Tag: book reviews

This Chick Read: The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell

Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin. The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage—sugar replaced with salt, a burner turned to high—but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect.

This book was released in 2023 and has been on my radar for one reason only- the theme! As a lover of baking competition shows, how could I not be drawn to a mystery set during one of those same shows? This one is not in England, but in our own backyard- Vermont. Each chapter gives the reader the point of view from the perspective of a different character, so once I get them all straight in my head, the insights that POV provided into their reasons for being on the show got the plot rolling right along. They weren’t all captivating, but together it painted the picture very well. One of the most interesting characters was the host, Betsy Martin. In front of the camera she portrayed one persona but was she that person in private?

Each chapter led us through a mystery that read more like an Agatha Christie novel than Stephen King, so if you’re faint of heart, no worries. There wasn’t too much blood spilled between these pages. This was a very fast paced, easy to read mystery with very few moments of boredom or drudgery. This was a fun read! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Golden Spoon

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This Chick Read: Tenderfoot (Avenging Angels #3) by Kristen Ashley

Harlow O’Neill has been waiting for Javier Montoya to make his move. She’s interested in him, he’s interested in her, but he just isn’t taking that first step. She’s read all the Rock Chick books and knows how these Alpha males claim their woman. He’s just not claiming her. One evening Harlow’s undercover on a mission for the Angel’s and Javi blows her cover and Harlow is not happy about it. That evening he says hurtful things to Harlow and she retreats, determined to just be polite and move on from her crush. Javi on the other hand goes all in, knowing he messed up. The Angels investigation turns dangerous and Javi moves Harlow in with him for “her protection”. He starts to open up about his past and Harlow learns some things in his history that explains his behavior and she starts to fall in love.

Tenderfoot is the third book in the Avenging Angels series. The Angels are a part time investigation team a la Charlie’s Angels, where they’re backed by an unknown who calls themselves Arthur. They’ve got the cars, gadgets and a cool crib to hang in while doing their investigative work. The Angels are complete amateurs but have actually solved a couple of crimes which has given them confidence which may or may not be a good thing. Harlow is the positive, girly-girl of the group- the cheerleader. She always sees the bright side of things and truly, her commentary during these investigations add a nice bit of humor to those dialogs.

This series is not War and Peace by any means, but it’s entertaining and Kristen Ashley has given it that retro KA vibe- harkening back to her roots by spinning off from the Rock Chick series, which was the series I first read of hers and made me fall in love with her writing. Admittedly, this novel, mainly due to Harlow’s positivity and Javi’s he-man alpha-ness felt a little over the top but the book was entertaining and gave me that escape from reality that I needed. If I have anything slightly critical to say it would be that although Harlow’s dialogue was sweet and sunny, there was an excessive use of exclamation points. It did build her character as the “cheerleader”, but I thought it was a little overdone. Besides, that this was an enjoyable book and I can’t wait for the next installment. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Tenderfoot

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This Chick Read: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher

Every summer Stella and her childhood friends travel to search for hidden treasure. During an expedition in Iceland a chance encounter with best-selling novelist Huck Sullivan, has Stella thinking maybe her luck has changed. Huck has a horrible case of writer’s block and when he joins Stella and her friends on an adventure it seems to be the distraction he needs. Stella and Huck’s chemistry is undeniable and their night on the black sand beach in Iceland is everything dreams are made of, except for Huck isn’t there when Stella awakes. She vows to put him behind her, but a year later his most recent novel is again a bestseller and Stella looks to be his muse. Stella throws herself into the next treasure hunt but doesn’t expect an unexpected treasure hunter. Huck is determined to create his second chance with Stella and hopefully help her find the treasure she’s always seeked.

This is an author that does not write formulaic romances. At least in this reader’s humble opinion I’m surprised by the originality of each book and how different her novels are from each other. Heart Marks the Spot, about two people, Stella and Huck, who have had childhood trauma’s that have shaped the adults they have become. In Stella’s case, she’s always searching for a treasure that will gain the attention of her parents who both left her when she was a child. In Huck’s case, he is always battling that internal voice of his father who is tellling him he’s never going to be good enough, despite the many books he’s written that have landed on the bestseller list. In each other, they find an ease and friendship, then again a love that secures those wants and feelings for them, but of course, not without the trials and tribulations that all great romance novel heroes and heroines have to overcome. Libby Hubscher does such a fine job at building thier back stories that I’m truly rooting on this couple so that they can each get that happy ending they deserve.

As Stella says in this novel, treasure hunting is pretty boring, but it seems that Huck might be her good luck charm because with him around it doesn’t seem very boring at all. This group’s penchant for finding the goods is a little bit of fantasy, I’m sure, but it makes for very good reading. I enjoyed getting to know the crew and seeing the parallels between the constantly changing structure of that group of friends and the changes in the ocean with the ebb and flow of tides, shifting of topography, and movement of the treasure they are hunting. The author took her time helping us to understand the intricacies and interconnections of these friendships. Stella and Huck’s story wasn’t the only one I was invested in which made this a really well rounded bit of fiction that lives up to its name. This book drew me in with the story but kept me around because of its heart. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Heart Marks the Spot

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This Chick Read: Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods

When Sadie Brooks loses her marketing job in NYC, she decides to spend the summer with her best friend in a small town in Texas. Depressed and overwhelmed about her future, she agrees to take part in his Dungeons and Dragons game with three other people who are also new to the game. In the game, she becomes Jaylie, a powerful cleric who is blessed by the Goddess of Good Luck. Something she feels she doesn’t have a lot of until she meets Noah Walker, who plays as Loren the lute strumming bardic elf. As she contributes in the game and gets to know her fellow characters she draws on those strengths to navigate and make some decisions about her real life. Will her future take her back to New York? Or will she remain in Texas and explore what she’s beginning to feel for Noah?

Even though I’ve never played a Dungeons and Dragons game in my life the way Roll for Romance was written it was very easy to follow. Sadie as herself was very easy to empathize with and wish her good luck in finding her way. When she played Jaylie we could see how as she grew confidence in the game it paralleled how she was feeling in her real life. I loved how this author used the two plots to help grow Sadie’s character and help her see the direction she might want to take as she started over.

Noah was an interesting character for a love interest. He was very laid back, charming, and easy going. There are quite a few similarities between he and his D&D character Loren. What was strange about him was that he doesn’t stay long in one city, moving as the mood hits him. Not your usual hero vibe, although he paired well with Sadie who in her NY life was structured and suited, while in TX she is more easy breezy and figuring out her future.

This novel was very easy to read and quite enjoyable! I’m a fantasy reader so it wasn’t hard to make that jump from current world to fictional world and I liked the variety of characters between those two worlds. If you like fantasy and/or D&D this one would be a no brainer for you. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Roll for Romance

Copyright 2025 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter

When professional cleaner, Abi Mariano’s house had an infestation and she needed a place to stay, she chose to stay a client’s home when they were out of town. When she woke up the next day to his parents in the kitchen they might have gotten the misconception that she was his girlfriend Abby, a girlfriend Declan made up. When Dex goes searching for his “girlfriend” he finds her at her second job ringing up groceries at the local grocer. Instead of filing charges he proposes a bargain that she pretend to be his girlfriend for a work event and she can continue to stay at his house while her’s is getting fumigated. What start off as an innocent fake dating plot turns into real-life feelings that Abi and Dex aren’t sure that they want to go away.

Lynn Painter has such a great style of writing. Her dialog is always easy and fun and her characters well-thought out and likable. While I didn’t love Abi’s reasons for staying in Dex’s house, I did love how she was clever and sassed her way into staying there for the whole week with his permission. Similarly I didn’t love Dex’s lack of care for how much money he had but I loved that he had an ulterior motive for why he thought that way, which the author delivered by the end of the story. These two were well paired and their romance was an enjoyable bit of fun.

Abi’s dislike for the uber-wealthy stems from never having enough money herself. While she never really shows Dex her true self until 2/3rds of the book is finished, the reader sees each character clearly allowing us to overlook some of their faults. Abi’s resolve to change her circumstances through education and hard work makes her worthy of the reader’s esteem. Similarly to Dex’s easy going nature and charm allow us to see him as a worthy partner for her even though he keeps trying to throw money at her to solve all their problems. It’s a fantasy world and these two are lucky enough to be inhabiting this romance novel and the author has made the fantasy believable.

If you’re looking for a fun book that will have you chuckling, I think this one is a perfect fit! I need to make sure I’ve read all of this author’s previous novels. This is the second one I’ve read recently and the second one I’m recommending.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Maid for Each Other

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

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This Chick Read: Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman

Lauren Parker has gone through a few iterations in her life. Teenage hell-raiser, sister to a movie star, and tragically widowed single mother. When she and daughter take a trip out to California to visit with her brother on his movie set she meets actor Ben Walsh. They have instant chemistry and Lauren takes that chance to have that moment for herself and be seen. When their sexy encounter becomes something more Lauren has to decide if there’s room in both their lives for this relationship. He star is rising and she lives in a small town in Minnesota.

Elissa Sussman uses flashbacks about Lauren’s relationship with her childhood friend/husband Spencer as a way to show the reader Lauren is still working through her grief, while at the same time explaining a spirit within that never truly died out, even as she had settled down with her husband and started a family. This “explanation” helps the reader make that jump into how a small town mother can hook up with a beautiful movie star who is more than ten years her junior. That rebellious nature hasn’t completely died out despite her being a single mom raising a teenager who is quite spirited herself.

The relationship between she and Ben was lovely and not to take anything away from the romance of it, stands on its own. However, it’s what she learns about herself as she’s exploring that relationship is the heart of the story. Her grief is balanced by her will to live a full life. She and Ben’s exploration of each other and a possible future relationship is a way to move on from the very loving marriage she had with Spencer. The dual nature of this author’s storytelling was deftly written and really showed Lauren’s growth in all aspects of her life.

I haven’t read all of this author’s novels, but as I was reading I was reminded about how much I enjoy her style of writing. I need to go look at her backlist and see what I’ve been missing out on! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Totally and Completely Fine

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

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This Chick Read: Relationship Goals by Brittany Kelley

Abigail Hunt lands a lead dramatic role and is sent by the director to shadow an executive at the local pro soccer team. When she meets grumpy super star Luke Wolfe she is entertained by his surly demeanor and doesn’t let his nature cast shadows on her good nature. Despite his surliness he’s charmed and distracted by her personality and despite being coerced by the owners to show her around he wants to see her again and asks her out on a date. When she finds out he’s faking the relationship she decides to get even.

I was drawn to this romance because hello! It’s a sports romance and I have a fondness for those, especially involving soccer players. I loved the fake dating premise and the fact that Luke was the grumpy hero. What I ended up liking about the book after reading it was how sweet Luke actually was. Abi was so easy to like and her bubbly personality easily broke through Luke’s walls and I very easily fell for this couple. The reader was let in on the fact that Luke didn’t ask Abi out willingly so her foray into revenge was a letdown. I hated seeing her character lose that sparkle in her eye.

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for a sweet, slightly surly romance that won’t take me too long to get into and not long to finish. This novel exceeded my expectations and I’ll be sure to take a look at this author’s other novels. This was my first Brittany Kelley novel and it was enjoyable!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Relationship Goals

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*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 Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

When Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, falls ill, he realizes he needs the expertise of a very specific healer. As fate would have it, that healer belongs to an enemy faction, the Haelan Order. Aurienne Fairhrim and her fellow Haelan are inundated by sick children suffering from an outbreak of a long-forgotten Pox. Unable to get the funding needed to launch an immunization program, the Haelan Order is desperate for money – so desperate that when Osric breaks into their headquarters to bribe Aurienne to heal him, she is forced to accept. As Osric and Aurienne work together to solve not only his illness but the mysterious reoccurrence of the Pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction which only fuels the tension between them.

There were quite a few surprises in this novel. The first was that even though I expected it to be a slow burn romance, as noted on the synopsis, I didn’t expect my own ambivalence to both characters and whether their romance ever achieved that status. Osric, had a laissez-faire towards killing and in fact, went about it on a daily basis. Whereas Aurienne was a healer and saved lives, also daily. Their two life callings were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum and the thought that they would fall in love seemed pretty unlikely. The second surprise was that she was a cold priss and Osric was an egomaniac with delusions of being a supermodel. Neither was likable at all. Why would they ever even get together? I was curious how the author was going to make things work for them so I did finish the novel, but I will say that I thought several times about putting it down and starting something else. This was a slow burn that was a slooowwww buuuurrrrnnnnn. It took a long time to get to the point.

Needless to say, I really didn’t enjoy these characters. I really don’t enjoy writing negative reviews but thanks to receiving an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review, I honestly felt I needed to give one. I will say that I’ve seen some reviews for this novel where those reviewers really enjoyed it so it could be that this one just wasn’t my jam. If it intrigues you, try it out for yourself and give it a go! ❤️❤️❤️

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 Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy

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

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This Chick Read: Realm of Thieves by Karina Halle

Dragon eggs are highly coveted for their magic, and crime syndicates hire thieves to go into these dangerous lands to steal these eggs so they can be sold to the highest bidder. Brynla Aihr is searching for dragon’s nests with her magical dog when she’s kidnapped and blackmailed by Lord Andor to help steal eggs for House Kolbeck. Brynla and Andor clash at every turn sparking heat that Brynla’s never felt before. In a world rife with betrayal and secrets how close to the flames is she willing to stand?

When I read the synopsis for this novel I was immediately drawn to this world that dragons inhabit and the magic from their eggs is currency. As I started to read it I found it easy to read and the world that Karina Halle built easy to understand. Brynla was the kind of heroine I’m usually drawn to, so why did have such a difficult time enjoying this book? I made myself keep reading it because like I said, it wasn’t hard to read or understand. I just didn’t enjoy the story. Maybe it was the fact that eggs were being stolen, or that Brynla wasn’t the easiest person to like. When Andor entered the picture I kept reading because I thought their romance might give the story a bit of a push I felt it needed. Nope. In fact, I didn’t get them as a couple at all. Sure he was big and attractive and she was mysterious and had a magic dog. Truly the dog was the most interesting character in the book. I wish I’d known a bit more about his back story! LOL.

I finished the book, so it’s not on my DNF list, but that’s the best thing that’s come out of reading this novel. It took me about 10 days to get through, which I hate. Too many books to read and too little time to do it to spend on a book I am not really loving or hating. The cover was pretty awesome, so I liked that and the dog. Hey, it’s better than nothing! ❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Realm of Thieves

Copyright 2025 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: Problematic Summer Romance (Not In Love#2) by Ali Hazelwood

Maya Killgore has been in love with her brothers best friend for three years and she just can’t get over her feelings. They haven’t talked in almost a year but her brother’s destination wedding is going to force them to be together for one week straight. Maya knows she can handle it, but being with Conor Harkness is going bubble all of those feelings to the surface and she’ll have to face being treated like a child by the man she loves. Conor has a real problem with their age difference. Maya is twenty-three and Conor is thirty-eight. She decides a summer fling might be just what she needs even if it’s a problematic one.

I really do love all of Ali Hazelwood’s female protagonists. Maya may be only twenty-three but she is a brilliant scientist. Her outlook on life through that microscope lense does make her a bit more mature than your average young woman starting a career, but there are moments when the reader is reminded of her inexperience. Most of those are seen through flashbacks to three years ago when she and Conor really got to know each other. I think they are supposed to represent not only their history, but also a contrast to how young she was then to the more mature Maya three years later. It works a bit, she does know what she wants, but without a little life experience she does seem a little young. Conor on the other hand, at thirty-eight does have his own business, but is a bit emotionally stunted from things he went through in his youth. He’s older, but feels a little younger. That narrows down their age difference to around 12 years. Does that really matter? Each reader is going to have their own opinion on that scenario. Despite Conor’s bringing it up all the time, I wouldn’t really have noticed the age difference.

In this novel, the author returns to a slow burn format. This is where our two romantic leads percolate through the whole book, building tension until the reader wants to give them a good shove in order to get the romance started. With the main conflict being their age difference, I really liked that they didn’t immediately get physical. I think that would have felt a bit icky, but because the tension built by the time they declared their feelings and got physical, their age difference felt natural and the reader was able to enjoy the story.

Ali Hazelwood is exploring a lot of themes in her books lately. The theme of an age difference in Problematic Summer Romance was interesting and surprisingly hot. Conor had that perfect amount of surly Alpha that the author does so well and Maya had just enough brilliance to match his experience. This novel is going to appeal to a lot of her readers. I know I enjoyed it.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Problematic Summer Romance

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