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Release date: May 5, 2020

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he’s stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless string of resort visitors who couldn’t interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way…

Two weeks in Alaska isn’t just the top item on Zoey Caldwell’s bucket list. It’s the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she’s smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham’s world, she may just find there’s more to the man than meets the eye…and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness. 

Review:

There’s something about a grumpy hero in a romance novel that just works for me, maybe it’s because I’m kinda grumpy myself but Graham stole my heart almost instantly. His diner started out as a joke and his customer service is nonexistent, picture lots of grunting and you get what you get with a surly attitude. Then there’s Zoey who is his polar opposite, she’s adorable, sweet, quirky and awkward and I loved her too. So with two main characters that I liked I was already happy and then throw in an amazing Alaskan setting and it really couldn’t be anymore perfect for me!

This had all the rom com feelings and was super sweet too, very much cutesy rather than sexy but Graham and Zoey’s chemistry was great. It’s a great beginning to a new series, the secondary characters were fantastic and I can’t wait until my next trip to Moose Springs! Oh, if you’re an animal lover there is also plenty to love her taking this to a whole other swoon level.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 27, 2018

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Nurse Sage Nichols life changed when she lost her favorite patient and inherited a bed and breakfast in a town she didn’t know existed. She traveled to Aspen Cove intent to sell so she could hurry back to her life in Denver. Little did she know, she was about to find everything she ever needed in the tiny mountain town with a big heart. Sage found herself in a place where caring for your neighbor was a way of life. In her case, that happened to be surly Cannon Bishop, the man of her dreams. 

Cannon Bishop was a man who learned long ago that hope was a dangerous thing. Closed off from the world after a family tragedy, Cannon lived a lonely life as the owner of Aspen Cove’s only bar and son to the town drunk. When Sage Nichols breezed into town, she offered the possibility of more if he’d only open his heart. Cannon’s protective walls tumble and suddenly a brighter future of healing, hope, and peace was possible… if only Sage would stay. 

Review:

Where are my small town romance fans at? How about Virgin River? I discovered VR late last year and it’s one of my favorite romance series now and I’m always looking for another one that has a similar vibe. Guess what?! I found one in the Aspen Cove series 🙌🏻 It’s definitely not exactly the same and I wouldn’t want it to be anyway, but it had a similar feel to it and everything I love about VR can be found here too. Also? This series already has twelve books so I can binge read and be satisfied for awhile still. Another bonus for me (especially right now) is she’s an indie author and I’m trying my best to support them through the craziness in the world.

I’ve come to realize that for me to really connect with a romance novel it needs a few key things. First, I love a small town with quirky characters and plenty of charm. I also need the lead characters to be interesting and have relatable flaws and struggles and I also need to believe their chemistry together. If there’s a great balance between humor and heart and cute romance and sex, I’m in. This one had everything I listed, Aspen Cove sounds idyllic based on the name alone and while it has a lot going for it, it’s nowhere near perfect and neither are the residents. They have real issues and problems as do Sage and Cannon and their chemistry was 🔥 from the money they met. I laughed plenty, and while there was some sex, I wouldn’t call this steamy. I feel like it really had a little bit of everything and for me, that’s exactly what I like! Definitely recommend this one, the whole series is on kindle unlimited too and I can’t wait to keep reading.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 12, 2020

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

On Ichabod Island, a jagged strip of land thirteen miles off the coast of Massachusetts, ten-year-old Sky becomes an orphan for the second time after a tragic accident claims the lives of her adoptive parents.

Grieving the death of his best friends, Leo’s life is turned upside down when he finds himself the guardian of young Sky. Back on the island and struggling to balance his new responsibilities and his marriage to his husband, Leo is supported by a powerful community of neighbors, many of them harboring secrets of their own.

Maggie, who helps with Sky’s childcare, has hit a breaking point with her police chief husband, who becomes embroiled in a local scandal. Her best friend Agnes, the island busybody, invites Sky’s estranged grandmother to stay for the summer, straining already precarious relationships. Their neighbor Joe struggles with whether to tell all was not well in Sky’s house in the months leading up to the accident. And among them all is a mysterious woman, drawn to Ichabod to fulfill a dying wish.

Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng and Ann Leary, My Kind of People is a riveting, impassioned novel about the resilience of community and what connects us all in the face of tragedy.

Review:

Y’all I just adored this book! If you’re looking for a heartfelt escape, an ensemble cast of characters that you will fall in love with and a setting that is fully brought to life this is a must read. I was so incredibly invested in the lives of the characters in this book from Sky the ten year old girl who just lost her parents to her neighbor and teacher, Maggie and then to Leo who is Sky’s new legal guardian. There were a handful of other supporting characters that I also loved, is there anything better than feeling like you’ve made new friends by the time you finished a book?!

Besides the best, most relatable characters the author has the most gorgeous writing style. I’m not a big fan of literary fiction, mostly because I feel like I’m not smart enough for wordy prose, but her writing has such a beautiful, evocative feel that it almost feels like you’re reading literary fiction without the pretentiousness. There’s also a little mystery element as well as some exploration into some timely issues like race relations, sexuality and mental health issues all with a graceful and insightful touch. Highly recommended by me!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 5, 2020

Publisher: Little Brown

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

Ruth Cooperman arrives in beautiful beachside Provincetown for her retirement, renting the perfect waterfront cottage while she searches for her forever home. After years of hard work and making peace with life’s compromises, Ruth is looking forward to a carefree summer of solitude. But when she finds a baby girl abandoned on her doorstep, Ruth turns to her new neighbors for help and is drawn into the drama of the close-knit community.

The appearance of the mystery baby has an emotional ripple effect through the women in town, including Amelia Cabral, the matriarch who lost her own child decades earlier; Elise Douglas, owner of the tea shop who gave up her dream of becoming a mother; and teenage local Jaci Barros who feels trapped by her parents’ expectations. Ruth, caring for a baby for the first time in thirty years, even reaches out to her own estranged daughter, Olivia, summoning her to Provincetown in hopes of a reconciliation.

As summer unfolds and friends and family care for the infant, alliances are made, relationships are tested, and secrets are uncovered. But the unconditional love for a child in need just might bring Ruth and the women of Provincetown exactly what they have been longing for themselves.

With heartfelt storytelling, Summer Longing is Jamie Brenner’s eagerly anticipated return to Provincetown; another unforgettable tale about motherhood, friendship, and finding your way home.

Review:

You guys ready for another summer reading recommendation? Jamie Brenner writes some of the best beachy books and I look forward to her latest every single year. There’s something effortless and easy about the way she tells a story and once again, this one has everything I look for in a summertime read and more. There’s a pretty setting that is brought to life, complex and authentic characters, intrigue, romance and even a light mystery, what more could you want?!

If you need a pick me up in the form of a great book this is definitely a great option. This one really swept me away and made me forget about my own life as I got wrapped up in the dramas of the characters. Highly recommended by me and her other books are just as fantastic!

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 5, 2020

Publisher: Graydon House

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

A modern-day family gathers for a weekend to remember in a novel rich in both humor and heart…

Meredith Parker has made the journey to Bolton, her twins’ college, dozens of times. This weekend, though, is different. Dawn and Cody are about to graduate and move away to separate corners of the country. Meredith is proud of her kids, and she’s proud of herself for helping them get this far. She just never expected the tidal wave of emotions sweeping over her—or the tangled family dynamics complicating everything.

Meredith doesn’t miss her cheating ex, Roger, one bit, but sitting across from his very young, very gorgeous second wife threatens to unravel the graceful facade she’s trying so hard to maintain. Joel, Meredith’s husband, can see she’s feeling the first pangs of empty-nest syndrome and wants to soften the blow—but he’s distracted by a familiar face. Meanwhile, Cody and Dawn are sitting on their own secrets, and Roger’s new wife, Lily, wonders if she really wants to be a part of this wild, mixed-up family.

As tensions simmer with each passing appetizer tray, Meredith’s vision of the perfect weekend goes up in flames. But before the party’s over, as best behavior gives way to brutal honesty, there’ll be a chance for this new blended family to truly come together—in all its messy and glorious imperfection. 

Review:

There’s something about summer approaching that makes me want to read about family drama and when a blended family gets together over one long weekend for a college graduation you just know drama will be at the forefront. You have exes and parents of the graduates, Meredith and Roger and then both of their spouses as well as the kids themselves. Blended families are never easy and when there are secrets and lies floating around things get pretty juicy.

While my own kids are nowhere near college graduation age I still found Meredith to be relatable in the way she worries about her children, does a mother’s anxiety ever decrease even when her kids are full fledged adults? I don’t think so. The ensemble cast of characters were quite the lively and quirky bunch, they were all fun and authentic, they type of people you would encounter in your own life. Add in some scandals, a beautiful New England setting, sharp wit and a light mystery and this is a great summer read!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 13, 2020

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

LONDON: On a fine avenue of grand houses, big cars and electronic gates, lies a neglected urban wasteland

It is nearly midnight, and very cold. Yet in this dark place of long grass and tall trees where cats hunt and foxes shriek, a girl is waiting…

When Saffyre Maddox was ten something terrible happened and she’s carried the pain of it around with her ever since. The man who she thought was going to heal her didn’t, and now she hides from him, invisible in the shadows, learning his secrets; secrets she could use to blow his safe, cosy world apart.

Owen Pick is invisible too. He’s thirty-three years old and he’s never had a girlfriend, he’s never even had a friend. Nobody sees him. Nobody cares about him.

But when Saffyre Maddox disappears from opposite his house on Valentine’s night, suddenly the whole world is looking at him. Accusing him. Holding him responsible.

Because he’s just the type, isn’t he? A bit creepy?

Review:

There are a handful of authors that when I get one of their new books in my hands I’ll drop everything to read it and that’s exactly what happened here. I was in the mood for a fast paced and dark thriller and I got this at exactly the right moment for me. It was everything I was in the mood for and then some, I swear LJ gets under my skin like no other author and I urge you to preorder this one, it’ll be a perfect fall read.

Lately when I pick up a thriller I need a few things to keep me engaged. First, rapid chapters that propel me to keep reading, multiple perspectives always keep me intrigued, I need something dark and new plot wise and finally I need a solid mystery that I haven’t seen done already 567 times. I’m happy to report that this delivered for me on all levels, I seriously couldn’t ask for more! Highly recommended by me and if you haven’t read any LJ books you should she’s fantastic!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.