Source: Berkley Publishing

#BookReview Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #UnderLochAndKey #LanaFerguson #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #UnderLochAndKey #LanaFerguson #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Under Loch and Key

Author: Lana Ferguson

Published by: Berkley on Dec. 3, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

A woman discovers that not all monsters are her enemy—the opposite, in fact—in this new paranormal romance by Lana Ferguson, author of The Fake Mate.

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.

Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

Review:

Quirky, amusing, and sweet!

Under Loch and Key is a cute, sentimental romance that takes you into the life of Keyanna MacKay, a grieving young woman who finds herself accidentally becoming part of an ancient curse involving a water-loving monster when she heads to her father’s hometown in Scotland to spread his ashes and finally meet the family she never knew she had.

The writing is light and playful. The characters are fierce, feisty, and dependable. And the plot is an engaging tale full of danger, temptation, mystique, chemistry, history, attraction, traditions, witty banter, humorous mishaps, and the supernatural.

Overall, Under Loch and Key is a humorous, charming, unique tale by Ferguson that is a good choice for anyone who loves a little adventure, a dab of romance, and a whole slew of paranormal, unconventional fun.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Lana Ferguson

Lana Ferguson is a sex-positive nerd whose works never shy from spice or sass. A faded Fabio book cover found its way into her hands at fifteen, and she’s never been the same since. When she isn’t writing, you can find her randomly singing show tunes, arguing over which Batman is superior, and subjecting her friends to the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings. Lana lives mostly in her own head but can sometimes be found chasing her corgi through the coppice of the great American outdoors.

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#BookReview Deep End by Ali Hazelwood @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #DeepEnd #AliHazelwood #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Deep End by Ali Hazelwood @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #DeepEnd #AliHazelwood #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Deep End

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Published by: Berkley on Feb, 4, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Pages: 464

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…

Review:

Lighthearted, charming, and angsty!

Deep End is a sweet, steamy, sexy sports romance featuring the intelligent, focused Scarlett, who is struggling to recover from a tragic accident that almost ended her diving career, and the hot, successful Lukas, who may have finally found the one girl who not only likes the kinky things that he likes but makes him want more.

The writing is honest and emotive. The characters are warm, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is an alluring blend of friendship, family, drama, emotion, attraction, heat, insecurities, self-discovery, happiness, competition, taking chances, tender moments, mental health, romance, and the pressures of being a varsity athlete.

Overall, Deep End is another addictive, salacious, delectable STEM treat by Hazelwood that left me delightfully satisfied and yearning for a whole lot more. 

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Ali Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her three feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).

Photo by Justin Murphy / Out of the Attic Photography.

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#BookReview Spiral by Bal Khabra @authorbalkhabra @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #BalKhabra #Spiral #OffTheIceSeries #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Spiral by Bal Khabra @authorbalkhabra @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #BalKhabra #Spiral #OffTheIceSeries #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Spiral

Author: Bal Khabra

Series: Off the Ice #2

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 28, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing, Penguin Random House Canada

Book Rating: 8/10

He’s on edge while she’s en pointe in this fake-dating sports romance from the author of the smash hit Collide.

Elias Westbrook, a newly drafted hockey player for the Toronto Thunder, is facing the challenges of fame and media scrutiny. With a growing fan base and too many expectations on his shoulders, he’s struggling to make his first career goal. The tabloids are reporting on his every move, including which woman he was last seen with, but all he wants to do is escape the spotlight.

Enter from stage left Sage Beaumont, an aspiring ballerina with dreams of joining the Aurora Ballet Theatre, but her lack of popularity online leaves her at a major disadvantage for securing the lead role. When Sage finds herself with the perfect opportunity to make her dreams come true by fake dating Elias, she takes her shot.

Soon enough, the flimsy fake-dating rules they set in place fall away in the face of their sizzling connection. But before things spiral out of control, Sage and Elias will have to decide if they’re willing to take the leap together or if they’ll call it quits.

Review:

Amusing, seductive, and sassy!

Spiral is a sweet, playful rom-com featuring the considerate, hunky Elias whose life is in turmoil due to the media’s relentless fascination with him and the ongoing stress of a looming trade if he can’t ever get that elusive first goal and the independent, selfless Sage who is struggling to get that one audition which would finally allow her to live beyond pay cheque to pay cheque.

The writing is light and sultry. The characters, including the supporting characters, are charming, flawed and fun. And the plot is an enchanting, tender tale filled with smouldering chemistry, sizzling tension, heartfelt emotion, witty banter, friendship, support, understanding, compromise, communication, delicious romance, and hockey.

Overall, Spiral is an alluring, sensitive, passionate addition to the Off the Ice series by Khabra that had characters I couldn’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that left me once again eager for more. 

 

This novel is available now.

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

             

 

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Penguin Random House Canada for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Bal Khabra

Bal Khabra is a Canadian writer and book lover. Before she decided to jump into the romance pool, she spent her time gushing about books on social media. When inspiration strikes, she is found filling her notes app with ideas for romance novels. She loves reading about love, watching movies about love, and now, writing about it herself. There really isn’t much else that gets her heart fluttering the way HEAs do. She fell in love with writing and hopes to continue living out her romance author dreams.

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#BookReview Strike and Burn by Taylor Hutton @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #StrikeAndBurn #TaylorHutton #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Strike and Burn by Taylor Hutton @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #StrikeAndBurn #TaylorHutton #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Strike and Burn

Author: Taylor Hutton

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 28, 2025

Genres: Dark Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 7.5/10

A breathless romantic thriller that doesn’t just toe the line between danger and desire—it burns it to the ground.

Honor Stone is all alone in this world. No family, no money, no future. So when she locks eyes with Strike Madden—in the morgue of all places—she’s not in the mood to be seduced. Sure, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, and the sizzle of attraction between them is undeniable, but she’s reeling from her identical twin sister’s murder. It’s the wrong time, wrong place, wrong everything.

Still, the enigmatic billionaire hires Honor as an artist to spearhead his carefully curated erotic animation studio—a job they soon find to be a dangerous mix of business and pleasure.

But when her twin’s obsessive killer targets Honor, the painful secrets of Honor’s traumatic past will finally be exposed with devastating consequences. Strike will stop at nothing to protect her, uncovering his own bone-chilling demons—a beautifully broken, dark side that doesn’t scare Honor…

It consumes her.

Review:

Dark, menacing, and alluring!

Strike and Burn is a charged, passionate tale that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Honor, a hardworking young woman whose past is littered with tragedy, and Strike, a billionaire businessman with a checkered past of his own who spends his nights hunting down those who enjoy preying on the weak and vulnerable.

The prose is seductive and tight. The characters are scarred, hesitant, and troubled. And the plot is a compelling tale filled with secrets, deception, danger, familial drama, childhood abuse, sexual attraction, erotic animation, tension, mayhem, and murder.

Overall, Strike and Burn is an enticing, sensual, gritty tale by Hutton that is definitely a good choice for those who like their romantic suspense with a whole lot of spice.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Taylor Hutton

Taylor Hutton is the pseudonym of a pair of writer friends, one of whom has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award and the other who is a New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award finalist. Between the two of them, they have written over forty books. When they are not passing their latest sexy thriller back and forth on Google Doc, they are browsing bookstores, sending each other ridiculous memes, walking their dogs Trudy and Potato around their Los Angeles neighborhood, and making their children cringe with their TikTok videos.

Photo by Indy Flores

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#BookReview Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #MaskOfTheDeerWoman #LaurieLDove #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #MaskOfTheDeerWoman #LaurieLDove #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Mask of the Deer Woman

Author: Laurie L. Dove

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 21, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 336

Format: Hardcover

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself.

At rock bottom following her daughter’s death, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.

In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.

Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.

What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.

Review:

Intricate, sinister, and twisty!

Mask of the Deer Woman is an intense, ominous tale that finds ex-Chicago detective, now newly appointed tribal marshal, Carrie Starr, heading to Oklahoma and the reservation where her father grew up to investigate the excessive number of missing and murdered native women who seem to have slipped through the cracks or been ignored by the local justice system.

The writing is sharp and sophisticated. The characters are multilayered, troubled, and scarred. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwines and unravels briskly into a menacing tale of mischief, mayhem, corruption, manipulation, poverty, power, coercion, greed, depravity, violence, and murder.

Overall, Mask of the Deer Woman is an intricately woven, informative, highly entertaining mystery by Dove that has a nice amount of suspense, good character development, great pace, and an insightful look into the history, culture, oppression, and struggles of the Indigenous people of Oklahoma.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Laurie L. Dove

Laurie L. Dove is a reporter and editor whose work has appeared in numerous publications and garnered several honors for outstanding journalism. She graduated with a master’s degree in Creative Writing and Literature from Harvard University. She is an adjunct professor who currently lives and writes in Kansas.

Photo by Rowan G. Dove

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#BookReview Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #MurderInTheDressingRoom #HollyStars #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Murder in the Dressing Room by Holly Stars @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #MurderInTheDressingRoom #HollyStars #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Murder in the Dressing Room

Author: Holly Stars

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

A poisoned chocolate. A stolen dress. An elusive catburglar. Drag’s not just dramatic, it’s deadly.

By day, Joe is a hotel accountant, invisibly sitting behind their desk and playing by the rules. By night, donned in sequins, they take to the stage as Misty Divine, a star of the London drag scene.

But when Misty’s drag mother, Lady Lady, is found dead in her dressing room beside a poisoned box of chocolates, Misty and her fellow performers become the prime suspects.

Heartbroken by the loss, and frustrated by the clear biases of the police, Misty must solve the crime before the culprit strikes again. Among the drop-dead gorgeous lurks a cutthroat killer, and Misty Divine won’t rest until she finds out who it is.

Review:

Unique, lighthearted, and fun!

Murder in the Dressing Room is a well-paced, amusing murder mystery that takes you into the life of Misty Divine, a star of the drag stage who finds their life turned upside down when the drag mother of the club winds up murdered, and it quickly becomes apparent that someone in their midst most certainly committed the crime.

The writing is light and witty. The characters are inquisitive, impulsive, and endearing. And the plot is a well-paced, zany whodunit full of glitz, glamour, drama, misdirection, secrets, amateur sleuthing, and red herrings.

Overall, Murder in the Dressing Room is a humorous, quirky, entertaining read by Stars, and if you’re a fan of oddball cosy mysteries, this one definitely won’t disappoint.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Holly Stars

Holly Stars is a drag stand-up comedian and writer. She is the writer of the smash-hit drag murder mystery, Death Drop, a play that has had three runs on the West End and a UK and Ireland tour. Holly has two seasons of her own television series, Holly Stars: Inspirational, on Froot TV and OutTV, and regularly performs in London and around the UK. Her solo shows include: Justice For Holly, Nightmare Neighbour and Birthday.

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#BookReview Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita @Berkley @PenguinRandomCA #VillageInTheDark #CaraKennedySeries #IrisYamashita #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita @Berkley @PenguinRandomCA #VillageInTheDark #CaraKennedySeries #IrisYamashita #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Village in the Dark

Author: Iris Yamashita

Series: Cara Kennedy #2

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 7.5/10

Detective Cara Kennedy thought she’d lost her husband and son in an accident, but harrowing evidence has emerged that points to murder–and she will stop at nothing to find the truth in this riveting mystery from the author of City Under One Roof.

On a frigid February day, Anchorage Detective Cara Kennedy stands by the graves of her husband and son, watching as their caskets are raised from the earth. It feels sacrilegious, but she has no choice. Aaron and Dylan disappeared on a hike a year ago, their bones eventually found and buried. But shocking clues have emerged that foul play was involved, potentially connecting them to a string of other deaths and disappearances. 
 
Somehow tied to the mystery is Mia Upash, who grew up in an isolated village called Unity, a community of women and children in hiding from abusive men. Mia never imagined the trouble she would find herself in when she left home to live in Man’s World. Although she remains haunted by the tragedy of what happened to the man and the boy in the woods, she has her own reasons for keeping quiet.
 
Aided by police officer Joe Barkowski and other residents of Point Mettier, Cara’s investigation will lead them on a dangerous path that puts their lives and the lives of everyone around them in mortal jeopardy.

Review:

Duplicitous, intense, and atmospheric!

In this intriguing, second instalment in the Cara Kennedy series, Village in the Dark, we head back to Alaska, where Anchorage Detective Cara Kennedy now finds herself having to relive the devastating tragedy of losing her husband and son when new clues seem to tie their murders to another crime and she makes the difficult decision to exhume their bodies, treks back to the isolated village of Pont Mettier to ask for help, and allows the romance between herself and the recuperating Officer Barkowski to blossom even further.

The prose is sharp and brisk. The characters are strong, relentless, and resourceful. And the plot unfolds quickly into a menacing tale of mischief, mayhem, corruption, manipulation, betrayal, coercion, greed, violence, and murder.

Overall, Village in the Dark is a tight, captivating, sinister tale by Yamashita that is also dark, intricate, and entertaining.

 

This novel is available now.

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

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Iris Yamashita

Iris Yamashita is an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. She has been working in Hollywood for fifteen years developing material for both film and streaming, has taught screenwriting at UCLA, and is an advocate of women and diversity in the entertainment industry. She has also been a judge and mentor for various film and writing programs, and lives in California.

Photo by Anthony Mongiello

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#BookReview Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #OnceSmittenTwiceShy #TheWilmotSisters #ChloeLiese #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #OnceSmittenTwiceShy #TheWilmotSisters #ChloeLiese #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Once Smitten, Twice Shy

Author: Chloe Liese

Series: The Wilmot Sisters #3

Published by: Berkley on Jan. 14, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she’s presented with the chance to revisit romance—purely for practice—with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.
 
Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn’t on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is.  Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.
 
Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they’re the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.

Review:

Lighthearted, sensitive, and cute!

Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a tender, feel-good tale that takes you into the life of the kind, heartbroken Juliet, who has finally decided that love is just not in the cards for her until she meets the ruggedly handsome, socially awkward Will and their agreement to practice romance together quickly turns into something more.

The prose is smooth and sweet. The characters are wary, lovable, and unique. And the plot is an engaging, push-pull tale of family, friendship, tricky situations, playful banter, heartfelt moments, humorous hijinks, self-discovery, happiness, neurodivergence, chronic pain, romance, and love.

Overall, Once Smitten, Twice Shy is a charming, touching, delightful tale by Liese that I thoroughly enjoyed and which, in my opinion, is the perfect choice for anyone who loves their romcoms with 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 Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Chloe Liese

Chloe Liese writes romances reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. When not dreaming up her next book, Chloe spends her time wandering in nature, playing soccer, and most happily at home with her family and mischievous cats.

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#BookReview Layover by David Bell DavidBellNovels @BerkleyPub

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#BookReview Layover by David Bell DavidBellNovels @BerkleyPub Title: Layover

Author: David Bell

Published by: Berkley Books on Jul. 2, 2019

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 416

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 6.5/10

In this high concept psychological suspense novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Somebody’s Daughter, a chance meeting with a woman in an airport sends a man on a
pulse-pounding quest for the truth…

Joshua Fields takes the same flights every week for work. His life is a series of departures and arrivals, hotels and airports. During yet another layover, Joshua meets Morgan, a beautiful stranger with whom he feels an immediate connection. When it’s time for their flights, Morgan gets up to leave, leans over and passionately kisses Joshua, lamenting that they’ll never see each other again.

As Morgan slips away, Joshua is left feeling confused by what just happened between them. That’s when he looks up and is shocked to see Morgan’s face flashing on a nearby TV screen. He’s even more shocked when he learns the reason why–Morgan is a missing person.

What follows is a whirlwind, fast-paced journey filled with lies, deceit, and secrets to discover the truth about why Morgan is on the run. But when he finally thinks every mystery is solved, another rears its head, and Joshua’s worst enemy may be his own assumptions about those around him…

Review:

Crafty, complex, and unpredictable!

Layover is a character-driven whodunit featuring the reckless and determined Joshua Fields as he throws caution to the wind and leaves his ordinary life behind to do whatever it takes to find the missing, enigmatic Morgan Reynolds who seems to have vanished into thin air after sweeping him off his feet in a bar at the Atlanta airport.

The writing is crisp and clear. The characters are impulsive, irrational, and troubled. And the plot told from two different perspectives is a menacing tale of life, love, obsession, deception, familial dynamics, desperation, violence, and murder.

I have to admit this was a really tough one for me, as even though there is no doubt that Bell can write a creative, mysterious story that some readers will absolutely love, unfortunately for me the plot was a bit too unrealistic, and the characters were a little too hard to connect to for me to enjoy Layover as much as I would have liked.

 

This novel is available now.

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

                                            

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Publishing, through NetGalley, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About David Bell

David Bell is the USA Today-bestselling author of eight novels from Berkley/Penguin, including SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER, BRING HER HOME, SINCE SHE WENT AWAY, SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW, THE FORGOTTEN GIRL, NEVER COME BACK, THE HIDING PLACE, and CEMETERY GIRL. His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, and in 2013, he won the prestigious Prix Polar International de Cognac for best crime novel by an international author. He is an associate professor of English at Western Kentucky University where he directs the MFA program in creative writing. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he spends his free time rooting for the Reds and Bengals, watching movies, and walking in the cemetery near his house. He lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with his wife, writer Molly McCaffrey.

Photograph by David Bell.

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#BookReview The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry @pcalhenry @BerkleyPub

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#BookReview The Favorite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry @pcalhenry @BerkleyPub Title: The Favorite Daughter

Author: Patti Callahan Henry

Published by: Berkley Publishing on Jun. 4, 2019

Genres: Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: eBook, ARC

Source: Berkley Publishing, NetGalley

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Ten years ago, Lena Donohue experienced a wedding-day betrayal so painful that she fled the small town of Watersend, South Carolina, and reinvented herself in New York City. Though now a freelance travel writer, the one place she rarely goes is home–until she learns of her dad’s failing health.

Returning to Watersend means seeing the sister she has avoided for a decade and the brother who runs the family’s Irish pub and has borne the burden of his sisters’ rift. While Alzheimer’s slowly steals their father’s memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As his secret past brings Lena’s own childhood into focus, it sends her on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.

Review:

Absorbing, heartfelt, and tender!

The Favorite Daughter is a touching, hopeful novel that delves into the complicated relationship between members of a family and highlights that there really is no place like home.

The prose is evocative and warm. The characters are troubled, supportive, and genuine. And the plot is an affecting tale about life, love, family, friendship, deception, betrayal, heartbreak, community, romance, and the difficulties and struggles Alzheimer’s presents.

Overall, The Favorite Daughter is a compelling, satisfying, lovely tale by Callahan Henry that ultimately reminds us that sharing, capturing, and remembering all those special moments in time, good or bad, is truly what life is all about.

 

This novel is available now.

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

                                            

 

 

 

Thank you to NetGalley, especially Berkley Publishing Group, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Patti Callahan

Patti Callahan, who also writes as Patti Callahan Henry, is a New York Times bestselling author of thirteen novels, including this latest novel BECOMING MRS. LEWIS – The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis. A finalist in the Townsend Prize for Fiction, an Indie Next Pick, an OKRA pick, and a multiple nominee for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Novel of the Year, Patti is a frequent speaker at luncheons, book clubs and women’s groups. The mother of three children, she now lives in both Mountain Brook, Alabama and Bluffton, South Carolina with her husband.

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