Goodreads

Release date: January 3, 2022

Publisher: Putnam

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A new mother chases the secrets her partner left behind after his sudden disappearance in this pulse-pounding domestic thriller from the author of The Perfect Escape.

Janie needs a break: her baby won’t sleep, she’s struggling with motherhood, and a secret from her past threatens to tear her new family apart. So when Max offers to do their baby’s feedings that night so she can finally get some sleep, she jumps at the chance. But when Janie wakes up at three a.m., her daughter is screaming alone in her bassinet … Max has vanished.

Alone with a newborn and desperate for answers, Janie searches for Max, but the more she learns about the man she loves, the more she wonders how well she knew him at all. When a woman is murdered and Max becomes the prime suspect, Janie must face her partner’s secrets—and her own—if she ever wants her daughter to see her father again.

An endlessly suspenseful and surprising look at both the beauty and darkness of modern motherhood, You Should Have Told Me is a rollercoaster of a thriller with family at its heart.

Review:

This is the third book I’ve read by the author and I really like her brand of writing. She always seems to come up with storylines that at first glance seem like something you’ve read before, but then when you dive in you realize she puts her own unique spin on it. A partner with secrets is nothing new but there was still something fresh here. The author managed to really capture the feeling of being a new parent, especially the low moments that aren’t often discussed. This aspect alongside a plot full of tension and secrets worked pretty well for me. I did think there was a repetitive feel at times but I almost wonder if that was done intentionally as much of it revolves around Janie taking care of her newborn. Other than that it was solid, some mild surprises along the way and it was the kind of compulsive read I’ve come to expect from the author.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 18, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

When event planner Hallie Goodman receives party-inspiration material from the bride of her latest wedding project, the last thing she expects to find in the files are digital videos from Darcy’s ex-boyfriend. Hallie knows it’s wrong to keep watching these personal videos, but this guy is cute, funny, and an astronaut on the International Space Station to boot. She’s only human. And it’s not long until she starts sending e-mails and video diaries to his discontinued NASA address. Since they’re bouncing back, there’s no way anyone will ever be able to see them…right?

Christopher Ortiz is readjusting to life on earth and being constantly in the shadow of his deceased older brother. When a friend from NASA’s IT department forwards him the e-mails and video messages Hallie has sent, he can’t help but notice how much her sense of humor and pink hair make his heart race.

Separated by screens, Hallie and Chris are falling in love with each other, one transmission at a time. But can they make their star-crossed romance work when they each learn the other’s baggage?

Review:

How does this author manage to combine so many of my favorite romance aspects into one amazing book all of the time? I swear if another author tried to write a book that was part rom com but also had lots of angst and pining it wouldn’t work. She is just SO good at blending so many different elements together and she ends up with these epic stories of love. I adored both Chris and Hallie right from the jump and could not wait for them to get together. It was a bit of a wait, this was a slow burn (that’s where the angst comes in) but it was the delicious kind of torture that only certain authors can pull off. I was lining myself 😂 There was a ton of character development and growth as well, you see both of them come so far by the end, both separately and together and I always appreciate that deep type of growth. Overall an outstanding romance that I truly adored, if you’re already a fan of the author you’ll be pleased and if you’ve never read her before you should!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: December 1, 2022

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A husband with secrets. A wife with no limits. A riveting novel of marriage, privilege, and lies by Kaira Rouda, the USA Today bestselling author of The Next Wife.

Jody Asher had a plan. Her charismatic husband, Martin, would be a political icon. She, the charming wife, would fuel his success. For fifteen congressional terms, they were the golden couple on the Hill. Life was good. Until he wasn’t.

Martin’s secret affair with a young staffer doesn’t bother Jody personally. But professionally? It’s a legacy killer. Soon a reporter gets word of this scandal in the making, and Martin’s indiscretions threaten to ruin everything Jody has accomplished.

When Martin suddenly dies, it’s a chance to change the narrative—but the reporter won’t let go of his lead. As the balance of power shifts in the Asher house and on the Hill, it’s time for Jody to take control. And there’s nothing the ruthless widow won’t do to secure the future she’s entitled to. Even if she has a secret of her own.

Review:

I really enjoy the authors brand of writing, she always creates fascinating characters that are wholly unlikable but this is done intentionally. You know that that you’re supposed to be annoyed by these people and they’re supposed to get under your skin and Jody was no exception. There is something deliciously fun about reading about a devious character and I definitely enjoyed that aspect. Unfortunately that’s about all I enjoyed here, so thank god for unapologetically awful characters like Jody haha. I knew this centered on politics but it was just too much for me and I felt bogged down by all the political talk. The drama felt convoluted and unnecessarily messy just for the sake of it and I didn’t fully believe many aspects of the characters actions and behaviors. Overall a bit of a miss for me but if you like sociopathic characters and politically charged plots this may work for you.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: December 1, 2022

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A husband with secrets. A wife with no limits. A riveting novel of marriage, privilege, and lies by Kaira Rouda, the USA Today bestselling author of The Next Wife.

Jody Asher had a plan. Her charismatic husband, Martin, would be a political icon. She, the charming wife, would fuel his success. For fifteen congressional terms, they were the golden couple on the Hill. Life was good. Until he wasn’t.

Martin’s secret affair with a young staffer doesn’t bother Jody personally. But professionally? It’s a legacy killer. Soon a reporter gets word of this scandal in the making, and Martin’s indiscretions threaten to ruin everything Jody has accomplished.

When Martin suddenly dies, it’s a chance to change the narrative—but the reporter won’t let go of his lead. As the balance of power shifts in the Asher house and on the Hill, it’s time for Jody to take control. And there’s nothing the ruthless widow won’t do to secure the future she’s entitled to. Even if she has a secret of her own.

Review:

I really enjoy the authors brand of writing, she always creates fascinating characters that are wholly unlikable but this is done intentionally. You know that that you’re supposed to be annoyed by these people and they’re supposed to get under your skin and Jody was no exception. There is something deliciously fun about reading about a devious character and I definitely enjoyed that aspect. Unfortunately that’s about all I enjoyed here, so thank god for unapologetically awful characters like Jody haha. I knew this centered on politics but it was just too much for me and I felt bogged down by all the political talk. The drama felt convoluted and unnecessarily messy just for the sake of it and I didn’t fully believe many aspects of the characters actions and behaviors. Overall a bit of a miss for me but if you like sociopathic characters and politically charged plots this may work for you.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 4, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion… which she’s trying desperately to forget. 

But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there.

Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together, but he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself. But can a bad reputation ever truly be shed? Do second chances really work? Genevieve and Evan are about to find out.

Bestselling author Elle Kennedy returns to Avalon Bay in this sexy second chance story about two exes who can’t stay away from each other, Bad Girl Reputation.

Review:

If you like second chance romances between a bad boy AND a bad girl this was really fun. I loved both Gen and Evans’s passion and intensity and appreciated their growth throughout the book. The angst was real here, it’s a genuine struggle for both of them to stay away from each and the pining was so raw. You hear from both of them in alternating POV and the audio version was great, I especially liked Summer Morton as Gen and can highly recommend that version. I really enjoyed Gen and Evans story and appreciated their dangerous feeling relationship. Elle can do no wrong in my book and this was another winner!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks GetRedPR for my copy.