Tag: Kate Clayborn

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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Best of Luck (Chance of a Lifetime #3) by Kate Clayborn

Greer and her two best friends buy a lottery ticket after a night out together- and win! Greer spends her money on the education that she always wanted, fast tracking her way to a degree in social work in only two years. When she finds out that she is missing one class and won’t be able to graduate as expected she asks her best friend’s brother and famous photographer for help in getting her into the course she needs to take. Alex agrees, but when that one favor turns into a month in town helping Greer he needs to face the reason why he is always running towards another photography job and never wants to stay in town with his sister.

There was so much more to Greer and Alex than we see on the surface of this novel. It’s not until a few chapters in that I realize Greer has a past health issue that was the reason why she never went to college. Alex, too, had a LOT to work through. The fact that these two characters were drawn to each other weren’t necessarily a surprise but that they stuck it out was. OK, I do know this is a romance and they are the protagonists so I was maybe not that surprised.

I loved that these two were rocks for each other. They had mountains to climb and a LOT to overcome but they had each other to turn to. The story wasn’t without conflict between the two of them which added that feeling of suspense and anticipation and made the ending so satisfying.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Best of 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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Luck of the Draw (Chance of a Lifetime #2) by Kate Clayborn

When Zoe and her friends won the lottery, each of them had a plan. Zoe, quit her job as a corporate attorney and tried to address the guilt she felt for some of the things she had to do. Writing her feelings on slips of paper and putting them in a jar, Zoe pulls one out and is determined to face her past. Aiden O’Leary is grieving the loss of his brother and facing the woman who sat across the table from his family for the company whose drug helped kill him was the last thing he wanted, but he saw an opportunity. Aiden’s plan for the money his family got in the lawsuit is to purchase a camp and he needs someone to stand by his side as his fianceé, and he asks Zoe to take that place. Over the next six weekends they see a different side of each other and gain a closeness that neither wants to go away.

Luck of the Draw was not quite as charming as the first novel in the series, Beginner’s Luck. Part of this was the subject matter and Aiden’s back story. It’s hard to read a sad novel about a man overcoming the loss of his brother and also Zoe’s guilt that goes along with dealing out the payment for that man’s loss. This was the heart of the story, but there were moments of light inside that darkness. Zoe’s needing to fill Aiden’s silence with chatter, his stoic facade cracking into a grin, their need to hold onto each other, and more. Each of these small moments made you look forward to that next moment that led to Zoe and Aiden’s guilt slowly dissipating. So, yes, there wasn’t as much charm in this novel, but there were plenty of great moments. Also, there was one heck of a declaration from Aiden to Zoe and that one scene was worth everything.

Kate Clayborn has proven that she writes a great story and once again she has also proven that she fills those stories with some great side-characters. As with the first, the girl group who won the lottery together, Kit, Greer, and Zoe stood by each other, embraced their differences, and doled out support and advice. They were wonderful and I wish I had that same kind of girl group in my own life. Aiden was a little bit more of a loner. He was so consumed with grief that despite having people close to him, he held them at a distance because it was too hard to let anyone close. However, as the book advanced and he went through a healing process, he allowed those friends close and that was a win- they were also great side characters who added charm and fun which was needed.

So, I didn’t like this book as much as the first but I still liked it a lot. It had its own heart. It was a little bit more difficult to get through because of the sadness, but once that dissipated a bit, this novel was a gem. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Luck of the Draw

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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

Personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy is out of a job and had moved back in to her parents home while she tries to figure out what to do with her life. Her parents are supposed to be traveling the country in their RV and the house empty but they have double booked house sitters and she finds herself sharing the house with Levi Fanning, ex-bad boy and brother to the guy she had a crush on when she was a kid. When she comes across a diary she wrote about what she needs to do to prepare for high school, she realizes that the girl she used to be got lost, so she decides to do some of the things she wrote, with Levi’s help. As they make their way through her wishlist they learn a lot about themselves and each other.

Georgie, All Along was such a fantastic feel-good novel. I think every reader can identify with Georgie’s situation. Losing their job and finding themselves floundering of life’s choices. Also, finding a connection with a grumpy but sexy man. Well, I did the first, but not the second but her journey of finding herself, with Levi’s help was emotional, personal, and oh so fun to read.

Like I said above, Georgie was so easy to like. She may have been a little lost but her heart was in the right place and her method of finding her way entertaining. Levi was also that grump you always secretly crushed on. A troubled past combined with his taciturn nature made him slightly mysterious but also his story pulled at your heart. I knew immediately that I was going to root for these two to find their way to each other. Georgie never had that feeling of completeness, and Levi never had his own person to belong to. They were perfect for each other!

Most of my favorite romance authors include great groups of friendships in their novels and Georgie was a girl that collected friends. I loved how each of them wanted the best for her and supported her in finding her way, but also delivered the truths that she needed to hear. Levi didn’t have that gang, but that made his need for Georgie resonate even more and their union supreme.

If you are in the mood for an emotional journey that hits those storytelling high notes, this is the book you need to pick up. I enjoyed this one a LOT and this author is now on my must read list.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase this book!* Georgie, All Along

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: Love at First by Kate Clayborn

When he was sixteen, Will went with his mother to Chicago to visit an uncle he never knew he had. While outside on his uncle’s balcony he hears a girl one or two floors up speaking to someone. Her voice captures his imagination and he thinks of her all the time over the years following. Sixteen years later he inherits his uncle’s condo and meets that same girl, now a young woman whom he has an instant connection. The problem is that he wants to use the condo as a long term rental and Nora and the other occupants of the building are against it. Love at First is an atypical enemies to lovers tale with a great cast of side characters and two main characters who will tug at your heart.

As I was reading Love at First and getting used to the pace I was having flashbacks to the movies Sleepless in Seattle and While You Were Sleeping. Both of those are favorite romance movies of mine. Love At First has a similar pace and humor. Softly sweet and a little magical. Will and Nora (perhaps named after Nora Ephron?) despite being on opposite sides of the rental argument have that instant connection that adds an electricity to their interactions. Literally and metaphysically. When they touch hands for the first time they felt that connection and despite not seeing each other much at first their only thoughts are of each other. This is definitely a woman’s love story and plays into all of our romantic hopes and dreams. Well, mine anyway. Instant love, connection, physical attraction, and a gentleness and thoughtfulness that screams I love you. Magical.

Let’s talk about Will and Nora. Although I loved them for each other they were not perfect people. Who wants to read about perfect people who meet and fall in love? Most people reading these novels aren’t perfect and the main characters faults allow us to dream that this too may happen to us. Despite different circumstances growing up, Will and Nora have similar feelings of abandonment, but Nora had her Nonna and the residents of this Condo complex she is so attached to, Will only had himself. As they explore their relationship there is such a gentleness to how they interact, it really gives a magical feel to what they discover about themselves and each other.

I can’t end this review without a brief note about the cast of characters that live in the condo complex. They are funny, friendly, grouchy, and complex. I loved how despite their differences they were a family that looked out for and loved each other. What a fabulous place to live, despite the weird smells and flocked wall paper.

You may have guessed that I really enjoyed Love at First. It’s hard not to appreciate the authors ability to remove cynicism and reality from the reader’s mind and replace those things with a story that draws them in and holds them in the strong arms of a soft and sweet romance. I reveled in that vacation from realism and can’t wait for this author to write her next novel so I can put those rose colored glasses back on.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Love at First: An Uplifting and Unforgettable Story of Love and Second Chances

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn

Meg’s gained some acclaim from her hand lettering skills. She’s developed planners, calendars, and wedding invitations that are both beautiful and whimsical. However, when Reid Sutherland shows up at her door claiming she’d hidden a secret message in his wedding invitation stating his wedding was a “mistake” she’s got a little explaining to do. Thus begins the story of Meg and Reid. A young woman who uses letters to portray emotions and characteristics and a young man who is a mathematical genius seeing formula’s in numbers. Their communication is intricate, their budding friendship hesitant, and their emotions fierce. This is a love story unlike any other and that difference made it unputdownable.

Meg is a young woman who looks like she’s got it all going for her. She’s worked hard to make her business grow but all of her personal relationships are a mess. When Reid walks through her door, she doesn’t want any more secrets or polite exchanges, she decides to give him the truth and that truth creates a bond between she and Reid. Meg uses lettering as a descriptor of emotions. She hears people speak in type fonts and exclamations are pointy and sharp. Her inner dialog was fascinating and her attraction to Reid hung on every quirk of his mouth.

Reid was more of a dark horse. Quiet, formidable, and living in a world ruled by numbers. He see’s things in black and white until he starts enjoying NYC through Meg’s eyes. Just as she lived for that quirk of his lips, he also lived for every strand of her hair that connected the two of them together. Underneath their growing friendship were personality quirks that explained their frailties and flaws. Background stories that were heartbreaking and secret tells that hinted at future plot reveals. Each written word of Love Lettering kept me reading, each time Meg thought “swoonshes” made me turn the page.

I do believe that when you find a book to read that hits all of your sweet spots it can be for many reasons. I was in the right mood. This was the right genre. I could identify with one or both of the characters. Whatever the reason, Love Lettering was that book for me. I read well into the night last night, then picked it up to finish with my coffee this morning. Love Lettering was IT for me in Sans Serif, all slashes and exclamation points. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Love Lettering

Copyright 2019 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads