Erica Ridley never disappoints and after reading several of her novels. It has been a joy to watch her stories grow in complexity while continuing to Erica Ridley never disappoints and after reading several of her novels. It has been a joy to watch her stories grow in complexity while continuing to develop stellar characters. In this one we have the clever -don't know who the enemy is- dynamic and we know who it is but Deborah doesn't. And it is delicious to watch her revelations unfold. Enemies to lovers' romance for sure, a historical take on Shop Girl or You've Got Mial, but I also would put this as a second chance romance as well. Deborah has a wall around her heart after being widowed, thus helping others find love instead. What Debbie Macomber does for contemporary lost hearts, Erica Ridley does for historical hearts.
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Erica Ridley never disappoints and after reading several of her novels. It has been a joy to watch her stories grow in complexity while continuing to develop stellar characters. In this one we have the clever -don't know who the enemy is- dynamic and we know who it is but Deborah doesn't. And it is delicious to watch her revelations unfold. Enemies to lovers' romance for sure, a historical take on Shop Girl or You've Got Mial, but I also would put this as a second chance romance as well. Deborah has a wall around her heart after being widowed, thus helping others find love instead. What Debbie Macomber does for contemporary lost hearts, Erica Ridley does for historical hearts....more
I am so glad i read the prequel, "Welcome to Magnolia Bloom". Even having read that I still needed to go back and reread a few pages to see who was taI am so glad i read the prequel, "Welcome to Magnolia Bloom". Even having read that I still needed to go back and reread a few pages to see who was talking due to the back and forth time line. The story bounces back and forth between the 1960's and present day. Paula Adler does a wonderful job at the time jumps compared to other authors who have tried it. But with such deep character development, the two different time periods, a Scottish family in Texas, it is a lot of story. The jest of the story being Paige loving and finding herself after a divorce before she can find love again. The McInnes family is not One dimensional. All in all this is a loving story in the series and the audio book is excellent also. You'll learn that family isn't always blood, and home is always waiting for you.
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I am so glad i read the prequel, "Welcome to Magnolia Bloom". Even having read that I still needed to go back and reread a few pages to see who was talking due to the back and forth time line. The story bounces back and forth between the 1960's and present day. Paula Adler does a wonderful job at the time jumps compared to other authors who have tried it. But with such deep character development, the two different time periods, a Scottish family in Texas, it is a lot of story. The jest of the story being Paige loving and finding herself after a divorce before she can find love again. The McInnes family is not One dimensional. All in all this is a loving story in the series and the audio book is excellent also. You'll learn that family isn't always blood, and home is always waiting for you....more
A Domestic Thriller if there ever was one. And it is complex. If you are NOT a fan of multi-POVs then you will want to skip. If you are like me and waA Domestic Thriller if there ever was one. And it is complex. If you are NOT a fan of multi-POVs then you will want to skip. If you are like me and want to get into everyone's heads...then yes, read this. GO ahead, I'll wait..... Ok, so what did you think of poor Jess and what her and her husband have been through???? That is a story in its self!! I had this book recommended to me as I have become disablable in the last few years, which is hard enough, I can't imagine if I was grieving my son at the same time. The depressed (who can blame her) Jess. At a park, she comes to know Morag and a little girl named Daisy. What Daisy says to Jess sets off a psychological chain of events that will have you on the edge of your seat. I could have used a little more spent on Morag's past but all in all I am very happy with the way the multi=POVs were used to unfold the story. Then to think by knowing their backstories, we know what is next...wrong.
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A Domestic Thriller if there ever was one. And it is complex. If you are NOT a fan of multi-POVs then you will want to skip. If you are like me and want to get into everyone's heads...then yes, read this. GO ahead, I'll wait..... Ok, so what did you think of poor Jess and what her and her husband have been through???? That is a story in its self!! I had this book recommended to me as I have become disablable in the last few years, which is hard enough, I can't imagine if I was grieving my son at the same time. The depressed (who can blame her) Jess. At a park, she comes to know Morag and a little girl named Daisy. What Daisy says to Jess sets off a psychological chain of events that will have you on the edge of your seat. I could have used a little more spent on Morag's past but all in all I am very happy with the way the multi=POVs were used to unfold the story. Then to think by knowing their backstories, we know what is next...wrong....more
I dislike calling this a paranormal romance. It happens to have events that swirl around a woman, Liv, who happens to be psychic. Her grandma and otheI dislike calling this a paranormal romance. It happens to have events that swirl around a woman, Liv, who happens to be psychic. Her grandma and other characters come to her in her dreams and she must return to her home town to act on it. The author does an amazing job at building suspense, giving us a main character we root for and feel empathy for. I do feel she deserve love outside of the Ridge situation but we will see how it plays out in the series. Fans of Karin Slaughter will love Alicia Anthony.
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I dislike calling this a paranormal romance. It happens to have events that swirl around a woman, Liv, who happens to be psychic. Her grandma and other characters come to her in her dreams and she must return to her home town to act on it. The author does an amazing job at building suspense, giving us a main character we root for and feel empathy for. I do feel she deserve love outside of the Ridge situation but we will see how it plays out in the series. Fans of Karin Slaughter will love Alicia Anthony....more
Take a break from the billionaires and from the women trying to find the perfect dress to impress said billionaire Stories and dive into a romance thaTake a break from the billionaires and from the women trying to find the perfect dress to impress said billionaire Stories and dive into a romance that could actually happen to you. How many people have met their future spouse at work??? Like 90% of the people you know right??? So why aren't there more romances based on real-life?? I loved, LOVED, Author Ria Zen's other series, the Blu Collar series, which features hunks who fix things and brings romance and money to the relationship. NOW I'm in for this new series. Remember when boys were mean to you and that meant they really liked you? Well some boys never grown up and Jesse loves getting Collette all riled up. But he crosses a line and even though he didn't plan on it, maybe he wants to cross that line too. The pace and setting are complementary to each other and done well as in all of Ria Zen's novels. This a cute and very relatable, workplace romance. The characters are not only real and relatable but you will want to know what happened after the holidays. Every woman who dreads going to Christmas dinner because of then "when are you getting married?" barrage of questions will love this story.
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Take a break from the billionaires and from the women trying to find the perfect dress to impress said billionaire Stories and dive into a romance that could actually happen to you. How many people have met their future spouse at work??? Like 90% of the people you know right??? So why aren't there more romances based on real-life?? I loved, LOVED, Author Ria Zen's other series, the Blu Collar series, which features hunks who fix things and brings romance and money to the relationship. NOW I'm in for this new series. Remember when boys were mean to you and that meant they really liked you? Well some boys never grown up and Jesse loves getting Collette all riled up. But he crosses a line and even though he didn't plan on it, maybe he wants to cross that line too. The pace and setting are complementary to each other and done well as in all of Ria Zen's novels. This a cute and very relatable, workplace romance. The characters are not only real and relatable but you will want to know what happened after the holidays. Every woman who dreads going to Christmas dinner because of then "when are you getting married?" barrage of questions will love this story....more
Yes! There are plenty of spicy nuggets BUT they are interwoven with a storyline! As a whole the novel explores why we feel free to be ourselves when nYes! There are plenty of spicy nuggets BUT they are interwoven with a storyline! As a whole the novel explores why we feel free to be ourselves when no one knows who we are. As women, as humans we fear we are unloveable if we act as we really want. Makes you tingle and makes you think....more
Charming and witty and told with great detail. The Grimm Academy Series is very entertaining and each novella in the collection is a fun afternoon reaCharming and witty and told with great detail. The Grimm Academy Series is very entertaining and each novella in the collection is a fun afternoon read. . I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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Charming and witty and told with great detail. The Grimm Academy Series is very entertaining and each novella in the collection is a fun afternoon read. . I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review....more
Though I love this whole series --a few hours spent lost In a fairytale world of academia-- I think "Pumpkins and Proms" is my favorite with Ella beinThough I love this whole series --a few hours spent lost In a fairytale world of academia-- I think "Pumpkins and Proms" is my favorite with Ella being shunned to boarding school by who else? her stepmother. and Rapunzel and Cinderella as friends? Yes please!
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Though I love this whole series --a few hours spent lost In a fairytale world of academia-- I think "Pumpkins and Proms" is my favorite with Ella being shunned to boarding school by who else? her stepmother. and Rapunzel and Cinderella as friends? Yes please!...more
Though this considered a Historical Novel and set in WWII, it is a romance novel at its heart. The WWII angle just sheds light on the fact so many relThough this considered a Historical Novel and set in WWII, it is a romance novel at its heart. The WWII angle just sheds light on the fact so many relationships were made or broken based on a young man's draft.....or staying home. We start off in New York City's Little Italy. where Tom and Lily's romance starts. But the draft takes him away and this challenges all of Lily's other relationships including the would-be-arranged Marriage that will make and keep her a well looked after stay-at-home-mother. But even with Tom missing in action, Lily is walking around the streets of New York as a clique, "the heart wants, what the heart wants". Well done with great pacing and character development.
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Though this considered a Historical Novel and set in WWII, it is a romance novel at its heart. The WWII angle just sheds light on the fact so many relationships were made or broken based on a young man's draft.....or staying home. We start off in New York City's Little Italy. where Tom and Lily's romance starts. But the draft takes him away and this challenges all of Lily's other relationships including the would-be-arranged Marriage that will make and keep her a well looked after stay-at-home-mother. But even with Tom missing in action, Lily is walking around the streets of New York as a clique, "the heart wants, what the heart wants". Well done with great pacing and character development....more
I love Historical Fiction and appreciate all the work that goes into writing a story you weren't even around to witness. But with a lot of research alI love Historical Fiction and appreciate all the work that goes into writing a story you weren't even around to witness. But with a lot of research also comes a lot of information and at times i felt there was "too much" going on. And the WWII was just a back drop, an excuse as to why the children's father needed to leave and why the Uncle came around. Having been raised in an orphanage herself young lady Imogene sees to it Ginacarlo's children don't suffer the same fate. But oh course it is not that easy. The conflict of the people involved in the novel run parallel with the terrors of war. I would have given 5 stars had the story moved faster and been streamlined a little more.
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I love Historical Fiction and appreciate all the work that goes into writing a story you weren't even around to witness. But with a lot of research also comes a lot of information and at times i felt there was "too much" going on. And the WWII was just a back drop, an excuse as to why the children's father needed to leave and why the Uncle came around. Having been raised in an orphanage herself young lady Imogene sees to it Ginacarlo's children don't suffer the same fate. But oh course it is not that easy. The conflict of the people involved in the novel run parallel with the terrors of war. I would have given 5 stars had the story moved faster and been streamlined a little more....more
Having read all 3 that are now the "Blue Collar Romance" series I will testify they can be read alone. In this case you just won't know who's about toHaving read all 3 that are now the "Blue Collar Romance" series I will testify they can be read alone. In this case you just won't know who's about to get married from book 2 and why he needs a bachelor party. this installment centers on Raven and Zack. He's been in town building the new school she will work at and she doesn't except him leaving town after their little fling when his job is done. so what is a lady like Raven suppose to do? drive 6hours. That doesn't get his attention and he stew for a bit what is a boy like Zack to do? drive 6 hours the other direction. Now I'm not saying I agree with the way these two went about things, if they were friends of mine I would have smacked them both for being snarky and wasting time. BUT as we fans know the only good romance story is the happy ending kind. You just need to read for your self how these two knuckle heads meet in the middle. The author did an amazing job with how race, native American and white, was brought into the story, Like the author I live/border a reservation and thought she did very well in how their government runs.
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Having read all 3 that are now the "Blue Collar Romance" series I will testify they can be read alone. In this case you just won't know who's about to get married from book 2 and why he needs a bachelor party. this installment centers on Raven and Zack. He's been in town building the new school she will work at and she doesn't except him leaving town after their little fling when his job is done. so what is a lady like Raven suppose to do? drive 6hours. That doesn't get his attention and he stew for a bit what is a boy like Zack to do? drive 6 hours the other direction. Now I'm not saying I agree with the way these two went about things, if they were friends of mine I would have smacked them both for being snarky and wasting time. BUT as we fans know the only good romance story is the happy ending kind. You just need to read for your self how these two knuckle heads meet in the middle. The author did an amazing job with how race, native American and white, was brought into the story, Like the author I live/border a reservation and thought she did very well in how their government runs....more
An over the top luxury in a post war world. This book is just lavish, sinister, and so fun. It has to be a movie. A historical action movie is a thingAn over the top luxury in a post war world. This book is just lavish, sinister, and so fun. It has to be a movie. A historical action movie is a thing, right? Mr& Mrs Smith vibes with an art heist. The Italian Job meets The Crown....more
There seems to be a trend this year in historical novels of using dual timelines in 2024. No, it is not new, but I have been reading it more often latThere seems to be a trend this year in historical novels of using dual timelines in 2024. No, it is not new, but I have been reading it more often lately. This one included. Shelterwood bounces back and forth over a hundred years. And the author doesn't dive into a well-known area. She takes us to the backwoods of Oklahoma where one decided the law by their own hands. It is also a time when no other race could stand against a white man who was seeking riches in the land of oil. Who was there to care if children went missing. In the 1990s the bodies are discovered, leading to secrets being unearthed, cruel people exposed, and justice finally served. This author once again has a bestseller on her hands from her well researched, emotional read, of children who have lost their places in history. ...more
THE BEST SUMMER read for 2024 It has everything a little humor, wit, romance, a few juicy details, a lot of suspicion. But the best part? I love books THE BEST SUMMER read for 2024 It has everything a little humor, wit, romance, a few juicy details, a lot of suspicion. But the best part? I love books that break the 4th wall. and most novels I find with this style are serious and/or historical. It was a treat to find it in this novel. I first shrugged it off as a simple beach read. But it ended up being so much more and I am happy to hear it is part of a series....more
A subject I hate.....destination weddings. Why? Well, this book will explain everything. Three sisters who aren't exactly close all get together for aA subject I hate.....destination weddings. Why? Well, this book will explain everything. Three sisters who aren't exactly close all get together for a family wedding and everyone acts like they are enjoying themselves. When secretly no one is happy and no one wants to be there, and some can't afford it. No one, let alone your baby sister, should go into debt over your wedding. Yes, it is a beautiful castle, and everything is at the disposal of their guests, but still the sisters have issues. Set over a few days of toxic family drama, are three sisters, one big wedding, and a nightmare of a mother. A delicious weekend read, by the beach, or in the air condition. A must read before you RSVP to any more of these expensive weddings. ...more
YES, my kind of novel. More of these, please! I love Beatriz Williams, and if you haven't tried her novels yet, then this is one heck of an introductiYES, my kind of novel. More of these, please! I love Beatriz Williams, and if you haven't tried her novels yet, then this is one heck of an introduction into her novels. Always historic on some level, this one goes back and forth between the living large 1950s to now. Egypt to New England. Both fantastic settings on their own. In one novel I it is magic. Mallory and Hannah are amazing women who are connection beyond biology. Yet calling this family drama doesn't seem fitting. Driven by character development. Husbands and Lovers opens one heck of a can of worms. ...more
I would have been on the first plane home! But Stella stays in Paris looking for answers. She believes her husband was killed randomly but if was justI would have been on the first plane home! But Stella stays in Paris looking for answers. She believes her husband was killed randomly but if was just chance, then why does she feel like she is being followed? should she go home because she wants to needs to? A classic who done it, including the trite usage of prized artifacts. Why 3 stars and not 4? this style of fiction is entertaining and who doesn't love a thriller with a Parisan backdrop? But on some level it has been done/written before. ...more
A big ol' thick book of what is or isn't part of being a Real American. Yes, it is very informative. but I would also like to tag it as relevant, modeA big ol' thick book of what is or isn't part of being a Real American. Yes, it is very informative. but I would also like to tag it as relevant, modern literature, social studies, cultural ethics, nationality, Asian studies. I recently read a book on the cultural revolution of China and my timing was perfect as it defiantly helped me with one of the main timelines of the main characters. A time before my time. The Chinese revolution is not anything we covered in my school years. Everything I know is from reading and diving further into it and what caused it. I definitely feel no matter how stellar of than author you are, this is the kind of literature based on a true time line that only someone involved could write. And yes other races can know Asian culture, but to write a novel so based on that and every corner of your life tracing back to it, really can't be done by anything else. What drew me to this novel is the fact I was turning 25 during the Y2K fiasco, the same as a character in Real Americans, But was I more American on Y2K because my family was established for a century? The only reason I'm not giving the novel 5 stars is because it was clunky at first and hard to put characters in place. But it did smooth out and so worth the read, even at 400plus pages. ...more
This is a BIG, THICK, multi-character, multi time line, that is NOT a quick read by any means. Jodi Picoult has never been afraid of stirring up controThis is a BIG, THICK, multi-character, multi time line, that is NOT a quick read by any means. Jodi Picoult has never been afraid of stirring up controversy with her novels. Huge day-to-day topics we wrestle with are front and center in her novels. I imagine she had this idea of women being shunned from the stage, and then the "me too" movement came along and gave her fuel to her fire Yes, that was first brought to light years ago but even a third into this book and you, the reader, are well aware that the author did her due diligence in research. And the truth is never pretty. The things Emilia did to survive in the world are hard to read at times, but that was then, and some had to do worse. Reading this, please keep in mind, we are to understand Emilia, not demolish her. Told from two eras that have more similarities than they should, you will come away with either a sense of sisterhood or, depending on the type of reader, wonder why women think they have it so hard. The glass ceiling started out as a red velvet stage curtain....more
3.5 to 4 stars for me. Expanding on the military’s “don’t tell policy” David is out young hero who has plenty of self doubt to overcome as he rises th3.5 to 4 stars for me. Expanding on the military’s “don’t tell policy” David is out young hero who has plenty of self doubt to overcome as he rises through the ranks in this prequal. I didn’t even know it was a prequel till Author old me at the end. Over 300 pages is long for a prequel and might as well be book one in the Europa Station Chronicles.
Especially since David has a great story arc in a coming of age story in a less than ideal near future we face.
I’ll admit I was surprised to like this novel as much as I did....more
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