Tag: book review

This Chick Read: Perfect Together by Kristen Ashley

Wyn and Remy Gastineau had a wonderful marriage until they didn’t and Remy walked out on Wyn without an explanation. Three years later and Wyn has come to the realization that their marriage is actually over- she is ready to move on. Remy has decided he made the biggest mistake of his life and wants Wyn back.

Second chance romances are not my usual, but I do read almost all of Kristen Ashley’s books (sorry, I didn’t read her foray into erotica) and this one seemed to be a stand alone so I wanted to give it a read. I am so glad I did! It took awhile before the reason for Remy walking out was given but I loved the leading up scenes and Wyn’s confusion about what the heck was going on. I also really liked the emotional depth that Kristen Ashley gave to Remy’s reason and how both he and Wyn worked through these issues. It was dramatic, sometimes overly so, but it also felt real. Something I’m not used to in a KA novel. Her books are sometimes pretty outlandishly portrayed. There were elements of the overly dramatic but for the most part the reactions felt real which gave me a more powerful reaction to the story.

I loved Wyn and Remy’s kids, Sabre, Manon, and Yves. Sabre, the oldest is very like his father, an alpha male but has a bit of a mushy center. Manon, is sweet but has a strong core, and Yves is kind of a combination of the two. Their inclusion in the plot added so much to the story. I don’t know that the book would have been as effective without their opinions, reactions, and everything. Sometimes kids take away from the core duos story, but in this case their children were fully integrated and it made sense. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Perfect Together

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Beginner’s Luck (Chance of a Lifetime #1) by Kate Clayborn

Three friends purchase have a drunk night out and purchase a lottery ticket joking they’d split the winnings if their numbers came up. When they did, they each had plans to make changes in their lives. This first novel follows Kit’s story. Working as an engineer at the local university, Kit is happy at her job although she would love her equipment to have an upgrade. When Ben Tucker, a recruiter, comes calling, Kit has no intention of taking him up on his offer but finds herself running into him while rehabbing her home. Ben is back in town to take care of his father for a few months while he recovers from a stroke and is helping run the restoration hardware store and he has what Kit needs.

I loved the home rehabbing angle of this romance. Ben approaches Kit as one person, the suit wielding power broker, but shows his true colors in a t-shirt and jeans with a wrench in his hand. These two sides of Ben made him so much more personable and you could see how he and Kit, who was as down to earth as they come, fitting together. Their characters were very well crafted and I liked them for each other a lot.

Another thing that made this book work so well were the relationships outside of Ben and Kit. Kit had her core girlfriends who had her back, gave her love, and understood her quirks. Ben’s relationship to his father was warm, sweet, and gruffly caring. All of these characters really added to this novel because it wasn’t just about Ben and Kit, although they were certainly the heart of the novel. They just made them feel rounded and real.

I have read some of Kate Clayborn’s newer novels and wanted to go back through her back list and see what I’d missed and The Chance of a Lifetime series jumped out at me. If they’re all like this first book I’m going to enjoy their charm! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Beginner’s Luck

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: My Top 5 Most Anticipated Book Releases- Aug’23

Yes, I do know it’s Wednesday and not Sunday but I was totally into a great audiobook over the weekend and didn’t get this post written until Sunday night. Sorry! There are a log of great August book releases, but these are my top 5.

#5 BOOK RELEASE

After reading a great fantasy novel by this author her name jumped out at me on the list. I love a great contemporary romance and this plot looks so good!

Synopsis:

When Izzy Astor gets on a plane to go home, she isn’t expecting much. It’s the usual holiday travel experience: busy, crowded, stressful.

Then she spots her seatmate, who is anything but ordinary. Nate Phelan sports dark hair, blue eyes, and a deliciously rugged charm that Izzy can’t resist. Their connection is undeniable. Izzy never believed in destiny before, but she does now.

Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River.

Their lives change. They change. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right.

Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy’s life.

He’ll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart.

Click this link to purchase this book- In the Likely Event

#4 BOOK RELEASE

I love a good enemies to lovers trope and throw in plot about caring for a disabled child and I’m all in. This one looks good!

Synopsis: It all started with an unexpected phone call.
Two years after my fiancé passed away in an accident, his father died suddenly, leaving Brad’s adult, special-needs brother with no one to care for him.
The next thing I knew, I was on a cross-country drive to New Hampshire where I’d be moving in to look after Scottie until I could get him into a group home.
The last thing I ever expected?
I wouldn’t be taking care of him alone.
Josh Mathers, my fiancé’s best friend—who also happened to be my sworn enemy—insisted he was the better person for the job. He told me to go back to California, and I told him where he could stick that demand.
Our disdain for each other wasn’t anything new. It dated back to a text I’d accidentally read years ago.
We hated each other. But we both loved Scottie, so neither of us budged.
Now we were living together in a tiny house—with one available bedroom. Thank goodness it was only temporary.
Over time, I realized the broody jerk I thought I knew was different than I’d imagined.
I found myself slowly growing attached to someone I once considered the enemy…and growing attracted to him.
Sure, both of us were guilt-ridden over Brad. We were also two grown people with pent-up frustration toward one another—stuck in a cabin in the woods.
But this was Josh.

Click this link to purchase this book- I Could Never

#3 BOOK RELEASE

Hazel Beck can write a great magical witchy plot and I can’t wait to see where she takes us with this second book in the series. This sister is one interesting chick!

Synopsis: Is her magic a threat to witchkind…or is she simply powerful enough to save the world?

Rebekah Wilde was eighteen when she left St. Cyprian, officially stripped of her magic and banished from her home. Ten years later, she’s forced to return to face the Joywood Coven, who preside over not just her hometown but the whole magical world. Rebekah is happy to reunite with her sister, and with her friends, but the implications of her return are darker and more dangerous than they could have imagined.

The Joywood are determined to prove Rebekah and her friends are a danger to witchkind, and her group faces an impending death sentence if they can’t prove otherwise. Rebekah must seek help from the only one who knows how to stop the Joywood—the ruthless immortal Nicholas Frost. Years ago, he was her secret tutor in magic, and her secret impossible crush. But the icy immortal is as remote and arrogant as ever, and if he feels anything for Rebekah—or witchkind—it’s impossible to tell.

Click this link to purchase this book- Big Little Spells

#2 BOOK RELEASE

I’m actually reading this one right now and it’s as eerie as that cover looks. I love a good mystery and so far this one is delivering the goods.

Synopsis: There’s no safe place for a child to hide when danger comes from every direction.

Public prosecutor J.P. “Kaj” Cardozo has only lived in New Orleans for six months, and he’s already working on a high-profile celebrity sexual assault case that’s made headlines all over the country. But when his son becomes the target of a kidnapping attempt as a threat to Kaj, he is desperate to keep him safe and turns to a private investigative firm famous for their protection services.

A veteran Marine, Val Sorensen is glad to have found a new career with Broussard Investigations. Her latest assignment as the bodyguard to ten-year-old Elijah Cardozo reminds her why—Val is a kick ass guardian with a tender heart.  Through her duties, Val grows fond of the boy—and his handsome father.

But when the high-stakes investigation reveals an explosive network of crime through a revived drug gang, lingering deep-seated corruption in the NOPD, and a group of murderers-for-hire targeting Kaj, Elijah, and his star client, they’re all left scrambling for safety…

Click this link to purchase this book- Beneath Dark Waters

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase one of these books through the above links I’ll receive a small stipend.

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE – AUGUST’23

Lucy Parker’s books are immediate reads for me I enjoy her writing so much. This series is so much fun!

Synopsis:

Petunia De Vere enjoys being the personal assistant to lovable, bumbling Johnny Marchmont. But the job has its share of challenges, including the royal’s giant, intimidating bodyguard, Matthias. Pet and Matthias are polar opposites—she’s spontaneous and enthusiastic, he’s rigid and stoic—but she can sense there’s something softer underneath that tough exterior…

For Matthias Vaughn, protecting others is the name of the game. But keeping his royal charge out of trouble is more difficult than he imagined because everywhere Johnny goes, calamity ensues, and his petite, bubbly assistant is often caught in the fray. Matthias hates the idea of Pet getting hurt and he’s determined to keep everyone safe, even if it means clashing with his adorable new coworker.

When a clumsy moment leads to a questionable tabloid photo, the press begins to speculate that Pet is romantically involved with Johnny. To put an end to the rumors, the royal PR team asks Pet and Matthias to stage a fake relationship and the two reluctantly agree. But as they spend more time together outside of work, they begin to wonder what real emotions this pretend connection might uncover. Especially when a passionate kiss leaves both of their heads spinning… 

Click this link to purchase this book- Codename Charming

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick’s Audio Review: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is imploding- her divorce is just about finalized, the promotion she was looking for has been delayed, and her brother’s chances for a new kidney are one in a million. When the new Dr. Jacob Maddox over-steps she goes into full on beast mode and delivers a set down that they both will never forget. Realizing his error, Jacob writes her an old fashioned letter that starts a back and forth letter exchange that creates a rock solid friendship. When Jacob secretly tests himself and is a match as a donor for her brother’s kidney Brianna will do just about anything Jacob wants in return for this life-saving gift. Jacob asks for that favor- he wants Brianna to pretend to be his girlfriend for a series of events with his family, something that she’s happy to do, but this line she crosses makes it very hard for them to ever go back to being “just friends”.

First, I need to give props to the narrators, Kyla Garcia and Zachary Webber. I’m a huge fan of Zachary Webber’s and have listened to him many time so falling back into his voice and portrayal of Jacob was no hardship and super easy. Kyla Garcia was a new narrator for me, but she too was wonderful and the two of them together had great chemistry. Abby Jimenez wrote some great dialog for these two characters and due to their narration, I was all in. This story caught me hook, line, and sinker.

These letters that Briana and Jacob exchanged were such a great way to create a voice for each character. Their jobs as emergency room doctors would be a dreadful read, but their relaying their days to each other on paper allowed the author to create unique voices for each of them. It also allowed the characters to relay things about themselves that would be hard to say in person. So, they got to know each other quickly and when they finally became friends in person it was a seamless exchange. I just so loved that. Am I the only one that was reminded of the movie You’ve Got Mail during these chapters? It was just all so fun and charming. I was smiling the whole time I read those letters.

I really liked how this novel explored social anxiety as a theme. I think it’s one of the first times where I’ve read a romance where the hero had this mental issue and it really opened my eyes to anxiety and how people deal with living with it. I loved how Briana knew how to deal with it and automatically did things to make him feel more comfortable, really without much thought. It made me love her a lot and get invested in the two of them as a couple. Briana too, was not without her own mental issues and the author did a great job explaining what was happening in a realistic way that didn’t get bogged down by technical terms. Briana and Jacob were so present for each other you couldn’t help but love them both.

I found this novel charming, funny, emotional, sad, and inspiring. I’m kind of surprised to be using those descriptors in what I thought would be a simple rom-com but this novel had a depth that leapt out and punched me in the face and made me take notice. You can’t help but admire a story that makes you feel all of those things and then reflect back on it again days later and say to yourself, yeah, that was a really good one. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Yours Truly

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (7/31/23)

OK, I know I said a couple of weeks ago that I love the summer when it’s hot outside and I can curl up inside in the air conditioning with a good book, but this weather is ridiculous! In Nashville it’s been triple digits and it’s pretty hard to cool down even with air conditioning. Regardless, I am still curling up with a good book… or two.

JUST FINISHED

It’s a good thing the weather was so hot because I chose to listen to this novel and it’s fast paced action sequences, fight against good & evil, and love story were hard to set aside. Oh, and did I say there was dragons????!!! I LOVE dragons!

JUST STARTED

After the action in Fourth Wing, I needed a genre switch and chose Beneath Dark Waters. This novel started off with a jolt and I’m loving the heroine so far. Can’t wait to see where it leads.

Are you staying out of the heat? Hang in there with a good book!

Have a great Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Flirting With Fire by Jane Porter

Margot Hughes has spent 25 years of her life pursuing a career in theater and after a horrible break-up with her fiancé she moves back home to Cambria and finds work in real estate. When her boss and friend, Sally, has a heart attack, Margot finds herself flung back onto the stage, helping launch Sally’s local historic theater production of Barefoot in the Park. The director and lead actor’s had quit and Margot was having trouble casting when TV star Max Russo arrives in town to see his dear friend Sally and agrees to help Margot by taking the male lead if she will cast herself in the other spot. While regretting the circumstances Margot reluctantly finds herself enjoying being back on a stage, especially opposite a professional like Max, and the heat that strikes between them makes for some really interesting scenes.

Even though Flirting with Fire can be read as a standalone novel you will find some familiar characters popping up from the other Flirting novels by Jane Porter. I’m not sure if her other books have more mature hero’s and heroine’s but I have thoroughly enjoyed reading a novel about people who have similar thoughts and feelings to my own. Margot is 49 years old and while Max is slightly younger, it’s refreshing to read a novel with a solid story with some sizzle with characters who are a bit more mature. Margot had appeared in the other Flirting novels and I was eagerly anticipating her own love story because her devastating breakup had already been told and I was happy to see her get her own hea. She and Max had an instant attraction but what I really loved about the two of them together was they understood each other’s life decisions. It was easy to like and root for them.

I’ll admit I love books set on the stage. It’s not something I’ve ever aspired to do but it sure is fun to read about putting on a production and the team work it takes to make it happen. Margot and Max made a great team and their energy made for some fun reading! This novel hit all of my buttons and once I picked it up I couldn’t put it down.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Flirting with Fire

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick’s Audio Review: Happy Place by Emily Henry

College sweetheart couple Harriet and Wyn have been broken up for five months but haven’t yet told their close group of friends. When Harriet and friends plan a vacation visit to their favorite beach cottage she is surprised when Wyn shows up. Stuck together for a week while being on a couples vacation is a hardship but all of this close contact reminds them of their chemistry and how much they miss each other. Happy Place is Emily Henry’s love story between this couple but it’s also about growing older, growing apart, and still finding those commonalities that will make you hold on to the ones you love.

I look forward to Emily Henry’s novels every year so when Happy Place was released I immediately checked the audiobook out from the library and started it up. Narrated by the uber talented Julia Whelan who has voiced Emily Henry’s other novels, I’m immediately drawn to these six characters but especially to Harriet and Wyn. This cottage at the beach is resident doctor Harriet’s happy place, especially since she and Wyn broke up, and Wyn promised her that he would stay at home for this vacation with their friends. So, when she arrives and finds him there plus that they’d have to share a room she is furious. She doesn’t want to put on a happy face with their friends and carry on this facade. However, they made their bed and if they don’t want to spoil the impromptu wedding of two of their friends, they need to fake it til they make it. Easier said than done.

This second chance romance was heart-rending. Their love story was told in flashbacks so the contrast between their falling in love and preparing for their life together and the current situation is so drastic it really helps build the tension between the two characters. Julia Whelan who voices every character did such a great job, I was totally enmeshed in this story and wanted desperately to know how it ends way just to end my torture. I will admit that I cried through about four hours of this audiobook. The build-up had such heartache, coupled with the great friendships and knowing how those change as life goes on. Oh my gosh, I loved this book for what it made me feel, but hated going through all of those feelings. I think it took two days for me to recover and my eyes to un-puff. I kid you not.

If you love slow burn romances then you need to read Happy Place. The characters are developed so well, not just our two main characters but all six of these best friends. You come to care for them all and as an older person myself, really appreciating what these 30-somethings are going through because I’ve gone through the change in friendships myself. Feeling those emotions again was agonizing and so real and true. Despite my going through a box of tissues I wouldn’t have missed reading this book. Happy Place was a gem. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Happy Place

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: To Have and To Heist by Sara Desai

Simi Chopra is buried in student loan debt, can only find entry level jobs despite her BA, and is constantly being set up with men by her South Asian parents who mean well but are too involved in her personal life. When her hacker best friend Chloe gets set up as the fall guy when an expensive necklace is stolen from a museum, Simi doesn’t hesitate to run to her aid, and meets Jack while hiding in the bushes. Jack proposes a scheme to steal back the necklace and help get she and Chloe’s off the police’s short list of suspects. Hilarity ensues.

This is my first novel by Sara Desai and I’m unsure if the style of this book is her norm but OMG Simi was sooo funny! Her inner commentary about her life and those of the people around her were laugh out loud hilarious. This novel was not at all what I was expecting. Needless to say, I loved Simi. She was a complete wild card and I really didn’t know what she was going to say next. Her crew that she pulled together for the heist were all definitely outside the spectrum of normal that it made for some really fun reading.

I didn’t really know what to think of Jack. Simi was a pretty luscious lady and she not only had her eye on Jack, but also the detective charged with solving the museum robbery and I wasn’t really sure who she was going to settle down with, they were both kind of sweet. For me, there were some problems with a Simi- Jack pairing as he seemed to always have his own agenda and for a girl who was always left on her own I wanted a lot better for her. However, he sure was charming and their scenes were a lot of fun.

The side characters in this novel were a large part of what made it so successful. Rose, her over lusty landlord was a hoot and I loved the secondary love story between Chloe and Gage. There was a lot going on in this novel but these characters didn’t make it hard to keep reading. What fun! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* To Have and To Heist

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: The Prince & The Apocalypse by Kara McDowell

Wren Wheeler has anticipated her school trip abroad for years but when it finally happens she finds the experience wasn’t what she dreamed of at all. Sick with the flu, a fight with her best friend, and missing her family all contributed to her just wanting to be at home. On her last day in London she decides to grab a quick breakfast at a restaurant her sister recommended and finds herself saving the crown prince from the paparazzi making her miss her flight back home. When news gets out about a meteor strike heading towards the Atlantic, flights ground to a halt and the only person she has to turn to is the crown prince himself.

This novel was a fun bit of fantasy! Wren is not impressed by Prince Theo’s star status at all which makes for some fun dialog, and there’s nothing like an end of the world scenario to bring two people together that would never normally hang out. As they travel across Europe to Greece where a private plane can whisk Wren back home these two grow closer. Is it circumstance or are they really drawn to each other’s personalities? That’s a question the second book can and I hope will answer.

If you like young adult novels that aren’t realistic but are fun to read then The Prince & The Apocalypse may be the right novel for you! I certainly enjoyed this fun flight of fantasy remembering my own young dreams of meeting my own prince. It’s only in a book where that man could be the Crown Prince of England! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Prince & The Apocalypse

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

Portrait artist Sadie Montgomery wakes up to a temporary condition called “facial blindness” making painting portraits absolutely impossible to do. She is determined to find a way to paint her entry to the North American Portrait Artists competition, a chance to make a name for herself with her art. As she is navigating this new world she is also falling in love with not one, but two very different men. Her life is a mess and her family one big drama so she’s used to overcoming obstacles but this one might be more than she can take.

Katherine Center strikes again! Hello Stranger is more than a romance novel, it’s really about a woman trying to find her way in an obstacle filled life. Her facial blindness is just one more problem, but when she meets a very sharply dressed veterinarian she’s determined that they are the perfect match. Until she meets her very helpful neighbor. Unable to identify anyone by their faces she has to rely on all of her other senses which makes for some great comic relief. Sadie’s sad story becomes heartwarming and that humor makes a kind of unreal problem feel very real indeed.

I thought it a very clever tool to write a novel where descriptions of people’s faces just don’t happen. Just like Sadie, the reader is totally reliant upon the clothing people wear, their perfume, or even what they eat to identify friend or foe. This novel was really different and although I wasn’t surprised by where it led me I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the journey. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Hello Stranger

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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