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

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate – if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Worst Wingman Ever

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchased this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases-April’24

Who knew April was going to have so many great romance releases? I surely did not! It was kind of tough to pick out only five but here goes. My Top 5 book I am most anticipating reading when they come out next month.

This is the first book in a series that’s spinning off from the Rock Chick series which is one of my faves by this author. I’m waiting on pins and needles and have already purchased this book. Yay!

Synopsis:

Rachel Armstrong has a burning need to right the world’s wrongs. Thus, she becomes the Avenging Angel.And maybe she’s a bit too cocky about it. While riding a hunch about the identity of a kidnapper, she runs into Julien “Cap” Jackson, who was trained by the team at Nightingale Investigations in Denver. Now he’s a full-fledged member at their newly opened Phoenix branch. It takes Cap a beat to realize Raye’s the woman for him. It takes Raye a little longer (but just a little) to figure out how she feels about Cap. As Raye introduces Cap to her crazy posse of found family and his new home in the Valley of the Sun, Cap struggles with his protective streak. Because Raye has no intention to stop doing what she can to save the world. But there’s a mysterious entity out there who has discovered what Raye is up to, and they’ve become very interested. Not to mention, women are going missing in Phoenix, and it seems like the police aren’t taking it seriously. Raye believes someone should. So she recruits her best friend Luna, and between making coffees, mixing cocktails, planning parties and enduring family interventions (along with reunions), the Avenging Angels unite to ride to the rescue.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Avenging Angel

I really enjoyed this author’s previous novel Mrs. Nash’s Ashes. It was quirky and humorous and I’m hoping for a similar feel with this very different sounding novel. You read this synopsis and tell me that it doesn’t make you curious?

Synopsis: Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best (read: wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she’d like to think she’s a beneficentone. So if “cleansing” the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who’s she to say no?

Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn’t the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with Everett: the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that’s had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s.

Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie he can’t sell the property. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the way to win over the stubborn farmer—not exactly Gretchen’s strengths. But trust isn’t the only thing growing between them, and the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm looms over Gretchen almost as annoyingly as Everett himself. To save the goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she’s beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her life: being fully, genuinely herself.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Happy Medium

The Cheat Sheet and Practice Makes Perfect were both great, so who wouldn’t want to try out Sarah Adams newest book release? I will be first in line!

Synopsis: Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender, who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.

Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship save their careers or spark the romance of a lifetime?

Click this link to purchase this book!*

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase any of the book on this post by clicking a link, I’ll receive a very small stipend.

I know the weather is turning for the better when there’s an Emily Henry release on the horizon. I need to plan my vacation because this book is going to be perfect reading when I sit beachside!

Synopsis: Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.
 
Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.
 
 Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?
 
But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Click this link to purchase this book!* Funny Story

I love me some Abby Jimenez and I can’t wait to read her newest novel. Funny enough this will be the second book I’ve read recently with this kind of plot but I’m still looking forward to this author’s spin on it. Enough to give her the #1 spot!

Synopsis:

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work. 

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

Click this link to purchase this book!* Just For the Summer

I’m not kidding when I say there are so many great books coming out next month. Give a shout in the comments if there are any you are looking forward to reading!

Happy reading!

Deb

This Chicks Audio Review: The Exception to the Rule (The Improbably Meet Cute Collection) by Christina Lauren

It starts with an email sent to the wrong person on Valentine’s Day and continues on through 10 years of Happy Valentine’s emails. T and C were very young when the first email was sent and set up ground rules; no names, places, or personal information that could tie them back to their real lives. This sweet short story written by one of my favorite romance author duo’s quickly sets the stage of strangers to friends to lovers through cute emails.

I loved listening to this short story! Narrated by Marli Watson and Andrew Gibson who imbued T and C’s characters with life, humor, and well, life! I was hooked right from the beginning. If you have a short-ish commute you may get through this story in a day, it took me two and I enjoyed every minute. Sorry this review is short on details but I don’t want to give anything away. Enjoy! I did! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Exception to the Rule

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

This Chick Read: Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

The universe has a plan for Daphne Bell. When she meets men, the universe leaves her a note with the man’s name and the length of time that their relationship will last. Knowing when the relationship will end allows Daphne to relax and enjoy their time together, but it also leaves her skeptical that she’ll ever find “the one”. Then, on a blind date, she receives the note ‘Jake’ with no date. Does not having an end date mean that Jake is “the one”?

I found the premise of this story to be really interesting and wondered how the author could get the reader to buy into the notion that there is a time limit on love. As I was reading through the flashbacks of Daphne’s past relationships because I knew the ending before the story began I didn’t get too invested in that partner for Daphne. But that was kind of the point, right? I was feeling Daphne’s own ambivalence. This created a great contrast to the emotions Daphne felt when she received the slip of paper with no date for Jake.

I always love these little hints of magic that this author puts into her stories. They elevate the mundane, and in this case built up hope that fate is real and that we all have that chance to find our one true love. This is actually what I loved about this book the most. That after an existence filled with deadlines our heroine was given hope and after a couple of life’s twists and turns, would be allowed her own happily ever after.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Expiration Dates

Copyright 2024 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.