Category Archives: Review card

Review Card & Book Review – A Cowgirl Never Forgets By Melinda Curtis

Even the best cowgirl falls…

When it’s the right cowboy

Rodeo cowgirl Maggie Blackwell doesn’t need her estranged family. She’s got Clem Coogan—her best friend, rodeo buddy and absolute rock. But when a rodeo accident leaves Clem with a terrible concussion, he’s convinced they’re a romantic item…and proposes to her. Now until his memory comes back, Maggie’s playing along. But can she keep this headache from turning into heartache for both of them?

About The Author

My Review

Maggie Blackwell and her sisters were part of a trick riding show until a terrible accident split them up. Clem Coogan, who grew up with an abusive stepfather and later found refuge at the Done Roamin’ Ranch, is now Maggie’s best friend and rodeo buddy. After an accident leaves Clem with amnesia, believing they are in a relationship, Maggie is advised to play along until his memory returns. Although worried about ruining their friendship, Maggie agrees and soon realizes she has genuine feelings for Clem but fears commitment. Clem has secretly loved Maggie for a long time but was afraid to show it. Their journey back to Oklahoma with Maggie’s great-uncle, grandmother, and estranged mother tests their growing love. This sweet, clean love story features mischievous relatives and a “fake to forever” romance that will keep you turning pages until the end.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review – Be Your Best Self By Maxine Morrey

Willow asks the universe to find her The One, but will she recognise him when he appears?

When Willow moved back to the village she grew up in for a new start, she was ready for a new way of life too. Now happily settled in her dream cottage with her beloved dog Spud, Willow enjoys the peace and sense of community country living brings.

That is until her quiet is shattered by her new neighbour. Sure brooding Henry Darcy, or Doctor Dishy as Willow’s best friend Abby calls him, may be easy on the eye, but it doesn’t take long for the new neighbours to discover that they don’t agree on anything.

Where Henry does science, Willow does nature. Where Henry does minimalism, Willow does multicolour. When Willow asked the universe to manifest her perfect man, either she wasn’t specific enough, or Henry isn’t it.

But when Willow tries again and a new man arrives in the village, has fate got it right this time and delivered her The One, or does she need to look closer to home…

About The Author

My Review

Willow, deeply connected to nature, lives a peaceful life in her cottage with her dog Spud, nurturing a stunning garden and running a charming business repairing toys. Her new neighbor, Dr. Henry Darcy, is a meticulous and introverted doctor seeking tranquility. Their contrasting personalities lead to humorous misunderstandings, especially as Henry’s noisy renovations and decision to install fake grass clash with Willow’s values. Despite initial friction, a series of endearing encounters and the arrival of Dr. Wise at Henry’s clinic create a dynamic that helps Willow and Henry appreciate each other’s unique qualities. They ultimately form a sweet bond, finding love and friendship in unexpected places.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review – It’s All Sun And Games By Portia MacIntosh

When Robin finds out she’s going on a work trip to Italy she can’t wait for a week away in the sunshine, away from the daily grind. So what if there’s a client pitch to do while they’re there? The thing Robin is most excited about is the chance to show her work crush, James, what she’s really like outside of work, and divert his attention from Liz, her work rival.

To make things even better, Robin realises that the town they’re going to in Italy is the same place that her childhood penpal, Andrea is from. So it’s the perfect time to re-connect and finally meet her old friend over some delicious Italian food and wine (between work obviously…) But when Andrea doesn’t turn out to be the person Robin thought, things get a little complicated…

About The Author

My Review

In “It’s All Sun and Games,” Robin, an advertising agency employee, plans a work trip to Italy where she contacts her childhood pen pal, Andrea. Surprised to discover Andrea is male, they end up fake dating due to a series of events. Their relationship evolves through humorous and heartwarming interactions. Robin’s family, Andrea’s family, and well-developed characters enrich the story. The Italian dialogue adds charm, especially when translated. The book is a fun, fast read, ideal for fans of Portia MacIntosh, with an engaging romance and delightful setting.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review – Liv Is Not A Loser By Lauren Ford

Should Liv take herself out of the friend zone, or are they better off there?

Liv Granger has been flailing through life since her teens. When her brother, Joe, announces his engagement to his long-term boyfriend, Liv realises that she has never been able to commit to anything – a career, a fixed address, a relationship – and she may, in fact, be a massive loser.

With the help of Joe and Henry, her oldest friend, Liv comes up with the Loser List: ten tasks to change her life. The most challenging – three dates with the same person. After each increasingly disastrous date, Henry is always there to the rescue. Has what she’s been looking for been right in front of her the whole time?

Between restraining her mother’s wedding planning and doing everything in her power to not be her father’s wingman for his various short-lived girlfriends, Liv learns that the path to self-improvement needs to start with a little self-acceptance…

About The Author

My Review

Olivia Granger, an astronomy enthusiast working at a planetarium, faces everyday struggles and feelings of inadequacy. The story begins with her needing to vacate her apartment, feeling left behind compared to her successful peers. With support from friends and her boyfriend Henry, Olivia realizes her problems stem from a lack of long-term planning. As she navigates her journey, overcoming failures with Henry by her side, she finds the missing piece of her life. The book is relatable, depicting real-life challenges and personal growth, with a healthy, gradual romance between Olivia and Henry.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review – Finding You By Amy Clipston

Both of them want a relationship–but is beginning it a big mistake?

On the outside, twenty-seven-year-old Darcy Larsen is a pretty, put-together professional–but inside she’s falling apart. Eighteen months ago, she lost her fiancé in an accident she still blames herself for. After a successful transplant, her kidney disease seems to be in check, but she worries that her future children–ifshe has any–will also suffer from the same condition. And she’s overcome with indecision about finding her birth mother, discovering potentially devastating information, and hurting her adoptive parents.

Mechanic Carter Donovan seems to have everything going for him at first glance–stunning good looks . . . a wicked sense of humor . . . and a heart of gold. But Carter’s seemingly perfect exterior hides a host of secrets. After a rough breakup and mounting bills from a medical emergency that left him drowning in debt, he doesn’t feel like the catch everyone says he is. Plus, he’s about to turn thirty–with no romantic prospects on the horizon.

When Darcy’s Lexus breaks down in her doctor’s parking lot, Carter appears on the scene to try to jump-start her car–and her heart. But despite their immediate connection, the two have perhaps too many obstacles to overcome. Carter questions if getting involved with Darcy will be his next big mistake. And Darcy wonders if she can ever move past her grief and guilt to embrace the gift of Happily Ever After that’s dangling in front of her.

About The Author

My Review

This is an uplifting contemporary romance about second chances at love. Eighteen months after Darcy Larsen’s fiancé, Jace, died in a car accident, she is still struggling with grief and guilt. Carter Donovan, who recently had a life-saving kidney transplant, rescues Darcy when her car breaks down, leading to an unexpected romance. As they grow closer, they discover that Carter’s transplant has a surprising connection to Jace, threatening their budding relationship. Despite its predictable elements, it is a good read , relatable characters, and heartfelt exploration of themes like love, loss, and organ donation.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Review Card & Book Review – The Sawmill Book Club By Carolyn Brown

Unsure of the future but ready for risks, Libby O’Dell trades big-city life for whatever the back roads hold. In this case it’s the small community of Sawmill, Texas, where Libby’s taken a temporary job putting an antique store in order. Her new boss, Benny Taylor, a handsome charmer with a three-legged dog named Elvis, isn’t a bad change of scenery, either.

Across the street Benny’s surrogate grandmothers—the widows Minilee and Opal—are ready with homemade corn bread, sweet tea, and an invitation for Libby to join their book club. Even if it is mostly a gathering for local gossip and meddling. The ladies’ main agenda: find Benny a wife. Except Benny’s not looking, and Libby’s only passing through until she decides what direction she’s headed next.

Truth is, Sawmill is starting to feel pretty nice. Benny, even nicer. Time will tell if this meantime job in a stopover town is just what Libby’s been looking for—and where she belongs.

About The Author

My Review

It follows Libby, a young woman who takes a job at Benny’s antique store to find herself. Benny, having inherited the store from his grandfather, aims to revitalize the business. Libby bonds with two widows, Benny’s surrogate grandmothers, who form the Sawmill Book Club, which is more about gossip than books. While the title drew interest, the book club aspect is minor. The story is somewhat repetitive with a predictable ending and lacks plot twists, but Brown’s warm writing captures small-town life with humor and heart. “The Sawmill Book Club” by Carolyn Brown is a cozy, feel-good novel set in the small town of Sawmill, Texas.

My Rating

Link To Purchase