Genre: Contemporary Romance

#BookReview Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond @smpromance @StMartinsPress #NotYourAverageHotGuy #GwendaBond #smpromance #smpinfluencers

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#BookReview Not Your Average Hot Guy by Gwenda Bond @smpromance @StMartinsPress #NotYourAverageHotGuy #GwendaBond #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Not Your Average Hot Guy

Author: Gwenda Bond

Series: Not Your Average Hot Guy #1

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Oct. 5, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance

Pages: 320

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 7/10

A paranormal romantic comedy at the (possible) end of the world.

All Callie wanted was a quiet weekend with her best friend. She promised her mom she could handle running her family’s escape room business while her mom is out of town. Instead a Satanic cult shows up, claiming that the prop spell book in one of the rooms is the real deal, and they need it to summon the right hand of the devil. Naturally they take Callie and her friend, Mag, along with them. But when the summoning reveals a handsome demon in a leather jacket named Luke who offers to help Callie stop the cult from destroying the world, her night goes from weird to completely strange.

As the group tries to stay one step ahead of the cult, Callie finds herself drawn to the annoying (and annoyingly handsome) Luke. But what Callie doesn’t know is that Luke is none other than Luke Morningstar, Prince of Hell and son of the Devil himself. Callie never had time for love, and with the apocalypse coming closer, is there room for romance when all hell’s about to break loose?

From New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond, Not Your Average Hot Guy is a hilarious romantic comedy about two people falling in love, while the fate of the world rests on their shoulders.

Review:

Unique, comical, and cute!

Not Your Average Hot Guy is a sweet, funny, action-packed romance that takes you into the life of Callie, a kindhearted bookworm who finds herself inadvertently attracted to and in need of help from the sexy Luke Morningstar, the prince of Hell himself, when a satanic cult, led by the devious Solomon Elerion, visits her family’s escape room business to steal a book of spells that can help them summon a powerful demon, potentially acquire the Holy Lance, and ultimately trigger the apocalypse they’ve always been hoping for.

The writing is playful and light. The characters are feisty, impulsive, and amusing. And the plot is an adventure-filled tale of temptation, mystique, chemistry, attraction, witty banter, humorous mishaps, supernatural characters, and of course, a little fire and brimstone.

Overall, Not Your Average Hot Guy is a charming, humorous, quirky tale by Bond, and even though I felt it might be a little more suitable for a YA or New Adult audience rather than the adult readers it’s geared towards, it is still nevertheless an easy, entertaining read.

 

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

 

About Gwenda Bond

Gwenda Bond is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the Lois Lane and Cirque American trilogies. She wrote the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds. She also created Dead Air, a serialized mystery and scripted podcast written with Carrie Ryan and Rachel Caine. Not Your Average Hot Guy is her first romantic comedy for adults.

Her nonfiction writing has appeared in Publishers Weekly, Locus Magazine, Salon, the Los Angeles Times, and many other publications. She has an MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and their unruly pets. She believes she may have escaped from a 1940s screwball comedy. She writes a monthlyish letter you can sign up for at her website, and you can also follow her on Twitter.

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#BookReview Someone I Used To Know by Paige Toon @PaigeToonAuthor #someoneiusedtoknow #PaigeToon #feelitall #TheHiddenPaige

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#BookReview Someone I Used To Know by Paige Toon @PaigeToonAuthor #someoneiusedtoknow #PaigeToon #feelitall #TheHiddenPaige Title: Someone I Used To Know

Author: Paige Toon

Published by: Paige Toon Press on Jun. 24, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Paige Toon

Book Rating: 10/10

So much can change in half a lifetime…

Then

At fifteen, George is the foster brother Leah never asked for. As the angry, troubled boy struggles to come to terms with his circumstances, Leah finds herself getting drawn closer to him.

Theo’s wealthy family have mysteriously pulled him out of boarding school and he’s now enrolled at the local state school with Leah and George. When their worlds collide that summer, the three teenagers form a bond they believe will be unbreakable. But life doesn’t always go to plan…

Now

Shocking news brings Leah back to Yorkshire, baby daughter in tow. But Emilie’s father Theo isn’t with them, and George has unexpectedly returned. After half a lifetime, have they healed the scars of their pasts? Will coming back home set their hearts in a new direction?

Review:

Absorbing, romantic, and incredibly heart-wrenching!

Someone I Used To Know is an intimate, moving, sentimental tale that sweeps you away to the Yorkshire countryside and into the life of Leah, a young mother who finds her life unexpectedly turned upside down when a tragic accident one night irrevocably changes her life forever, her father passes away out of the blue, and the boy who stole a little piece of her heart when he left without a trace almost thirteen years ago suddenly returns home.

The writing is heartfelt and tender. The characterization is spot on with a wonderful cast of characters that are generous, scarred, caring, and kind. And the plot, using a past/present, back-and-forth style, unwinds and unravels effortlessly into a lovely tale full of heart, hope, healing, and angst.

Someone I Used To Know is, ultimately, a story about life, love, loss, expectations, trauma, grief, trust, forgiveness, family, friendship, community, foster care, second chances, and discovering one’s true self. It is a touching, addictive, immersive novel by Toon that does an exceptional job of highlighting that life is not only about the highs and lows but also all those quieter moments in between and reminds us that family is not limited to those related by blood but any unit created by love. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it is hands down one of my favourite reads of the year.

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Paige Toon for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Paige Toon

Paige Toon grew up between England, Australia and America and has been writing books set in sun-drenched locations around the world since 2007. She has written fourteen women's fiction novels, a three-part spin-off series for young adults and a collection of short stories. Her novels have sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.

In Spring 2021, Paige and her publishing team launched ‘feel it all’ branding for her novels, which is inspired directly by her readers and what they have been telling her for years: that when they read a Paige Toon novel, they experience a myriad of emo>ons, from love, heartache and passion, to grief, happiness and hope. The message is simple: get lost in one of Paige’s stories and you really will feel it all.

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#BookReview The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews @mkayandrews @StMartinsPress #TheSantaSuit #MaryKayAndrews #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers

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#BookReview The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews @mkayandrews @StMartinsPress #TheSantaSuit #MaryKayAndrews #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: The Santa Suit

Author: Mary Kay Andrews

Published by: St. Martin's Press on Sep. 28, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 224

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

From Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of Hello, Summer, comes a novella celebrating the magic of Christmas and second chances in The Santa Suit.

When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn’t bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it’s a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it’s from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy’s quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.

Review:

Lighthearted, sweet, and cosy!

The Santa Suit is a delightfully charming, uplifting tale that takes us into the life of Ivy Perkins as she meanders through all sorts of highs and lows, from a recent divorce, the end of her career, a handsome realtor, a new farmhouse that needs a little more TLC than she ever expected, and the mystery of a little girl’s heartfelt Christmas wish found saved in the pocket of a well-loved Santa suit.

The writing is sincere and smooth. The characters are engaging, supportive, and genuine. And the plot is a touching, somewhat nostalgic tale about life, love, family, friendship, community, taking chances, starting over, finding happiness, and the magic of the holidays.

Overall, The Santa Suit is a heartwarming, engaging, festive read by Andrews that reminds us to surround ourselves with those we love, stay open-minded, and always be excited for whatever comes next.

 

This book is available now.

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

            

 

 

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

 

About Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews is the pen name of American writer Kathy Hogan Trocheck, based in Atlanta, who has authored a number of best-selling books under the Andrews pen name since 2002.

Trochek graduated from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree in 1976. She worked as a reporter at a number of papers, and spent 11 years as a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution before leaving to write fiction full-time in 1991. She published ten mystery novels under her own name between 1992 and 2000, and switched to the Andrews pen name in 2002 to author Savannah Blues, which marked a change in her style to more Southern-flavored themes.

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#BlogTour #BookReview Pug Actually by Matt Dunn @mattdunnwrites @midaspr #PugActually #MattDunn

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#BlogTour #BookReview Pug Actually by Matt Dunn @mattdunnwrites @midaspr #PugActually #MattDunn Title: Pug Actually

Author: Matt Dunn

Published by: HarperCollins UK on Oct. 14, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: Hardcover

Source: Midas PR

Book Rating: 8/10

Loyal rescue pug Doug wants his adoring owner Julie to find unconditional love and happiness – and he knows she won’t find either in the arms of Luke, her married boss. 

Doug is terrified that Julie will become a lonely cat-lover if she stays single too long, but he can’t let her fall for any more of Luke’s empty promises. Julie needs to move on – and Doug is convinced that Tom, a newly divorced V-E-T, is perfect for her (despite his questionable occupation). 

There’s just one problem: Julie and Tom can’t stand each other.

Doug doesn’t quite understand the quirks and complexities of human relationships, but he won’t let thatget in the way of his mission to bring Tom and Julie together. After all, being a ‘rescue’ works both ways…

Review:

Cute, comical, and charming!

Pug Actually is a quirky, heartwarming tale that takes you into the life of Doug, an adorable, four-legged Pug as he embarks to do whatever it takes, even causing himself harm so that he has to visit the dreaded V.E.T., in order to get his owner, Julie, to turn her pretty eyes away from her selfish, two-timing, married boss, Luke, and onto the handsome, caring, recently-divorced veterinarian, Tom.

The writing is light and witty. The characters are sharp, vulnerable, and endearing. And the plot is an amusing blend of life, love, introspection, friendship, family, hilarious hijinks, awkward situations, embarrassing moments, misunderstandings, taking chances, and the highs-and-lows of finding the one.

Overall, Pug Actually is a sweet, humorous, satisfying read by Dunn that’s full of engaging characters, an entertaining storyline, and a dreamy, 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 Midas PR for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Matt Dunn

Matt Dunn is the author of numerous romantic comedy novels, including the bestselling The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook and A Day at the Office. He's also written about life, love, and relationships for various publications including The Times, Guardian, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Company, Elle, and The Sun.

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#BookReview The Christmas Village (Somerset Lake #2) by Annie Rains @AnnieRainsBooks @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #AnnieRains #TheChristmasVillage #SomersetLakeSeries

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#BookReview The Christmas Village (Somerset Lake #2) by Annie Rains @AnnieRainsBooks @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #AnnieRains #TheChristmasVillage #SomersetLakeSeries Title: The Christmas Village

Author: Annie Rains

Series: Somerset Lake #2

Published by: Forever on Oct. 12, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 9/10

USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains delivers a tender trade paperback romance that will appeal to readers with its warmth and bestselling themes!

Lucy Hannigan has inherited her mother’s bulldog, Bella, and her childhood home, the only pink house on Gingerbread Lane. With the holidays coming up, the pressure is on to decorate the house for the annual lights competition and maintain her parent’s winning streak. But Lucy already has her hands full as a midwife and a new landlord-to her ex-fiance.

When Miles Bruno is suddenly asked to move out of his rental home, he’s grateful to Lucy for taking him on as a tenant. But their broken-off engagement doesn’t make it easy to live next door. Sparks still fly between them, and he’d give anything to get back in Lucy’s good graces. But to do that will take much more than just tree trimming and house decorating and contest winning. Will one wildly grand romantic gesture on Christmas Eve finally soften her heart?

Review:

Cosy, spirited, and heartwarming!

The Christmas Village is a quaint, beguiling tale featuring the hardworking, ruggedly handsome Deputy Miles Bruno who broke his high school girlfriend’s heart ten years ago when he suddenly cancelled their engagement and dumped her out of the blue, and the loyal, caring Lucy Hannigan who, after inheriting her late mother’s house and bills, may finally have to put her heartache aside and allow the one man she’s never quite forgotten back into her home and heart.

The prose is charming and light. The characters are lonely, thoughtful, and friendly. And the plot is an enchanting tale full of tender moments, friendship, family, community, self-discovery, merry preparations, furry companions, and a touch of romance!

Overall, The Christmas Village is a clean, festive, uplifting, wintery treat by Rains that is a wonderful addition to the Somerset Lake series and is sure to have you believing in the magic of Christmas and daydreaming of snowflakes, twinkling lights, decorated trees, and scrumptious chocolatey treats.

 

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 an exchange for an honest review.

 

About Annie Rains

Annie Rains is a USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional places in her home state of North Carolina. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s living out her own happily ever after with her husband and three children.Annie Rains is a USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author who writes small town love stories set in fictional places in her home state of North Carolina. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s living out her own happily ever after with her husband and three children.

Photograph courtesy of Read-Forever Website.

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#BookReview The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane by Jeannie Chin @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #JeannieChin #TheInnonSweetbriarLane

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#BookReview The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane by Jeannie Chin @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #JeannieChin #TheInnonSweetbriarLane Title: The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane

Author: Jeannie Chin

Series: Blue Cedar Falls #1

Published by: Forever on Sep. 28, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

June Wu always has it all together—only now, she’s in over her head. Her family’s inn desperately needs guests, her mother’s medical debts are piling up, and the surly, if sexy, stranger next door is driving away the customers she has left! When he asks for June’s help, though, she can’t say no. After all, his new bar could be just what the upcoming Pumpkin Festival needs to bring in more tourists. But with the fierce attraction between them, will working together be playing with fire?

Ex-soldier Clay Hawthorne prefers being on his own. He’s moved to Blue Cedar Falls for one reason—to carry out his best friend’s dream of opening a bar in the hometown he’ll now never return to. But the town’s business association is trying to stop Clay’s progress. June soon becomes his biggest supporter, and while their partnership is supposed to be only temporary, for the first time Clay wants something permanent—with June. Can two total opposites really learn to meet each other in the middle?

Includes the bonus novella Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs by Annie Rains!

Review:

Heartfelt, playful, and sweet!

The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane is a heartwarming, compassionate tale that transports you to Blue Cedar Falls and into the lives of June Wu, a hardworking, young woman who, after her mother’s recent illness, is doing everything she can to balance the books, keep the family hotel running, and pay as much of the outstanding hospital bills as she can, and Clay Hawthorne, a new resident and retired soldier who’s determined to do whatever it takes to fulfil his late best friend’s wishes and open the bar he always dreamed of opening.

The writing is fresh and smooth. The characters are considerate, kind, and endearing. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of familial responsibility, witty banter, community drama, tender moments, expectations, goals, friendship, diversity, loss, grief, compromise, PTSD, financial strain, chemistry, and romance.

Overall, The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane is an uplifting, passionate, satisfying novel by Chin that’s more than just a typical enemies-to-more rom-com with its Asian American and LBGTQ+ representation, nice blend of emotion and lightheartedness, and a wonderful cast of characters you can’t help but love.

 

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 Jeannie Chin

Jeannie Chin writes contemporary small town romances. She draws on her experiences as a biracial Asian and Caucasian American to craft heartfelt stories that speak to a uniquely American experience.

She is a former high school science teacher, wife to a geeky engineer, and mom to an extremely talkative kindergartener. Her hobbies include crafting, reading and hiking.

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#BookReview No Ordinary Christmas by Belle Calhoune @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #BelleCalhoune #NoOrdinaryChristmas

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#BookReview No Ordinary Christmas by Belle Calhoune @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #BelleCalhoune #NoOrdinaryChristmas Title: No Ordinary Christmas

Author: Belle Calhoune

Series: Mistletoe Maine #1

Published by: Forever on Sep. 28, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 318

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8/10

The quaint New England town of Mistletoe is thrilled to welcome back one of their own, Dante West. Now a famous Hollywood action star, Dante is filming a movie in town to help the local economy, as well as make amends with the people he hurt when he abruptly left Mistletoe all those years ago.

Librarian Lucy Marshall isn’t thrilled to see Dante. He was once her best friend and first love until he left her behind without a word of goodbye. When Dante makes her an offer she can’t refuse — use of the library as a filming venue in exchange for a lucrative donation, Lucy finds herself spending a lot of time in Dante’s company. With the magic of Christmas in the air, Dante and Lucy begin to forge a new bond. But can two people leading such different lives find lasting love the second time around?

Review:

Appealing, tender, and sweet!

No Ordinary Christmas is a big-hearted, second-chance romance that takes you into the life of the kind, considerate, librarian extraordinaire Lucy Marshall as her world gets turned upside down when her ex-boyfriend turned famous movie star, Dante West, stirs up long-buried feelings when he suddenly returns home to film his latest movie after being away for eight-and-a-half years.

The writing is whimsical and light. The characters are charismatic, genuine, and endearing. And the plot is an engaging mix of heart, humour, family, friendship, nostalgic moments, attraction, chemistry, spirited shenanigans, movie magic, and a little Christmas cheer.

Overall, No Ordinary Christmas is a playful, charming, heartwarming holiday tale by Calhoune that is a fantastic start to the Mistletoe, Maine series with characters you can’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that leaves you wanting more.

 

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 Belle Calhoune

Belle Calhoune grew up in a small town in Massachusetts as one of five children. Although both her parents worked in the medical field, Belle never considered science as the pathway to her future. Growing up across the street from a public library was a huge influence on her life. Married to her college sweetheart, she is raising two lovely daughters in Connecticut. A dog lover, she has one mini poodle named Copper and a black lab, Beau. She is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author as well as a member of RWA’s Honor Roll. In 2019 her book “An Alaskan Christmas” was made into a movie (Love, Alaska) by Brain Power Studios and aired on UPTV. She is the author of more than 40 novels and published by Harlequin Love Inspired and Grand Central Forever Publishing.

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#BookReview Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist by Codi Hall @AuthorCodiHall @SourcebooksCasa #NickandNoelsChristmasPlaylist #CodiHall

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#BookReview Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist by Codi Hall @AuthorCodiHall @SourcebooksCasa #NickandNoelsChristmasPlaylist #CodiHall Title: Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

Author: Codi Hall

Series: Mistletoe Romance #1

Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca on Oct. 5, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 400

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca

Book Rating: 8/10

Nick Winter is just out of the military, and his Christmas homecoming is not going as planned. What was supposed to be a memorable holiday with his long-time girlfriend goes sour when he learns she cheated on him while he was stationed overseas. At least Nick can rely on his usual shift at the family Christmas tree farm with his best friend, Noel Carter, and her endless supply of Christmas tunes to lift his spirits. A night of fun together is just what he needs to forget about his ex.

But then they kiss. And it feels…so right.

If Noel can turn Nick’s Blue Christmas merry and bright, this might be the last Christmas Nick spends with a broken heart. This year, they’ll be Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree as a couple―as long as Nick’s ex doesn’t go standing under any mistletoe.

Review:

Comical, uplifting, and delightfully heartwarming!

Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist is a sweet, charming, friends-to-more RomCom about the supportive and hardworking Noel who suddenly finds it harder and harder to keep her attraction for her longtime friend in check, and the sexy, hesitant Nick who may not be as heartbroken about his recent breakup as he thought, and who may actually want to be more than just someone to hang out with for his best friend, Noel.

The prose is warm and light. The characters are thoughtful, fun-loving, and endearing. And the plot is an engaging tale of friendship, family, community, tender moments, self-discovery, merry preparations, a touch of romance, and a soundtrack of some of the most unforgettable Christmas songs of all time.

Overall, Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist is an amusing, entertaining, festive tale by Hall that is an adorable mix of sweet romance, family drama, and a whole lot of holiday cheer.

 

This book is available now. 

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

              

 

 

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

 

About Codi Hall

Codi Hall has been writing for eight years under the pen name, Codi Gary. In the spring of 2020, Codi signed with Audible for three original audio books about a trio of siblings finding love in their little mountain town during Christmas time. A California native living in Idaho, she fell in love with big skies, amazing people, and brisk winters. When she isn't writing, you can find her watching movies with her family, making silly Tik Toks, taking gorgeous photos, and snuggling up with a good book and one of her many furbabies!

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan @KarenSwan1 @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #TheSecretPath #KarenSwan

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#BookReview Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan @KarenSwan1 @PGCBooks @panmacmillan #TheSecretPath #KarenSwan Title: Midnight in the Snow

Author: Karen Swan

Published by: Pan Macmillan on Oct. 1, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 464

Format: Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a wonderfully romantic novel from Karen Swan, bestselling author of The Secret Path, The Christmas Party, and Together by Christmas.

Midnight in the Snow is the story of a forbidden attraction in the dramatic surroundings of the snow-covered Austrian Alps, by Canadian and international bestseller Karen Swan.

It’s the red carpet life for filmmaker Clover Phillips. Her documentary on surfer Cory Allbright is winning awards around the globe for shining a spotlight on life after his tragic accident. Now she’s free to choose her next subject.

But everything changes when Cory is found dead and his widow needs answers. Clover makes a promise to find out the truth about what happened the day his life fell apart, turning her attention to the man responsible, disgraced surfing champion Kit Foley. Rejected by the sport he loves, he’s starting over as a snowboarder in the Austrian Alps. Kit wants nothing to do with the film but his new sponsor has other ideas. Soon Clover and her team are shadowing him on the slopes and in the chalet.

It’s dislike at first sight but boundaries become dangerously blurred as Clover finds herself drawn into Kit’s power games. Each of them vie for control over the project – until a revelation blows Kit’s secretive past wide open. Finally Clover has her answers, and the material for her explosive new film. Kit Foley is everything she ever said he was… Isn’t he?

Review:

Absorbing, intense, and delightfully addictive!

Midnight in the Snow is an intriguing, atmospheric tale set predominantly in the Austrian Alps that immerses you into the life of documentary filmmaker Clover Philips as she searches for answers from the one man, Kit Foley, whose reputation proceeds him, has seamlessly moved on to conquer a new sport, and remarkably still seems to have nothing to say about that one fateful decision he made that cost his fellow professional surfer his health, livelihood, and eventually his life.

The writing is effortless and smooth. The characters are multilayered, withdrawn, infuriating, and dedicated. And the plot is an entertaining mix of hope, heart, angst, drama, and mystery.

Midnight in the Snow is, ultimately, a story about relationships, competitive rivalry, adventure, heartbreak, scandal, secrets, guilt, grief, expectations, and protecting those you love that highlights just how relentless and unscrupulous the media can be. It is a wonderfully alluring tale that sweeps you away to the snowy mountains of Europe, charms, satisfies, and, at least for me, kept me up way past my bedtime to finish.

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

 

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

 

About Karen Swan

Karen Swan began her career in fashion journalism before giving it all up to raise her three children and a puppy, and to pursue her ambition of becoming a writer. She lives in the forest outside Sussex, England, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the Downs.

An internationally bestselling author, her numerous books include The Rome Affair, The Paris Secret, Christmas Under the Stars, and The Christmas Secret. 

Photograph by Alexander James

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#BookReview #Audiobook The Wish by Nicholas Sparks @HBGCanada @NicholasSparks @grandcentralpub @HachetteAudio #NicholasSparks #TheWish #GrandCentralPub #HachetteAudio

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#BookReview #Audiobook The Wish by Nicholas Sparks @HBGCanada @NicholasSparks @grandcentralpub @HachetteAudio #NicholasSparks #TheWish #GrandCentralPub #HachetteAudio Title: The Wish

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Narrator: Mela Lee, Will Collyer

Published by: Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio on Sep. 28, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 400

Length: 11 hrs 42 min

Format: ARC, Audiobook, Paperback

Source: Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Audio

Book Rating: 10/10

1996 was the year that changed everything for Maggie Dawes. Sent away at sixteen to live with an aunt she barely knew in Ocracoke, a remote village on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, she could think only of the friends and family she left behind . . . until she meets Bryce Trickett, one of the few teenagers on the island. Handsome, genuine, and newly admitted to West Point, Bryce gradually shows her how much there is to love about the wind-swept beach town—and introduces her to photography, a passion that will define the rest of her life.

By 2019, Maggie is a renowned travel photographer. She splits her time between running a successful gallery in New York and photographing remote locations around the world. But this year she is unexpectedly grounded over Christmas, struggling to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis. Increasingly dependent on a young assistant, she finds herself becoming close to him.

As they count down the last days of the season together, she begins to tell him the story of another Christmas, decades earlier—and the love that set her on a course she never could have imagined.

Review:

Pensive, absorbing, and profoundly moving!

The Wish is a beautifully written, touching novel that takes us into the life of Maggie Dawes as she spends her last Christmas savouring all the little things, enjoying time with those she loves, reaping as much pleasure and joy out of each day, and having no regrets before her battle with cancer comes to an end.

The prose is eloquent and reflective. The characters are strong, compassionate, and endearing. And the plot is a compelling, highly emotional tale of life, love, friendship, kindness, generosity, honesty, humour, contemplation, and acceptance.

Overall, The Wish is a charming, insightful, bittersweet tale by Sparks that, unlike most of his books that usually make me a little teary, this one absolutely slayed me. I think there was more than once when tears were trickling down my face. However, saying that this is the most exquisite, good for the soul story I’ve read in a while, and I do hope everyone grabs a few tissues and picks this one up in any version, as the audiobook narrators, Mela Lee and Will Collyer are fabulous, and spends a few hours immersed in a story that is guaranteed to remind you that life is short and every moment is truly precious.

 

This novel is available now.

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

           

 

 

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

 

About Nicholas Sparks

With over 100 million copies of his books sold, Nicholas Sparks is one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. His novels include fifteen #1 New York Times bestsellers, and all of his books, including Three Weeks with My Brother, the memoir he wrote with his brother, Micah, have been New York Times and international bestsellers, and were translated into more than fifty languages. Eleven of Nicholas Sparks’s novels–The Choice, The Longest Ride, The Best of Me, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, The Last Song, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Message in a Bottle–have been adapted into major motion pictures.

Photography courtesy of Grand Central Publishing Website.

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