This Chick Read: Speculations in Sin (Below Stairs #7) by Jennifer Ashley

Kat Holloway is distressed to learn that Samuel Millburn, husband of the woman who looks after her daughter, has been accused of embezzling funds from the bank where he works as a clerk. The accusation is absurd, and Samuel’s wife fears that her husband will not only lose his post but be imprisoned. Kat vows to uncover the truth.

When she discovers the bank is involved in shockingly murky business dealings, Kat realizes she’s treading in dangerous waters. She turns to her confidante and handsome suitor, Daniel McAdam, for help. To exonerate Samuel, Kat and Daniel may have to expose the unseemly financial dealings of prominent aristocrats and government officials, and even those working to bring down the royal family. Kat will risk everything to protect the man who has sacrificed so much for her daughter, even if it means endangering herself and the friends she has come to love.

When it comes to solving mysteries, Kat Holloway has the skill but in Speculations in Sin Kat has skin in the game and works hard to find the embezzler/killer. Sam Millburn and his wife, Kat’s dearest friend, have been essentially raising her daughter since she must work as a Head Cook. This mystery takes the reader beyond the London peerage, where her mysteries usually lie, into the murky world of finance. Something that Kat doesn’t have a lot of knowledge about, but what she does have is the experience at reading human interactions and situations. In that way the bank is kind of like a household and in this case that old adage of “follow the money” really does solve the mystery.

I’ve enjoyed reading this series and like Kat’s strength of character in this age that doesn’t give women a lot of room for error or growth. She’s done well cooking for a society household, has made friends from many ranks in society, and is managing a slow moving romance with Daniel McAdam. I’d like to see that third thing move along a little quicker because I think being with Daniel, who is also an investigator of sorts, would open doors for Kat that could prove interesting in helping to solve future cases. I also do love a good romance. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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This Chick Read: At First Spite (Harlot’s Bay #1) by Olivia Dade

Athena Greydon’s fiancé ends their engagement one month before their wedding but after she has quit her job, sold all of her furniture because she was moving in with him, and purchased him the house next door as a wedding gift. Having no job and no place to live, Athena does the unthinkable and moves in next door to her ex-fiancé and across the alley from his brother Matthew Vine the Third. The man who convinced his brother to break their engagement. What’s a girl to do but torture the man with loud erotica audio book’s, scary Halloween decorations, and bad housekeeping. What she doesn’t figure on is liking what she thought was an unlikeable, rigid man, who turns out to be not that unlikeable at all.

When Olivia Dade writes well, she really hits it out of the park. At First Spite was funny, sad, sweet, and quite salty. I really didn’t know what Athena was going to serve up next to poor Matthew but I knew that I would enjoy whatever it was and that he would tolerate it because he feels awful for how his decision to break up his brother’s relationship ruined Athena’s life.

The Spite House was appropriately named because it’s 10 feet wide and butt’s up against the original house and takes in all the light from it’s many windows. It’s on a very old historical alley and faces the house across from it which is only 40 feet away. This close proximity means Matthew and Athena are literally in each others faces when they are in their homes. A great set-up to a love story and many opportunities for comedic scenes.

I really enjoyed this novel. It has my favorite enemies to lovers trope and provided a lot of humor, but it wasn’t all fun and games. There were some quite serious issues like depression which were dealt with in an appropriate and realistic manner. These plot points only made me enjoy the light moments even more. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* At First Spite

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This Chick Read: Rift in the Soul (Soulwood #6) by Faith Hunter

Nell Ingram draws her powers from deep in the earth, and uses them to help Psy-LED, the Psychometric Law Enforcement Division, which solves paranormal crimes. When a local vampire calls to report a dead body on her compound, Nell knows she and her team have to be ready for anything.

But the dead body is just the beginning of a mystery that involves supernaturals of all kinds, including some of the most powerful vampires in the country. As Nell gets closer to the truth, she begins to understand that the perpetrator is tracking her too—and that there is something personal about this crime. Something with roots that go almost as deep as those in Soulwood.

By book six I am totally invested in Nell and the Psy-LED crew. The mystery is always so interesting and the romance between she and Occam, so, so sweet! Does it matter that Nell comes from a line that has an affinity with plants and the Earth? A kind of brownie or sprite, which sounds kind of cute and sweet, but her powers are tied to her land which can be hungry. I find the personification of her “Vampire tree” as a Green Knight who will protect she and her family very interesting. Especially since that Knight seems to be evolving, now able to communicate in a very humanistic way. I’m curious to see where Faith Hunter is taking that character and if it/he can evolve into reality. In fact, when you look at Nell and the Green Knight’s evolution, it seems like it’s Nell that is becoming more plant-like and the Knight more human. Like I said, interesting!

When the Angel in the latest Jane Yellowrock book gave the Vampire’s their soul’s back, a kind gesture I’m sure, but causing all sorts of havoc in the vamp community. They now have “feelings” which are damned inconvenient for a bunch of bloodsuckers. When an ancient vampire from the Spanish Inquisition comes to town his intentions seem to be connected to Soulwood and Nell’s family, so as expected, Nell goes all twigs and twines in defending her territory. Sweet and salty Nell is now coming into her own as a threat and I love that evolution!

Amidst all the doom, gloom, and interspecies fighting, Nell and Occam are planning their wedding. These brief moments are such a contrast to all the darkness in the story and really create that impact of blinding love conquering all that makes their union so wonderful. I really enjoy this plant woman and her cat man. They are a fun couple to root for! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Rift in the Soul

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This Chick Read: Christa Comes Out of her Shell by Abbi Waxman

After a tumultuous childhood, Christa Liddle has hidden away, both figuratively and literally. Happily studying sea snails in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Christa finds her tranquil existence thrown into chaos when her once-famous father—long thought dead after a plane crash—turns out to be alive, well, and ready to make amends. The world goes wild, fascinated by this real-life saga, pinning Christa and her family under the spotlight. As if that weren’t enough, her reunion with an old childhood friend reveals an intense physical attraction neither was expecting and both want to act on . . . if they can just keep a lid on it. When her father’s story starts to develop cracks, Christa fears she will lose herself, her potential relationship, and—most importantly—any chance of making it back to her snails before they forget her completely.

Ever since I read Abbi Waxman’s Garden of Small Beginnings I have been a huge fan. Christa Comes Out of her Shell captures that same quirky real life effervescence that the first novel had. Right from the moment Christa is introduced while viewing her sea snails I fell in love and as the story moved along each moment had its own reveal about Christa’s character. She wasn’t perfect, but she was perfectly awkward and fun to read about. The story itself about a long lost father who appears out of nowhere after twenty-five years was a bit unrealistic but I’ve never let realism get in the way of great storytelling. This family who was angry but at the same time overjoyed to see their father had moments that rang true. Conflicting emotions, long held convictions, but overall a love for each other who saw and would see each other through difficult times. It was such an easy story to read.

When it comes to romance, I’m not sure it’s Abbi Waxman’s focus. She’s such a great storyteller that sometimes the romantic angle kind of feels like an add-on. I’ll admit that for me that was the case with the romance between Christa and Nate but I also loved how that romance was an escape from the press of responsibility for Christa. She didn’t know how to feel about her father but that instant connection with Nate was easy to figure out and explore. It made sense while at the same time felt like it wasn’t needed. See, I was conflicted too!

Needless to say, I’ve liked all of Abbi Waxman’s story’s and this one was no different. In fact, it’s my second favorite that she’s written. Cute, light, and an escape from reality.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Christa Comes Out of Her Shell

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This Chick Read: Girl Abroad by Elle Kennedy

Abby Bly is off to study abroad in London. It’s her first time away from her retired rock star dad and she’s excited to meet her roommates and start making some memories instead of living vicariously through her dad’s. When she gets to London she finds that her roommates are all male and she knows she’ll have to hide that and all of her adventures from her overprotective dad or she’ll get pulled out of London and find herself back in Nashville. What she doesn’t count on is for a student project to get her invited to an event with royalty or for her to fall for two different guys. Abby is definitely living her life to the fullest!

I have recently discovered Elle Kennedy and fell in love with all of her hockey romance novels. When I read the synopsis for Girl Abroad it definitely sounded like this author was going to take me on a different journey. This story carried the heat of this author’s other romances, but there was also a kind of naiveté in Abby that gave this story a new adult feel. I also loved the mystery Abby was researching for her school project and the new avenue’s that research opened up. The story took me in all sorts of unexpected directions and I totally enjoyed the surprises.

Abby’s relationship with two different guys was a little bit of a surprise, but when I thought about the whole scenario, girl abroad in a foreign country with her first bout of independence, I thought why not? Why should there be limitations on our heroine? I actually really liked how those two relationships gave Abby the journey of self discovery that she needed. It sounded like her dad was way too involved with every element of her life and she needed to live a little!

If you like Elle Kennedy, I think you’ll like this novel. Her writing style is very consistent with what I’ve read previously it’s the change in setting that makes it feel so fresh and new.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Girl Abroad

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This Chicks Audio Review: Worst Wingman Ever (The Improbable Meet-Cute #2) by Abby Jimenez

May I just say that I am loving these short novella’s? The audiobooks are just over an hour, a perfect short break from reality where I can zone out and enjoy a great story. Worst Wingman Ever was all that and more. Narrated by two of my favorites, Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber, this story was romantic, funny, and also made me get a bit teary. Truthfully I enjoyed it so much that I spent 15 minutes telling my husband the plot while I had him trapped in a car with me on the way to the grocery store.

The premise is about meet-cute’s around Valentine’s Day. In this instance Holly, who is a hospice nurse, is taking care of her grandma during her last days. When she is leaving for a brief break she notices a note on her car with a Valentine’s coupon for some “action” (totally said in a hilarious but not appropriate for my review way) at a future time. The note was left by the brother of the suitor who was supposed to put it on his girlfriends car. He obviously put it on the wrong car, but the letter starts a train of notes left between two strangers. Some are sweet, some are hilarious, and they leave each other curious about the other person. This brief exchange of notes, for me, is the side story to Holly’s service to her mother in her final days. There is some sadness and introspection, but her grandmother is also a bit of a character and there are some funny-sweet moments too. All of which leave Holly having hope for her future. Of course, as this is a short meet-cute story, you know the ending but the 59 pages in between was just about as perfect as you can get and felt very well rounded like I had just read a whole novel, not a two chapter story. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Version 1.0.0

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This Chick Read: With Any Luck (The Improbably Meet-Cute Collection) by Ashley Poston

Synopsis: Audrey Love is cursed to be the person before you find your soulmate, the girl you dump for your true love. So when her best friend disappears hours before his Valentine’s Day wedding, Audrey fears that she did the unthinkable and kissed him at last night’s bachelor party. With help from the best man, she retraces her steps to find the missing groom and, with any luck, a true love of her own.

This novel is part of a collection of short stories released for Valentine’s Day by some of my favorite authors. Ashley Poston often has a magical element to her stories and this one Audrey believes that the women in her family can kiss someone and the next day they’ll find their true love. A great thing for the one kissed, not so great for Audrey since she’s always the person before finding the soulmate. This is my third read in the series, no wait, fourth. I had to DNF one of them because I’m not into princess stories, but that aside, I’ve really enjoyed them! I’ve listened to the audiobooks and think they are just the right length for a short car or train ride into the office. Admittedly this one wasn’t quite as fleshed out as the previous two, but I still liked Audrey and Theo and loved that they found each other at their best friends wedding.

Even though this one was a little light on plot I did like that we got to see Audrey’s character evolve as she searched for her best friend (the groom) who’d gone missing. As she recalled their night of drunkenness she also did a little soul searching. It actually made me a little sad that this wasn’t a full-length novel. I liked what I was reading and could’ve loved reading more about these two characters. Since it wasn’t, I’m choosing to enjoy what this author gave me and will eagerly move on to the next book I’ve yet to read! ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* With Any Luck

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This Chick Read: Only and Forever (Bergman Brothers #7) by Chloe Liese

Hopeless romantic, Viggo Bergman has a fulfilling life, great family, and a love for historical romance novels. His family have all found love but he is still searching. When his sister’s fiancé brings her own sister to a Bergman family dinner he finds himself face to face with his college crush, Tallulah Clarke. In college Tallulah had been impervious to his charm and good looks but when they reconnect they find a friendship that leads to a collaboration, both business and personal. He will help her get out of the writing slump she’s in and she will help him launch his romance novel bookstore- all while living together as roommates.

Viggo’s love for historical romances has provided inspiration to all of his brothers pairings so when he meets Tallulah again, it comes as no surprise when his siblings and their spouses try to matchmake. He doesn’t really need their machinations because since finding her again, he is all in. Tallulah has a back story filled with unhappiness and she doesn’t trust that love is true. Viggo on the other hand has his head in the clouds, wishing for those wild gestures and romantic moments but with her he finds patience and understanding. I liked the two of them together and it was nice to see Viggo finally find his own true love.

I have really enjoyed the Bergman Brothers romances and admittedly Viggo was a fun side character. Some of the things that made him so charming in small bits were maybe a touch too much for the main hero but I was willing to give this author the benefit of the doubt. I will say that Tallulah’s personality balanced his because she leaned hard towards the realistic and cold hard facts side of romance. They were in fact each others match.

If you like soft-hearted heroes and icy but sweet heroines then this is the right romance for you! It was a nice end to The Bergman Brothers series, but still left me hankering for more.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Only and Forever

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This Chick Read: The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

Jess Greene has spent the last decade raising her sister Tegan, after her mother took off with her boyfriend. It was only when a popular podcast drew her attention that she realized the man who her mother left with was the subject of The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore. Keeping that secret to herself, Jess is one day surprised when the host of that podcast and her producer Adam Hawkins, show up on her doorstep. Tegan had found some correspondence Jess had hidden and contacted them. They were going on the road, using the postage dates of those post cards, to track down their mother and Lynton Baltimore.

Kate Clayborn has a style of writing that holds a readers attention. From the opening page, I knew that it would be a hard story to turn away from. Our heroine Jess was so strong and yet also very delicate. Adam saw that from the very start and the way that he quietly admired and protected her was very compelling. The dynamic between Jess and Tegan was also very complicated. Jess had hidden things from her sister, in part because of Tegan’s age, but also because she herself was so young when she took charge of raising Tegan. She was embarrassed by her mother, as well as insecure over why their mother would leave her children. This story made me feel so many different emotions, not all of them happy and good. Yet they felt true and believable, which kept me turning the pages.

The dynamic between Jess and Adam was truly spellbinding. Adam felt so much, right from the moment he met Jess. I found that really interesting because in this situation, Jess was not at her best. On the surface she was holding it together, but she was boiling with tension and feelings underneath. Despite all of that tension and turmoil, they were drawn to each other and gave strength to each other. The romance portion of this book was very well done and did not disappoint. So, why did I only give it a four rating? I’m not exactly sure, but maybe because Jess and Tegan’s story was so sad and frail? I’m still mulling over my response but I do know that I liked this book quite a bit.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Other Side of Disappearing

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This Chick Read: Cheater (The San Diego Case Files #2) by Karen Rose

When a resident of premier Shady Oaks Retirement village is found brutally stabbed in his apartment, Detective Kit McKittrick is assigned the case. What she starts to uncover are many closets filled with skeletons and most of the tenants want to keep their secrets hidden. Dr. Sam Reeves volunteers to play the piano for the residents of Shady Oaks and crosses paths with the detective. A path she’s avoided since they last met on a previous case six months prior. Kit has trouble trusting anyone but Sam evokes emotions she’d rather deny.

I didn’t read the first book in this series and while I’d have liked to know Sam and Kit’s history, I don’t think I missed too much. Karen Rose did a good job of filling in the reader without re-hashing all of the details, so this book reads like a stand along mystery. I will be picking up that first book and catching up though because I really enjoyed this story and their connection. I was also really surprised at the intricacies in the mystery. Whereas I did guess the killer, it did take me a little while and the journey was completely enjoyable.

Karen Rose did a great job of giving these characters depth and building their back story. I loved Kit’s history of being in a foster home and how she had that soft spot for kids who lived on the street. It added a lot to explain her stand offishnes and made the impact of her building trust with Sam that much greater.

If you like light mysteries with great characters, I think Cheater was an interesting and entertaining read. It is not a romance, but there is a bit of romantic suspense built into the story. There is also a bit of humor and a lot of emotion. This was a well rounded story and I enjoyed it a lot. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Cheater

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