Category Archives: Book Review

Review Card & Book Review- Sweet Escape By Meredith Wild & Jillian Liota

After a heartbreaking betrayal, singer-songwriter Vivian Walsh needs a getaway. Her best friend Murphy’s family vineyard is the perfect refuge to focus on her new album, free from unnecessary distractions—like men. Few are more tempting than Murphy’s workaholic brother, Memphis. He’s infuriatingly handsome, and Vivian can’t resist teasing him whenever she gets the chance.

Memphis has a lot on his plate with his struggling family business. The last thing he needs in his life is a spitfire like Vivian. They have nothing in common but the heat between them. The good news is that neither of them are looking for a relationship. Just release from the pressure. One no-strings night with Vivian couldn’t hurt. Or two. Or three. Maybe a distraction is exactly what they need.

When Vivian’s life back in LA comes calling, both realize their feelings might have grown far more than they planned. They will have to decide: Is it time to say goodbye? Or can their sweet escape turn into their forever?

About The Author

My Review

In Sweet Escape by Meredith Wild and Jillian Liota, singer-songwriter Vivian Walsh visits her best friend, Murphy, after discovering her boyfriend’s infidelity. A night out leads her to a charming bartender—who turns out to be Murphy’s brother, Memphis Hawthorne. Their instant attraction was never meant to last beyond one night, but fate has other plans.

Memphis is focused on saving his family’s struggling vineyard, taking on any task necessary, including shifts at the restaurant’s bar. Meeting Vivian is an unexpected but welcome distraction. As their chemistry deepens, they must decide if they’re willing to take a chance on something real.

With sizzling romance, heartfelt emotion, and well-developed characters, Sweet Escape is a captivating love story filled with passion, witty banter, and just the right amount of drama.

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Review Card & Book Review – The Little Island Flower Stall By Tilly Tennant

When Bella’s heart is broken by her cheating husband, she runs towards those who love her and won’t let her down. Packing a bag, she escapes to Jersey, to help her beloved great-aunt Celestine run her seaside flower stall.

Soon Bella begins to find peace as she arranges wildflowers in vases and learns lessons about life from Celestine, who has loved and lost many times during her years on the island. But when charismatic, brooding Rory arrives at the flower stall, seeking answers about his own family’s past, could all that be about to change?

Bella can’t help but be drawn to Rory, with his aquamarine eyes, and as they walk together under vast blue skies, discussing his tragic family history, Bella wonders if her great-aunt might be able to help.

But when Bella shows Celestine a letter about Rory’s lost grandfather, hidden on the island during the war, her beloved aunt shuts her out. What does Celestine know and why won’t she open her heart? And when Bella discovers that Rory has been keeping something important from her, she fears she has trusted the wrong person once again…

Bella is determined to get to the bottom of the long-buried secret at the heart of this beautiful island. Can it bring her the new beginning that she desperately needs?

About The Author

My Review

Set on the idyllic island of Jersey, the novel follows Bella, a woman reeling from her husband’s betrayal, who seeks refuge with her fiercely independent 94-year-old great-aunt, Celestine. The charming flower stall becomes more than just a backdrop—it’s a symbol of resilience, renewal, and community.

As Bella helps Celestine and tries to rebuild her own life, she crosses paths with Rory, a man on a poignant quest to uncover the truth about his grandfather’s wartime origins. Their shared journey through local archives and long-held secrets gradually brings them closer, while also unearthing moving stories of courage and love from the past. Bella’s emotional growth is handled with sensitivity, and the budding romance with Rory feels genuine and grounded. Celestine, with her feisty personality and quiet wisdom, is a standout.

Overall, this is a lovely escape with emotional resonance and an uplifting message about starting over and embracing the unexpected.

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Review Card & Book Review- Secrets Of Foxglove Cottage By Rebecca Alexander

From her open window at Foxglove Cottage, she looks out at the garden full of wildflowers drenched in golden sunlight. Her fingers tremble as she turns the fragile page of the old diary and discovers a secret that will change her life forever…

When Zosia arrives at Foxglove Cottage holding her small son’s hand in hers, she is desperate for a new beginning. Her new job is to help seventy-year-old Hazel transform her tumbledown cottage and re-open the enchanting old café, seeped in folklore. Hazel is warm and welcoming, but Zosia can never share the truth about why she has left her own home.

When neighbourly Leon, a bear of a man with deep brown eyes, arrives to help them restore the cafe, Zosia can’t help falling for his rugged charm. But her heart has been shattered before, so she distracts herself by translating an old diary that’s been in Hazel’s family for generations. She discovers an extraordinary love story hidden in the yellowing pages. It pulls her back into World War Two, as if the past is whispering through the garden’s tangled vines and the granite cottage walls. Could the old wartime romance help broken-hearted Zosia believe in soulmates again?

Zosia longs to open up to Hazel and Leon but if her past catches up with her it could ruin everything. When she uncovers the diary’s long buried secret, will it help her let go of her own past? Or, when she receives a letter that threatens everything she holds dear, will she be forced to leave Foxglove Cottage for good?

About The Author

My Review

This is an evocative and emotionally rich dual-timeline novel that beautifully blends historical fiction with contemporary women’s fiction. Set against the tranquil yet sometimes treacherous backdrop of the English countryside, the story explores the power of love, resilience, and healing across generations.

The present-day narrative follows Hazel Wojcik, a spirited 70-year-old recovering from surgery and determined to breathe new life into her beloved Foxglove Cottage. Enter Zosia Armitage, a Polish immigrant on the run from an abusive past, with her young son in tow. Their unexpected connection grows as Zosia not only helps Hazel restore the café but also begins translating wartime documents left behind by Hazel’s Polish father. As the women forge trust and purpose, danger unexpectedly creeps back into Zosia’s life, raising the emotional and suspenseful stakes.

The historical timeline is equally compelling. We’re transported to WWII, where Casimir Wojcik, a brave Polish pilot, crashes in the English Moors and is rescued by Rosie—Hazel’s mother. What unfolds is a poignant, high-stakes romance between two young people trying to survive the brutality of war. Rosie’s work in a munitions factory and Casimir’s perilous missions as a fighter pilot offer rich historical detail and constant tension, underscoring the human cost of conflict and the fierce hope that love brings.

The parallels between the two timelines are thoughtfully drawn, with themes of survival, trust, and new beginnings woven seamlessly throughout. Overall, it is a beautifully crafted story that delivers emotional depth, rich historical atmosphere, and strong female characters. With its blend of danger, romance, and healing, this book is a must-read for fans of dual-timeline fiction like The Nightingale or The Lost Girls of Paris.

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Review Card & Book Review- Lie For A Million By Janet Dailey

Lila Culhane’s life is in turmoil. As if coping with the murder of her husband isn’t enough, now the glamorous young widow has Frank’s even younger mistress to contend with. His pregnant mistress. Crystal. But Lila hasn’t got time for more heartache. With everyone grasping to profit from Frank’s death, including fighting for possession of her beloved ranch, she needs leverage for the battle.

As it turns out, Crystal may be carrying just the edge Lila requires: an heir. Crystal offers to let Lila adopt Frank’s baby—for a price. Lila is willing to consider it—pending a paternity test. Until then, she’ll focus on her role in the upcoming high-stakes Run for a Million reining competition, and her ranch manager—and lover—Roper McKenna.

Rugged, hardworking, and talented, Roper is finally getting his dream to ride in the prized competition. Lila expects he’ll choose the Culhane’s legendary stallion, One in a Million, as his mount. But when he considers other offers, she finds herself questioning his loyalty . . .

Meanwhile, Detective Sam Rafferty’s list of suspects in Frank’s murder is growing. Besides Roper and Lila, Frank’s bitter first wife and his sparring extended family, there are adversarial neighbors, ex-lovers, and perhaps even the woman Sam loves—Frank’s own pampered daughter, Jasmine. And as the surprises multiply, a killer remains free to strike again—if these rivals don’t kill each other first . . .

About The Author

My Review

Lila Culhane, a recently widowed woman caught in a perfect storm of grief, betrayal, and power struggles. As if losing her husband Frank weren’t enough, she’s forced to confront his much younger, pregnant mistress, Crystal. But in true Dailey fashion, nothing is black and white—Crystal may hold the key to Lila keeping her beloved ranch, and the two women strike a morally gray but compelling deal.

The novel weaves together multiple storylines: Lila’s fight to retain her place in the Culhane legacy, her tense relationship with her lover and ranch manager Roper McKenna, and the increasingly tangled murder investigation led by Detective Sam Rafferty. With a long list of suspects—ex-wives, disgruntled family members, jilted lovers—the whodunit element adds suspense to an already emotionally charged plot.

Roper’s potential betrayal cuts deep, introducing themes of loyalty, ambition, and trust, especially as he considers riding for another team in the prestigious Run for a Million competition. Lila’s vulnerability in this moment is sharply written, layered with her need to assert control while protecting what she loves most—her ranch and her legacy.

Lie for a Million delivers a fast-paced and juicy mix of romantic suspense, ranch drama, and a murder mystery that keeps you guessing until the final page.

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Review Card & Book Review – The Paris Bookshop For The Broken- Hearted By Rebecca Raisin

Can you ever swear off love, in the city of love?

Coco is having a hell of a month. She’s lost her boyfriend and her business, been forced to uproot her daughter to move back in with her parents in Paris, and now an infuriatingly handsome stranger is yelling at her for acting like a tourist… Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.

Storming away from him – and swearing off men for life – she decides she’s going to take the first job that comes her way.

Then, as if fate hears her, later that day she stumbles into a little bookshop – but not any old bookshop. This one comes complete with a café, cocktail bar, reading room and secret tunnel of books, and just a little hint of magic in the air. So when Coco’s offered a job selling books there, it feels like the perfect fit.

There’s only one problem… propping up the bar in the bookshop is none other than the grumpy, gorgeous stranger she’d met earlier that day…

About The Author

My Review

In The Paris Bookshop for the Broken-Hearted by Rebecca Raisin, Coco Chevallier returns to Paris after a devastating betrayal and career collapse in London. Struggling to rebuild her life while dealing with her rebellious teenage daughter, she stumbles upon a hidden bookshop run by the enigmatic Valerie. There, she finds unexpected purpose—and crosses paths with Henri, a brooding man still nursing a heartbreak of his own. As their relationship shifts from animosity to something deeper, Coco navigates personal and professional challenges, with a touch of magic and hope guiding her toward a fresh start.

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Review Card & Book Review – Love’s Home Run By Judith Keim

Love isn’t a game… or is it?

Melissa Hendrickson is tired of being a good sport, one of the guys. She wants to find love and settle down in Lilac Lake with the man of her dreams. She thinks she’s found the man, but he doesn’t know she exists. After she runs into Ross Roberts, her next door neighbor and former professional baseball player, during a charity softball game, he requires her help. She’s more than eager to make amends for causing him to have knee surgery. Then, a fire destroys her family restaurant and her job as chef there. She’s forced to think about a lot of changes in her life, including finding the right man for her.

About The Author

My Review

In Love’s Home Run by Judith Keim, chef Melissa Hendrickson reevaluates her life after years of dedication to her family’s seafood restaurant in Lilac Lake. Hoping for romance, she sets her sights on the new town dentist but turns to her longtime neighbor and friend, Ross Roberts, for advice. A former pro baseball player recovering from an injury, Ross and Melissa grow closer after she accidentally worsens his knee condition during a charity game. As they support each other through personal and family hardships—including a devastating fire at Melissa’s restaurant—their friendship deepens into something more. Faced with major life changes, Melissa must decide between chasing an old dream or embracing a new future with Ross.

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Review Card & Book Review – Her Cowboy Cupid By Sasha Summers

More than friends?

Maybe by Valentine’s Day!

Shy Kitty Crawley never got over her crush on former bronc champ Tyson Ellis. She’s always been his pal and “my buddy’s shy little sis” and that’s just dandy. Mostly. But now that Tyson’s temporarily the guardian of two little girls—and in way over his cowboy hat—they’re finding more ways to bond. Suddenly Kitty’s cowboy crush is in danger of growing into something else. And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, there’s no escaping Cupid…or the bronc rider she’s falling for.

About The Author

My Review

Kitty has long admired Tyson, her brother’s friend, but never expected anything to come of it. When cowboy RJ asks her out, she considers giving romance a chance, though her heart isn’t truly in it. Meanwhile, Tyson is busy caring for his nieces, often crossing paths with Kitty. As Valentine’s Day approaches, a group of meddling little girls, family, and a festive rodeo push Kitty and Tyson closer together. Sweet and heartwarming, this story beautifully captures love, family, and the joys of unexpected romance.

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Review Card & Book Review- The One Before The One By Emma Cooper

When Liv’s boyfriend Kit disappeared on a hike, seven years earlier, she thought her life was over. But with the help of their family and friends, she’s pushed her way through the grief, and now, miraculously, she’s found a way to love again.

Until the morning of her wedding, when Liv steps through a doorway, and finds herself, somehow, back at the flat she shared with Kit: seven years earlier, six days before he left. Now, Liv has a chance to live those six days over, and change everything. If she gets this right, she can find out why Kit leaves and stop him.

But can she save him? And if she does, how will she choose, between the man she loved then, and the one she loves now?

About The Author

My Review

The story follows Olivia, who is about to marry her dependable fiancé James when she’s suddenly thrust seven years into the past — to the day her former love, Kit, disappeared without explanation. Armed with the painful clarity of hindsight, Olivia is given a second chance to unravel the truth and confront the unresolved love that never left her heart.

Olivia’s emotional journey is compelling and relatable, especially as she’s torn between two versions of her life: one rooted in safety and the other in unresolved passion. The novel’s time-travel element is handled with subtlety, serving as a tool for self-discovery rather than gimmickry.

Kit is a romantic yet tragic figure, and his mysterious vanishing adds layers of tension and intrigue. Meanwhile, James, kind and steady, represents everything Olivia thought she wanted—making her dilemma all the more painful and real. Cooper doesn’t offer easy answers but rather explores the messy, beautiful complexity of human connection.

Emotionally charged, occasionally funny, and often heart-wrenching, The One Before the One is a beautifully written tale about the choices that shape us and the loves that define us.

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