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Release date: May 28, 2019

Publisher: Kensington

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

The truth is easy to miss, even when it’s right in front of us. As a forensic reconstructionist, Rory Moore sheds light on cold-case homicides by piecing together crime scene details others fail to see. Cleaning out her late father’s law office a week after his burial, she receives a call that plunges her into a decades-old case come to life once more. 

In the summer of 1979, five Chicago women went missing. The predator, nicknamed The Thief, left no bodies and no clues behind—until police received a package from a mysterious woman named Angela Mitchell, whose unorthodox investigation skills appear to have led to his identity. But before police could question her, Angela disappeared. Forty years later, The Thief is about to be paroled for Angela’s murder—the only crime the DA could pin on him. As a former client of her father’s, Rory becomes reluctantly involved with the killer—though he continues to insist he didn’t murder Angela. Now he wants Rory to do what her father once promised: prove that Angela is, in fact, still alive.

As Rory begins reconstructing Angela’s last days, another killer emerges from the shadows, replicating those long-ago murders. With every startling discovery she makes, Rory becomes more deeply entangled in the enigma of Angela Mitchell—and in The Thief’s tormented mind. Drawing connections between past and present is the only way to stop the nightmare, but even Rory can’t be prepared for the full, terrifying truth that is emerging . . . 

Review:

Every single time I start a Charlie Donlea book I’m reminded why I still love thrillers. He someone manages to breathe fresh life into the genre with each book and as someone who has been having a super hard time finding a thriller to blow me away, I appreciate this so much. His books just feel really skillful, the kind that have an impeccable attention to detail but are also twisty and gripping so the pages fly by at a rapid pace.

I love a well written story that alternates timelines and perspectives and there’s plenty of that here. Rory is the present day character and she’s a forensic reconstructionist which is such a fascinating occupation and one that I really never gave much thought to before reading this book. She begins looking into a cold case that her late father was somehow wrapped up in and then you also hear from Angela back in the late seventies. There’s also a couple of more POV but I won’t mention them for fear of spoilers, but they came together and all made up a super compelling storyline that I seriously could not put down.

Donlea is one of those authors who does the best job of leading the reader down one seemingly straightforward path only to take a sharp left (and then maybe a right) turn just when you think you know exactly what will happen next. There are so many intricate plot points that even if I figured out some, I never quite pieced everything together and I really enjoyed the ride regardless of what I already knew and also what I didn’t know.

As much as I found myself racing through this is does have more of a slow burn feel than his previous books and the suspense builds gradually but I found it to be gripping nevertheless. I just love his books and am a firm fan, though this may not be my absolute favorite book from him, it’s still a really solid read and most definitely worth adding to your TBR.

Some Choose Darkness in three words: Entertaining, Compelling and Addicting.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: May 14, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin’s/Macmillan Audio

Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance

Narrator: Ramon de Ocampo

Blurb:

A big-hearted romantic comedy in which First Son Alex falls in love with Prince Henry of Wales after an incident of international proportions forces them to pretend to be best friends…

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him. 

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you? 

Review:

Could this book BE anymore adorable?! Spoiler alert: NO! It was such a fun read, the perfect blend of snark, wit, romance and charm, everything that I look for in a romance novel (and more). Did I mention that this is a debut? I’m even more impressed by that fact and so excited to see what the author does next because this was seriously cute.

Enemies to lovers tropes are always so fun to me and I’ve never read one with the first son of the United States and the Prince of Wales. It’s pretty genius timing actually, US politics have never been more of a hot button topic and the entire world is currently obsessed with baby Archie so this one couldn’t really be anymore relevant and fresh feeling. Henry and Alex are individually interesting characters but when you put them together it’s a little bit magical. They have great chemistry and a fantastic, sharp banter, I kept doing that snort laugh thing while I was listening. The secondary characters are just as engaging and hilarious, from Madam President herself (Alex’s Mom) to Henry’s quirky best friend they all added some extra flavor and spunk to the story.

The narrator was great, he delivered the dry and sarcastic lines like a pro, it was seriously perfect and I think he was a great choice. Since I listened to this one versus read it I did feel like it dragged a bit at times but maybe if I was reading the actual book it would’ve been quicker, just wanted to throw that out there because it did feel a teesny but long for awhile. But overall this was a really fun read and one that I can definitely recommend, if you’ve had your eye on it go ahead and give it a shot, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Red, White and Royal Blue in three words: Smart, Hip and Hilarious

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: May 14, 2019

Publisher: Gallery

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

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Release date: May 7, 2019

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love. 

Review:

Like many of you I fell in love with the authors debut, The KISS Quotient last year and was really looking forward to her sophomore novel. I’m so pleased to say that I liked this one even more than TKQ and cannot even wait to see what she comes up with next! Something I wanna make clear really quick is that I’ve seen this being called a sequel to TKQ and it’s not, it’s more of a companion novel at the most. There are small appearances from some characters in that book but you definitely don’t have to read TKQ in order to enjoy this one.

From the prologue alone I was invested in Khai, he thinks he is incapable of true feelings, like love, because of a traumatic event in his past and his life as someone on the spectrum. I love that the author had another main character with ASD but showed a totally different side to it which is completely accurate. Just because you know one person on the spectrum means just that. You know one person on the spectrum, hence it being called a spectrum. Anyway, before I go off on an unnecessary tangent, I just really liked that she went in a new direction with this one. Esme also wiggled into my heart early on, she was such an interesting character, there were so many layers to her personality and I loved her unique little quirks, she had so much spunk and heart.

So as much as I love romance I’m a bit of a prude when it comes to reading super steamy scenes. TKQ made me blush even though I loved it and I was happy that this one wasn’t nearly as racy. Don’t get me wrong, there was definitely some heat here and it’s not a totally clean book, it was just toned down here and I liked that! This was more sweet and tender with just a dash of spice.

Interspersed between the burgeoning romance between Esme and Khai was this strong sense of family and culture that was just fascinating to me. Esme is from Vietnam and so is Khai’s family and the representation of their culture was so authentic. The author herself is Vietnamese and autistic so she is writing what she knows, and with heart and it shows. It deeply shows and was just a beautiful story of family, adversity and finding love when it’s not an easy road. Highly recommended by me for a different type of romance that will give you all the feels.

The Bride Test in three words: Tender, Diverse and Authentic.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: April 16, 2019

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

A gripping thriller about three young girlfriends, a dark obsession and a chilling crime that shakes up a quiet Iowa town

For twelve-year-old Cora Landry and her friends Violet and Jordyn, it was supposed to be an ordinary sleepover—movies and Ouija and talking about boys. But when they decide to sneak out to go to the abandoned rail yard on the outskirts of town, little do they know that their innocent games will have dangerous consequences.

Later that night, Cora Landry is discovered on the tracks, bloody and clinging to life, her friends nowhere to be found. Soon their small rural town is thrust into a maelstrom. Who would want to hurt a young girl like Cora—and why? In an investigation that leaves no stone unturned, everyone is a suspect and no one can be trusted—not even those closest to Cora.

Before She Was Found is a timely and gripping thriller about friendship and betrayal, about the power of social pressure and the price of needing to fit in. It is about the great lengths a parent will go to protect their child and keep them safe—even if that means burying the truth, no matter the cost.

Review:

While this is could technically a be YA thriller I want to go ahead and let you know right away that it doesn’t feel like one at all. I myself struggle with YA thrillers but really the only thing that would make it fall into the category is the fact that three of the main characters are twelve year old girls. There is nothing soft about this one, nothing light about the mystery, in fact it’s hard hitting and bold. So if the idea of it being too juvenile has prevented you from reading this one, please know it’s not whatsoever!

I love when an author writes in an original structure and there was plenty of that to love here. You get multiple perspectives, everyone from parents and grandparents to the girls themselves and everyone had such a well developed and individual voice. Cora’s POV was revealed through diary entries which was such an intimate way to learn about her character and there were also transcripts from police interviews, message boards, a therapists notes and text messages that kept things so interesting.

The whole concept of this one was frighteningly timely, I loved how the author took current events and hot button topics and weaved them seamlessly into the plot. As a parent to a child almost the same age as the preteen girls I was horrified by some of the behaviors of the kids, mostly because I know it was an accurate representation of how kids can and do behave. Besides a totally gripping plot, fantastic writing and really well drawn characters, the ending of this one was a true sucker punch. It takes a lot for me to be completely surprised but I was shocked by the end of this one and so awed by the authors cleverness. Highly recommended by me for thriller fans!

Before She Was Found in three words: Timely, Sharp and Intense.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: May 7, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Pull up a lounge chair and have a cocktail at Sunset Beach – it comes with a twist. 

Drue Campbell’s life is adrift. Out of a job and down on her luck, life doesn’t seem to be getting any better when her estranged father, Brice Campbell, a flamboyant personal injury attorney, shows up at her mother’s funeral after a twenty-year absence. Worse, he’s remarried – to Drue’s eighth grade frenemy, Wendy, now his office manager. And they’re offering her a job.

It seems like the job from hell, but the offer is sweetened by the news of her inheritance – her grandparents’ beach bungalow in the sleepy town of Sunset Beach, a charming but storm-damaged eyesore now surrounded by waterfront McMansions.

With no other prospects, Drue begrudgingly joins the firm, spending her days screening out the grifters whose phone calls flood the law office. Working with Wendy is no picnic either. But when a suspicious death at an exclusive beach resort nearby exposes possible corruption at her father’s firm, she goes from unwilling cubicle rat to unwitting investigator, and is drawn into a case that may – or may not – involve her father. With an office romance building, a decades-old missing persons case re-opened, and a cottage in rehab, one thing is for sure at Sunset Beach: there’s a storm on the horizon.

Sunset Beach is a compelling ride, full of Mary Kay Andrews’ signature wit, heart, and charm. 

Review:

This is only my second book my MKA and I’m so excited to see she has such an extensive backlist because I enjoyed this one so much! I really expected it be light and fluffy but it went darker than I thought as it delves into two murder cases. Besides that though it did have plenty of lighthearted humor, romance and a heroine that I was rooting for all along.

I don’t often describe WF as gripping but this one really was, Drue stumbles upon an old unsolved missing persons case and she’s also digging into a more recent murder case with ties to her fathers law firm. I was so interested in both cases and loved Drue as an amateur sleuth. She was a fantastic lead character, enough bad ass fearlessness mixed with real life, realistic clumsiness to make it believable. Her life is messy and complicated and those kind of characters are always my favorite kind.

This was a really fun read and one that held my interest all the way through, MKA’s writing style was fluid and easy and the setting of Sunset Beach was fabulous. If this book doesn’t make you want to rent a little beachside cottage and mix up a mai tai I don’t know what will, totally recommended by me to add to your summer reading list!

Sunset Beach in three words: Humorous, Entertaining and Engaging.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to Tandem Literary for my review copy.

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Release date: May 7, 2019

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Dr. Kate English has it all. Not only is she the heiress to a large fortune; she has a gorgeous husband and daughter, a high-flying career, and a beautiful home anyone would envy.

But all that changes the night Kate’s mother, Lily, is found dead, brutally murdered in her own home. Heartbroken and distraught, Kate reaches out to her estranged best friend, Blaire Barrington, who rushes to her side for the funeral, where the years of distance between them are forgotten in a moment.

That evening, Kate’s grief turns to horror when she receives an anonymous text: You think you’re sad now, just wait. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll wish you had been buried today. More than ever, Kate needs her old friend’s help.

Once Blaire decides to take the investigation into her own hands, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems in Baltimore high society. As infidelity, lies, and betrayals come to light, and tensions rise to a boiling point, she begins to alienate Kate’s friends and relatives with her relentless, accusatory questions, as she tries to find Lily’s killer. The murderer could be anyone—friend, neighbor, loved one. But whoever it is, it’s clear that Kate is next on their list. . .

In The Last Time I Saw You, Liv Constantine takes the lightning pace of The Last Mrs. Parrish and raises the stakes, creating an exquisitely tension-filled and absorbing tale of psychological suspense in which innocent lives—and one woman’s sanity—hang in the balance.

Review:

I was a little late to the party with Constantine’s debut, The Last Mrs. Parrish and I had kind of put it off because it was so hyped up and I didn’t want to be underwhelmed. I ended up really liking it and was fairly certain I would like this one as well, the premise sounded good, nothing groundbreaking, but I was interested for sure. Unfortunately this one just work for me and I found myself sorely disappointed in the end. I will admit it was a weirdly fast read for me, I think I kept expecting some sort of shift that would turn things around but that never happened 🤷‍♀️

I’m not going to waste a bunch of time bashing this book, I HATE writing negative reviews but I pride myself on honesty and believe in transparency, so I’m just going to quickly give you some highlights as to why I can’t recommend this one.

🙊 For anyone that’s read more than a handful of thrillers this is predictable throughout and then by the end, things take a turn towards the ridiculous with strange “twists” that reminded me of a soap opera. I like soaps but this was just too much.

🙊 The characters behaved so oddly, everything was over the top and dramatic, think bad lifetime movie. Again, I like those movies, but no.

🙊 The believability factor was at like a zero, it was absurd and outlandish.

Overall rating: 2/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: May 7, 2019

Publisher: Gallery

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

With the man of her dreams back in her life and all three of her daughters happy, Ansley Murphy should be content. But she can’t help but feel like it’s all a little too good to be true.

Meanwhile, youngest daughter and actress Emerson, who is recently engaged and has just landed the role of a lifetime, seemingly has the world by the tail. Only, something she can’t quite put her finger on is worrying her—and it has nothing to do with her recent health scare.

When two new women arrive in Peachtree Bluff—one who has the potential to wreck Ansley’s happiness and one who could tear Emerson’s world apart—everything is put in perspective. And after secrets that were never meant to be told come to light, the powerful bond between the Murphy sisters and their mother comes crumbling down, testing their devotion to each other and forcing them to evaluate the meaning of family.

With Kristy Woodson Harvey’s signature charm, wit, and heart, The Southern Side of Paradise is another masterful Peachtree Bluff novel that proves she is a “Southern writer with staying power” (Booklist). 

Review:

Ahh what a bittersweet review this is for me, I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning and have been both anxiously awaiting the third and final book but also dreading it, simply because I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters that I have come to adore. In case you want to see me gush over the other books in this series here’s my reviews for Slightly South of Simple and The Secret to Southern Charm, all highly recommended by me!

Three books in and it’s finally Emerson’s time to shine! Each book focuses on one of the Murphy sisters and you also hear from their mom, Ansley in alternating chapters, so by this point these characters feel like family. I’ve loved watching their family dynamics shift over the course of the series, so much has changed for all of them since the first book and I feel like things have come full circle for each of the Murphy women as well.

There have been some family secrets lurking in the background all along and all the unanswered issues and questions are resolved here, and for me, everything came to a totally satisfying conclusion. These women have messy, complicated relationships, both with each other and also in their romantic relationships and things were handled in a way that felt true and genuine. As much as this whole series feels heartfelt this one took that to a whole new level, I teared up a few times, I laughed, I was surprised and most of all I closed this one feeling completely content and ready to say goodbye to Peachtree Bluff, even though it was with a tinge of sadness.

The Southern Side of Paradise in three words: Charming, Sincere and Entrancing.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: May 7, 2019

Publisher: Little Brown

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Blurb:

Summer has started in idyllic Sag Harbor, and for Emma Mapson that means greeting guests at the front desk of The American Hotel. But when one of the town’s most famous residents, artist Henry Wyatt, dies suddenly, Emma learns he has mysteriously left his waterfront home – a self-designed masterpiece filled with his work – to her teenage daughter, Penny. 

Back in Manhattan, legendary art patron Bea Winstead’s grief at her lifelong friend and former business partner Henry’s passing turns to outrage at the news of his shocking bequest. How did these unknown locals get their hands on the estate? Bea, with her devoted assistant Kyle in tow, descends on Sag Harbor determined to reclaim the house and preserve Henry’s legacy.

While Emma fights to defend her daughter’s inheritance, Bea discovers that Henry left a treasure trove of sketches scattered around town. With Penny’s reluctant help, Bea pieces them together to find a story hidden in plain sight: an illustration of their shared history with an unexpected twist that will change all of their lives.

Drawn together in their battle for the house, Emma and Bea are forced to confront the past while facing a future that challenges everything they believe about love, fate, and family.

Review:

Last year I fell in love with Jamie Brenner’s writing when I read The Husband Hour and I knew after reading just one of her books that I had found a new must read author for myself. From the stunning cover to the very final page this one had me enraptured throughout and only made me even more sure that the author is an auto buy for me.

You know what makes an perfect “beach read” for me? It’s a combination of a few key elements and Brenner has perfected this for me. Setting is obviously huge here, I wanna be swept away to somewhere gorgeous and well described, I also want to connect with the characters, they’ve gotta have depth and dimension, but there’s also gotta be a lighter side too, a tricky balance for some. Finally, I want to be invested in the story, it has to have substance and intrigue. Guess what?! This book has all of that and more.

Sag Harbor was fully brought to life here, there is so much history alongside the charming little town that I found myself wishing I could vacation there this summer. I connected with Emma from the start, she was extremely likable and her daughter Penny was just as easy to love, although Bea was the kind of character I love to hate, but that’s always fun. All three women were complex and interesting, so check off great characterization as well. There’s a light mystery at play as well, why exactly did Henry leave his estate to Penny? And who will wind up with the property in the end? There were many engaging plot points and angles here, deep familial bonds and history and how their dynamics evolved and grew over time, romance, grief and so much more. This one had it all for me friends, I’m calling it a must read for summer and I urge you all to read it on vacation this year!

Drawing Home in three words: Immersive, Intriguing and Genuine.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.