Fern Brookbanks is dealing with the loss of her mother after a car accident. Her mother had left the reMeet Me at the Lake is a second-chance romance.
Fern Brookbanks is dealing with the loss of her mother after a car accident. Her mother had left the resort she owned to her. Fern knows she needs help managing the property but she doesn’t know if she wants to do it. Her life is in the big city, of Toronto. She has been living there for the last few years. Then, as if losing her mother was not enough shock, she learns her mother had hired a company to help her stay in the black and the person who shows up is none other than Will Baxter, the man she met ten years before and who broke her heart.
Ten years earlier, Fern had the best day with Will. Will, who is an artist, is painting a mural in the coffee shop where she was working. As soon as they meet, a spark is there. Yet, both have a significant other but they make a pact to see each other a year later at the resort. A year later, Fern is there but Will never shows up.
In the present, Will is in front of her and she is still furious at him but she knows she needs his help if she wants to keep the business afloat or if she decides to sell.
Meet Me at the Lake had 3 timelines if we count Fern's mom's diary entries and one main POV.
It was easy to like Fern. I understood why she didn’t want to take over the resort after college. She wanted to do her own thing. I like Will except during the conflict. He didn’t act the way I thought he should.
Overall, I did like it and I would read another romance by Carley Fortune.
Cliffhanger: No
3.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Viking via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Happy Place is the latest book by Emily Henry. This one is about friendship and of course love too.
It's about best friends who met in college and who Happy Place is the latest book by Emily Henry. This one is about friendship and of course love too.
It's about best friends who met in college and who reunite once a year to spend time together in Coastal Maine where so many of their memories have been created.
The main couple is Harriet and Wyn who were best friends first, and after a year, they became more. Later on, engaged but in the present, they are not together anymore. Between two timelines past and present, we learned how they met, fell in love, and why they broke up.
In the present when Harriet arrives, she is surprised to see Wyn there, she never thought she was going to see him there again. She is shocked, to say the least, but the shocks keep on coming, her friend Sabrina is going to marry at the end of the week and the house they have loved for so many years is being sold!! So of course Harriet and Wyn need to fake being still together not to upset the dynamics despite not being a couple for the last six months. Harriet still loves Wyn so she is not sure how to navigate the situation without getting hurt further.
Happy Place had me wanting to go visit Maine right away and follow all the places they enjoyed and the food they ate. It also had me rooting for a happy ending for the main characters and for their friendship between the six to survive the passing of time.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve always been a sucker for frenemies to lovers trope. You, with a View, is just that.
Noelle Shepard is grieving the loss of her grandmother. She feI’ve always been a sucker for frenemies to lovers trope. You, with a View, is just that.
Noelle Shepard is grieving the loss of her grandmother. She feels lost. She is back living with her parents after being let go of a job she didn’t enjoy five months ago. Then she discovers love letters written by her grandmother to a man who was not her grandfather. Noelle thought her grandmother told her everything during their Tell Me A Secret sessions but she never shared this one.
Noelle decides to do a TikTok video with all the info she has available trying to find out the identity of the man her grandma loved. The next morning, to her shock someone answered "That’s my grandfather".
When she meets Paul (the man her grandmother loved) she also sees her high school classmate, Theo Spencer. It turns out that Paul is Theo's grandfather. In high school, Noelle and Theo used to compete constantly for first place. They tried to surpass each other every chance they got. Now, Theo is a very successful businessman and she has nothing to show for all the time they have not seen each other. She feels like a failure.
When Noelle learns that her grandmother had planned to marry Paul and they already had their honeymoon sketched, she decides she should do the trip her grandmother never got a chance to do. Paul asks to join her and Theo won't let Paul go alone so of course he decides to come too.
You, With A View, was so freaking cute. Great debut romance with likable characters all around. The MC connection felt real. They had a past together so it was easy to believe they were falling for each other in the present. Paul was so adorable. Such a great grandfather and constant supporter of Theo.
Cliffhanger: No
4.5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Jagger family is meeting again two years after their last Christmas together. The siblings Josiah, Julianna, Jesse, and Jada are I liked this one.
The Jagger family is meeting again two years after their last Christmas together. The siblings Josiah, Julianna, Jesse, and Jada are all coming back to the family home in southern California known as the "Pink Castle".
Why has it been 2 years since their last time together?
Well, at that time, their father introduced them to his new companion bot, January. One of the siblings couldn't tolerate the idea of someone else replacing their mother (who killed herself many years ago) so January was violently attacked. Per their father, January was able to be fixed and her memory was wiped out completely about the event.
In the present, all the siblings have received an anonymous letter saying their mother was murdered. At first, they don't share the information but as the time together progresses, they will learn that they all got the same note.
I enjoyed this one so much. Love January and Six (the bot next door). From the Jaggers, I was very interested in Jada and her true crime obsession with the Freezer man (hoping there is a book about that). I thought Jesse needed mental health for life. Julianna had the weight of the world on her shoulders and I felt bad for Josiah's childhood.
This was a great installment of the Jolvix Episode series!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Mirror House Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Natalie Fincher is heartbroken. Her husband passed away two and half years ago and she was left with feelings of guilt and uA story of grief and love.
Natalie Fincher is heartbroken. Her husband passed away two and half years ago and she was left with feelings of guilt and unable to move forward. She used to write music and play the piano but now her only time spent playing the piano happens when she uses the public piano at the London train station.
Her family and friends are worried about her. Her girlfriends are trying to stir her into dating again but she doesn't feel ready. Yet, she still goes out with them although she would prefer to be home. During one of these outings is when she meets a guy named Tom. Is not too long before Tom and Natalie start a friendship. She confides in him about playing the piano at the train station and someone leaving behind music sheets of songs she use to play to her husband while he was in the hospital.
The mystery surrounding the papers left for her is what propels her to start interacting with more people including the owner of the coffee shop, Shauna and Notebook Guy.
The Key to My Heart was engaging, with a plot that moves forward with a natural flow. My favorite part was the last reveal which was pretty great in my opinion.
This is the 3rd book I have read by Lia Louis and I'm a fan.
I want to thank Melissa and Jayme to read it with me. Buddy-reads are the best!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Atria Books, Emily Bestler Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Erika Foster's new case lands on her lap by chance. Erika has moved to her new home which is in need of many repairs and furniture but at least it is Erika Foster's new case lands on her lap by chance. Erika has moved to her new home which is in need of many repairs and furniture but at least it is hers now. She knows she needs a new bed but more importantly she needs food. She goes out walking to find food when she hears a woman's scream coming from a house just two blocks from hers. When she runs to the scene she finds a young woman's body. The person who screamed is the sister of the deceased. She discovered the body when she came looking for her when she didn’t show up for her shift at the restaurant.
Erika takes the case and starts looking for a killer. During the investigation, other issues will arise, including a case of mistaken identity, a podcast about a rapist from a decade earlier, an ex-con, and another dead body keeping the team quite busy.
I read only the first two books but I was happy to see that Erika is doing better in regards to her grief. She looks more stable in her position at work too. Sadly, Peterson is with someone else and has a kid with her but Erika is not alone, Igor is a nice addition to the mix. (Igor is her old boyfriend from back home).
In regards to the perpetrator and the hunt for him, I liked how Erika is able to follow the leads she discovers and her instincts are still quite admirable in guiding her to the right place but maybe not at the best time.
I was happy with the ending, I’m glad that Erika is not having Christmas alone this year.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Raven Street Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Isabelle Drake has not had a good night's sleep in almost a year. Her insomnia started after her two-year-old son, Mason was taken from A great story!
Isabelle Drake has not had a good night's sleep in almost a year. Her insomnia started after her two-year-old son, Mason was taken from his bedroom while she and Ben, her husband were sleeping in the room next door.
Ben left Isabelle about six months after Mason disappeared. He is ready to move on with another younger version of Isabelle. Isabelle can't understand how Ben is already ready to give up while she is the complete opposite. Her son is on her mind 24/7 and she even travels to true crime conventions to speak about what happened to her in hope that someone can help her find him. At the end of the latest convention, she meets a podcaster by the name of Waylon. He wants to interview her about her son's abduction. At first, she doesn't want to but then she agrees. As she meets with him, she starts remembering things from her past that scare her. Could she have hurt her child?
This audio narrator, Karissa Vacker was fantastic. The development of the story had me on the edge of my seat. I was able to guess a couple of twists but not all of them. This was great! I can't wait to read another book by Stacy Willingham.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Macmillan Video via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ways the World Could End is about a father and a daughter and their grief after losing Jana (wife/mom). It is also aboutQuite an interesting YA novel.
Ways the World Could End is about a father and a daughter and their grief after losing Jana (wife/mom). It is also about Aspergers, coming of age, love, and forgiveness.
The audiobook is narrated by Stephanie Willing and Pete Cross. Both did a wonderful job in giving life to these wonderful characters.
Each chapter that begins with Dave starts with him narrating the many ways the world could end. This is the reason why he has a bunker stocked with everything he might need to keep himself and his daughter, Cleo alive.
You see Dave has Asperger's and dealing with people is a problem. After Jana died, he moved himself and Cleo to a remote area in the hills of San Juan Capistrano where he can have more control. He knows that he has to let Cleo live her life but he doesn't need to like it. So when Cleo strikes a friendship with Edie, a new girl recently transferred from another school, Dave has to tolerate her.
Cleo is almost sixteen. She misses her mother terribly. Jana was not only her mom but her friend. She was able to tell her mother everything including her new feelings towards girls. Cleo knows of her father's Aspergers and she knows how to help him thanks to Jana. She is a very smart and thoughtful teenager. She seems mature for her age but life might have something to do with it. Meeting Edie has been the one positive she wasn't expecting.
I truly enjoyed Ways the World Could End. I liked that in the end, forgiveness was a big statement. I would say that the one thing that I wasn't too happy with was the way sometimes Dave came across. In some instances, he sounded selfish and robotic. Thankfully most of the time, he sounded like a worried dad grieving the loss of his wife.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Dreamscape Media via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After losing her mother to cancer, Katy feels devastated. Her mother was her best friend, the one with all the answers. Losing her makes Katy doubt evAfter losing her mother to cancer, Katy feels devastated. Her mother was her best friend, the one with all the answers. Losing her makes Katy doubt everything in her life. She is not sure she wants to remain married to her husband, Eric. She is lost in despair and grief.
Needing a change and a place to clear her head, she decides to take the trip to Italy she and her mother, Carol had planned. The Amalfi Coast was a place quite dear to her mother. Carol had spent time there before she was married.
When she arrives in Positano she makes a connection with a young man, Adam, and then she sees her mother, alive and well and young too. Katy doesn't understand it but she doesn't want to blink and realize it was all a dream.
Carol and Katy become fast friends and Katy will do anything to continue hanging out with this carefree version of her mother. She is getting to know a part of her she never saw but for how long can this be?
I won't lie, I was a little disappointed in One Italian Summer. I felt like Katy took all but never reciprocated. She was mean and disrespectful to her husband, Eric who seem like a nice friendly guy. She was also trying to force Carol into making the decision she wanted. It was all Me, Me, Me with her.
What I did like was seeing Positano again through the author's eyes. The Amalfi Coast is one of my favorite places. A few years ago, I spent two magnificent weeks there. I had the best time with family and the best food too. I miss it and I can't wait to go back and have another cheese tour, visit a lemon farm and do a limoncello and meloncello tasting, take the boat to Capri, and enjoyed quite memorable dishes and desserts.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After reading Every Last Fear last year and not being able to forget the Pines, I requested this book in a nanosecond when it was available.
The Night After reading Every Last Fear last year and not being able to forget the Pines, I requested this book in a nanosecond when it was available.
The Night Shift has 4 main characters:
Ella is the sole survivor of the Blookbluster attack. Ella was a teenager working at Blockbuster on 1999's New Year's Eve. Everyone else was worried about Y2K but the teenagers working with her were just putting the videos away (Be Kind and Rewind, anyone?) and ready to go home when at closing time, someone enters the store and murders them. The only thing Ella recalls is a shadow leaning forward and whispering "Goodnight, pretty girl". Ella is now a therapist but with demons of her own. She uses little blue pills and sleeps around despite having a fiancee.
Chris Whitaker is a public defender. He is the brother of the assumed Blockbuster killer. He knows his brother is innocent and would like to prove it but he is not sure where his brother is. He disappeared after the murders.
Fifteen years later, after the Blockbuster attack, Jessica Duvall, a high school teenager, is the sole survivor of the Ice Cream murders. Ella is called to the hospital to help her after the traumatic experience. Ella's blood freezes when Jessica tells her that the only thing she remembers is the perp saying "Goodnight, pretty girl".
And my favorite character, FBI Agent Keller. She was part of the first book and in this one, she is pregnant with twins ready for delivery when she is asked to check if there is a relationship between both murders. She is assigned a temporary partner, Atticus Singh. Together, they would go back and question everyone who was involved during the 1999 attack. They would retrace the steps and try to find a link.
Alex Finlay is a master at getting these characters to interconnect. We get to get surprised by certain events and twists that were not jaw-dropping but that were interesting nonetheless making the story more believable.
Although, I would say the killer is not a mystery. You can tell who he/she is from the get-go which only made me worried for the innocent ones.
With this sophomore book, Alex Finlay solidifies my conviction that he is a must-read for me.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As always an interesting topic with an excellent narrative. Diane Chamberlain never disappoints me.
The Last House on the Street is set in Round Hill, As always an interesting topic with an excellent narrative. Diane Chamberlain never disappoints me.
The Last House on the Street is set in Round Hill, NC. It has two timelines. The first one is in 1965 and the second one in 2010.
In 1965, Ellie Hockley is a college student at UNC when she gets involved in the Civil Rights movement. Ellie decides to join the SCOPE project to make a difference. The program entails having white people motivate black people to vote.
By joining SCOPE, Ellie alienates her family, her friends, and worse she becomes someone the Klan is interested in. Ellie doesn't care about any of that after she starts visiting the homes of black people and learning about the importance of them voting to get the help they need like new roads, electricity, etc.
In 2010, Ellie is returns to North Carolina for the first time in over four decades. Ellie is back to take care of her dying brother and her elderly mother too.
In this same timeline, we also meet Kayla. Kayla Carter is an architect. She is also a recent widow. Her husband was an architect too and he died in an accident in her new home located in Shadow Ridge Estates.
Kayla has mixed feelings about the new home. On the one hand, the house was the dream that she and her husband created. On the second hand, she doesn't feel safe living there when weird things begin to happen.
There are so many questions...
What happened to Ellie in 1965? What is the connection between Ellie and Kayla? And why is someone threatening Kayla and her daughter?
The Last House on the Street was quite an interesting, compelling and engaging novel. I was fearful for Ellie and Wyn from the very beginning. I was also trying to guess what happened and fearing the worst. For me, hands down, the 1965 timeline was much more addicting than the contemporary one.
Why not a 5? I just didn't quite believe the big revelation at the end.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Three women dating the same guy. A nightmare, right? Not so much.
Was I upset at Joseph Carter? ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY MAD AT HIM.
Yes, I'm screaming andThree women dating the same guy. A nightmare, right? Not so much.
Was I upset at Joseph Carter? ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY MAD AT HIM.
Yes, I'm screaming and so will you ( I think). What a bastard, right. Or is it?
Anyway, let's talk about the 3 ladies.
Siobhan: she is a life coach. She has two very supportive girlfriends. She has some issues in moving forward from a past relationship and admitting that she is in love.
Miranda: A tree surgeon who loves her job. Her twin sisters have moved in with her and she is dating Carter although AJ (from work) can't stop flirting with her.
Jane: A quiet wounded soul. She is working at a store as a volunteer. She is not saying where she got the money to rent a place or what happened when she was living in London.
Now Joseph Carter: A handsome guy in a nerdy way. He is everything these 3 women want. He can be sweet and supportive, and overall, he appears to be a good guy. A big example is Carter moved in with his mother to take care of her because she has dementia. Yet, he is not perfect. He is never on time, and the reason why he stood them up on Valentine's day is still a mystery.
Quite a few feelings with The No-Show. I got angry, I cried, and I felt sad but in the end, I felt hopeful which was truly a good thing.
So did I like Joseph Carter? The truth is a resounding yes!!
I loved The Flatshare and the Switch but I wasn't sure about the Road Trip, so I was a little leery about reading this one. Thankfully, I had nothing to fear. Beath O'Leary is back in top form once again.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Do you ever feel like you want to leave your life behind and drive away without looking back?
This is what Marcie Malone chooses to do. She recently haDo you ever feel like you want to leave your life behind and drive away without looking back?
This is what Marcie Malone chooses to do. She recently had a loss in her life and the day that she has to return back to work, she decides to start driving. She gets on the interstate and leaves Georgia for sunny Florida.
Herman Flint is an old man. He is a loner and doesn't interact much with anyone else. To his discontent, he finds a woman passed out on the beach in front of his home. At first, he doesn't want to get involved thinking she is just another junkie but when the woman remains in the same spot, he decides to check on her and takes her inside his house to recuperate.
Marcie is confused at first to find herself in a house she doesn't recognize. Once she meets grumpy Herman, she decides to leave but then she changes her mind. She is not ready to go back to Georgia. She needs time to heal and think about what she wants for her future. Herman agrees for her to stay while she begins this new chapter in her life.
This was heartwarming!
I liked both of the main characters. Marcie was reinventing herself in a way. She was recognizing all the things she gave up through her adulthood and how she would like to move forward. On the other hand, Herman had closed himself to life and Marcie invading his space was the best thing that could happen to him. The addition of the turtles to the story was wonderful for someone who enjoys seeing turtle nests at the beach. Lastly, I loved the ending. It's full of hope.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Things we do in the dark kept my interest from the first scene to the end.
The main character is Paris Peralta. She is found by the cops in the bathrooThings we do in the dark kept my interest from the first scene to the end.
The main character is Paris Peralta. She is found by the cops in the bathroom with her husband’s dead body in the tub and she is holding the murder weapon in her hands.
Looks bad, right?
Worse, her husband Jimmy Peralta is 30 years older than she is. Jimmy is also famous. He was part of a show that everyone remembers and recently he has come back from retirement to do a couple of comedy specials.
Paris knows the situation is dire. Yet, it can be worse if they find out the truth of who she really is. Although, someone already knows and is blackmailing her.
Ruby Reyes, the Ice Queen, is in prison in Canada. She is about to be released back into society after murdering a man. She knows who Paris is and wants money in exchange for silence.
Drew is an investigative reporter in Toronto. His next true-crime podcast is about Ruby Reyes and her daughter. He wants the world to know what an awful person Ruby really is. Drew feels guilty. He made mistakes and he is relieving the time when he let his friend down.
Joey Reyes is the daughter of Ruby Reyes. She suffered in the hands of Ruby's verbal and physical abuse.
Things we do in the Dark has three POVs. Paris, Drew, and Joey. We get to know Joey and what she went through from early childhood. It was quite heartbreaking.
I found the audiobook to be perfect for this novel. It kept the timelines straight for me. I enjoyed all 3 POVs and despite guessing the twists, I found that I liked the overall picture.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Minotaur Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have liked Jessica Strawser's other work so you could understand how excited I was to dive into The Next Thing You Know.
Nova Huston is an end-of-lifI have liked Jessica Strawser's other work so you could understand how excited I was to dive into The Next Thing You Know.
Nova Huston is an end-of-life doula. She works for Kelly Monroe at Partying Your Way. Kelly is also a doula and she and her daughter Willow have formed a friendship and a bond with Nova.
End-of-life doulas can be their client's support system, the go in-between with family. They can guide their clients with their legal issues and end-of-life care. End-of-life doulas are also there to help with the mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of their journey. Kelly's way of working is more by the book. She's responsible and loves to follow protocol. On the other hand, Nova just goes more with her gut feeling. Nova also takes the cases Kelly doesn't like to do, for example, a young person their age dying. So when Mason Shaylor comes knocking, Kelly immediately passes him to Nova.
Mason tells Nova he has a deteriorating condition and there is nothing left to be done to help him. After a rocky start, Nova takes him as her new client and she's hopeful she can help him with his transition.
Then we switched to the present where Nova is in trouble and Kelly's business might be in danger of closing. Mason's mother has made an accusation against Nova. First to the police and then to the media. Nova's world is imploding while she mourns her loss too.
The Next Thing You Know was thought-provoking and also quite informative. I knew all about Hospice and end-of-life care but not about doulas and the extra help they could bring to a patient in the right setting. Most of the time is quite hard for patients and families to accept hospice coming in and helping. I believe the last time I saw a statistic, hospice was underused. Most people are only in hospice for a median average of 24 days so not enough time to actually use all its benefits.
Death for most people is not an easy topic to discuss. Patients and family members tend to avoid talking about advance directives. Yet, the one constant is that we are all going to die so it would be nice if we can get the help we need during the end of our life. A support system, helping with pain, acceptance of the inevitable, seeking forgiveness, dealing with unresolved feelings and regrets. I can see the use of end-of-life doulas in this regard.
Even though I liked this book, I didn't like the ending quite that much. I thought the explanation was just too out there for my liking. Other than that, I have no qualms about recommending it.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm so used to reading books by Kristan Higgins that leave me with a smile on my face. Yes, some can elicit tears but they are always hopeful. So I waI'm so used to reading books by Kristan Higgins that leave me with a smile on my face. Yes, some can elicit tears but they are always hopeful. So I was a little shocked to read the blurb of this one. We are told the main character dies!!
Was I going to read it? Yes, absolutely.
Was it going to break my heart? Probably, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity.
This is the story of Lauren and Josh. A young couple who is happily married. They are lucky, they get along in a fantastic way. Then, Lauren's asthma keeps on making her feel tired and short of breath. She has multiple ER visits and hospital admissions for pneumonia. Then she is sent to the pulmonologist and finally, an accurate diagnosis is made. Lauren has IPF, a terminal disease.
Joshua's world collapses. Despite him being a prodigy in his career, he can't help Lauren. He is completely useless and powerless and losing her, he does. Yet, Lauren is helping him deal with her loss from the GB (great beyond). She left behind a letter for each month of the first year she's gone to help Joshua move on. The tasks are not easy for him to do but in a way they make him move forward despite the pain.
There is no doubt that Kristan Higgins is my favorite author for a reason. Pack Up the Moon is a well-written novel that deals with grief in an honest way. I couldn't feel sadder for Joshua and his heartbreak. Lauren was a little too good for her own good but I will let that go. I did love the secondary characters, Lauren's letters to her dad, the humorous parts of the story, and I thought the epilogue was just what the novel needed.
Thank you KH for making sure my tear ducts are in working order!
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite romance novel of 2020 was Dear Emmie Blue, so of course, I wanted to read Eight Perfect Hours.
The book starts with our heroine, Noelle ButMy favorite romance novel of 2020 was Dear Emmie Blue, so of course, I wanted to read Eight Perfect Hours.
The book starts with our heroine, Noelle Butterby, feeling down after attending her class reunion where the items of the time capsule were retrieved. She was able to get her friend Daisy's letter but not the camera/film. She also saw her ex-boyfriend, Ed who tried to avoid contact with her. Now, she is stuck in the motorway with hundreds of cars and a blizzard is upon them. She has a dead cell phone and she knows her mother is probably freaking out.
Then, someone knocks on her window. The stranger, Sam Atwood, has been watching her and he is asking if she needs help. Noelle after some hesitance agrees to move to his car to charge her cellphone. After spending eight perfect hours together, they each go their own way without exchanging their contact info.
Noelle feels like her life is at a standstill. She would like to be a florist but she cleans houses instead. After the passing of her good friend, she went into a depression and after her mother suffered a stroke, her mother developed agoraphobia and doesn't like to be alone, so Noelle has to stay with her and can't make any plans. She does have a brother but he is an aspiring artist and he is never home. She does have the emotional support of her good friend, although she feels like her friend is hiding something. Then Ed is back in town. It would be so easy to get back together but she keeps on meeting Sam in the most unexpected ways!!
I blame Sam for me not loving this book. After their initial encounter, Sam didn't give me the vibe, he was head over heels for Noelle. He was for the most part trying to avoid her. He didn't want to believe in fate. I felt bad for Noelle who seemed to have fallen hard.
Overall, Eight Perfect Hours was a pleasant experience. I just wished I had connected with Sam better.
Would I read Lia Louis's next book? You better believe it!!
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Atria/Emily Bestler Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I can't believe that someone would read this book without enjoying it. I did the audio for some chapters andA wonderful character with a perfect plot!
I can't believe that someone would read this book without enjoying it. I did the audio for some chapters and the narrator did an amazing job as Molly!
Molly Gray is a young woman working as a maid in a hotel. Molly is quite different from another 25 year old. She has a hard time understanding certain expressions, situations, sarcasm, and evil. When her grandmother was alive, she helped her navigate the world. Grandmother created a safe routine for Molly. She is the one who got her a job at The Grand Regency Hotel and the one who took care of her until she became ill.
After her passing, Molly felt lost but working is one of the things she loves the most. She is always on time, proud of her crisp clean uniform, and enjoys having her trolley full of supplies. Molly is OCD about her cleaning and she makes sure all the rooms she takes care of are left pristine, back to a state of perfection.
Molly starts becoming friendly with Mrs. Black. She and her husband stay in one of the suites regularly. Molly doesn't like Mr. Black. She believes he is a bad egg but the last thing she was expecting was to find him dead on his bed. After passing out, she comes back to herself and calls her boss to let him know about Mr. Black's death. The police are called in and soon they believe Molly is involved. Clue after clue is pointing to Molly but she knows she is not responsible for his death. Friends she thought she had begun turning on her and if she doesn't get help soon, she will lose more than her job, she will lose her freedom.
I adore Molly. She was an amazing woman. She had respect for others. She was smart and resourceful in her own special way. She had pride in her work and she was ready to help her friends.
I can't wait to see this book turned into a movie.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Ballantine Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted a fun audio to listen to and I had Meet Cute in my audible library for a while. The audio was just what I thought it was going to be. SomethiI wanted a fun audio to listen to and I had Meet Cute in my audible library for a while. The audio was just what I thought it was going to be. Something rom-com with a side of heartfelt that was perfect entertainment during my commute. Meet Cute made me laugh and it made me swoon a little bit too.
Kailyn's favorite TV show was It's My Life. She grew up watching it and she had the memorabilia to prove it. She loved the protagonist and on her first day of law school, she crashes into Daxton Hughes, the actor of the show. The man she has had a crush on since she was a teenager! However, by the end of law school, she wants to murder him. And this all happens in the prologue!
Then eight years later, they are face to face again. He's seeking her help with his parents' trust. He's becoming his sister Emme's guardian. His life is changing in all the ways that matter. He's losing most of his independence but he knows he has to fight for Emme.
In the beginning, Kailyn is not sure about his motives but the more time she spends with Dax and Emme the more she starts falling for both.
At first, I wasn't sure about Kailyn. She was a little too harsh and calculating but as the story and their feelings progressed, I warmed up to her. I loved how much she cared about the show. She was the perfect fangirl and I could relate to that. Dax was all kinds of nice. He went above and beyond to show Emme that she could trust him.
Since I'm reviewing the audio, I've to say that I thought the narrator did a great job at interpreting the characters and their feelings.
A Million Reasons Why was a sad story but a believable one.
With the help of a DNA kit, Sela is able to locate her half-sibling, Caroline. Sela is in A Million Reasons Why was a sad story but a believable one.
With the help of a DNA kit, Sela is able to locate her half-sibling, Caroline. Sela is in need of help. She has chronic kidney failure. She feels tired, unable to do much exercise and sometimes feels like she can't take care of her child. Her best friend and her ex-husband are pushing her to do the Big Ask. To ask her half-sibling whom she has never met for a kidney. Sela feels conflicted but she also wants to live.
Caroline had no clue that her husband's Christmas gift to her family was going to be the one responsible for creating chaos. Caroline's world implodes when Sela's email arrives. She is shocked, to say the least. She can't believe that one of her parents was not faithful. It shocks her to her core. Worse, she and Sela are almost the same age.
Sela's email also opens old wounds for Caroline. Sela lives in the town Caroline thought about moving to with her boyfriend, Keaton many years ago. When a job doesn't pan out, Keaton breaks her heart without a good explanation. Yes, she is now married to Walter, she has three children and Walt is attentive, sweet and a great dad but Caroline still thinks about what it could have been.
The road for Sela and Caroline is not an easy one. So many secrets affecting them all. Some are hard to forget and to forgive but can they find a way to do so?
A Million Reasons Why was a well-written and well-developed novel. I was rooting for both sisters to find a way to each other and also I really wanted Sela to get a new kidney. At times, I felt like Caroline had it all and Sela was due for something good to happen to her. I was not happy with the decisions taken by Caroline's parents but I guess, it works in the end.
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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