3.5 stars Nick and Jessica are romance writers who were also a couple until he broke up with her five years ago for no apparent reason. Even though the3.5 stars Nick and Jessica are romance writers who were also a couple until he broke up with her five years ago for no apparent reason. Even though they are with the same publishing company, Jessica has avoided Nick ever since and continues to write happily-ever-afters while working as a barista to pay the bills. Nick, however, has become a bestselling author writing romances without happy endings and is to be named Romance Author of the Year at an upcoming ceremony - an award that Jessica has been asked to present.
Jessica hates the idea but knows she has to agree for the sake of her career so heads upstate a few days before Christmas to attend the awards dinner being held at a remote inn. Delayed by stormy weather, Jessica arrives just before the ceremony and when she tries to check-in after discovers that her reservation has been lost and she has no choice but to share a room at the fully-booked inn with Nick. Morning brings news that they're snowed in which means plenty of time for writing since the friction between the two seems to be the cure both needed for writer's block.
A second chance enemies-to-lovers romance about two romance authors writing a second chance enemies-to-lovers romance. Throw in some forced proximity, one bed and being snowed in at a cozy inn a few days before Christmas and All I Want Is You has all the ingredients for a steamy holiday read! This is a short book that I read in one afternoon and, while it won't be one of my favourite holiday romances, I did enjoy the festive vibes. ...more
Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. Five years ago she became the town pariah when she left her fiancé at the altar and she hasn't been bacMegan is dreading going home for the holidays. Five years ago she became the town pariah when she left her fiancé at the altar and she hasn't been back since. Christian doesn’t mind being alone but he’s fed up with his family feeling sorry for him especially during the holiday season. So when Megan and Christian bump into each other at a Dublin pub, they come up with a fake dating scheme to get through the holidays back home. An agreement is drawn up on a cocktail napkin and Megan and Christian agree to go to each other's family gatherings and pretend that they're madly in love while home for the holidays but things have started to get messy even before a snowed-in cabin and some Christmas magic are added to the mix!
It's impossible not to love a cute small-town Ireland holiday romance - especially one that involves fake dating that leads to real feelings! This is funny with good chemistry between the two main characters and a little open door spice - perfect when you're looking for a fun, quick read for the holidays!
This is the second in Catherine Walsh's Fitzpatrick series following Holiday Romance (one of the best romances I read in 2022) which features Andrew Fitzpatrick and Molly trying to get home to Ireland for Christmas. Snowed In can be enjoyed as a stand-alone but I would recommend reading Holiday Romance first as Molly and Andrew appear in this one as well and I enjoyed getting an update on where they are in their relationship. Hoping for a third in the series next year as there's still a single Fitzpatrick sibling plus Megan's brother, Aidan, and Molly's twin sister, Zoe, who could take centre stage!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own....more
Frankie, a 50 year-old widow who owns a holiday-themed shop in a small town called Carol, can't help meddling in the lives of family and friends even Frankie, a 50 year-old widow who owns a holiday-themed shop in a small town called Carol, can't help meddling in the lives of family and friends even though her efforts often end in disaster! Whether it's her younger divorced sister, her shy employee or her good friend, Mitch, who owns the local hardware store, Frankie is determined to help everyone she cares for find their happily-ever-after but is afraid to take a chance on love again herself.
Inspired by Jane Austen's Emma, The Merry Matchmaker is a very loose retelling set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest during the holiday season. There's a large cast of characters to keep track of and it's heavily reliant on dialogue but this is a sweet holiday story set in a charming town with lots of festive spirit and a happy ending for everyone. It's also a good choice for anyone looking for a heartwarming holiday romance without spice.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own....more
3.5 stars Steve Wheeler is a widowed and recently retired police officer enjoying the quiet life in an English village with his cat, his weekly pub qu3.5 stars Steve Wheeler is a widowed and recently retired police officer enjoying the quiet life in an English village with his cat, his weekly pub quiz with friends and the occasional piece of small town investigative work. His daughter-in-law, Amy, however, is living an adrenaline-filled life as a private bodyguard currently working on a remote island in the US protecting bestselling murder mystery author, Rosie D'Antonio. But when a money-smuggling supervillain attempts to eliminate Amy and frame her for a string of murders of social media influencers, she reaches out for help from the one person she knows she can trust. Steve is initially reluctant but soon finds himself caught up in a race around the world with Amy and Rosie from South Carolina to St. Lucia, Ireland and Dubai to solve the crime before the hired killer catches up with Amy.
We Solve Murders was my first Richard Osman book as I haven't read any of the Thursday Murder Club books and I thought it was a fun read. This is the first in a brand new series and features short, easy to read chapters and an entertaining story with a fair bit of globetrotting in addition to the English village setting - a great choice when you're in the mood for a cozy mystery!...more
4.5 stars Our Evenings opens with English actor David Win learning of the death of Marc Hadlow, a long-time acquaintance and one-time benefactor. After4.5 stars Our Evenings opens with English actor David Win learning of the death of Marc Hadlow, a long-time acquaintance and one-time benefactor. After attending the funeral, Dave reflects on his own life beginning when he first met the Hadlow family in 1961 through to the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
Born in England in 1948 to a white British dressmaker and a Burmese father he's never met, Dave receives a scholarship to a top boarding school in 1961 when he is 13 years old. The scholarship is sponsored by the wealthy Hadlow family who have a son, Giles, in the same year at the school who later becomes a right wing politician and proponent of BREXIT - a demagogue who occasionally crosses paths with Dave as he remains in touch with Giles' parents who are patrons of the arts.
As Dave relates the story, he meanders through significant events in his life - his school years as a working-class mixed race child in a white institution where he was exposed to the cruelty of classmates but also discovered his talent as an actor, his time at Oxford where he was able to pursue relationships with men for the first time, his move to London and his career as a talented but often overlooked actor, his relationships with lovers and also with his mother, Avril, and her partner, Esme, and his late-in-life marriage after marriage equality legislation is passed in the UK.
A beautifully-written novel by a previous Booker Prize winner, Our Evenings is a moving story that reads like the memoir of a man in late middle age sharing significant memories from his life. The narrative tone is quite gentle yet there are serious issues of class, race and sexuality woven through Dave's story which spans six decades of English history.
Dave's life follows the trajectory of the gay rights movement as he comes of age in the '60s when the decriminalization of gay sex was still a matter of political debate, he works in the world of theatre where his sexuality isn't an issue and over decades there is a general shift in the UK and elsewhere toward pride and equal rights and eventually marriage equality. Throughout his lifetime, Dave also experiences both what we would now call microaggressions and outright acts of racism because of his appearance as a mixed race man which also proves to be a not insignificant barrier to his success as an actor.
I found this to be an insightful, touching and, at times, heartbreaking reflection on how quickly a lifetime passes. Dave Win is a character who will stay with me for a long time.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own....more
This murder mystery is set in an idyllic seaside town on the south shore of Nova Scotia best known for the myth that a legendary lost pirate's treasurThis murder mystery is set in an idyllic seaside town on the south shore of Nova Scotia best known for the myth that a legendary lost pirate's treasure is buried in the area. The story is told from the alternating perspective of three strangers whose paths cross in Maple Bay - Dandy, a local teenager grieving the beloved grandfather who left a clue to the treasure's location; Peter, a man approaching 40 with not much to show for it, whose estranged grandmother invited him to stay at the Maple Bay mansion that has been home to his family for generations; and Cass, a down-on-her-luck author who accepted a house-sitting gig in Maple Bay and soon realizes that the town's history would make a great book. The three have nothing in common but find themselves caught up in a series of murders that seem to be related to the mystery of the missing treasure that has defined Maple Bay for two centuries.
The Treasure Hunters Club was such a fun, engaging read - a mystery with small town vibes and a Canadian setting! It starts off slow as the author introduces Maple Bay and the various characters but it didn't take long for the twisty plot to keep me turning the pages. Nova Scotia is one of my favourite places so I was in love with this seaside setting (I pictured Lunenburg and Mahone Bay while I was reading!). A fast and easy read with quirky characters, secret societies, pirates, lost treasure, family secrets and even a smidge of romance thrown in - perfect for cozy fall reading!
Thank you to Simon & Shuster Canada for sending an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own....more
The Life Impossible opens with 72 year-old retired maths teacher Grace Winters receiving an email from a former student who is depressed and she respoThe Life Impossible opens with 72 year-old retired maths teacher Grace Winters receiving an email from a former student who is depressed and she responds by writing down this story and sending it to him.
Recently widowed and still grieving the death of her young son three decades earlier, Grace was alone in her small house in England and just going through the motions of living. One day she is notified that she has been bequeathed a home on the island of Ibiza in the Spanish Balearic islands from a long-lost friend as a thank you for a long forgotten kindness. Grace decides to book a one-way ticket to Ibiza to learn more about the house and to find out what happened to her one-time friend, Christina. Not long after arriving on Ibiza, Grace is convinced to go on a late night diving excursion and acquires supernatural abilities when she experiences a mysterious light known as 'la Presencia' in the ocean.
There's an element of mystery relating to Christina's disappearance and apparent drowning and also a topical environmental subplot but mostly this is meant to be an uplifting story with a positive message about appreciating every moment in life and our connection to everything in the universe. Grace recovers her ability to feel and learns that life is still possible even at her age and after all she has been through - demonstrating the power of connection to change lives.
I thought The Life Impossible was just ok but I think that's probably a "me" problem as it has been mostly favourably reviewed by both critics and readers - by all means, read and draw your own conclusions. This is the first Matt Haig book that I have read and I should have guessed that I might be an outlier as I very rarely enjoy magical realism - I have a lawyer brain trained to think logically and analytically and it's not easy for me to let that go and appreciate magic! ...more
Julie Parker's adult kids, Nick and Dana, have their own plans for the holidays and she is looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas at home in SeJulie Parker's adult kids, Nick and Dana, have their own plans for the holidays and she is looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas at home in Seattle with Heath, the much younger man that she's secretly dating. But when the kids announce that they want to spend Christmas together at the family cabin in memory of their father (Julie's ex-husband) who died earlier in the year, Julie doesn't hesitate to change plans even though she's nervous about her kids meeting Heath. As Julie arrives at the cabin to prepare for a 10 day holiday, the guest list continues to expand as she can't bear to say no to anyone faced with the prospect of spending Christmas alone.
Susan Mallery is an excellent storyteller and she has delivered a fun holiday read with One Big Happy Family! There's family drama, secrets and surprises, romance and even an adorable dog all in the festive setting of a snowy "cabin" in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. A humourous and heartfelt story of compassion, forgiveness and understanding in the context of a big, messy, "the more the merrier" Christmas with a family that I would love to spend more time with. A great choice for holiday season reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own....more
3.5 stars A Grave in the Woods is the 17th installment in the internationally acclaimed Bruno Chief of Police series set in the idyllic village of St. 3.5 stars A Grave in the Woods is the 17th installment in the internationally acclaimed Bruno Chief of Police series set in the idyllic village of St. Denis in the Périgord/Dordogne region of southwestern France.
Bruno, a former soldier turned police officer, has arrived back in the village but has yet to resume his duties as he recovers from a gunshot wound to his shoulder sustained earlier in the year. Upon his return, Bruno meets several newcomers to the village - the administrator who has taken over his office at City Hall, a recently-divorced American archaeologist who hopes to set up as a specialist tour guide in the region and a British couple who are purchasing a local property to set up a business. Shortly thereafter, a World War II grave site discovered in a wooded area is found to contain three bodies and a tin holding identification papers for an Italian submariner and two young German women presumed to be connected to the Nazi garrison in nearby Bordeaux. Bruno takes the lead on the investigation of the grave while also socializing with his many friends and helping the community prepare for potential flooding.
This is part of a long series but can be read as a stand alone. I read and enjoyed the first in the series years ago but none of the others - no reason other than too many books and not enough time! It's a delightful read but I imagine it's even better for those invested in the series as it advances the overall story arc and introduces new characters to the village.
Bruno is charming (as is his dog, Balzac) and much of the enjoyment of the story relates to his interactions with his friends in the village and descriptions of their socializing over food and wine. The plot also touches on the serious impact that climate change is having in this region causing extreme heat during the summer months and heavy rains and flooding during the winter resulting in devastating damage to local crops. I picked this up expecting a murder mystery and that's not really what it is but it is an entertaining read nonetheless.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for sending a digital and physical ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. ...more
A cute holiday romance centred around Hanukkah celebrations that takes place mostly in New York City during the holiday season.
Abby Cohen is the streA cute holiday romance centred around Hanukkah celebrations that takes place mostly in New York City during the holiday season.
Abby Cohen is the stressed-out owner of a cafe in a small town in Vermont and Seth is a frequent patron who comes in for a pumpkin spice latte every morning annoying her with his sunny attitude. When the head of the local business association comes up with the idea of holding a post-holidays Hanukkah festival to attract visitors, she ropes Abby into organizing since she's the only Jewish business owner in town. Abby reluctantly takes on the responsiblity and her online search for support reveals that there is at least one other Jewish person in town - Seth. The two meet for drinks and Seth agrees to help Abby source vendors and suppliers but on the condition she'll go to New York City with him to stay with his parents for the 8 days of Hanukkah and pretend to be his girlfriend.
It's a nice change to read a seasonal romance that's focused on one of the other holidays that are celebrated at the same time of year and I enjoyed learning more about the Jewish holidays in a lighthearted way. Love You a Latke is a fun read using some of the best romance tropes (grumpy/sunshine, fake dating) plus it takes place in New York City which is at its absolute best during the holiday season! Abby and Seth get to know each other while meeting up with his friends roaming the city enjoying holiday activities (both Hanukkah and Christmas) and festive food and drinks. A sweet (light on spice) romance between Abby and Seth but also Abby finding her way back to the Jewish community that she hadn't realized she was missing - a great read for the holiday season!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. ...more
The Berlin Apartment is a sweeping love story spanning the years 1961-1989 about a young couple separated overnight by the construction of the Berlin The Berlin Apartment is a sweeping love story spanning the years 1961-1989 about a young couple separated overnight by the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Lise Bauer, who lives in East Berlin, met and fell in love with Uli Neumann at the university in West Berlin where she is studying medicine. One evening in August 1961, Uli proposes to Lise while showing her the apartment that he has purchased for them and she happily accepts before leaving to spend the weekend with her father and brother at their country house outside of Berlin. Two days after their engagement, the wall goes up overnight preventing her from crossing the border checkpoint to attend school or to see Uli. Uli and their close group of friends are determined to get Lise out of East Berlin but, as weeks turn to months, hope for reunion begins to fade.
This is the second historical novel that I have read in recent months centred on the Berlin Wall (the other was The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay) and both books made me really think about the impact that the construction of the Berlin Wall had on people living in the city. The Berlin Wall went up before I was born but I have very clear memories of it coming down when I was a university student in 1989. Although I watched the television coverage and witnessed the joy in Berlin as the Wall was torn down, I never really considered what it must have been like to be separated from loved ones for the 28 years that it existed. Both authors do a great job of bringing that experience to life - the pain of years-long separation from loved ones as well as the harsh reality of life behind the Iron Curtain with indoctrination, poverty, shortage of basic goods, oppression and constant surveillance by secret police.
I'm seeing more historical fiction set during the Cold War now and that appeals to me partly because I grew up during the tail-end of that era but also because I'm starting to lose interest in WWII as I have read so many novels set during that time period. This book is a well-written compelling, historical fiction/romance that focuses on the personal impact of the Cold War and the decision to divide Berlin. It doesn't include a ton of historical or political details but it will likely inspire you to do some additional reading on your own to learn more about the time period. This is the second historical fiction novel that I have read by this author and enjoyed both immensely - she's definitely now a must-buy author for me!
Natural Selections is an Amazon Originals short story by bestseller Elin Hilderbrand. New Yorker Sophia Othonos has been dating an older divorced man Natural Selections is an Amazon Originals short story by bestseller Elin Hilderbrand. New Yorker Sophia Othonos has been dating an older divorced man for the past six months and he has planned their first romantic getaway. They are about to board their flight to the Galapagos Islands for a rustic cruise when he receives a call and tells Sophia that he has to rush back to the US but wants her to go on the vacation without him.
This is a quick easy read of 50ish pages that won't take an hour to get through. It's an interesting premise and set in a beautiful location but there's only so much plot and character development than can take place in a short story. I think I would have enjoyed it more as a full-length novel or novella with a fully developed sense of place.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own....more
3.5 stars A Good Indian Girl is the story of a recently divorced Indian-American woman who travels to Italy for the summer.
Jyoti was always the good I3.5 stars A Good Indian Girl is the story of a recently divorced Indian-American woman who travels to Italy for the summer.
Jyoti was always the good Indian daughter who did what was expected of her - staying out of trouble, helping with her younger sisters, agreeing to an arranged marriage and quitting the job she loved at her husband's family restaurant to focus on having a child but after years of unsuccessful fertility treatments, Jyoti's husband left her for a younger woman and she feels like she has failed.
Unemployed, divorced and feeling judged by her parents, her sisters and the gossiping community of Aunties back home, Jyoti decides to travel to Florence and spend the summer with her best friend and fellow social outcast, Karishma. As she enjoys la dolce vita, sumptuous meals and delicious wine with Karishma and her group of friends, Jyoti gradually rediscovers her joy in cooking and creating new recipes which leads to new business opportunities but also opens her up to renewed criticism from her family and the Gujarati community back home.
An enjoyable and heartfelt read about Jyoti's mid-life journey to discovering what she wants instead of doing what is expected of her as "a good Indian girl" that incorporates issues relating to infertility and the decision to remain childless as well as the pressures felt by the children of immigrants. Set in beautiful Florence with jaunts to a winery in the Tuscan countryside and a trip to the Amalfi coast and including mouthwatering descriptions of the restaurant meals and of Jyoti's unique fusion of Indian and Italian food, A Good Indian Girl is catnip for travellers. There are even recipes included at the end of the book if you fancy trying to replicate Jyoti's creative meals at home! ...more
Betrayal at Blackthorn Park is the second in Julia Kelly's Parisian Orphan/Evelyne Redfern historical mystery series featuring a young British woman rBetrayal at Blackthorn Park is the second in Julia Kelly's Parisian Orphan/Evelyne Redfern historical mystery series featuring a young British woman recruited to the Special Operations Executive in World War II. While it could easily be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading A Traitor in Whitehall first for the background on Evelyne Redfern and how she came to be working for the spy network after solving a murder case while working as a typist in Churchill's underground war rooms.
It's fall 1940 and Evelyne, a recent graduate of the SOE's rigorous training program, has returned to London ready to start working as a field agent for Britain and learns that she will be working closely with David Poole again as he has been assigned as her handler. Evelyne, eager to make a difference in the war effort, is initially disappointed when her first assignment is conducting a review of safety protocols at a manor in the Sussex countryside which has been requisitioned for use as a secret weapons research and development facility. Shortly after arriving at Blackthorn Park, however, Evelyne finds the Chief Engineer dead in his office and the straightforward security check becomes a murder investigation. Evelyne is joined in the village by David as it's imperative that the two uncover what has happened at Blackthorn Park before Prime Minister Winston Churchill visits the facility in a few days time.
I enjoyed the first book in this historical mystery series and Betrayal at Blackthorn Park even more - I'm now completely invested in the series! Evelyne is a great character - a smart, determined and likeable female protagonist. There's less character development and more plot in this second addition to the series as the first did much of the heavy lifting of setting up the characters and their backgrounds. The plot has just the right amount of suspense and I enjoyed learning a bit more about British war history and the country's secret espionage network in the context of a murder mystery. After getting off to a rough start in Whitehall, Evelyne's relationship with David is slowly developing as friends and colleagues but, as a reader, you can't help but speculate (and hope) that it will become romantic at some point. A well-written, entertaining read - and I can't wait for installment #3!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. ...more
4.5 stars In this heartwrenching sequel to The Girl With the Louding Voice, Adunni is forced to leave Lagos and return to her village of Ikati the nigh4.5 stars In this heartwrenching sequel to The Girl With the Louding Voice, Adunni is forced to leave Lagos and return to her village of Ikati the night before she is supposed to start school. At the same time, Tia's mother is on her deathbed in hospital in Port Harcourt and Tia is meant to be flying there in a last minute attempt to repair their relationship and convince her mother to reveal the secret she has been keeping for years. Tia is torn but leaves with Adunni hoping that she can protect the young girl and bring her safely home to Lagos.
Heartbreaking yet hopeful, And So I Roar is an unforgettable story that illustrates the importance of education and empowerment of girls through Adunni's determination to obtain the education she wants and her courage in using her voice to stand up for herself and the other girls in her village. The stories told by a group of girls in Ikati also highlight some of the additional serious issues faced by young girls and women in Nigeria including child marriage, rape and female genital mutilation.
I suppose it's possible to read And So I Roar as a standalone but I wouldn't recommend it. Read The Girl With the Louding Voice first to fully understand Adunni's dreams, the events that drove her to run away from her village in the first place and her experience working as a housemaid in Lagos before meeting Tia....more
A wholesome Groundhog Day-style love story about a young woman repeating Christmas Eve until she finds everything that has been missing from her life.A wholesome Groundhog Day-style love story about a young woman repeating Christmas Eve until she finds everything that has been missing from her life.
There's a major storm about to hit New York City on Christmas Eve and Annie, a hardworking department store window designer, had been hoping for news of a promotion before heading home to spend Christmas Day alone with her foster cat. When a couple of rambunctious boys destroy her window display, Annie receives decorating tips from the store's friendly Santa Claus and help from Braden the friendly security guard to set everything to rights before she leaves for the day. The next morning, however, Annie wakes to the realization that it's Christmas Eve again and finds herself stuck in a time loop that she's not sure how to get out of.
This is a sweet Christmas romance and a heartwarming story of friendship, love, community and the magic of the holiday season. A quick read that's perfect for anyone looking for a clean romance!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own....more
4.5 stars By Any Other Name is a dual timeline story about two women writers living centuries apart who find themselves hiding behind another name. In 4.5 stars By Any Other Name is a dual timeline story about two women writers living centuries apart who find themselves hiding behind another name. In modern day New York City, Melina Green, a young playwright struggling to get her plays staged in a male-dominated industry, has written a new play inspired by her ancestor Emilia Bassano who was England's first female published poet. Melina is discouraged about the likelihood of seeing it staged but, without her knowledge, her best friend submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.
In Elizabethan England, young Emilia Bassano, a well-educated ward of aristocrats, is forced to become mistress to the Lord Chamberlain who oversees all theatre productions in England on behalf of the Queen. As she becomes exposed to the world of theatre, Emilia turns her sharp wit and gift of storytelling to the writing of plays and enlists the help of her friend Christopher 'Kit' Marlowe to make an arrangement with William Shakespeare to pass off her work as his own.
This is only the second book that I have read by Jodi Picoult - the first was Wish You Were Here and I wasn't crazy about it. I decided to give her books another chance and I'm glad I did because I loved this book. I love theatre and all things Shakespeare so it was a perfect fit!
I loved all of the references to Shakespeare's plays sprinkled throughout the story and enjoyed Picoult's persuasive argument for why Emilia Bassano could have written some of his plays. I am familiar with the theories that William Shakespeare didn't write the plays attributed to him but had not heard of Bassano before - I will definitely read more about her now!
This is a long book - close to 500 pages. I found it riveting but I'm not surprised that readers who don't care as much about Shakespeare as I do found it a bit tedious. By Any Other Name is well-written, imaginative and the research Picoult has done is thorough. I enjoyed both timelines but Emilia's timeline was so rich in details that it was my favourite. A great story about two women who were determined to do whatever necessary to see their stories on stage!...more
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