#BookReview Dream Chaser (Dream Team #2) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68 @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #KristenAshley #DreamTeam

#BookReview Dream Chaser (Dream Team #2) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68 @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #KristenAshley #DreamTeam Title: Dream Chaser

Author: Kristen Ashley

Series: Dream Team #2

Published by: Forever on Dec. 15, 2020

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance

Pages: 480

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8.5/10

In this steamy, addictive contemporary romance spinning off the New York Times bestselling Dream Man and Rock Chick series, Ryn Jansen must put her trust in the one man she wants — and the one man she can’t let herself have.

Ryn Jansen has no interest in taking a risk on Boone Sadler. Thanks to a long list of men who’ve done nothing but let her down, Ryn vows to stay far away from the caring, protective commando. And when Boone confronts Ryn with evidence that her loved ones are conning her, Ryn is less than thrilled — with her family and Boone. But even as Boone proves he’s the kind of guy to meet her every need, she doesn’t trust him to stay when life gets hard . . .

Boone Sadler’s never been one to back down from a challenge. He’s determined to show the funny, sexy Ryn that the irresistible connection between them is worth exploring. But caring for Ryn’s heart and body becomes a matter of life and death when Ryn’s beloved niece and nephew are put in danger and dirty cops begin gunning for Ryn. Soon Boone realizes their romance is in danger of more than heartbreak — and to have any future together, they’ll have to put their trust in each other.


Review:

Action-packed, alluring, and risqué!

Dream Chaser is a fervid, edgy tale that features the busy, chaotic stripper, Ryn who finds herself the next one on Lotties’s list to be set up, but between her dysfunctional extended family and her recent association with the criminal on the run, Cisco, she has no time to start a relationship with the macho, black ops commando, Boone who may not only be the perfect protector out of the bedroom but the Dom she needs in it.

The writing is passionate and enticing. The characters are strong-willed, vulnerable, and kind. And the plot, including all the subplots, is a fevered blend of friendship, familial drama, sisterhood, chaos, dangerous situations, sizzling attraction, romance, a little BDSM, and a lot of dirty talk.

Overall, Dream Chaser is a tantalizing, dramatic, sexy addition to the Dream Team series by Ashley that has all the elements you look for in a romantic suspense tale with its heat, danger, sexual tension, and happy-ever-after ending.

 

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever & 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.

#BookReview A Heartfelt Christmas Promise by Nancy Naigle @smpromance @nancynaigle @StMartinsPress #AHeartfeltChristmasPromise #NancyNaigle #smpromance

#BookReview A Heartfelt Christmas Promise by Nancy Naigle @smpromance @nancynaigle @StMartinsPress #AHeartfeltChristmasPromise #NancyNaigle #smpromance Title: A Heartfelt Christmas Promise

Author: Nancy Naigle

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Sep. 29, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 9/10

A perfect gift that captures the spirit of the season, USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle’s A Heartfelt Christmas Promise celebrates the holidays, small-town traditions, and the generosity of love between two lost souls who find everything they ever wanted in each other.

Vanessa Larkin was supposed to be spending Christmas in Paris, France on a business trip she hoped to enjoy as a working vacation. Instead, she’s been assigned to Fraser Hills, North Carolina–home of the Best Fruitcake in the USA–to convert her company’s property into warehouse space and shut down Porter’s, the fruitcake factory. Offering retirement packages and selling locals on new job opportunities may not spread holiday cheer, but Vanessa believes she’s helping secure the town’s future.

Mike Marshall’s family founded Porter’s. For decades, the factory served as the lifeblood of the community until his grandfather sold the business to a Chicago corporation. The sale cost the town its independence–and the Marshalls their family ties. A horse farmer, Mike was never involved with his grandfather’s company, but still felt Fraser Hills lost part of its identity. And as a widower raising a teenage daughter, he’s suffered enough losses in one lifetime. News of the factory’s closing means losing another piece of the town’s legacy.

Far from the skyscrapers and rapid pace of the city, Vanessa finds herself enjoying the easygoing rhythms of rural living. With Mike as her guide, she learns to appreciate the simple pleasures found in shared holiday festivities among friends. Fraser Hills is a town she is growing to love–and Mike is someone she is falling in love with. Now all Vanessa needs is a Christmas miracle to give her newfound friends and home a gift they’ll cherish for many New Years to come.


Review:

Cosy, festive, and spirited!

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is a charming, uplifting tale set in the quaint town of Fraser Hills, North Carolina that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Vanessa Larkin, a young businesswoman sent right before Christmas to closedown and restructure the largest employer of the town, Porter’s fruit cake factory, and Mike Marshall, a single father who spends his time raising his daughter and training his magnificent horses.

The prose is light and sweet. The characters are hardworking, savvy, and considerate. And the plot is a delightful blend of family, friendship, community, self-discovery, tender moments, merry preparations, and of course a touch of romance!

A Heartfelt Christmas Promise is the first novel I’ve read by Naigle, but after reading this big-hearted, heartwarming, holiday treat I can guarantee it won’t be my last.

 

This book is available now.

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

       

 

 

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

 

About Nancy Naigle

USA Today bestselling author NANCY NAIGLE whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. Now happily retired, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and the occasional spa day with friends. A native of Virginia Beach, she currently calls North Carolina home. Nancy is the author of Christmas Joy and Hope at Christmas, both of which have been turned into film for Hallmark Channel.

Photograph by Adam Sanner.

#BookReview The Truth About Dukes (Rogues to Riches #5) by Grace Burrowes @GraceBurrowes @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #GraceBurrowes #RoguestoRiches

#BookReview The Truth About Dukes (Rogues to Riches #5) by Grace Burrowes @GraceBurrowes @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #GraceBurrowes #RoguestoRiches Title: The Truth About Dukes

Author: Grace Burrowes

Series: Rogues to Riches #5

Published by: Forever on Nov. 10, 2020

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 371

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

A new duke and a woman with a secret in her past get a second chance at love in this delightful and charming Regency romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the Windham series.

Robert Rothmere is hiding a past no duke should have endured, but he’s not hiding it well enough. Sooner or later, his enemies will learn that he spent years locked away at a private asylum. To get their hands on his wealth, they’ll try to send him right back to his worst nightmares. If Robert is to foil their schemes, he needs to marry a perfectly proper, blessedly boring, deadly dull duchess, immediately—and he knows exactly which quietly delightful lady he’d love to entrust with that role.

Lady Constance Wentworth has cultivated a reputation for utter forgettability. She never speaks out of turn (in public), never has a daring thought (that she admits aloud), and never comes close to courting scandal… as far as anybody knows. Her path crossed Robert’s years ago, though, and she’s never forgotten the extraordinary lengths he traveled to keep her safe when she hadn’t a friend in the world. She longs to be his demure duchess…but little does he know that to marry her would be utter madness.


Review:

Engaging, heartfelt, and romantic!

The Truth About Dukes is a lighthearted, passionate, second-chance romance that features the kind, intelligent Duke of Rothhaven, Robert Rothmere who after spending the majority of his life incarcerated in an asylum due to epilepsy just wants to resume a normal life and enjoy the company of the one woman, Lady Constance, who befriended him all those years ago.

The prose is smooth and authentic. The characters are troubled, supportive, and vulnerable. And the plot is a heartwarming combination of family, friendship, heartbreak, secrets, societal expectations, tender moments, villainous intentions, prejudices, and unconditional love.

I think what I enjoyed most about The Truth About Dukes was the intriguing storyline. In a world where we are still trying to break the barriers down on discrimination and inequality, it was almost refreshing to read a historical novel where the characters were triumphant even when society deemed them outcasts and prime targets for vilification.

 

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 Grace Burrowes

Grace Burrowes grew up in central Pennsylvania and is the sixth of seven children. She discovered romance novels in junior high and has been reading them voraciously ever since. Grace has a bachelor's degree in political science, a bachelor of music in music history (both from the Pennsylvania State University), a master's degree in conflict transformation from Eastern Mennonite University, and a juris doctor from the National Law Center at George Washington University. Grace is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes Georgian, Regency, Scottish Victorian, and contemporary romances in both novella and novel lengths. She enjoys giving workshops and speaking at writers' conferences.

Photograph courtesy of read-forever.com.

#BookReview Let Him Go by Larry Watson @PGCBooks @Milkweed_Books #LetHimGo #LarryWatson #PGCBooks

#BookReview Let Him Go by Larry Watson @PGCBooks @Milkweed_Books #LetHimGo #LarryWatson #PGCBooks Title: Let Him Go

Author: Larry Watson

Published by: Milkweed Editions on Nov. 3, 2020

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 280

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 10/10

Now a Major Motion Picture from Focus Features, Starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane

The celebrated author of Montana 1948 returns to the American West in this riveting tale of familial love and its unexpected consequences.

Dalton, North Dakota. It’s September 1951: years since George and Margaret Blackledge lost their son when he was thrown from a horse; months since his widow left with their only grandson and married another man. Margaret is resolved to find and retrieve her beloved grandson, while George, a retired sheriff, is none too eager to stir up trouble.

Unable to sway his wife from her mission, George takes to the road with Margaret by his side, traveling through the Badlands to Montana. But when Margaret tries to bring little Jimmy home, the Blackledges find themselves entangled with the Weboy clan, who are determined not to give up the boy without a fight.


Review:

Harrowing, gritty, and atmospheric!

Let Him Go transports you to the small towns of the American Midwest during the early 1950s and into the lives of George and Margaret Blackledge. A quiet, unassuming couple who after suffering the devastating loss of their son, their daughter-in-law’s subsequent remarriage to a hoodlum, and the relocation of their grandson, find themselves on a journey where personalities clash, emotions run wild, and conflict is inevitable.

The prose is effortless and precise. The characters are vulnerable, raw, and impulsive. And the plot is a tense, thrilling tale of life, loss, love, grief, rage, fury, familial duty, palpable emotion, violence, and murder.

Overall, Let Him Go is a tragic, haunting, beautiful story by Watson that is ultimately a powerful page-turner where the spaces between the words almost say more than the words themselves.

On a side note, I was lucky enough to watch an advance screening of the movie adaptation of this novel and was amazed at how closely it followed the original story. If you get a chance, I would highly recommend not only reading this novel but also watching the newly released movie starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane.

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 Larry Watson

Larry Watson was born in 1947 in Rugby, North Dakota. He grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota, and was educated in its public schools. Larry married his high school sweetheart, Susan Gibbons, in 1967. He received his BA and MA from the University of North Dakota, his Ph.D. from the creative writing program at the University of Utah, and an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Ripon College. Watson has received grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (1987, 2004) and the Wisconsin Arts Board.

#BookReview This Cowboy of Mine by R.C. Ryan @RuthRyanLangan @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #RCRyan #WranglersofWyoming #ThisCowboyofMine

#BookReview This Cowboy of Mine by R.C. Ryan @RuthRyanLangan @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #RCRyan #WranglersofWyoming #ThisCowboyofMine Title: This Cowboy of Mine

Author: R.C. Ryan

Series: Wranglers of Wyoming #2

Published by: Forever on Dec. 15, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

New York Times bestselling author R. C. Ryan takes readers on a wild ride with a strong heroine who must trust the cowboy trying to save her life.

A cowboy with a wild side

Kirby Regan isn’t opposed living on the edge. After all, she just quit her career in Washington, D.C, so she could move back to Wyoming and buy her family’s ranch. But hiking the Tetons after dark during a snowstorm goes beyond being adventurous, especially when Kirby’s boss warns her that an escaped convict is at large. Sheltering in a cave seems the safest option to ride out the blizzard-until Kirby realizes it’s already occupied . . . by a ruggedly handsome cowboy.

Like the mustangs he treats, veterinarian and rancher Casey Merrick prefers to live wild and free, which is why a relationship is not in the cards for him. He doesn’t mind sharing his space with a gorgeous stranger, as long as they can both keep their distance-a task that begins to seem impossible as the attraction between them heats up. But before they can worry about the spark smoldering between them, Casey must find a way to protect Kirby from nature’s most ruthless conditions . . . and a convicted killer on the loose.


Review:

Charming, mysterious, and engaging!

This Cowboy of Mine is an uplifting, suspenseful, cowboy romance that takes you back to the Merrick Ranch and into the lives of Kirby Regan, a young woman who finds herself unexpectedly in the sights of an escaped murderer, and the hardworking, dependable veterinarian, Casey Merrick who may have finally met the one woman he wants to protect and spend time with as much as the animals in his care.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are caring, supportive, and kind. And the plot is a heartwarming, feel-good tale with a sliver of mystery that’s full of ranch life, love, friendship, community, family, romance, love, and intrigue.

Overall, This Cowboy of Mine is another sweet, satisfying addition to the Wranglers of Wyoming series by Ryan with its western charm, endearing characters, underlying thread of danger, and reminder of how important it is to have a place where you can feel safe and are happy to call home.

 

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

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

 

About R.C. Ryan

New York Times bestselling author R.C. Ryan has written more than a hundred novels, both contemporary and historical. Quite an accomplishment for someone who, after her fifth child started school, gave herself the gift of an hour a day to follow her dream to become a writer.

In a career spanning more than thirty years, Ms. Ryan has given hundreds of radio, television, and print interviews across the country and Canada and has been quoted in such diverse publications as the Wall Street Journal and Cosmopolitan. She has also appeared on CNN News and Good Morning America.

R.C. Ryan is a pseudonym of New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ryan Langan.

Photograph by Jennifer Berry/Studio 16.

#BookReview Don’t Look Back by Christie Craig (Texas Justice #3) by Christie Craig @Christie_Craig @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #ChristieCraig #TexasJusticeSeries #DontLookBack

#BookReview Don’t Look Back by Christie Craig (Texas Justice #3) by Christie Craig @Christie_Craig @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #ChristieCraig #TexasJusticeSeries #DontLookBack Title: Don't Look Back

Author: Christie Craig

Series: Texas Justice #3

Published by: Forever on Dec. 15, 2020

Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Romantic Suspense

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 10/10

New York Times bestselling author Christie Craig’s thrilling romantic suspense about a by-the-book FBI agent who must trust a risk-taking detective for help tracking down her sister’s killers — perfect for fans of Kat Martin, Sharon Sala, and Brenda Novak!

FBI agent Brie Ryan’s latest mission is personal. She’s posing as a waitress at the Black Diamond strip club, the same club where her estranged half sister worked until she turned up dead. When Brie’s undercover assignment is compromised, she turns to the only man she knows who can help her: Connor Pierce, a too-sexy-for-his-own-good, rule-breaking cop with a knack for solving cold cases.

When someone breaks into Brie’s apartment, Connor’s detective skills aren’t the only things that kick into overdrive. Although his job demands he remain detached, now he finds himself tempted not only by Brie’s beauty but also her intelligence and bravery. As the investigation-and their attraction-grows more intense, lives are in jeopardy, and Connor finds the most important rule he must break is his own. But can he put his heart on the line?


Review:

Suspenseful, absorbing, and action-packed!

Don’t Look Back is a charged, alluring, pacey thriller that sees FBI agent Brie Ryan working with Anniston Detective Connor Pierce to investigate a possible human trafficking ring operating out of the local strip club and the senseless murder of her estranged half-sister.

The prose is sharp and crisp. The characters are driven, scarred, supportive, and stubborn. And the plot is an ominous, passionate tale filled with twists, turns, familial drama, police corruption, mayhem, abuse, secrets, danger, sizzling attraction, violence, romance, and murder.

So one of the things I use to determine if a book is a 5-star read is how well it holds my attention and when it came to Don’t Look Back, I couldn’t put it down. In fact, halfway through I declared it was going to be a get your own dinner night, to the grumbles of my family, as nothing else was getting done until I finished it. I literally devoured it in one sitting over one afternoon and just kept asking myself several things. Why have I not read this author or series before? Is it too late to put the first two books on my Christmas list? Will my local bookstore carry them?

As you know I never like to give too much away in terms of the plot in my reviews as I always think a book is better if you go into it without expectations but what I will say, in case you haven’t guessed, is I absolutely loved this book, Christie Craig has a new fan, and if you get a chance and love romantic suspense you really need to read this book!

This book 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 Christie Craig

Christie Craig is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-nine books. She is an Alabama native, a motivational speaker, and a writing teacher, who currently hangs her hat in Texas. When she’s not writing romance, she’s travelling, sipping wine, or penning bestselling young adult novels as C.C. Hunter.

Photograph courtesy of read-forever.com

#BookReview When a Rogue Meets His Match @ElizabethHoyt @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #ElizabethHoyt #Greycourt #WhenaRogueMeetsHisMatch

#BookReview When a Rogue Meets His Match @ElizabethHoyt @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #ElizabethHoyt #Greycourt #WhenaRogueMeetsHisMatch Title: When a Rogue Meets His Match

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Series: Greycourt #2

Published by: Forever on Dec. 1, 2020

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 511

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

The second novel in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt’s Greycourt Series features an enemies-to-lovers romance with her signature blend of captivating characters and sensual romance.

Ambitious, sly, and lethally intelligent, Gideon Hawthorne has spent his life clawing his way up from the gutter. For the last ten years, he’s acted as the Duke of Windemere’s fixer, performing the most dangerous tasks without question. Now Gideon’s ready to quit the duke’s service and work solely for himself. But Windermere wants Gideon to complete one last task, and his reward is impossible to resist: Messalina Greycourt’s hand in marriage.

Witty, vivacious Messalina Greycourt has her pick of suitors. When Windermere summons Messalina to inform his niece that she must marry Mr. Hawthorne, she is appalled. But she’s surprised when Gideon offers her a compromise: as long as she plays the complacent wife, he promises to leave her alone until she asks for his touch. Since Messalina is confident that she’ll never ask Gideon for anything, she readily agrees. However, the more time she spends with Gideon, the harder it is to stay away.


Review:

Engaging, seductive, and entertaining!

When a Rogue Meets His Match is set in London during the late eighteenth century and features the spirited, intelligent Messalina Greycourt who after reluctantly agreeing to wed the dangerous, yet roguishly handsome Gideon Hawthorne finds herself inadvertently falling for his hidden charms and tender nature.

The prose is witty and sharp. The characters are tough, feisty, and passionate. And the plot is a delightfully scandalous blend of familial drama, Georgian traditions, desire, deception, betrayal, danger, gossip, tricky situations, and titillating romance.

Overall, When a Rogue Meets His Match is an adventurous, compelling, highly amusing tale that I thoroughly enjoyed. It is the second title in the Greycourt series by Hoyt, and if you ask me this series just 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 Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Elizabeth Hoyt

Elizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventeen lush historical romances including the Maiden Lane series. Publishers Weekly has called her writing “mesmerizing.” She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with three untrained dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding, and the long-suffering Mr. Hoyt.
The winters in Minnesota have been known to be long and cold and Elizabeth is always thrilled to receive reader mail.

#BookReview The Diplomat’s Wife by Pam Jenoff @PamJenoff @HarlequinBooks @Bookclubbish #TheDiplomatsWife #PamJenoff #Bookclubbish #HTPBooks

#BookReview The Diplomat’s Wife by Pam Jenoff @PamJenoff @HarlequinBooks @Bookclubbish #TheDiplomatsWife #PamJenoff #Bookclubbish #HTPBooks Title: The Diplomat's Wife

Author: Pam Jenoff

Series: The Kommandant's Girl #2

Published by: Park Row on Nov. 24, 2020

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Harlequin Trade Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale and The Lost Girls of Paris comes a tale of sacrifice and heartbreak in the aftermath of WWII

How have I been lucky enough to come here, to be alive, when so many others are not? I should have died… But I am here.

1945. Having survived the brutality of a Nazi prison camp, Marta Nederman is lucky to have escaped with her life. Recovering from the horror, she meets Paul, an American soldier who gives her hope of a happier future. But their plans to meet in London are dashed when Paul’s plane crashes.

Devastated and pregnant, Marta marries Simon, a caring British diplomat, and glimpses the joy that home and family can bring. But her happiness is threatened when she learns of a Communist spy in British intelligence, and that the one person who can expose the traitor is connected to her past.


Review:

Moving, enthralling, and intense!

The Diplomat’s Wife is the thrilling, absorbing sequel to The Kommandant’s Girl set at the end of WWII that takes you into the life of Marta Nederman, a Polish resistance fighter who after being liberated from Dachau meets a handsome American soldier, travels to London on a borrowed visa, marries a British Diplomat, and then returns to Poland two years later on a mission that will ultimately change her life forever.

The prose is rich and vivid. The characters are brave, vulnerable, and strong. And the plot is a compelling blend of life, loss, secrets, surprises, heartbreak, betrayal, survival, danger, friendship, and romance.

Overall, The Diplomat’s Wife is a passionate, riveting, action-packed tale by Jenoff that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the personalities, feelings, and lives of the characters within it that you can’t help but be fully absorbed and invested.

 

This novel is available now.

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

                

 

 

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

 

About Pam Jenoff

Pam Jenoff is the author of several books of historical fiction, including the NYT bestseller The Orphan's Tale. She holds a degree in international affairs from George Washington University and a degree in history from Cambridge, and she received her JD from UPenn. Her novels are inspired by her experiences working at the Pentagon and as a diplomat for the State Department handling Holocaust issues in Poland. She lives with her husband and 3 children near Philadelphia, where she teaches law.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

#BookReview Second Chance on Cypress Lane by Reese Ryan @ReeseRyanWrites @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #ReeseRyan #HollyGroveIsland #SecondChanceonCypressLane

#BookReview Second Chance on Cypress Lane by Reese Ryan @ReeseRyanWrites @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub #ReadForever #Forever20 #ReeseRyan #HollyGroveIsland #SecondChanceonCypressLane Title: Second Chance on Cypress Lane

Author: Reese Ryan

Series: Holly Grove Island #1

Published by: Forever on Dec. 1, 2020

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 413

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

In this heartwarming second-chance romance, a woman returns home and discovers that, when it comes to finding love, there’s no place like home.

When a romance gone wrong lands reporter Dakota Jones in the pages of the tabloids, her rising star crashes and burns. Instead of getting the weekend anchor job she’d been promised, she’s promptly shown the door. Which leaves her one option: return home to lick her wounds, eat lemon meringue pie, and plot her comeback while actively avoiding the man who once broke her heart.

Dexter Roberts made a huge mistake when he walked away from Dakota, and he’s regretted it ever since. So when Dakota returns to Holly Grove Island to regroup and decide what’s next, Dex can’t pass up the opportunity to win back the love of his life. Now he just needs to convince Dakota to give him a second chance.


Review:

Cosy, lighthearted, and romantic!

Second Chance on Cypress Lane is an uplifting, charming tale that takes you into the life of the kind, heartbroken Dakota Jones who after being shattered by a scandalous affair returns home to the idyllic Holly Grove Island to rebuild her self esteem, repair old friendships, help out her widowed father, and hopefully hide from the one man who broke her heart to pieces seventeen years ago. 

The writing is sentimental and warm. The characters are multilayered, supportive, and endearing. And the plot, using flashbacks to the past is an enticingly nostalgic tale full of secrets, friendship, tension, chemistry, tender moments, self-reflection, and second-chance love.

Second Chance on Cypress Lane is the first novel I’ve read by Ryan but it won’t be my last. It’s an entertaining, enjoyable, satisfying treat and I can’t wait to read what happens in this small North Carolina community next.

 

This book is available now.

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

            

 

 

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

 

About Reese Ryan

Reese Ryan is the author of twenty published works of romantic fiction and counting. Her stories feature a cast of flawed, complex characters. She presents her characters with family and career drama, challenging love interests, and life-changing secrets while treating readers to an emotional love story with unexpected twists.

Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Central North Carolina. She treads the line carefully between being a Northerner and a damned Yankee, despite her insistence on calling soda pop. She gauges her progress by the number of “bless your lil’ hearts” she receives each week. She is currently down to two.

Reese, an advocate for the romance genre and diversity in fiction, is the past president of her local Romance Writers of America chapter, a panelist at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and the 2018 Donna Hill Breakout Author.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

#BookReview The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister @theladygreer @Sourcebooks #TheArcticFury #GreerMacallister

#BookReview The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister @theladygreer @Sourcebooks #TheArcticFury #GreerMacallister Title: The Arctic Fury

Author: Greer Macallister

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark on Dec. 1, 2020

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 407

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark

Book Rating: 9/10

In early 1853, experienced California Trail guide Virginia Reeve is summoned to Boston by a mysterious benefactor who offers her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: lead a party of 12 women into the wild, hazardous Arctic to search for the lost Franklin Expedition. It’s an extraordinary request, but the party is made up of extraordinary women. Each brings her own strengths and skills to the expedition- and her own unsettling secrets. A year and a half later, back in Boston, Virginia is on trial when not all of the women return. Told in alternating timelines that follow both the sensational murder trial in Boston and the dangerous, deadly progress of the women’s expedition into the frozen North, this heart-pounding story will hold readers rapt as a chorus of voices answer the trial’s all-consuming question: what happened out there on the ice?


Review:

Captivating, atmospheric, and immersive!

The Arctic Fury is an emotive, absorbing novel set in the mid-1850s that sweeps you back-and-forth between a Boston courtroom where Virginia Reeve is on trial for the kidnapping and murder of socialite Caprice Collins, one of twelve women who embarked on a northern expedition to find the missing Sir John Franklin, and the icy, cold, Arctic where friendships were formed, life was lost, secrets surfaced, and past tragedies haunted.

The writing is vivid and expressive. The plot is well crafted and uses a past-present style to create tension, suspense and emotion as it unravels all the histories, personalities, and relationships within it. And the characters are unique, troubled, and scarred; with the setting, the arctic wilderness, being a character itself with its harsh weather, isolation, and physical challenges.

Overall, The Arctic Fury, loosely based on real-life events, is an intense, unique, gripping novel that reminds us that survival of any form takes unimaginable sacrifice, strength, courage, and often ethical and moral dilemmas.

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

 

About Greer Macallister

Raised in the Midwest, Greer Macallister is a novelist, poet and playwright who earned her MFA in creative writing from American University. Her debut novel THE MAGICIAN'S LIE was a USA Today bestseller, an Indie Next pick, and a Target Book Club selection. Her novels GIRL IN DISGUISE (“a rip-roaring, fast-paced treat to read” - Booklist) and WOMAN 99 (“a nail biter that makes you want to stand up and cheer” - Kate Quinn) were inspired by pioneering 19th-century private detective Kate Warne and fearless journalist Nellie Bly, respectively. Her next book, THE ARCTIC FURY, is forthcoming from Sourcebooks in December 2020. A regular contributor to Writer Unboxed and the Chicago Review of Books, she lives with her family in Washington, DC.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.