#BlogTour #BookReview I Blame the Rival by Jade Everhart #IBlametheRival #JadeEverhart #TaberTigerSeries #KindleUnlimited #NewAdultRomance #SportsRomance

#BlogTour #BookReview I Blame the Rival by Jade Everhart #IBlametheRival #JadeEverhart #TaberTigerSeries #KindleUnlimited #NewAdultRomance #SportsRomance Title: I Blame the Rival

Author: Jade Everhart

Series: Taber Tigers #4

Published by: Independently Published on Sep. 23, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Pages: 332

Format: Paperback

Source: Jade Everhart

Book Rating: 10/10

Lacey

All I wanted was a friend. That’s why I responded to the note another therapy patient left behind. To find someone who knows what it’s like to have scars no one else can see. To have secrets no one wants to hear.

I was looking for a friend. I didn’t know he was the rival.

Skylar

I fell in love with someone I’ve never met. A faceless pen pal, I wouldn’t be able to pick this girl out of a crowd and yet she owns every piece of my battered heart. She’s the colour to my darkness and I didn’t know what would happen if we ever met in person. I didn’t know how my life would change once we did.


Review:

Absorbing, intense, and emotional!

I Blame the Rival is an intimate, touching tale that sweeps you away to small-town Alberta and into the life of Lacey, an eighteen-year-old girl who, after experiencing a sexual assault from her first serious boyfriend, struggles to find the light in her life until she accidentally becomes pen pals with another broken soul who may be considered taboo but whose patience and trust may actually be the perfect balm for healing both their shattered hearts.

The writing style is heartfelt and smooth. The characters are tormented, fragile, and endearing. And the plot is a rollercoaster ride of life, love, friendship, family, trust, shame, self-blame, loneliness, sexual assault, childhood trauma, mental health, comfort, support, pain, accepting love, and undeniable attraction.

Overall, I Blame the Rival is a tender, immersive, sensitive conclusion to the Tiger Tabers series by Everhart that packed a real emotional punch and had just the right amount of intensity, angst, romance, and passion to keep me invested from start to finish while also leaving me a little sad to say goodbye to all these characters I’ve come to know and love over the past four novels.

This novel is available now in paperback & KINDLE UNLIMITED.

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

 

Thank you to Jade Everhart for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jade Everhart

Jade Everhart writes heart-warming romances with flawed characters and laugh-out-loud banter. When she's not using her own terrible meet-cutes as inspiration for her next novel, Jade spends her time listening to loud music and tearing up dance floors from the prairies of Southern Alberta to the glistening beaches of Miami.

#BookReview Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit @PenguinRandomCA #SunshineAndSpice #AuroraPalit #PenguinReads

#BookReview Sunshine and Spice by Aurora Palit @PenguinRandomCA #SunshineAndSpice #AuroraPalit #PenguinReads Title: Sunshine and Spice

Author: Aurora Palit

Published by: Berkley on Sep. 10, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 336

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House

Book Rating: 8/10

When two complete opposites agree to fake date in order to solve their cultural dilemmas, they find the only force more powerful than an immigrant mother’s matchmaking schemes might just be true love.

Naomi Kelly will do anything to make her new brand consulting business a success. When she lands a career saving contract to rebrand the Mukherjee family’s failing local bazaar, she knows there can be no mistakes. But as the “oops” baby of a free-spirited Bengali mother, Naomi’s lack of connection to her roots represents everything Gia Mukherjee disdains.

Enter, Dev Mukherjee.

Dev knows everything his mother wants…including her wish for him to get married, like, yesterday. When Gia hires a matchmaker (without, you know, asking him), Dev vows to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up in a cold, loveless marriage. When a potential match assumes Naomi is his girlfriend, the solution to both their problems becomes clear: Naomi will pretend to date Dev in order to sabotage his mother’s matchmaking efforts in exchange for lessons in Bengali culture. Flawless plan, right?

But as Naomi and Dev bond over awful dancing at Garba, couples cooking classes, and tackling the rebrand as a team, they start to realize while their relationship may be fake, their feelings for each other are starting to become very real. As the line between reality and rumor blurs, Naomi and Dev must confront what it means to fit the mold, and decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.


Review:

Sassy, emotive, and sweetly romantic!

Sunshine and Spice is a fresh, heartwarming tale that transports you to Kelowna, British Columbia, and into the lives of Naomi Kelly, a struggling brand consultant who feels left out and disconnected from her South Asian roots, and Dev Mukherjee, a handsome accountant who takes his family obligations seriously but is entirely uninterested in any of his mother’s persistent matchmaking activities.

The writing is heartfelt and light. The characters are intelligent, stubborn, vulnerable, and endearing. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of familial responsibility, tender moments, witty banter, goals, expectations, friendship, community, culture, optimism, chemistry, traditions, and love.

Overall, Sunshine and Spice is a sexy, sweet, uplifting tale by Palit with a whole cast of characters I couldn’t help but be intrigued with, a diverse storyline that kept me engaged from start to finish, and a happy-ever-after ending that left me satisfied.

 

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 Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Aurora Palit

A first generation Bengali-Canadian, Aurora Palit grew up in rural Alberta, where she was always the only South Asian student in her class. Her love of reading began at age four but it wasn’t until high school—when she wandered into the romance section of a bookstore—that she realized happily-ever-afters are her jam. Flash forward [an undisclosed number of] years and Aurora is now writing those stories with her own unique brand of humor, perspective, and belief that people of color deserve love stories too. During her time pursuing a master's degree in English literature, Aurora was drawn to discourses on diaspora and identity, racism, and multi-generational immigrant experiences; topics she now explores in her writing. When she’s not testing her characters’ patience, Aurora is raising small humans, roasting her spouse, prowling for chocolate, and dancing for all that she’s worth. She also spends her days adulting as a communications professional for a not for profit organization.

#BookReview Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks @NicholasSparks @PenguinRandomCA #CountingMiracles #NicholasSparks #PenguinReads

#BookReview Counting Miracles by Nicholas Sparks @NicholasSparks @PenguinRandomCA #CountingMiracles #NicholasSparks #PenguinReads Title: Counting Miracles

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Published by: Random House on Sep. 24, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8.5/10

From the acclaimed author of The Longest Ride and The Notebook comes an emotional, powerful novel about wondering if we can change—or even make our peace with—the path we’ve taken.

Tanner Hughes was raised by his grandparents, following in his grandfather’s military footsteps to become an Army Ranger. His whole life has been spent abroad, and he is the proverbial rolling stone . . . happiest when off on his next adventure, zero desire to settle down. But when his grandmother passes away, her last words to him are: find where you belong. She also drops a bombshell, telling him the name of the father he never knew—and where he might be found.

Tanner is due at his next posting soon, but his curiosity is piqued, and he sets out for Asheboro, North Carolina, to ask around. He’s been in town less than twenty-four hours when he meets Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mom. They both feel an immediate connection; Tanner knows Kaitlyn has a story to tell, and he wants to hear it. For Kaitlyn, Tanner is mysterious, exciting—and possibly leaving in just a few weeks.

Meanwhile, nearby, eighty-three-year-old Jasper lives alone in a cabin bordering a national forest. With only his old dog Arlo for company, he lives quietly, haunted by a tragic accident that took place decades before. When he hears rumors that a white deer has been spotted in the forest—a creature of legend that inspired his father and grandfather—he becomes obsessed with protecting the deer from poachers.

As these characters’ fates orbit closer together, none of them is expecting a miracle . . . but that may be exactly what is about to alter their futures forever.


Review:

Absorbing, heart-tugging, and nostalgic!

Counting Miracles is a sweet, engaging tale that takes you into the life of Tanner Hughes, a former Army Ranger who, after tending to his ailing grandmother and finally learning of his biological father’s name, heads to Asheboro, NC, to discover a little more about his parentage and perhaps find a place to finally call home.

The prose is fluid and sentimental. The characters are multilayered, independent, strong, and kind. And the plot is a charming tale full of life, love, loss, grief, heartache, healing, community, intrigue, friendship, self-discovery and romance.

Overall, Counting Miracles is another hopeful, tender, immersive tale by Sparks that reminds us that life is complicated, messy, challenging, short, and heartbreaking, as well as all those other wonderful things, lovely times, and special moments that happen in-between.

 

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 Canada for gifting me 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.

#BookReview Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love by Katrina Kwan @PenguinRandomCA #KnivesSeasoningAndADashOfLove #KatrinaKwan #PenguinReads

#BookReview Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love by Katrina Kwan @PenguinRandomCA #KnivesSeasoningAndADashOfLove #KatrinaKwan #PenguinReads Title: Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love

Author: Katrina Kwan

Published by: Random House Canada on Aug. 27, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 360

Format: Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House

Book Rating: 8/10

In this spicy workplace romance, a hotheaded celebrity chef finds himself drawn to his inexperienced new hire. But when her bubbly attitude collides with his sharp edges, can they handle the heat, or will their love be a recipe for disaster?

Alexander Chen is one of the most talented chefs to ever grace the culinary world of French haute cuisine. He rules his kitchen with an iron fist and fiery temper, so it’s no secret that if you can’t handle the heat, he’ll gladly toss you out with the trash. As one of the first Chinese-American chefs to claw his way to the top, he has a lot to prove and a massive chip on his shoulder.

But he wasn’t always like this. Eden Monroe, his newly hired sous chef—who may or may not have (definitely) embellished a lot on her resumé to land herself the job—knew him back when he still went by his real name, Shang. He used to be sweet and helpful and definitely not the second coming of the devil himself.

Eden won’t say anything, though, no matter how hot her curiosity burns. Especially if it could cost her this job, which she needs if she has any hope of hiring a private detective to find something she lost long ago.

All she has to do is fly under the radar. It’s just a shame that she and her new boss butt heads more often than they fulfill orders. But what happens when things finally boil over, and they discover the feelings between them are spicier than they ever imagined?


Review:

Seductive, spicy, and sweet!

Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love is a sultry, heartwarming tale featuring the quick-tempered, talented culinary genius Alexander Chen and the hardworking, determined sous chef Eden Monroe as together they discover a sense of purpose, passion, and fulfilment beyond their careers and remember the importance of family, friendship, and history.

The writing is provocative and smooth. The characters are scarred, devoted, and supportive. And the plot unravels quickly into a sizzling tale full of chemistry, attraction, familial heartache, expectations, responsibilities, tender moments, sexy times, forgiveness, and new beginnings.

Overall, Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love is a steamy, uplifting, heartfelt tale by Kwan that was a delight to read and which ultimately reminded me that rarely does life ever turn out the way we planned it, but often it actually turns out better.

 

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 Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Katrina Kwan

KATRINA KWAN is a Vancouver-based author and actress. After graduating from Acadia University in 2017 with a BA in political science with honors, Kwan spent the next six years honing her creative skills as a freelance ghostwriter. With several ghostwritten romance novels under her belt, she’s ecstatic to finally be writing books under her own name. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and two cats, and when she isn’t writing, she is desperately trying to keep her collection of houseplants alive.

#BookReview Party Favors by Sariah Wilson @sariahwilson @FireflyDist @AmazonPub #PartyFavors #SariahWilson #Montlake #FireflyDist

#BookReview Party Favors by Sariah Wilson @sariahwilson @FireflyDist @AmazonPub #PartyFavors #SariahWilson #Montlake #FireflyDist Title: Party Favors

Author: Sariah Wilson

Published by: Montlake Romance on Jul. 30, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Firefly Distributed Lines

Book Rating: 8.5/10

For a party planner in awe of the royals, daydreams fit for a queen might come true in a captivating romantic comedy by Sariah Wilson, the USA Today bestselling author of The Hollywood Jinx.

For as long as she can remember, Everly Aprile has been obsessed with the Monterran royals, especially Queen elegant, self-possessed, and living a fairy-tale romance. As for Everly, her career as an event planner has stalled—and so has her love life. Then a wealthy new client wants a sweet-sixteen party that’s fit for an American princess. Practicing her “What Would Kat Do” mantra, Everly offers to bring it to life by immersing herself in everything Monterra.

Call it intervento divino when she meets dizzyingly handsome and charismatic Max Colby, who’s relocated stateside from the Monterran kingdom of her dreams. If Everly promises to be his New York City guide, he’ll teach her the customs and culture of Monterra so her party gets a boost of authenticity. Deal. As their friendship grows, Everly starts falling—but for what? Another unattainable obsession? Max is such a dreamboat that surely he sees her as just a friend.

Her royal to-do list is in order. She’s revamping her life and learning to believe in herself. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance for fate to bring Everly her happily ever after after all.


Review:

Lighthearted, amusing, and highly entertaining!

Party Favors is a delightfully cute, feel-good tale featuring the hardworking, dependable Everly Aprile, who, after finally getting a shot at getting the coveted position of party planner that she’s always wanted, spends her time focusing on creating the best events she possibly can, indulges in her love for everything Monterran, and acts as a tour guide for her newly acquired friend who she may have more than just a passing fancy for.

The writing is witty and smooth. The characters are easygoing, supportive, and dependable. And the plot is an enchanting mix of life, friendship, tension, chemistry, self-discovery, emotion, familial drama, tender moments, dreams, happiness, taking chances, and unconditional love.

Overall, Party Favors is another clever, uplifting, enjoyable tale by Wilson that I thoroughly enjoyed and which, in my opinion, is the perfect choice for anyone who loves a good rom-com that has a whole lot of heart, humour, and hope.

 

This novel is available now.

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

     

 

 

Thank you to Firefly Distributed Lines for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Sariah Wilson

USA Today bestselling author Sariah Wilson has never jumped out of an airplane, never climbed Mt. Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soulmate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance. She grew up in southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine) children . She currently lives with the aforementioned soulmate and their four children in Utah, along with two cats named Pixel and Callie, who do not get along. (The cats, not the children. Although the children sometimes have their issues, too.)

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

#BookReview That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee @smpromance @StMartinsPress #ThatPrinceIsMine #JayciLee #smpromance

#BookReview That Prince is Mine by Jayci Lee @smpromance @StMartinsPress #ThatPrinceIsMine #JayciLee #smpromance Title: That Prince is Mine

Author: Jayci Lee

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jul. 30, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

A love-averse Korean royal court cuisine instructor in search of a perfect-on-paper husband is waylaid from her practical, heartbreak-proof plan when she meets a gorgeous professor—and prince in disguise—who will do anything to prove to her that love and happily ever after can be theirs.

Emma Yoon runs a small business as a culinary instructor in Los Angeles teaching Korean royal court cuisine to young ladies striving to marry into the exclusive upper crust Korean families. She has built her business alongside her renowned Korean matchmaker godmother, which brings her one step closer to her dream of opening up a culinary school on her own. But when her godmother’s fellow matchmakers decide to meddle in Emma’s love life in a bid to sabotage her godmother, and indirectly push Emma’s dream out of her reach, she must go on a series of arranged first dates and find herself the perfect-on-paper husband to help save both, her godmother’s reputation and her dream–even if she’s not ready for love. But when she meets Michel Aubert, a professor at USC, after a series of disastrous first dates, she wonders if she might reevaluate her position on love.

Prince Michel Aubert is bound by duty and responsibility to his country, but an arranged marriage is the last thing he wants. If he is going to spend the rest of his life in service of his people, then he at least wants someone he loves and trusts by his side while doing it. He needs to find a woman who loves him for who he is before his engagement to his handpicked bride is announced. Emma Yoon might be just the woman he is looking for.


Review:

Amusing, heartwarming, and spicy!

That Prince is Mine is a sweet, engaging tale that mixes the independent, devoted Emma, who is more than content spending her days trying to turn her Korean cooking classes into a full-blown culinary school, with the confident, respected Michel Chevalier, who is determined to make the next three months he’s been given to work in America seriously in order to find someone who actually owns his heart before he returns home to take over his role as crown prince of Rouleme and marry the woman he’s been promised to since childhood.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are caring, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is a push-pull tale of relationship dynamics, familial expectations, introspection, acceptance, friendship, responsibilities, love, romance, and new beginnings.

Overall, That Prince is Mine is a charming, tender, lighthearted tale by Lee that has characters you can’t help but root for, a storyline with a nice mix of passion and drama, and a happy-ever-after ending that leaves you with a smile.

 

This book is available now. 

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

       

 

 

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

 

About Jayci Lee

JAYCI LEE writes poignant, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romance every free second she can scavenge and is semi-retired from her fifteen-year career as a defense litigator. She loves food, wine, and travelling, and incidentally so do her characters. Jayci lives in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing boys with boundless energy, and a fluffy rescue whose cuteness is a major distraction.

Photograph by Nichanh Nicole Photography.

#BookReview Fall with Me by Becka Mack @SimonSchusterCA #FallWithMe #BeckaMack #PlayingforKeepsSeries #SimonSchusterCA

#BookReview Fall with Me by Becka Mack @SimonSchusterCA #FallWithMe #BeckaMack #PlayingforKeepsSeries #SimonSchusterCA Title: Fall with Me

Author: Becka Mack

Series: Playing for Keeps #4

Published by: Simon & Schuster Canada on Jul. 30, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 510

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

It was supposed to be a one-night stand. But what if they can’t leave it in the past?

Jaxon Riley is exceptional at three things: starting fights on the ice, picking up women post-game, and going home to fulfill his role as the world’s best cat dad. Relationships, unfortunately, missed the list.

Lennon Hayes is supposed to be on her honeymoon. Instead, she’s alone and single, vacationing next door to a surly tattooed man who ran his date off the resort. When a run-in at the bar results in a night of bickering and cocktails, she finds herself tumbling into bed with the enemy next door, then sneaking out before the sun comes up.

Lennon’s plan to start over in a new city is going great, until she starts her new job. The job? The Vancouver Vipers’ new photographer. And the defenseman scowling at her from across the room? The one-night stand she wasn’t supposed to see again. Good thing neither of them are looking for anything serious… Right?

Jaxon may not be used to falling, but if he’s going to go, he refuses to go alone. If he falls, he wants Lennon to fall with him.


Review:

Spicy, steamy, and emotional!

Fall with Me is a passionate, lighthearted sports romance featuring the playful, outgoing Jaxon, who is more than happy being single and focused on his career, and the charismatic, independent Lennon who, after narrowly escaping being married to a philanderer, is now prepared to wait as long as it takes to find Mr. Right.

The writing is sultry and sincere. The characters are fun-loving, confident, and appealing. And the plot is a tantalizing mix of palpable attraction, unquenchable lust, sizzling chemistry, friendship, temptation, desire, tender moments, sexy times, and hockey.

Overall, Fall with Me is a sweet, fervent, seductive treat by Mack that is another wonderful addition to what is ultimately turning out to be an absolutely fantastic, must-read Playing for Keeps series.

 

This novel is available now.

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

             

 

 

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Becka Mack

Becka Mack is an avid romance reader, writer, and kindergarten teacher. Becka enjoys writing swoon-worthy romances with lovable and relatable characters, loads of humor, and a healthy dose of drama on the way to a happily ever after. She lives with her husband, children, and four-legged babies in Ontario, Canada.

#BookReview Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North @mnorthauthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #MaggieNorth #RulesForSecondChances #smpromance #smpinfluencers

#BookReview Rules for Second Chances by Maggie North @mnorthauthor @smpromance @StMartinsPress #MaggieNorth #RulesForSecondChances #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: Rules for Second Chances

Author: Maggie North

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jun. 25, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Brimming with heart and heat, Rules for Second Chances explores the hardest relationship question of all: can true love happen twice…with the same person?

Liz Lewis has tried everything to be what people want. But she’s always been labeled different from everyone else in the boisterous world of wilderness expeditions—that is, if anyone notices her at all. Her marriage to popular adventure guide Tobin Renner-Lewis is a sinkhole of toxic positivity where she’s the only one saying no. In a mountain resort town built around excitement, introverted Liz gets…spreadsheets.

When she gets mistaken for a server at her own thirtieth birthday party and her last line of communication with Tobin finally snaps, Liz vows to stop playing a minor character in her own life. The (incredibly well-researched and scientific) plan? A crash course in confidence…via improv comedy class.

The catch? She’s terrible at it, and the only person willing to practice with her is a certain extroverted wilderness guide who seems dead set on saving their marriage one bonkers improv scenario at a time. But as Liz and Tobin get closer (…again), she’s forced to confront all the reasons they didn’t work the first time, along with her growing suspicion that there might be more to her social awkwardness than anyone realized. Liz has just eight weeks to learn improv’s most important lesson—”yes, and”—or she’ll have to choose between the love she always wanted and the dreams that got away.


Review:

Romantic, hopeful, and sweet!

Rules for Second Chances is a charming second-chance romance that takes you into the life of the introverted, timid Liz Lewis who, on her thirtieth birthday, suddenly decides to shake up her humdrum existence by stepping away from her marriage, taking steps to obtain the career she’s always wanted, and enrolling in some improv classes to finally gain the confidence she so sorely lacks.

The writing is sweet and smooth. The characters are kind, caring, and endearing. And the plot is a touching tale of family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, healing, taking chances, growth, revelations, tender moments, light drama, promises, selflessness, dreams, and new beginnings.

Overall, Rules for Second Chances is a tender, heartfelt, uplifting read by North that did a lovely job of mixing some heart-tugging dilemmas with more than a dab of lighthearted fun.

 

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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Maggie North

MAGGIE NORTH lives in Ottawa, Canada with the man she met in ninth grade, their kid, and a rotating cast of hypoallergenic aquarium friends. Her hobbies include long-distance open water swimming, saving the world, and being relentlessly Canadian. She enjoys being autistic a lot more since she received her diagnosis as an adult. Rules for Second Chances is her first novel.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Gibeau

#BookReview Humor Me by Cat Shook @CeladonBooks #HumorMeBook #CeladonBooks #CeladonReads #partner

#BookReview Humor Me by Cat Shook @CeladonBooks #HumorMeBook #CeladonBooks #CeladonReads #partner Title: Humor Me

Author: Cat Shook

Published by: Celadon Books on Jul. 9, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 320

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Celadon Books

Book Rating: 8/10

A love letter to the New York City stand-up scene, as told by a charmingly jaded assistant at a late-night talk show―for fans of Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

Presley Fry is not amused. She’s been an assistant at the Late Night Show for way too long, she’s adopted a “business casual” approach to dating to save herself from the embarrassment of seeking genuine connection, and she’s content to allow her gregarious roommate, Isabelle, to orchestrate her entire social life. And yet, Presley is absolutely enamored with her job and the world of stand-up comedy. The joy she finds in discovering up-and-coming comedians, the beauty and connection in their shared humor―it’s enough for now.

Enter Susan Clark, the childhood best friend of Presley’s late mother, whose death still knocks the wind out of Presley whenever she reaches for the phone. Susan is married to the head of the network where Presley works, and she is determined to take Presley under her wing and ease her way through life in the big city. She’s also determined to connect Presley with her son, the bright and affable Lawrence, who couldn’t be further from Presley’s type.

As Presley grapples with the loss of her mother and finds her people among those who seek out comedy to make the world a bit brighter, Humor Me reminds us that friendship can emerge from where you least expect it and that shared laughter can ease some of the deepest pain.


Review:

Comical, uplifting, and sweet!

Humor Me is a charming, engaging read that takes us to Manhattan and into the life of the assistant on the Late Night Show, Presley Fry, as she meanders through all sorts of highs and lows, from losing her mother, a challenging career, a newly formed relationship with one of her mother’s hometown friends, an unexpected fizzle with her long-time crush, and a blossoming romance with a man she would never have expected to even be on her radar.

The prose is well-turned and light. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are amusing, supportive, and authentic. And the plot is a fun, flirty tale full of tricky situations, tender moments, humorous mishaps, self-discovery, friendship, family, grief, happiness, romance, and the NYC comedy scene.

Overall, Humor Me is another entertaining, refreshing, enjoyable treat by Shook that certainly does a good job of reminding you that life is never dull and boring!

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

 

Thank you to Celadon Books for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Cat Shook

Catherine Shook graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016 with degrees in Creative Writing and Mass Media Arts. Born and raised in Georgia, she now lives in Manhattan. IF I WERE BEING HONEST is her first novel.

Photo Credit: MurphyMade

#BookReview The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin @emilygiffin @PenguinRandomCA #TheSummerPact #EmilyGiffin #PenguinReads

#BookReview The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin @emilygiffin @PenguinRandomCA #TheSummerPact #EmilyGiffin #PenguinReads Title: The Summer Pact

Author: Emily Giffin

Published by: Doubleday Canada on Jul. 9, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 352

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Penguin Random House

Book Rating: 8/10

In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends makes a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after arriving on campus, they strike up a conversation in their shared dorm, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides, helping us pick up the pieces?


Review:

Heartwarming, intimate, and sweet!

The Summer Pact is an uplifting, compelling tale that takes you into the life of three college friends, Lainey, Hannah, and Tyson who, after tragically losing their fourth best friend in their final days of school and promising to always be there for each other, gather ten years later to help each other navigate old pain, new heartbreaks, underlying hurts, and unfulfilled dreams.

The writing is sentimental and tender. The characters are flawed, genuine, and supportive. And the plot is an emotionally engaging tale full of heartache, loss, grief, guilt, hope, friendship, relationship dynamics, drama, romance, and love.

Overall, The Summer Pact is a thoughtful, nostalgic, touching tale by Griffin that reminds us that life is truly precious and even with all the highs and lows and ups and downs, it should always be lived to the fullest.

 

This novel is available now.

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Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Emily Giffin

Emily Giffin is the author of eleven internationally bestselling novels: Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love the One You’re With, Heart of the Matter, Where We Belong, The One & Only, First Comes Love, All We Ever Wanted, The Lies That Bind, and Meant to Be. She lives in Atlanta with her family and two dogs.

Photo by Chris Martin