Source: St. Martin's Press

#BookReview No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister @StMartinsPress #NoTwoPersons #EricaBauermeister #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister @StMartinsPress #NoTwoPersons #EricaBauermeister #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: No Two Persons

Author: Erica Bauermeister

Published by: St. Martin's Press on May 2, 2023

Genres: General Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: Hardcover

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

One book. Nine readers. Ten changed lives. New York Times bestselling author Erica Bauermeister’s No Two Persons is “a gloriously original celebration of fiction, and the ways it deepens our lives.”

That was the beauty of books, wasn’t it? They took you places you didn’t know you needed to go…

Alice has always wanted to be a writer. Her talent is innate, but her stories remain safe and detached, until a devastating event breaks her heart open, and she creates a stunning debut novel. Her words, in turn, find their way to readers, from a teenager hiding her homelessness, to a free diver pushing himself beyond endurance, an artist furious at the world around her, a bookseller in search of love, a widower rent by grief. Each one is drawn into Alice’s novel; each one discovers something different that alters their perspective, and presents new pathways forward for their lives.

Together, their stories reveal how books can affect us in the most beautiful and unexpected of ways—and how we are all more closely connected to one another than we might think.


Review:

Compelling, heart-tugging, and absorbing!

No Two Persons is a sensitive, thoughtful tale that takes you into the life of Alice Wein, a young writer who, after the tragic loss of her brother, writes a story that is so special it connects and impacts the lives of nine specific readers who have the opportunity to read it.

The writing is passionate and moving. The characters are stuck, wary, and wistful. And the plot, using a story within a story, sweeps you away into an engaging, touching, heartfelt tale about life, loss, friendship, family, heartbreak, tragedy, the magic of books, and love.

Overall, No Two Persons is a charming, immersive, original tale by Bauermeister that’s a beautiful love letter to books and the power they have to touch, heal, move, and provide hope to anyone lucky enough to read their pages.

 

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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Erica Bauermeister

Erica Bauermeister is the author of the bestselling novel The School of Essential Ingredients, Joy for Beginners, and The Lost Art of Mixing. She is also the co-author of non-fiction works, 500 Great Books by Women: A Reader’s Guide and Let’s Hear It For the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14.

She has a PhD in literature from the University of Washington, and has taught there and at Antioch University. She is a founding member of the Seattle7Writers and currently lives in Port Townsend, Washington.

Photo Credit: Susan Doupé

#BookReview Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler @geeewheeler @StMartinsPress #Adelaide #GenevieveWheeler #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler @geeewheeler @StMartinsPress #Adelaide #GenevieveWheeler #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: Adelaide

Author: Genevieve Wheeler

Published by: St. Martin's Press on Apr. 18, 2023

Genres: Women's Fiction

Pages: 304

Format: Hardcover

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

For twenty-six-year-old Adelaide Williams, an American living in dreamy London, meeting Rory Hughes was like a lightning bolt out of the blue: this charming Englishman was The One she wasn’t even looking for.

Is it enough?

Does he respond to texts? Honor his commitments? Make advance plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. But when he shines his light on her, the world makes sense, and Adelaide is convinced that, in his heart, he’s fallen just as deeply as she has. Then, when Rory is rocked by an unexpected tragedy, Adelaide does everything in her power to hold him together—even if it means losing herself in the process.

When love asks too much of us, how do we find the strength to put ourselves first?

With unflinching honesty and heart, this relatable debut from a fresh new voice explores grief and mental health while capturing the timeless nature of what it’s like to be young and in love—with your friends, with your city, and with a person who cannot, will not, love you back.


Review:

Introspective, poignant, and timely!

Adelaide is a passionate, thoughtful tale that sweeps you away to London and into the life of the young American, Adelaide Williams, as she navigates her goals, dreams, expectations, and mental health, all while consistently giving her all to a love affair littered with disappointments, one-sided effort, lack of communication, and heartbreak.

The prose is sincere and evocative. The characters are kind, multi-layered, and vulnerable. And the tightly crafted, effortless plot unfolds in a back-and-forth style, unravelling all the actions, motivations, personalities, desires, needs, tragedy, and complex relationships within it.

Overall, Adelaide is a sensitive, fresh, reflective debut by Wheeler that does a remarkable job of highlighting all the universal struggles of growing up, acquiring self-confidence, battling depression, anxiety, and worthlessness, forging friendships, experiencing an all-consuming love that isn’t reciprocated, and ultimately realizing that everyone is entitled to always be loved fully.

 

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 gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Genevieve Wheeler

Genevieve Wheeler is an American writer and communications manager. Her bylines have appeared in publications like VICE, Vogue Business, Teen Vogue, Elite Daily, and POPSUGAR, with her work and words cited in The New York Times, Vox, the BBC World Service, Cheddar News, Jezebel, and beyond. She holds an MA in marketing communications from the University of Westminster in London and a BS in Advertising from Boston University. She's currently based in London. Adelaide is her debut novel.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Lesser

#BookReview Yours Truly, The Duke (Say I Do #1) by Amelia Grey @smpromance #SayIDoSeries #YoursTrulyTheDuke #AmeliaGrey #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview Yours Truly, The Duke (Say I Do #1) by Amelia Grey @smpromance #SayIDoSeries #YoursTrulyTheDuke #AmeliaGrey #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers Title: Yours Truly, The Duke

Author: Amelia Grey

Series: Say I Do #1

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Mar. 28, 2023

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

Yours Truly, The Duke is the first novel in the historical romance Say I Do trilogy about dukes needing to wed to tap into their wealth by New York Times bestselling author Amelia Grey.

Fredericka Hale needs a husband, and fast. She’s been caring for her deceased sister’s three young children, and now a childless cousin has petitioned the court for custody. Fredericka is powerless to stop her, but having a husband might sway the ruling. The last thing Fredericka wants is a hurried-up marriage to a man she doesn’t know—much less love, but she’ll do it for the children. So when the handsome Duke of Wyatthaven shows up with a proposal, she accepts. He’ll help her, and in return, they’ll lead separate lives. But distance cannot keep them from their powerful attraction.

At the top of his game in London, the Duke of Wyatthaven has no interest in marriage. However, if Wyatt doesn’t marry by week’s end, he’ll lose a sizable inheritance from his grandmother. When Wyatt’s solicitor finds Miss Fredericka Hale, Wyatt considers this little hiccup solved. Miss Hale is lovely, and intelligent. Most importantly, she prefers country life to London, so he’s free to continue his life as usual. But when circumstances force Fredericka and the children to show up at the duke’s door, Wyatt can’t deny he’s always been under her spell. Will the duke give up his bachelor lifestyle and give into the fiery passion growing between them?


Review:

Entertaining, engaging, and romantic!

Yours Truly, The Duke is a passionate, playful tale that sweeps you away to England during the early nineteenth century and into the lives of the sweet, kind Fredericka Hale who may have just unexpectedly found the short-term solution to secure the custody of her nieces and nephews, and the roguishly handsome Duke of Wyatthaven who may have conveniently discovered the perfect woman to help him secure his substantial inheritance without having to give his heart away.

The prose is amusing and light. The characters are loyal, charming, and supportive. And the plot is an enchanting tale full of family, friendship, societal expectations, tricky situations, desire, trust, romance, and love.

Overall, Yours Truly, The Duke is another charming, seductive, delightful tale by Grey that is certainly an enjoyable, promising start to a series Say I Do I’m really looking forward to reading more of.

 

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

 

About Amelia Grey

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Amelia Grey read her first romance book when she was thirteen and she's been a devoted reader of love stories ever since. Her awards include the Booksellers Best, Aspen Gold, and the Golden Quill. Writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, she won the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter, and the prestigious Maggie Award. Her books have sold to many countries in Europe, Indonesia, Turkey, Russia, and Japan. Several of her books have also been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs. Amelia is the author of more than twenty-five books, including the Heirs' Club trilogy and the Rakes of St. James series. She's been happily married to her high school sweetheart for over thirty-five years and she lives on the beautiful gulf coast of Northwest Florida.

Photograph by Marcia Reynolds.

#BookReview The Last Word by Katy Birchall @smpromance @KatyBirchall @StMartinsPress #TheLastWordNovel #KatyBirchall #smpromance #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview The Last Word by Katy Birchall @smpromance @KatyBirchall @StMartinsPress #TheLastWordNovel #KatyBirchall #smpromance #SMPInfluencers Title: The Last Word

Author: Katy Birchall

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on May 2, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

The Hating Game meets Beach Read in Katy Birchall’s enemies-to-lovers romcom The Last Word , about a young journalist who puts her career (and her heart) on the line when her former work nemesis is hired in her newsroom.

Harper Jenkins is at the top of her game. A brilliant, determined journalist with a well-known knack for getting tight-lipped Hollywood stars to open up to her, Harper loves her job as Celebrity Editor at a newspaper’s glossy weekend magazine and has the best contacts in the business.

But when her awful boss hires talented reporter Ryan to be the new Features Editor, Harper is furious. Because the two have met a decade ago, they were interns at the same publication, where they fell into a whirlwind romance…until Ryan betrayed Harper, and they never spoke again.

Thrown together in a busy newsroom, their dynamic is a disaster from the start. They can’t agree on anything and bicker constantly―Ryan can’t bear how chaotic and messy Harper is; Harper finds Ryan’s condescending nature infuriating. They clash over who’s writing what article, and fight over who’s going to which event.

Yet as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, Harper realizes she may have misjudged Ryan and can’t help but feel a spark growing between them. Long buried feelings start to resurface and, when they’re thrown together on a romantic press trip abroad, their chemistry comes to a head.

But all is fair in love and magazines, and with the news that layoffs across the department are imminent, Harper is left to who will get the last word?


Review:

Engaging, charming, and sassy!

The Last Word is an amusing, feel-good, enemies-to-lovers romance that takes you into the lives of both Harper Jenkins, a young woman who loves her job as a celebrity journalist and who is determined to prove to her family no matter what that it’s a worthy career, and the reserved, handsome Ryan Jansson who may finally have a shot at expressing his true feelings to the one woman he’s loved since he beat her out of a permanent position at an internship more than ten years ago.

The writing is humorous and light. The characters are hardworking, passionate, and stubborn. And the plot is a push-pull tale full of familial strife, workplace drama, tender moments, competitive rivalry, witty banter, expectations, friendship, chemistry, and love.

Overall, The Last Word is another sweet, spirited, highly entertaining read by Birchall with characters I couldn’t help but root for and a happy-ever-after ending that left me smiling, smitten, and more than satisfied.

 

This book is available May 2, 2023.

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 Katy Birchall

Katy is the author of several young adult novels including The It Girl series, the Hotel Royale series and Morgan Charmley: Teen Witch. She is the co-author of the middle grade Lightning Girl series and Star Switch with Alesha Dixon, and the Find the Girl teen series with YouTube stars Lucy and Lydia Connell. Katy was proud to be the author of a retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma for the Awesomely Austen series, a collection of Austen’s novels retold for younger readers. She has also written a non-fiction book, How to be a Princess: Real-Life Fairy Tales for Modern Heroines.

Katy lives in London with her partner, Ben, and her rescue dog, Bono.

Photo by Imogen Forte.

#BookReview Off the Map by Trish Doller @TrishDoller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #OffTheMapNovel #TrishDoller #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview Off the Map by Trish Doller @TrishDoller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #OffTheMapNovel #TrishDoller #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers Title: Off the Map

Author: Trish Doller

Series: Beck Sisters #3

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Mar. 7, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 272

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

On the road to love, you don’t need a GPS…

Carla Black’s life motto is “here for a good time, not for a long time.” She’s been travelling the world on her own in her vintage Jeep Wrangler for nearly a decade, stopping only long enough to replenish her adventure fund. She doesn’t do love and she doesn’t ever go home.

Eamon Sullivan is a modern-day cartographer who creates digital maps. His work helps people find their way, but he’s the one who’s lost his sense of direction. He’s unhappy at work, recently dumped, and his one big dream is stalled out—literally.

Fate throws them together when Carla arrives in Dublin for her best friend’s wedding and Eamon is tasked with picking her up from the airport. But what should be a simple drive across Ireland quickly becomes complicated with chemistry-filled detours, unexpected feelings, and a chance at love – if only they choose it.


Review:

Big-hearted, cheeky, and engaging!

Off the Map is a cute, charming, insta-love tale between the impulsive, spirited Carla, who is happy to treat life as one big adventure and the charismatic, dependable Eamon, who desperately needs someone to help him find his true north.

The writing is humorous and heartfelt. The characters are kind, supportive, and fun-loving. And the plot is a quick, easy, delightfully entertaining tale about family, friendship, tension, chemistry, self-discovery, tender moments, happiness, taking chances, and finding love.

Overall, Off the Map is an amusing, lighthearted, adorable tale by Doller that is the third book in the beloved Beck Sisters series and even though it can definitely be easily read as a standalone novel, as someone who absolutely loves this series, I would highly recommend you read them all.

 

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 Trish Doller

Trish Doller is a writer, traveler, and dog rescuer, but not necessarily in that order. She is the international bestselling author of Float Plan, The Suite Spot, and Off the Map. She has also written several YA novels, including the critically acclaimed Something Like Normal. When she's not writing, Trish loves sailing, camping, and avoiding housework. She lives in southwest Florida with an opinionated herding dog and an ex-pirate.

Photo Credit: Jesi Cason Photography

#BookReview Where by Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas @StMartinsPress #WhereCoyotesHowl #SandraDallas #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview Where by Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas @StMartinsPress #WhereCoyotesHowl #SandraDallas #StMartinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: Where Coyotes Howl

Author: Sandra Dallas

Published by: St. Martin's Press on Apr. 18, 2023

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 320

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 9/10

Beautifully rendered, Where Coyotes Howl is a vivid and deeply affecting ode to the early twentieth century West, from master storyteller Sandra Dallas.

Except for the way they loved each other, they were just ordinary, everyday folks. Just ordinary.

1916. The two-street town of Wallace is not exactly what Ellen Webster had in mind when she accepted a teaching position in Wyoming, but within a year’s time she’s fallen in love—both with the High Plains and with a handsome cowboy named Charlie Bacon. Life is not easy in the flat, brown corner of the state where winter blizzards are unforgiving and the summer heat relentless. But Ellen and Charlie face it all together, their relationship growing stronger with each shared success, and each deeply felt tragedy.

Ellen finds purpose in her work as a rancher’s wife and in her bonds with other women settled on the prairie. Not all of them are so lucky as to have loving husbands, not all came to Wallace willingly, and not all of them can survive the cruel seasons. But they look out for each other, share their secrets, and help one another in times of need. And the needs are great and constant. The only city to speak of, Cheyenne, is miles away, making it akin to the Wild West in rural Wallace. In the end, it is not the trials Ellen and Charlie face together that make them remarkable, but their love for one another that endures through it all.


Review:

Moving, insightful, and incredibly atmospheric!

Where Coyotes Howl is a gritty, intriguing tale that sweeps you away to Wyoming during the early twentieth century and into the lives of the townsfolk of Wallace, especially schoolteacher Ellen Webster and cowboy Charlie Bacon, as they struggle to maintain their livelihoods, identities, sanity, health, and love for each other in harsh weather, barren plains, extreme loss, scarcity of money, and unimaginable tragedy.

The writing is eloquent and vivid. The characters are resilient, devoted, and strong. And the plot is a harrowing tale about life, loss, hope, family, friendship, grief, culture, community, hardship, poverty, trust, survival, and love.

Overall, Where Coyotes Howl is a beautifully written, exceptionally detailed, affecting novel by Dallas that I absolutely adored. It’s one of those novels that I went into thinking it would be good and finished it knowing it was great.

 

This novel is available April 18, 2023.

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 Sandra Dallas

Sandra Dallas, dubbed “a quintessential American voice” in Vogue Magazine, is the author of over a dozen novels, including Prayers for Sale and Tallgrass, many translated into a dozen languages and optioned for films. Six-time winner of the Willa Award and four-time winner of the Spur Award, Dallas was a Business Week reporter for 25 years covering the Rocky Mountain region, and began writing fiction in 1990. She has two daughters and lives with her husband in Denver and Georgetown, Colorado.

Photo Credit: Povy Kendal Atchison.

#BookReview The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth @SallyHepworth @StMartinsPress #TheSoulmateBook #SallyHepworth #StMarinsPress #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth @SallyHepworth @StMartinsPress #TheSoulmateBook #SallyHepworth #StMarinsPress #SMPInfluencers Title: The Soulmate

Author: Sally Hepworth

Published by: St. Martin's Press on Apr. 4, 2023

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 336

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 9/10

Get ready for a thrilling, addictive novel about marriage, betrayal, and the secrets that push us to the edge in Sally Hepworth’s The Soulmate.

There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral…Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate…lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.


Review:

Twisty, sophisticated, and suspenseful!

The Soulmate is a gripping domestic thriller that delves into the intricate, entangled bonds that exist between friends and family members and reminds us that everything is not always as it seems and behind all those smiles and happy faces often hides an abundance of lies, secrets, and swirling emotions.

The writing is ominous and tight. The characters are complex, troubled, and secretive. And the plot, told from alternating perspectives, is sinister and tense as it twists, turns, and unravels all the actions, motivations, personalities, and relationships within it.

The Soulmate, at its core, is a novel about life, love, loyalty, family, marital discord, mental illness, parenthood, friendship, and deception. It’s intense, menacing, enthralling, and, without a doubt, another fantastic page-turner by Hepworth you don’t want to miss.

 

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

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

 

About Sally Hepworth

Sally Hepworth has lived around the world, spending extended periods in Singapore, the United Kingdom and Canada. She is the author of The Secrets of Midwives, The Things We Keep, The Mother's Promise, The Family Next Door and The Mother-in-Law. Sally now lives in Melbourne with her husband, three children, and one adorable dog.

Photo by Mrs. Smart Photography.

#BookReview The Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller @dcbiller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #HotelofSecretsNovel #DianaBiller #smpromance #smpinfluencers

#BookReview The Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller @dcbiller @smpromance @StMartinsPress #HotelofSecretsNovel #DianaBiller #smpromance #smpinfluencers Title: The Hotel of Secrets

Author: Diana Biller

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Mar. 28, 2023

Genres: Historical Romance

Pages: 416

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8.5/10

During ball season, anything can happen, even love.

It’s ball season in Vienna, and Maria Wallner only wants one thing: to restore her family’s hotel, the Hotel Wallner, to its former glory. She’s not going to let anything get in her way – not her parents’ three-decade-long affair; not seemingly-random attacks by masked assassins; and especially not the broad-shouldered American foreign agent who’s saved her life two times already. No matter how luscious his mouth is.

Eli Whittaker also only wants one thing: to find out who is selling American secret codes across Europe, arrest them, and go home to his sensible life in Washington, DC. He has one lead – a letter the culprit sent from a Viennese hotel. But when he arrives in Vienna, he is immediately swept up into a chaotic whirlwind of balls, spies, waltzes, and beautiful hotelkeepers who seem to constantly find themselves in danger. He disapproves of all of it! But his disapproval is tested as he slowly falls deeper into the chaos – and as his attraction to said hotelkeeper grows.


Review:

Enticing, adventurous, and fun!

Hotel of Secrets is a passionate, compelling tale that sweeps you away to Vienna during 1878 and into the life of Maria Wallner, a hardworking, intelligent young woman who embarks on a mission to do whatever it takes to get her family’s hotel refurbished in time to host the illustrious Hotelkeeper’s Ball, even if it means that with all the mysterious mishaps, accidents, and lack of money she may have to befriend and ask for help from the frustratingly handsome, American secret service agent Eli Whittaker who seems to be on a mission of his own.

The prose is smooth and light. The characters are resilient, independent, and resourceful. And the plot is an enchantingly scandalous combination of life, love, friendship, secrets, history, adventure, opulence, familial drama, wicked intentions, malevolent behaviours, tender moments, and delectable romance.

Overall, Hotel of Secrets is an entertaining, intriguing, satisfying read by Biller that was a pleasant surprise with its exceptional character development, swoon-worthy ending, twisty, action-packed storyline, and unique setting that’s often not found in this genre.

 

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 Diana Biller

Diana Biller is the author of The Widow of Rose House and The Brightest Star in Paris. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys snuggling her animals, taking “research” trips abroad, and attending ballet class. She lives with her husband in Los Angeles.

Photo Credit: Lantz Simpson.

#BookReview Make a Wish by Helena Hunting @helenahunting @smpromance @StMartinsPress #MakeAWishNovel #HelenaHunting #SparkHouseSeries #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers

#BookReview Make a Wish by Helena Hunting @helenahunting @smpromance @StMartinsPress #MakeAWishNovel #HelenaHunting #SparkHouseSeries #SMPRomance #SMPInfluencers Title: Make a Wish

Author: Helena Hunting

Series: Spark House #3

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Jan. 24, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 9/10

Ever have a defining life moment you wish you could do over? Harley Spark has one. The time she almost kissed the widowed father of the toddler she nannied for. It was so bad they moved across the state and she never saw them again.

Fast forward seven years and she’s totally over it. At least she thinks she is. Until Gavin Rhodes and his adorable now nine-year-old daughter, Peyton, reappear at a princess-themed birthday party hosted by Spark House, Harley’s family’s event hotel. Despite trying to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, she can’t help but notice how unbearably sexy he looks in a tutu. Add to that a spontaneous hives breakout, and it’s clear she’s not even remotely over the mortification of her egregious error all those years ago.

Except Gavin seems oblivious to her inner turmoil. So much so that he suggests they get together for lunch. For Peyton’s sake, of course. It’s the perfect opportunity to heal old wounds. Or it could just reopen them. This is one of those times Harley wishes she could see the future…

With her signature charm and sense of humor, bestselling author Helena Hunting creates a novel about love, family, and second chances in Make a Wish.


Review:

Big-hearted, engaging, and swoon-worthy!

Make a Wish is a charming second-chance romance between the driven, spirited Harley and the sweet, hardworking, single father Gavin as they discover that time has not changed the deeply-rooted friendship and sizzling attraction they felt for each other seven years ago and is perhaps something that could be even more if only they’d take a chance on it.

The writing is passionate and heartfelt. The characters are kind, supportive, and dependable. And the plot is a delightfully enchanting tale about family, friendship, tension, chemistry, healing, self-discovery, parenthood, special moments, happiness, taking chances, and unconditional love.

Overall, Make a Wish is an amusing, lighthearted, adorable tale by Hunting that is the third and final book in the Spark House series and even though it can definitely be read as a standalone novel, as someone who absolutely loves this series, I would highly recommend you read them all.

 

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 Helena Hunting

Helena Hunting is the author of The USA Today and NYT bestselling PUCKED Series. She lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes everything from romantic sports comedy to new adult angst.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

#BookReview Too Wrong to Be Right by Melonie Johnson @smpromance @MelonieJohnson @StMartinsPress #2Wrong2BRight #MelonieJohnson #smpromance #smpinfluencers #StMartinsPress

#BookReview Too Wrong to Be Right by Melonie Johnson @smpromance @MelonieJohnson @StMartinsPress #2Wrong2BRight #MelonieJohnson #smpromance #smpinfluencers #StMartinsPress Title: Too Wrong to Be Right

Author: Melonie Johnson

Published by: St. Martin's Griffin on Feb. 28, 2023

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 368

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: St. Martin's Press

Book Rating: 8/10

After her latest jerk of a boyfriend dumps her (and ditches her with his pet hedgehog), florist Kat Kowalski is done chasing after Mr. Wrong. With her two best friends moving on to more serious relationships, she’s ready to stop repeating the same mistakes that are leaving her stuck in the single lane. Armed with a list of qualities for her perfect Mr. Right, Kat swears off dating until she finds him.

Then in a meet-disaster involving a corpse and a salty cockatoo, she stumbles across Mick O’Sullivan at his family’s funeral home. Their immediate chemistry warns Kat to keep things platonic; after all, following her heart never worked out in the past, and this time she’s determined to listen to her head. But can Kat and Mick be just friends? As she gets to know him better, the lines blur, and Kat starts to wonder if she’s gotten it wrong and Mick is exactly who she’s been looking for…


Review:

Humorous, sweet, and light!

Too Wrong to Be Right is a charming, heartfelt romance that mixes the hardworking, hesitant Kat who, after her most recent breakup, is determined to stop picking men based on attraction but rather a list of qualities she’s sure will help her find the one, and the dependable, patient Mick who will put his ever-growing feelings aside to help his new friend find the man of her dreams even though he secretly wishes it was him.

The prose is smooth and tender. The characters are quirky, fun-loving, and supportive. And the plot is a comical, heartwarming blend of instant attraction, witty banter, palpable chemistry, friendship, family, light drama, unconditional love, and scene-stealing pets.

Overall, Too Wrong to Be Right is a cute, adorable, entertaining tale by Johnson that was a true delight to read with its amusing characters, 90s rom-com references, happy-ever-after ending, and characters I couldn’t help but root for.

 

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 Melonie Johnson

USA Today bestselling author Melonie Johnson—aka #thewritinglush—enjoys sipping cocktails that start with the letter m. Declared a “writer to watch” by Kirkus and a “fizzy, engrossing new voice” by Entertainment Weekly, her smart funny contemporary romances include Too Good to Be Real and her award-winning Sometimes in Love debut series: Getting Hot with the Scot, Smitten by the Brit, and Once Upon a Bad Boy. A former high school English and Theatre teacher, she spends her days in her Star Wars office, dreaming up meet cutes. She lives in Chicagoland with her husband, their two redhead daughters, and one very large dog.

Photo by Heather Stumpf.

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