authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
Title: The Christie Affair Author: Nina de Gramont Series: n/a No. Just no. I would like to thank Nina de Gramont, Lucy Scott, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. I rarely DNF (did not finish) books, especially ones received via NetGalley, but I’m calling it. When at 48% I saw that I had five and half hours left of this audio galley, I simply thought, “Nope.” …
Title: The Brightest Star in Paris Author: Diana Biller Series: Moore Family Saga #2 genre-confused, otherwise great! I would like to thank Diana Biller, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a great book, but holy mackerel it was long. *compares to other random romances* Okay, it wasn’t freakishly long, but it definitely FELT long. Probably could have stood to trim a few dozen pages. The …
Title: Rancher’s Forgotten Rival Author: Maisey Yates Series: Carsons of Lone Rock #1 Shallow writing hiding behind humor and sex I would like to thank Maisey Yates, Harlequin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. And thank you to Lisa Wray for inviting me on the blog tour. I feel like I see Maisey Yates’s books everywhere, and I’ve been meaning to check her out for a couple years now. I …
Title: Buried Cold Case Secrets Author: Sami A. Abrams Series: n/a Amateurish but better than expected I would like to thank Sami A. Abrams, Harlequin, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Lisa Wray for inviting me on the blog tour. This book was a solid piece of work and better than I expected, though still amateurish. The writing style lacked personality but wasn’t off-putting or bad …
Title: A Touch of Romance Author: Paullett Golden Series: Romantic Encounters #2 Slow start but satisfying Thank you very much to Paullett Golden, who provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Jules and Leila meet at a writer’s retreat hosted by mutual friends. Randomly paired together for an activity, they don’t expect to like each other much, and when instead sparks fly, no one is more surprised than they are. But Jules, of humble means, had …
Title: The Secret of Snow Author: Viola Shipman Series: n/a Questionable lead, unimpressive writing, melodramatic I would like to thank Viola Shipman, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Sophie James for inviting me on the blog tour. When Palm Springs meteorologist Sonny Dunes is fired and replaced with a sexy robot, she gets drunk and lets the world know how she feels about the …
Title: Windswept Author: Annabelle McCormack Series: Windswept Saga #1 story dragged, characters rather unlikeable I would like to thank Annabelle McCormack and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it was incredibly well researched and I loved that McCormack explored an often overlooked area of WWI; it was an interesting change of scenery that lent itself to fascinating descriptions and …
Title: The Lighthouse Author: Christopher Parker Series: n/a Lots of heart but misleading and disappointing I would like to thank Christopher Parker, Beacon Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a wonderful story about several characters’ journeys through grief and difficult life circumstances. It’s beautifully written, bursting with heart and hope, takes one to the pits of despair and leads one back to thinking everything will …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Right Behind Her by Melinda Leigh is a gripping read, just like her other books. Readers get sympathetic heroes and monstrous villains along with a plot that will keep them turning the pages. Sherriff Bree Taggert agrees to travel to her childhood home with her brother Adam. She must confront the memories of her childhood that includes the cruelness of her father, being attacked by his dogs, the night her father murdered her mother, …
I first encountered Dickinson’s work via Audible Escape (R.I.P.) in Spring 2020. I loved Tunnels and devoured Devil’s Elbow, but those were the only two available and I thought that was all I would experience of Dickinson. But this summer I was pleasantly surprised when the author reached out to me and offered free copies for review—audiobook copies. Oh. Hell. Yes. She even provided copies of Tunnels and Devil’s Elbow for me to re-listen to and refresh my memory. I …