Category Archives: Book Review

Review Card & Book Review – Wake – Up Calls By Mariah Stewart

Kit Porterfield is coping with the upheaval of her personal life when another shock blindsides her. Maxine Meadows, an aunt she never knew existed, has bequeathed to her a rustic campground in Maine. With it comes a long-buried family secret that Kit’s late mother took great pains to hide for her entire life.

When Kit arrives to tenuously claim her inheritance, she learns the town’s history and finds the lakeside sporting camp and its beautiful wooded acres in need of restoration to their former glory. But it’s Kit’s own history that compels her to stay, and she’s not returning home until she uncovers the secrets that tore two sisters apart so many years ago.

Kit soon discovers clues in old photographs and in the tale of a tragic and enduring love story, but the most startling revelations are yet to come. For Kit, they could be the path to understanding the mystery that defined her mother’s life—and her own.

About The Author

My Review

This book is about unexpected inheritances, buried family truths, and the life-changing moments that force us to reimagine who we are. When Kit inherits a wilderness camp in Maine from an aunt she barely knew, what begins as a practical decision soon becomes a journey of self-discovery, connection, and emotional healing.

Mariah Stewart weaves a warm, immersive story as Kit, Beth, and Abby each face personal upheavals that challenge their assumptions about family, identity, and the paths they’ve chosen. The novel’s “wake-up calls” arrive through secrets, heartbreak, and difficult truths, pushing the characters toward growth and renewal. Stewart skillfully balances emotional depth with a comforting sense of hope, ensuring the story feels both poignant and uplifting.

Family, both inherited and chosen sits at the heart of the novel. The wilderness camp becomes a symbol of belonging and new beginnings, where friendships deepen and support systems form in the most unexpected ways. Stewart’s vivid writing brings the setting to life, making readers feel present for every triumph and struggle.

Tender, reflective, and inspiring, this novel beautifully celebrates transformation and the courage to embrace life’s surprises.

Unexpected Inheritance

Family Secrets

Fresh Start

Found Family

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Review Card & Book Review – The Night Before The Wedding By Emma Robinson

Looking out at the crystal clear waters of Sorrento, my heart aches at the loss of the future I’d allowed myself to dream. But Tom’s lie is bigger than I could have imagined. How can we survive it? My decision will shatter more than just my own heart. Am I really ready to say the words that will change everything?

It was supposed to be a week of bliss leading to our dream wedding on the Italian coast. But it’s obvious our families are against it. My mother questions why Tom has controlled so much of the planning, twisting his generous surprise into something sinister. Tom’s daughter, Lily, makes it known she’ll never see me as her mother.

Trying to focus on our dream day, I can’t help but notice a woman who spends every day at the pool, alone. She seems fascinated by Lily in a way that worries me. When Tom finally locks eyes with her, he immediately pales.

This week should have been the best time of our lives but before our future can begin, Tom will confess a secret that could destroy everything. But he’s not the only one who kept a past lie hidden for the sake of happily-ever-after. By the end of the week with both our secrets laid bare, will we really say, ‘I do’?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about secrets, trust, and the emotional reckoning that comes when the past refuses to stay buried. Carrie and Tom are preparing for an intimate Italian destination wedding, joined only by Tom’s daughter Lily and Carrie’s mother. But when a mysterious woman shows unusual interest in Lily, unease quickly replaces celebration. Tom’s suspicious reaction forces long-hidden truths into the open, triggering a chain of confessions that threaten to unravel everything before the vows are spoken.

Emma Robinson writes with warmth and emotional clarity, creating characters who feel deeply human in their fears, flaws, and hopes. Carrie’s growing anxiety and Tom’s guarded behaviour build tension that keeps the pages turning, while Lily’s presence adds tenderness and vulnerability to the unfolding drama. The story carefully balances suspense with heartfelt exploration of family dynamics and second chances.

What makes this novel shine is its compassion. Rather than focusing purely on betrayal, it highlights forgiveness, honesty, and the courage required to start anew. Emotional, engaging, and compelling, it’s a gripping pre-wedding drama that delivers both tension and heart.

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Review Card & Book Review- Making Sparks Fly At The Highland Repair Shop By Kiley Dunbar

The Highland Repair Shop is a place where anything can be fixed… from vintage radios and rusting bikes to hearts and lives. 🫶

Euan Sparks is back in town, newly self-employed and newly mortified after a disastrous first job threatens his fledgling electrician business. Can he prove that he belongs in Cairn Dhu?

Peaches McDowell is a gifted fashion student on the brink of her Master’s showcase. She’s focused, ambitious and bound tightly within the expectations of her formidable mother. Romance is a distraction she can’t afford. But when a crisis throws Peaches and Euan together at the repair shop, a spark is ignited…

Meanwhile, repair shop founder’s wife Roz McIntyre is also facing a turning point: a marriage in need of attention, an empty nest and the worrying question of what comes next.

As Beltane approaches and the town prepares for its wild and wonderful spring celebrations, can Peaches, Euan, Roz – and her husband – find the courage to let sparks fly?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about fresh starts, gentle romance, and the healing power of community.. Euan Sparks returns home determined to rebuild his electrician business, but an early disaster shakes his confidence and threatens his future. When he crosses paths with ambitious fashion student Peaches McDowell, their lives become unexpectedly intertwined, and a tender slow-burn romance begins to unfold.

Euan is instantly lovable—earnest, kind, and quietly determined—making it easy to root for him as he navigates setbacks and self-doubt. Peaches brings warmth and depth, balancing creative ambition with the pressure of a controlling mother and the looming expectations of her career. Their relationship develops naturally, filled with sweet moments, emotional honesty, and believable growth.

A standout element is Roz’s subplot, which thoughtfully explores long-term relationships and the strain of secrecy in marriage. This adds emotional richness and broadens the novel’s themes beyond first love.

The Highland setting sparkles with spring festivities and small-town charm, while the repair shop remains the emotional heart of the story—a place where broken things and people find renewal. Cozy, heartfelt, and uplifting, this romance leaves readers smiling.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- The Hopeful Hearts Bookshop By Debbie Johnson

“Take a leap of faith and visit our perfect little bookshop by the sea.” Bookshop owner Moira writes the first of many invitations she’ll send out into the world. They’ll find the right people, she’s certain…

Single and in a dead-end job, Kate feels hope spring when an anonymous invitation falls from the pages of a book. Now, she’s standing in a charming Scottish village and trying to ignore the six-four silver fox by her side. He’s got an invitation too, a husky Chicago accent, and dangerously gorgeous sea-blue eyes…

Widowed ex-police officer Brody never expected to be stranded in Scotland with a cute British lady. Her smile might be bewitching… but her attitude? Way too cheerful. And eccentric bookshop owner Moira says they can stay for free, as long as they don’t mind sharing one very cozy little cottage.

That’s the least of their problems. Turns out Moira’s bookshop needs them just as much as Kate and Brody need a fresh start. And with a twinkle in Moira’s mischievous matchmaking eye, things are soon hotting up in surprising ways!

But as they string fairy lights over snug reading nooks and rally the whole community to buy their favourite reads, can Kate and Brody save the bookshop and heal their hearts? Or will their fresh start come crashing down?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about second chances, gentle healing, and the magic of community found between the shelves of The Hopeful Hearts Bookshop. Set in the fictional Scottish village of Bonnie Bay, the story begins with septuagenarian Moira’s heartfelt plan to invite strangers in need of fresh starts to her beloved bookshop. After years of silence, two invitations are finally discovered, bringing Kate and Brody together on a journey that quietly reshapes all their lives.

Kate arrives burdened by divorce and career disappointment, while Brody is a widower adjusting to life after sending his daughter to university. Their initial hopes dim when they find the bookshop in disrepair, mirroring their own emotional weariness. Yet the charm of Bonnie Bay—its puffins, sea air, and welcoming community slowly works its quiet magic.

The developing romance between Kate and Brody is warm and easy, balancing grief, humour, and hope. More than romance, the novel celebrates rebuilding dreams at any age and finding belonging in unexpected places. Predictable in the best possible way, this comforting, uplifting read promises a series full of heart, friendship, and new beginnings.

Second Chances

Small-Town Romance

Widower Romance

Healing & New Beginnings

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Review Card & Book Review- The Sunshine Teashop By Jaimie Admans

Welcome to Thimblenouth: where the kettle is always on and fresh starts and unexpected love are waiting.

Dolly Lymford is having one of those days…The kind that starts with dreams of opening a café… and ends with discovering your boyfriend kissing your best friend!

Heartbroken and with nowhere else to go, Dolly accidentally-on-purpose borrows her now-ex-boyfriend’s campervan and drives until the road runs out. This leads her to Thimblenouth, a picture-perfect Yorkshire Dales village where life moves more slowly and the kettle is always on.

After literally bumping into gorgeous local builder Reece Sterling, Dolly begins to feel something she hasn’t in a long time: safe. She also rediscovers her love of baking, filling the campervan with the scent of warm scones and freshly brewed tea. And Reece is always around to share a lemon pie or two…

When Dolly has an idea to open her own pop-up café, Reece is all too happy to help. And as the summer sun begins to warm everything it touches, Dolly wonders if she’s finally found a place to call home… maybe even with Reece.

About The Author

My Review

This book is about picking up the pieces of a shattered life and discovering that sometimes the wrong turn leads exactly where you need to be. In The Sunshine Teashop, Jaimie Admans crafts a cozy, uplifting escape that blends heartbreak, humour, and healing into a story as comforting as freshly baked scones.

Dolly’s disastrous day—losing both her boyfriend and best friend—immediately earns reader sympathy, and her impulsive escape in a borrowed campervan feels both reckless and wonderfully freeing. The seaside village of Thimblenouth becomes a gentle sanctuary, filled with warm cups of tea, kind strangers, and the slower rhythm Dolly desperately needs. The setting is pure cozy fiction magic, providing the perfect backdrop for her emotional reset.

Reece, the charming builder Dolly literally crashes into, adds a tender romantic thread that grows naturally through shared baking, small acts of kindness, and quiet companionship. Their relationship unfolds with soft sincerity rather than dramatic fireworks, which suits the story’s comforting tone perfectly.

What truly shines is Dolly’s rediscovery of herself through simple routines—kneading dough, brewing tea, and daring to dream again with her pop-up café idea. This novel celebrates fresh starts, community kindness, and the courage to rebuild. Warm, hopeful, and delightfully soothing, it’s the perfect feel-good read for cozy romance lovers.

My Rating

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Review Book & Book Review- An Italian Island Love Story By Leonie Mack

When wedding planner Toni Goschl arrives on the sun-drenched Tuscan island of Elba, she can’t wait to finally meet her online friend Gabri in person.

There’s only one small problem… instead of the female florist she’d been expecting, waiting for her is heartbreakingly handsome, jaw-droppingly gorgeous, Gabriele Orzati. With only a week to go until the beach-front wedding Toni and Gabri are working on, they decide to make the best of an awkward situation and spend the time together as planned.

For seven unforgettable days, as Toni gets to know the breathtaking island – and the open-hearted man who calls Elba home – she finds it increasingly difficult, in the close quarters of Gabri’s clifftop villa, to resist turning their friendship into something more.

But Toni and Gabri both have heartache in their pasts, complex lives and commitments and as the week of the wedding gathers pace, real life swims back into focus. When the time comes for Toni to head home, there’s only one question she will have to answer – can a romance begun under the dreamy Italian sun ever become a happily-ever-after?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about a carefully structured woman whose tidy life begins to unravel the moment she arrives on Elba expecting to meet an online friend and instead finds Gabriele, a surprise that sparks instant tension, curiosity, and a slow-burning romance. In this story, sunshine and sea breezes frame a story that balances dreamy escapism with grounded emotional stakes.

Toni is wonderfully relatable: organized, capable, and quietly carrying emotional baggage. Gabriele complements her beautifully—warm, steady, and layered in a way that keeps their connection feeling natural rather than rushed. Their relationship grows through small, intimate moments and meaningful conversations, creating a believable friends-to-lovers journey filled with tension and tenderness.

The island setting becomes a character in its own right, wrapping the romance in a golden, suspended-in-time atmosphere while wedding chaos hums in the background. Yet beneath the idyllic bubble lies the real question: can a holiday romance survive once real life returns?

Blending forced proximity, second chances, and gentle slow burn, this is a heartfelt, immersive escape.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review – How To Defy Your Boss By Leslie North

Logan Ashford is a cruise ship magnate with a spotless reputation, a lethal jawline, and an ego bigger than his floating palace. Cold. Controlled. Allergic to chaos.I’m the ship’s daycare worker. Too sunny. Too opinionated. Too unimpressed by his cufflinks and control issues. And somehow now Admiral Grump’s wife.

The Hating Game meets Ticket to Paradise—if the grumpy cruise ship billionaire you drunkenly married also happens to be your boss… and your new co-parent.

For one reckless, rum-soaked night, I decide to let my hair down.I wake up married.To my boss.

The plan is simple: keep it quiet, annul it fast, and move on. Except his six-year-old son announces our marriage to the entire ship like a human TikTok gone viral.

Now the press is circling, the crew is whispering, and nothing says ”’family-friendly brand disaster’ like secretly marrying an employee.So Logan proposes a deal. Smile for the guests. Hold hands for the press. Pretend our late-night arguments aren’t charged with heat.

The marriage is fake.The arrangement is temporary.And falling for my grumpy, infuriatingly attractive husband is absolutely not part of the plan.…Right?

About The Author

My Review

This book is about a grumpy single dad, an accidental marriage, and a fake relationship that quickly becomes all too real. This story blends emotional family dynamics with swoony workplace romance and just the right touch of angst.

Logan Ashford is a driven cruise line executive struggling to connect with his young son after a heartbreaking loss. When Nina, a warm and compassionate daycare provider onboard, effortlessly bonds with Noah, Logan hires her as his nanny—sparking a connection that challenges his carefully controlled world. Their relationship builds through sharp banter, emotional vulnerability, and a slow thawing of Logan’s guarded heart. An impulsive night leads to a surprise marriage, and what should have been a quiet annulment turns into a very public fake relationship thanks to family and media attention.

Logan begins as the classic arrogant, emotionally closed-off hero, but his softer side emerges beautifully through fatherhood and grief. Nina shines as a strong, kind heroine who refuses to be overshadowed. Their chemistry crackles, and the push-and-pull tension keeps the story engaging.

Though the third-act breakup feels harsh and the forgiveness a bit quick, the novel delivers a heartfelt, feel-good romance packed with charm, humor, and swoon-worthy moments.

My Rating

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Review Card & Book Review- Wed Or Alive By Portia MacIntosh

Sometimes love shows up in cowboy boots 🐎❣️

Whitney’s life is not going to plan. Her romantic comedy novel isn’t selling, her career feels stuck, and by the time she realises she’s in love with her best friend and roommate, Andy, he’s back from his work trip with a fiancée – and a wedding date that is alarmingly soon.

Enter Jake: a cowboy with his own problems, including a country estate he’s desperate to buy and an owner who doesn’t trust developers – or men without roots. When a viral moment throws Whitney and Jake together, they strike a deal. Whitney gets the real-life love story publishers want. Jake gets to look like a committed, family-minded man who belongs at Rosewood. All they have to do is pretend they’re in love.

As Andy’s wedding approaches, Whitney uncovers a plot twist that could change everything for him – but the romcom she’s acting out with Jake is starting to feel dangerously real.

About The Author

My Review

This book is about fake dating chaos, messy feelings, and discovering love where you least expect it. This is a light, bingeable rom-com that reads like the perfect Netflix movie waiting to happen.

Whitney is a struggling romance writer whose real love life is a string of disasters—until she realizes she’s in love with her best friend and roommate, Andy… just as he returns with a fiancée and an alarmingly fast wedding date. Enter Jake, whose viral meet-cute with Whitney sparks a fake-dating arrangement that benefits them both: she gets real-life romance inspiration for her career, and he gains the wholesome image he needs to put down roots. Naturally, the line between pretend and real starts to blur.

The novel’s biggest strength is its breezy humor and fast pace. The banter is playful, the situations delightfully dramatic, and the chemistry between Whitney and Jake keeps the pages turning. While the love triangle and exaggerated southern charm sometimes feel a bit over-the-top, the story never takes itself too seriously.

Overall, it’s a fun, fluffy escape—perfect for when you want romance, laughter, and pure entertainment.

My Rating

Link To Purchase