Monthly Archives: August 2024

Review Card & Book Review – The Neighbor Wager By Crystal Kaswell

The science of attraction is getting seriously tested…

Meet River. He used to be the nerd next door…only now he’s all grown up, got a sleeve of tattoos, and women seem to like him. A lot.

Even Lexi, the girl of River’s teenaged dreams, all bubbly sweetness—never noticed him. Until now.

There’s only one problem. They’re not meant for each other.

Now it’s up to Deanna, the super pragmatic, algorithm-fueled brains behind the new dating app Meetcute to make sure they realize it.
River might be certain he knows true love when he sees it, but Deanna knows differently, and the future of her company is riding on it. All she has to do is prove to him that what he’s feeling for Lexi isn’t love. Not even close.

…even if it means making him fall for Deanna, instead.

Challenge accepted.

About The Author

My Review

River, a former neighbor of Lexi and Deanna, returns to town after growing up in New York with newfound confidence and tattoos. While he once had a crush on Lexi, he finds himself drawn to Deanna, who is focused on her startup MeetCute. As they navigate their changing dynamic, River’s grandmother’s unconventional profession adds a layer of humor, and Deanna’s intelligence impresses him. The story combines childhood crushes, family drama, and a unique dating app twist, though the romance didn’t fully resonate with the reader.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 30 August 2024

One Wish In Manhattan By Mandy Baggot

Christmas: it’s the most wonderful time of the year…to fall in love

The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading for New York with one wish… to start over.

With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for adventure. But there’s more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish – to find her real dad.

While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter’s wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there’s something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked.

Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might come true – could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever?

Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn’t just about filling the minutes… it’s about making every moment count.

Review Card & Book Review – Shout Out To My Ex By Sandy Barker

Fashion designer Elle Bliss is unlucky in love.

She’s still hung up on her first love, Leo, who ended things abruptly, then mysteriously disappeared – and a decade on, no one else can measure up.

But Elle’s all-time dream of showing in Paris Fashion Week is about to become a reality, and she has no time to dwell on her dismal love life. That is until Leo – now going by Lorenzo – comes back into her life.

An up-and-coming shoe designer, ‘Lorenzo’ is nothing like the man she fell in love with. Rude, brash and with an ego the size of Paris, he’s too caught up in his own celebrity.

But as they constantly cross paths in the city of love, Elle begins to question how much of ‘Lorenzo’ is an act – a persona for the cameras. Because deep down, she can see glimpses of the man he was, and feelings from all those years ago become impossible to ignore…

About The Author

My Review

The Ever After Agency is an exclusive dating agency operating at the top end of the market, known for its secrecy and professionalism. In this installment, the focus is on Cassie, who enlists the agency’s help to reunite her sister Elle with her first love, Leo. Set against the backdrop of Paris Fashion Week, the story delves into themes of love, betrayal, and sisterhood, with well-developed characters and intricate relationships. The author skillfully captures the glamour and chaos of the fashion world while weaving a compelling narrative of romance and friendship. With engaging characters and a satisfying conclusion, it’s a recommended read for fans of heartwarming stories.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 29 August 2024

Winter Magic On Railway Lane By Alison Sherlock

Join the residents of Railway Lane for one last magical adventure…

Globetrotting Libby Jacobs has lost her job but is looking forward to spending more time in her home village of Cranfield.

She dreams of turning her chocolate making hobby into something more permanent. There’s only one problem – Ethan Connolly.

Despite being soul mates growing up, Libby hasn’t been close to Ethan since their disastrous date at the school prom. But now he’s back and he has just what Libby needs… a large kitchen! But can they even bear to be in the same room together?

Ethan never stays in Cranfield too long as it reminds him of his parents’ terrible marriage. But when disaster strikes, he’s forced to stay and help realise his grandad’s dream of a Christmas train. Can the whole village help Ethan create a seasonal spectacular in time?

Can Libby confront her secrets and realise her dreams?

And can Ethan ever stop running from his past and trust his heart?

Perhaps the magic of winter on Railway Lane might just give Libby and Ethan a second chance after all…

Review Card & Book Review – The Love Interest By Victoria Walters

No man can be as good as the one in your imagination…

Librarian Liv Jones has always dreamed of writing a romance novel. But she’s stuck when it comes to creating a romantic hero – sadly – lacking anyone in real life to base him on.

When her brother suggests his best friend stay in their shared flat for a few weeks, she can’t believe her bad luck. Aiden Rivers is irritating and pushes all her buttons. Worst of all, he’s gorgeous, has a sexy accent and reminds her of her all-time favourite character Mr Darcy.

Liv finds herself unexpectedly inspired and the leading man in her novel begins to bear an uncanny resemblance to Aiden. He can never find out though: she’d never live it down. Because Aiden can only ever be her love interest in the pages of her book – and definitely not in real life… right?!

About The Author

My Review

Liv, an aspiring romance writer, finds herself living with her brother in London, where she works part-time at a university library. When her nemesis, Aiden, her brother’s best friend, also joins the university and moves in with them, their love-hate relationship takes center stage. As Liv writes her own romance novel, she realizes she might be living her own love story. Despite a slow start and initial disbelief in their animosity, the novel becomes captivating with its mix of romantic tropes like kissing in the rain and steamy library scenes. What sets it apart is its metafictional aspect of a novel within a novel, which adds depth to the story. Liv and Aiden’s miscommunication drives the plot as they navigate their feelings while working and living together. The characters are relatable, portraying the complexity of hiding true feelings behind anger and indifference. The book also emphasizes the importance of seeing different perspectives and understanding there’s more to every story.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 28 August 2024

The Little Irish Farm By Michelle Vernal

Jess Báre moved to the Emerald Isle to chase fairy tales. But when one takes her to an isolated farm in the clover-covered countryside, will she find the happy ending she’s been searching for? Or are some tales best left untold?

Pursuing her dream life in Ireland, twenty-something Dublin newspaper columnist Jess is now half a world away from her family and feeling pretty lonely. At least she has her childhood collection of antique fairy tales. But she longs to be out exploring all the old stories Ireland is famed for.

So when she finds a heart-breaking dedication to a little girl in a new addition to her collection, Jess knows that the story behind it would be perfect for her next column. And, when her research takes her to a tumbledown farmhouse in a tiny Irish village, she can barely contain her joy. The endless rolling hills surrounding the small cottage are just like the scenes in Jess’s favourite novels.

She even warms to the dark and brooding farmer hosting her, Owen. He may come off a little grumpy, but it doesn’t take long for Jess to be swept up by his dark eyes and quiet charms as they walk together across the fresh green fields of the farm. And Jess’s heart melts when she discovers he is hiding a tragic secret…

One wrapped up in the history of the farm, and very same little girl Jess is here to research. But, with the demands of her job calling her back to the home she hates, she must decide: does their story end here at the farm? Or could following her heart heal the wounds of a devastating past, and set her and Owen on the path to happily ever after?

Review Card & Book Review – The Year That Changed Us By Helen Rolfe

As young women, Lise and Emma had the kind of friendship people dream about. While Lise’s own family was distant and disengaged, Emma’s was welcoming and warm, and for the first twenty-six years of their life, growing up together in a close-knit community, the duo were inseparable. But when they decide to spend one year living together in Paris, what starts as the adventure of a lifetime becomes a disaster that changes everything. And when Emma returns to Bath the following summer, Lise stays behind in France, their friendship in tatters.

Now, sixteen years later, Lise has come back to their hometown, determined to put things right. But to do so, she’ll have to face up to the truth about what happened in Paris. And with Emma refusing to talk to her, can she get close enough to share her secret?

About The Author

My Review

This captivating book delves into the complexities of female friendship, exploring the strong bonds that tie Emma and Liese together and the challenges they face. Growing up in contrasting households, their vow to prioritize their friendship over everything is tested when they spend a transformative year in Paris. The dual timeline and alternating perspectives add depth to the narrative, keeping readers engaged as secrets unravel and tensions rise. With compelling storytelling and believable characters, the book skillfully navigates themes of loyalty, betrayal, and reconciliation. Overall, it’s a heartfelt and moving exploration of female relationships that readers won’t soon forget.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 27 August 2024

Bitter Truth By Meredith Wild And Jillian Liota

After nine years in LA, aspiring singer Murphy Hawthorne leaves behind her broken dreams to return to her family’s vineyard. But as she helps open the property’s new restaurant, she faces a family still bitter about the fact she ever left, and old wounds quickly resurface. The only refreshing note is the handsome head chef, Wesley Hart.

Hired to draw more tourists to the Hawthorne vineyard, Wes is a culinary master with a reputation he wishes he could forget. Struggling with regrets and complex family dynamics of his own, he’s trying to start over, too. The biggest mistake he could make right now is to act on his attraction to his boss’s younger sister. If only he could get her out of his head…

Despite all the reasons to keep their distance, Murphy and Wes can’t deny the connection that keeps drawing them together. In each other, they find refuge and a sense of belonging neither could have imagined. But to forge a new future together, they must answer one important question: Can they face the past—and forgive it?

Last Christmas By Clare Swatman

As Christmas approaches, Bea Preston has a choice.

Looking up at the departures board in Heathrow airport, her flight to New York boarding soon, she knows that getting on that plane changes everything. Her life in London has grown stale, her relationship with boyfriend Dom has run its course, and New York has always been her dream. But it’s a risk – she’ll miss her parents, her friends, her job.

What if Bea could live both lives? In one she goes back home for Christmas, and in another she heads to the Big Apple. Would her fate remain the same, or can one decision really change everything?

Review Card & Book Review – It’s Complicated By Camilla Isley

Lori has been in love with her best friend Aiden since college. Now Aiden (handsome, fair, All-American dream doctor) is getting married, and Lori desperately needs a date to the wedding.

So she asks the best man, Jace (tall, dark, and brooding), to pretend their platonic friendship is something more not to have to face the worst day of her life alone.

Fake dating one best friend to forget the other should be easy… Plot twist—it’s not. When Jace starts acting like the sweetest, most attentive boyfriend, Lori begins to wonder if she’s been seeing him wrong all this time?

They’ve been an inseparable trio since freshman year, but now everything is changing — and that’s not even bringing Jace’s feelings into the mix.

Basically? It’s complicated.

About The Author

My Review

This book follows three best friends, Lori, Jace, and Aiden, entangled in a web of secret crushes and fake dating schemes. As Jace pretends to be Lori’s date for Aiden’s wedding, their faux romance sparks real feelings, complicating their dynamic. The book revolves around three friends navigating through the complexities of love and friendship, with two secret crushes in the mix. The characters are well-developed, mature, and communicate effectively, which adds depth to their relationships. Despite some minor issues with repetitive language, the book offers a refreshing take on the friends-to-lovers trope, delivering a heartwarming and entertaining read. Nonetheless, fans of friends-to-lovers and fake dating tropes will enjoy this delightful read.

My Rating

Link To Purchase