a marriage of convenience may be her only solution . . . but can she trust Val to stand by her? Or will their past repeat itself?

Val–the new Viscount Wrackham–is in an untenable position: His father is demanding he find a respectable bride to secure the succession. Yet the only woman he’s ever loved, Miss Caroline Hardcastle, is notorious for behaving improperly. And she’s never forgiven him for his youthful transgressions, missteps made in the name of familial duty, but ones he still regrets to this day.

As they grow closer to unmasking the culprit, Val sees an opportunity to show Caro he’s a changed man. But can he convince her to give their love a second chance–before death does them part?

Review:

Quirky, adventurous, and fun!

An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire is a playful, engaging tale set in London during 1867 that takes you into the life of Miss Caroline Hardcastle, a crime columnist who, after one of her closest friends goes missing, must grudgingly team up with he ex-fiancé and one man who broke her heart, the dashingly handsome, Lord Valentine Thorn in order to solve the case and rescue her dear friend, Effie as quickly as possible.

The writing is cheeky and engaging. The characters are resourceful, clever, and endearing. And the plot is a passionate, compelling tale full of family, friendship, societal expectations, deductive reasoning, scheming behaviour, tricky situations, awkward moments, secrets, attraction, desire, sleuthing, and of course, a little romance.

An Heiress’s Guide to Deception and Desire is an amusing, lighthearted, entertaining tale that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the second title in the A Lady’s Guide series by Collins, that if you ask me, keeps getting better and better.

This book is available now.

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

            

 

 

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

 

About Manda Collins

Manda Collins grew up on a combination of Nancy Drew books and Jane Austen novels, and her own brand of historical romantic suspense is the result. A former academic librarian, she holds master’s degrees in English and Library & Information Studies. Her novel Duke with Benefits was named a Kirkus Best Romance of 2017. She lives on the Gulf Coast with two lazy cats, a very spoiled Shih Tzu, and more books than are strictly necessary.

Photograph courtesy of read-forever.com.

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#BookReview The Dead Husband by Carter Wilson @PPPress #TheDeadHusband #CarterWilson #inkedinpoison

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#BookReview The Dead Husband by Carter Wilson @PPPress #TheDeadHusband #CarterWilson #inkedinpoison Title: The Dead Husband

Author: Carter Wilson

Published by: Poisoned Pen Press on May 4, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: Poisoned Pen Press

Book Rating: 7.5/10

A murderer, a victim, and a witness… but no one in this house is innocent

Twenty years ago an unspeakable tragedy rocked Rose Yates’s small, affluent hometown… and only Rose and her family know the truth about what happened.

Haunted by guilt, Rose escaped into a new life. Now she seems to have it all: a marriage, a son, a career. And then her husband is found dead.

As far as Detective Colin Pearson is concerned, Rose is guilty. Her marriage wasn’t as happy as she’d led everyone to believe, and worse, she’s connected to a twenty-year-old cold case. She can play the part of the victim, but he won’t let her or her family escape justice this time around.

Grieving her husband and struggling to make ends meet, Rose returns home, hoping to finally confront her domineering father and unstable sister. But memories of a horrific crime echo through the house, and Rose soon learns that she can’t trust anyone, especially not the people closest to her.

From USA Today bestselling author Carter Wilson comes a story of deception, hereditary sin, and what we’ll do to protect our own.

Review:

Complex, sly, and ominous!

The Dead Husband is an unnerving, menacing, domestic thriller that takes us into the life of Rose Yates, a mystery writer and mother who, after the recent death of her husband, reluctantly moves back to her childhood home where tragic memories reside, powerful emotions swirl, and long-buried skeletons and secrets are in abundance.

The prose is tight and intense. The characters are secretive, unstable, and troubled. And the plot builds and unravels quickly into a suspenseful tale filled with familial drama, heartache, tension, obsession, death, cruelty, desperation, tragedy, and violence.

Overall, The Dead Husband is a tortuous, cunning, sinister tale by Carter that is intense, creepy, and eerily entertaining.

 

This book is available now.

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

           

 

 

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

 

About Carter Wilson

USA Today and #1 Denver Post bestselling author Carter Wilson explores the depths of psychological tension and paranoia in his dark, domestic thrillers. Carter is a two-time winner of the Colorado Book Award and his novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. He lives outside Boulder, Colorado.

Photo by Eldeen Annette Headshots.

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#BlogTour #BookReview Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens @SophieCous @centurybooksuk #JustHaventMetYouYet #SophieCousens

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#BlogTour #BookReview Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens @SophieCous @centurybooksuk #JustHaventMetYouYet #SophieCousens Title: Just Haven't Met You Yet

Author: Sophie Cousens

Published by: Century on Nov. 11, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: Arrow Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

Tell me the story of how you two met…

Laura has built a career out of interviewing people about their epic real life love stories.

When she picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport, Laura wonders if this could be the start of something that’s written in the stars.

From piano sheet-music to a battered copy of her favourite book, Laura finds in the bag evidence of everything she could hope for in a partner.

If Laura’s job has taught her anything it’s that when it comes to love, you can’t let opportunity pass you by. Now Laura is determined to track down the owner of the suitcase, and her own happy ending.

But what if fate has other ideas?

Review:

Intimate, poignant, and romantic!

Just Haven’t Met You Yet is an addictive, uplifting, slow-burning tale that takes you into the life of Laura Le Quesne, a young woman who, after heading to the Channel Islands to investigate and write the story of her late parent’s epic love affair, also finds herself on the hunt to identify and meet, with the help of a broody cabbie, the one she has been waiting for her whole life after she picks up the wrong suitcase of a man who seems, based on his possessions, to be her fated soul mate.

The writing is warm and sweet. The characterization is spot on with a delightful cast of characters that are endearing, genuine, and kind. And the plot is a charming tale full of hope, heart, and humour.

Just Haven’t Met You Yet is, ultimately, a story about love, loss, life, trust, family, friendship, community, ageing, self-discovery, happiness, and fate. It is a sentimental, absorbing, compelling novel by Cousens that does an exceptional job of highlighting that true love is not just roses, chocolates, and grand gestures but all the tender, touching, supportive moments in between. I absolutely adored this novel and look forward to reading all of this author’s previous novels as soon as I possibly can.

This novel is available now.

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

              

 

 

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK – Arrow Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sophie Cousens

Sophie Cousens worked as a TV producer in London for more than twelve years and now lives on the island of Jersey in the UK, balancing her writing career with working for an arts charity and taking care of her two small children. She is the author of This Time Next Year and Just Haven’t Met You Yet.

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#BookReview The Secret Next Door by Rebecca Taylor @RebeccaAuthor @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheSecretNextDoor #RebeccaTaylor #bookmarkedbylandmark

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#BookReview The Secret Next Door by Rebecca Taylor @RebeccaAuthor @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheSecretNextDoor #RebeccaTaylor #bookmarkedbylandmark Title: The Secret Next Door

Author: Rebecca Taylor

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark on Nov. 9, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark

Book Rating: 8/10

How well do you really know your neighbors?

Alyson Tinsdale is giving her son the childhood she never had: a stable family, a loving home, and a great school in a safe neighborhood.

Bonnie Sloan is the neighborhood matriarch. With her oldest son headed to Yale, and her youngest starting kindergarten, Bonnie is now pursuing her own long-held political aspirations despite private family struggles.

When the open space behind some of the most expensive homes gets slated for development into an amusement facility, the neighborhood becomes deeply divided. The personal pressures and community conflicts ratchet with every passing day, but it’s when a thirteen-year-old is found dead beside the neighborhood lake that simmering tensions boil over into panic.

Gossip flows, lies are exposed, and accusations are made as cracks run through the community’s once solid foundations. The neighborhood’s faith in exterior appearances is eclipsed by the secrets every house keeps. And as Bonnie and Alyson fight to keep their children safe and their messy personal lives from becoming neighborhood knowledge, it becomes clear that their neighbors might not be who they appear to be.

Fans of Lisa Jewell and Wendy Walker will love this fast-paced, engrossing novel that reminds us that nothing and no one are ever as perfect as they seem.

Review:

Edgy, eerie, and tight!

The Secret Next Door is a captivating, psychological thrill ride that introduces us to Alyson, a young mother who is excited to move into a new home with her husband and five-year-old son until the neighbours of this coveted community seem a be a little more distant and unfriendly than they first appeared, her son has more than a few issues fitting in at the local school, her marriage starts to become unbearably strained, and the thirteen-year-old-son of one of the most popular families in the area suddenly turns up dead.

The writing is brisk and intense. The characters are consumed, overwhelmed, and flawed. And the plot is a suspenseful, sinister tale of secrets, deception, gossip, tragedy, politics, suspicions, revelations, mayhem, fractured relationships, violence, and murder.

Overall, The Secret Next Door is an atmospheric, devious, unnerving page-turner by Taylor that does a wonderful job of highlighting just how easily people can sometimes allow themselves to be psychologically and emotionally manipulated, and reminds us that even the people we think we know so well often have deep, dark secrets they choose to hide.

 

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 exchange for an honest review.

 

About Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor was born to a single British teen during a February blizzard in Green Bay, Wisconsin. When she was three, her mother met and married a US Marine. Like many children of military families, Rebecca spent the next fifteen years of her life moving. From Canada to Okinawa, and then all over the United States, she attended eight different schools before graduating high school.

Given that, she didn’t really understand how people managed to stay in one place for more than twelve months. So, she spent her twenties working as an international flight attendant while pursuing degrees in psychology and sociology. It wasn’t until she was pregnant with her first child and working on her graduate degree in psychology that she began writing fiction.

Rebecca has since written eight novels: ASCENDANT won the Colorado Book Award in 2014, and AFFECTIVE NEEDS was a finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award in 2017. HER PERFECT LIFE was her first work of psychological fiction and was published by Sourcebooks in 2020.

THE SECRET NEXT DOOR will release from Sourcebooks on November 9th, 2021.

Thankfully, Rebecca did eventually learn how to sit and stay. She currently lives in sunny Colorado with her husband, two teens, two dogs, two cats, two fish…there seems to be something about the number two for her.

Photo by Yvonne Min.

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