Goodreads

Release date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among warehouses in London. Its roof terrace is so discreet, you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there—a man you’d recognize anywhere. He may be older now, but it’s definitely him.

But that can’t be because he’s been dead for over two years. You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him.

Review:

It’s been awhile since I’ve read one of the authors books, I usually find them ok for me but nothing totally memorable so I went into this one with some hesitation, yet I was hopeful still. I was also intrigued by the last few lines of the synopsis, I mean someone you killed is alive?! 🤯 Right away you can tell this will be a slow burn, there is a ton of backstory and details but the writing was strong so it did keep my interest. It’s also on the longer side at just over four hundred pages but I’m also the type of person who thinks three hundred pages is the ideal length for a thriller. But despite the slowness and the length I was still oddly captivated by this one and in the end I’m glad I stuck it out because there were several clever twists in the end that made me feel like the payoff was worth it. So this may take some patience, but if you like a super slow burn thriller that’s highly detailed this one may work for you!

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

A chef’s journey to success leads to discovering the perfect recipe for love in this delicious romantic comedy.

Sadie is a rising star in the trendy Seattle restaurant scene. Her dream is to create unique, modern, and mouthwatering takes on traditional Jewish recipes. But after a public breakup with her boss, a famous chef, she is sure her career is over–until she lands a coveted spot on the next season of her favorite TV show, Chef Supreme.

On the plane to New York, Sadie has sizzling chemistry with her seatmate, Luke, but tells him that she won’t be able to contact him for the next six weeks. They prolong their night with a spontaneous, magical dinner before parting ways. Or so she thinks. When she turns up to set the next day, she makes a shocking discovery about who Luke is….

If Sadie wants to save her career by winning Chef Supreme, she’s going to have to ignore the simmering heat between her and Luke. But how long can she do that before the pot boils over?

Review:

Ok if you are a Top Chef fan this one is a must, it felt exactly like binge watching an entire season of the show! I mean to a tee, you follow Sadie from beginning of the show all the way until the end and it’s just as exciting and tense as watching episodes, maybe even a bit more fun actually. The food descriptions alone were to die for so make sure you have plenty of snacks handy when you start this, you’ll definitely be hungry and the Jewish flair Sadie brought to each and every plate was so so fun! I’m no expert on Jewish cuisine at all but reading about Sadie’s modern takes on old classics made me drool and had me wishing she was a real life friend so she could cook for me. Despite my love of the food angle I also really liked Sadie as a character as well, she was funny and quirky and easy to root for. My small and tiny complaint is that I wanted more romance, I get Luke and Sadie had to hide their feelings for each other but I definitely was hoping for some more of that aspect. But overall a super fun read that was a love letter to Top Chef!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 22, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Welcome to Wisewood. We’ll keep your secrets if you keep ours.

Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.

The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.

And then she found Wisewood.

On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world–no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.

Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.

Review:

After absolutely loving Darling Rose Gold I was dying to read the authors follow up novel. The synopsis sounds so great, I love the cult vibes, the two timelines with one being a mystery unknown character and the many questions that needed answers. It ended up sounding way better than it was for me in the end and this isn’t one that I’ll be recommending unfortunately. The pacing was odd for me, at times things seemed fairly fast and then it would stall out and I think it’s because once Natalie arrives at the retreat too much time is spent on the mundane aspects of life their. I was curious enough about the unanswered questions to keep reading and had hoped that it would pay off in the end and it didn’t. The ending was actually the weakest part of the whole thing for me and if you know me then you know I hate nothing more than a weak ending. Overall this one was a disappointment for me. I would try the other again as I loved her first book but this one just didn’t work for me.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 22, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her.

When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town that she used to call home. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all.

Having raised her eleven-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first. Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to…

Review:

Ok this one had it all and then some for me, definitely one of the most perfect romances I’ve read lately and I freaking loved it! You have a grief element, former mean girls who are all grown up, a single parent, bridesmaid shenanigans, found family, a perfect balance of tenderness and steam and much more. Adored it SO much!

I love that we’re seeing more queer romance being published lately and this one is the cream of the crop. Delilah is unapologetically queer and Claire is bisexual and instead of it feeling like the author just slapped a label on them it felt like a true part of their identity and incredibly authentic to boot. Both women are complex and have depth and not only are they well drawn, the secondary characters are as well too. Oftentimes in a story with so much going on some characters will fall a little flat and that wasn’t the case here at all, everyone felt purposeful and intregal to the story and they added value to an already valuable story. I’m thrilled this is a start to a new series as I could read about these characters again and highly recommend this one to romance fans!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Release date: February 8, 2022

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

An intriguing and twisty domestic suspense about loyalty and deceit in a tight-knit Texas community where parents are known to behave badly and people are not always who they appear to be.

Emily, a popular but bookish prep school senior, goes missing after a night out with friends. She was last seen leaving a party with Alex, a football player with a dubious reputation. But no one is talking.

Now three mothers, Catherine, Leslie and Morgan, friends turned frenemies, have their lives turned upside down as they are forced to look to their own children—and each other’s—for answers to questions they don’t want to ask.

Each mother is sure she knows who is responsible, but they all have their own secrets to keep and reputations to protect. And the lies they tell themselves and each other may just have the potential to be lethal in this riveting debut.

Review:

This one had me hooked initially, I love stories about people behaving badly and hiding secrets etc so I had a good feeling going into it. I also enjoy multiple viewpoints and I especially liked Emily’s perspective as she narrates after she’s already been missing for months. I liked the angle of her being gone for so long yet no one has any idea where she’s been or who she’s been with. There were a ton of unanswered questions and the plot moved steadily forward and kept my interest at first, but unfortunately that interest waned. About halfway in things just started to feel sluggish and like they weren’t going anywhere, or at least anywhere interesting. It was dramatic but not in a fun way, it just seemed pretty silly. I started not really caring about what had happened to Emily in the past or what would happen to her later. I didn’t believe the ending, it just didn’t make a whole lot of sense in terms of motivation for where Emily had been and why. Overall this one fell flat for me despite a decent premise.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: November 21, 2021

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

When Nate Porter left Helen, Alaska, to become a firefighter with the Forest Service, he claimed it was because he craved adventure. The truth was, he couldn’t stand to hang around, pining for a girl the town’s century-old feud meant he could never have. But Nate got over Lydia Lipin years ago, or so he thought until he learns that an old rival has come sniffing around. The solution—a trip home with his rescue puppies to prove to himself he completely extinguished that old flame.

Lydia Lipin has always been satisfied being the “good” Lipin daughter—dutiful, practical, and always putting others before herself. But that role begins to chafe as Nate’s return ignites old memories. No one in town knew about their secret friendship or those forbidden kisses they stole the summer after graduation. Suddenly, Nate and his puppies are everywhere, and sparks are flying.

When Nate realizes he never got over Lydia, he’ll risk everything for a second chance. But Lydia’s not a risk-taker, and she has to make a choice—play it safe and pretend their summer fling was just puppy love, or step out of the family shadow and unleash her heart.

Review:

This is the third book in a series and I haven’t read the first two, which may have been a mistake. I wasn’t confused or anything, I just wasn’t very connected to the characters and I’m not sure if it was just the leads here and it wouldn’t had mattered if I had read the first two, or maybe I needed to be more invested in the town. I know part of the reason that I wasn’t that invested was because the conflict centered around Nate and Lydia having to keep their relationship a secret due to an ongoing feud between their two families. While I understood their need to keep things under wraps as teenagers, I didn’t quite buy it now that they’re adults. It just seemed really silly and trivial and since that was a main part of the issue, I never fully got behind them as a couple. There was still stuff to like here, it was pretty cute especially if you’re a dog lover and the setting was pretty and well described. I would definitely try this author again, this just wasn’t my fave but if you like second chance romance and cute pups you may like this more than I did.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.