Quick Reviews

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins (2023) 

Emily is an author struggling to finish her current book.  When her long-time friend Chess suggests a change of scenery, she jumps at the chance to visit a historic villa in Italy.  It's the same villa where, decades earlier, a brutal murder took place, with a classic novel and hit album produced by two of the survivors.  Inspired by her setting, Emily starts digging into the murder, but her present-day situation may also be hiding some secrets. I liked the way the story played out, alternating between the two time periods.  We think we know what happened in the 1970s, but as Emily learns more, there turns out to be more to the story.  The friendship between Emily and Chess in the present day has some tension, as there seems to be some rivalry or friction between the two.  While the story does have some twists at the end that made me question a lot, I would say it's more of a mystery than a thriller, and that's not necessarily what I was expecting.  Maybe I was just eager for it to end, but it felt like some big things got glossed over, and I wanted more of a "vibe" from the story, especially considering the setting.  3.5 stars

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan (2023)

Ana is a freshman at a highly exclusive and somewhat secretive high school, which focuses on all things related to the ocean.  On the weekend of the freshman trial, though, the school is attacked, leaving Ana and her friends to figure out what happened and stop the danger that is coming their way.  This one was kind of a mixed bag for me.  I enjoyed the literary connections with Jules Verne and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, finding out that for Ana, the events and people in the book are very real and have a strong connection with her family.  The pacing is quite good, as the story moves along from the initial attack, to Ana and her friends regrouping, to the final big battle.  I think, however, the world-building was very lackluster.  I feel like we didn't know a lot about the fancy school Ana attends, and especially why students go there.  Some students are legacy attendees, but what about all the others? How did they know about this school? And what goes on at this school?  Which brings me to my issue with a lot of YA books, in that the teenagers seem way too smart and mature.  In less than two years, Ana learns MULTIPLE languages, other students are trained in warfare, etc.  They just seem to have all these specialized skills that, first, kids probably shouldn't be learning, and second, there's little way they would become so proficient in them.  In Riordan's other books, these things sort of make sense, since, for example in the Percy Jackson books, these children are literally the sons and daughters of gods - so the rules are completely different.  But, these are just regular kids, and it didn't make a ton of sense.  3.5 stars

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Top Ten Tuesday: Unread Books On My Shelves

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is unread books on our shelves that we want to read soon (bonus points if we can identify how long it's been on our shelves!).  No matter how good I think I am at reading from my shelves, I always seem to have a big stack of unread books.  Lately it's gotten a little worse because of gifts, etc.  Here are just some of the unread books on my shelves that I hope to get to soon!

 

On the Way to the Wedding // Starring Adele Astaire

 

The Evening and the Morning // Rhett & Link's Book of Mythicality

 

The Swell // A Starlet's Secret Guide to a Sensational Afterlife

 

The Big Bang Theory // The Head That Wears the Crown

 

Things We Never Got Over // The Palace

What are some unread books you've had on your shelves for a long time?

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Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Romanov Edition

The Last Grand Duchess by Bryn Turnbull (2022)

The end of imperial Russia (and the reigning Romanov family) is told through the point of view of eldest daughter Olga, Grand Duchess.  From her sheltered childhood, to some freedom at the home of her aunt, to helping out during the war effort, to finally being confined with her family after the Bolsheviks take power, the reader experiences a critical time in Russian history through the eyes of a young woman.  The story moves back and forth between Olga's teenage years and work as a nurse during the war and the time when the Romanov family was removed from power and confined to various houses, awaiting their fate.  Olga is portrayed as someone who is somewhat naive, very sheltered, and fiercely loyal to her family, although she does speak out occasionally.  Despite their royal roles, the Romanovs come across as a very close family, and Nicholas as a particularly loving father.  Knowing what eventually happens to the Romanovs made for some tension as the book went on (and the book ends on quite a note), but overall, this is a well-written but quiet historical fiction novel.  4 stars

The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport (2015)

In The Romanov Sisters, Helen Rappaport uses extensive research in the form of letters, diaries, and documents from private collections (many before unseen) to provide a view into the lives of the last Grand Duchesses of Russia, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia.  Although famous due to their positions and family, the girls lived quite sheltered lives, and Rappaport shows that despite their duties, their close-knit family was the most important thing to them.  Rappaport does spend quite a lot of time setting up the eventual births of the sisters and their longed-for brother (their mother Alexandra ends up being probably the largest figure in the book), but the use of their letters and diaries really helps us get to know the young women.  Because the family was so private, I think there is a sense that we still don't know a lot of about them, but this book does an admirable job of peering into those quiet family moments and giving us glimpses of what their day-to-day lives were like, even into such things as potential love interests and illnesses suffered.  The writing is a little long-winded at times (many paragraphs are entirely too long) but also very matter-of-fact, in that the author doesn't delve into the many conspiracy theories surrounding the tragic deaths of the Romanov family members.  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Paradise Problem

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Paradise Problem

Christina Lauren

Expected publication date: May 14, 2024

Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie. - from Goodreads

Meeting Abby Jimenez! Plus, A Giveaway!

When Abby Jimenez released the tour schedule for her new book, Just for the Summer, I was excited to see that she was going to be stopping in New York City, just a short(ish) train ride away!  My sister and I snatched up tickets and on Saturday, April 6, we (escorted by her husband) made our way to the Barnes & Noble in Union Square.

The event started at 6pm on the 4th floor of the bookstore, and we chose our seats shortly before that.  Every chair was full for the sold-out event!  Originally, Abby was supposed to be in conversation with author BK Borison, but she had to back out due to illness, so Abby was interviewed by AD Jarvis, a local author who happened to already have a ticket to the event and is a big Abby fan.  For someone who had to fill in at the last minute, I think she did a great job!  She asked Abby questions about the new book (of course), her characters, and her writing process.  Although a self-proclaimed introvert, Abby is a wonderful public speaker - she’s warm, engaging, funny, and charismatic.  Her love for her books and her characters really shines through.  She seemed so happy to be there, and that’s really awesome for fans to see.  She even dropped some information about her next book!

After an hour of interviews and an audience Q&A session, the meet-and-greet portion of the evening began.  Since we were near the back of the audience, we did have to wait quite awhile, but it’s nice that Abby took the time to briefly chat with each person, sign their books, and snap a photo.  My sister met her first, and they had a good laugh about Abby almost spelling her name wrong in her personalization (my sister is one of those elusive one L Michele’s!).  Then it was my turn, and of course I can never think of anything smart to say, so I just mentioned that the previous guest was my twin sister, and she was the one who got me hooked on her books.  Abby replied that she loves meeting friend or sister pairs and hearing which one found her books first.  

LOL, yes, my eyes are open, but just barely!

It’s funny to think that when I was younger, authors were these elusive, almost anonymous figures in my life, but now, through social media and in-person events, it’s possible to get to know them and even meet them!  I’ve had the good fortune to meet a couple of my favorite authors, and I always get starstruck!  I’m glad we had the opportunity to see Abby Jimenez, and hopefully we will get to meet other authors soon!

And now for a giveaway! My sister had preordered a copy of Just for the Summer before we decided to go to this event, so she has an extra SIGNED copy that she has generously donated for this giveaway!

A few rules and notes:

• You must be at least 13 years old and a resident of the United States to enter.
• The giveaway will be open until April 22, 2024.
• The winner will be notified by email, and they will have three days to respond with their full name and mailing address.  If they don't, another winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks and good luck!

Little Free Library Sightings

It's always fun to see a Little Free Library "out in the wild!"  I love to spot them, browse their selection, leave a book if possible, and then look them up on the official website, because sometimes they have interesting stories to go along with them!  There's also an app you can download to find local Little Free Libraries where you can even "check in" to keep track of the ones you've visited!  Here are a couple I've visited recently!

 #58226 - I stopped by this LFL after a recent visit to my sister's house.  I didn't really have time to browse too much, but I did notice that it was packed with books.  I love the rich green color of this one, and the ivy climbing the post was a surprise because the picture in the app didn't have that.  But, I thought it was beautiful!

#111671 - This LFL is also near my sister's house, not far from the previous one, so it was easy to make a stop. It was completely stuffed with books!  Unfortunately, I didn't have any with me to leave.  I love the bright color of the library, as well as the Dr. Seuss quote on the side, "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

Michele's Monday Picks #43

 Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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The Family Experiment

By John Marrs

Expected Publication: May 9, 2024

From Goodreads:

From the acclaimed author of The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is dark and brilliant speculative thriller about families: real and virtual.

Some families are virtually perfect…

The world's population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, the breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.

But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Substitute. It will follow ten couples as they raise a Virtual Child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby…

Set in the same universe as John Marrs's bestselling novel The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and twisted thriller about the ultimate Tamagotchi—a virtual baby.

John Marrs’ thrillers are so good - do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Review: Wild Card by Staci Hart

Wild Card

Staci Hart

Published April 5, 2024

The hot baseball player I’m forced to stay with for my best friend’s wedding is off limits.

Remy Winfield has more muscles than manners, and he’s on a mission to get me into bed by way of the filthiest mouth I’ve ever wanted to kiss. He doesn’t care about my long time crush or my certainty that we’re finally about to happen.

Remy's sure I’ll break first and kiss him, and he’ll tease me to the limit to make sure I do. I might be a Lady, but I can still play his dirty little game. It’s perfectly safe, totally harmless.

Until I fall for him.

Suddenly, Mr. Long-Time Crush doesn’t matter at all.

And my best friend can never know. -  from Goodreads

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jessa is in Tennessee for her best friend Cass' wedding.  She thinks it's her opportunity to finally make something happen with her friend Henry, who is the best man in the wedding, but she doesn't count on a mix-up which has her rooming with Cass' cousin, Remy, a super sexy baseball player.  While Cass expressly forbids the two from hooking up, it doesn't stop them from fake dating to make Henry jealous - but then they both catch feelings.  With Jessa heading back to England after the wedding, where will that leave her and Remy?

After a bit of a break, Staci Hart is back with a brand-new romance that will satisfy all her fans.  While there are certain Staci Hart elements, this book also feels different from her previous stories, and I was all in!  Jessa and Remy are total opposites - she's a high society British lady, while he's a small-town athlete.  But from the moment they meet, there's a spark that Jessa can't ignore, even though she's there for Henry.  Their sexual tension is off the charts, and their flirtatious banter is perfection.  This book is much steamier than her previous offerings; I am the first to point out if a story has too many sex scenes that take away from the story, but that isn't the case here.  Yes, there are a lot of steamy scenes, but to me they only served to show how much chemistry Remy and Jessa had and how into each other they were.  

Staci's books are always filled with great writing, but this one had a lightness to it that I appreciated.  Even as Jessa and Remy (and the other characters) face some tough issues, the vibe felt fun, with some moments of true humor.  There's small-town shenanigans, wedding prep, and plenty of sweet and sexy moments.  And, Staci sets up the next book in the series in an unexpected way!

4 stars

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Demon of Unrest

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War

Erik Larson

Expected publication date: April 30, 2024

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Splendid and the Vile brings to life the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War—a slow-burning crisis that finally tore a deeply divided nation in two.

On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln became the fluky victor in a tight race for president. The country was bitterly at odds; Southern extremists were moving ever closer to destroying the Union, with one state after another seceding and Lincoln powerless to stop them. Slavery fueled the conflict, but somehow the passions of North and South came to focus on a lonely federal fortress in Charleston: Fort Sumter.
 
Master storyteller Erik Larson offers a gripping account of the chaotic months between Lincoln’s election and the Confederacy’s shelling of Sumter—a period marked by tragic errors and miscommunications, enflamed egos and craven ambitions, personal tragedies and betrayals. Lincoln himself wrote that the trials of these five months were “so great that, could I have anticipated them, I would not have believed it possible to survive them.”
 
At the heart of this suspense-filled narrative are Major Robert Anderson, Sumter’s commander and a former slave owner sympathetic to the South but loyal to the Union; Edmund Ruffin, a vain and bloodthirsty radical who stirs secessionist ardor at every opportunity; and Mary Boykin Chesnut, wife of a prominent planter, conflicted over both marriage and slavery and seeing parallels between both. In the middle of it all is the overwhelmed Lincoln, battling with his duplicitous Secretary of State, William Seward, as he tries desperately to avert a war that he fears is inevitable—one that will eventually kill 750,000 Americans.
 
Drawing on diaries, secret communiques, slave ledgers, and plantation records, Larson gives us a political horror story that captures the forces that led America to the brink—a dark reminder that we often don’t see a cataclysm coming until it’s too late.

Month in Review: March 2024

 

 

March was a very busy month for us!  While it did rain a lot, we did have one week of beautiful weather, and Henry and I spent a lot of time at the park after work/school.  My in-laws came over for St. Patrick's Day, with Tom cooking all the staples - corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes.  Henry and I both caught a stomach bug, which made for an unpleasant couple of days.  I even called out sick from work one day, which I felt weird doing because I work from home.  Henry attended his first non-family birthday party - one of his daycare classmates invited him to his party at a local indoor playground, and he had a great time!  It's a place we've been wanting to try, so I'm glad we got to go.  At the end of the month, my mom came for a visit from Oklahoma.  She stayed with my sister because my niece was on spring break and my sister is still very busy with tax season.  Henry's daycare was closed for Good Friday, so my mom and I took the kids to an indoor trampoline park, and they had a blast.  The next day we went down to my sister's again, and my mom took us out for manicures and dinner for our upcoming birthday.  My sister then also hosted Easter, and that was another fun day - Henry is very into hunting for eggs!

Obligatory Henry update - man, it was a rough month for the terrible twos!  The tantrums!!  It's overwhelming sometimes when my normally very sweet boy just melts down.  And the communication issues - he asks for something, we give it to him, he cries, we take it away, he cries even more.  I just don't know what to do sometimes!  It often feels like a lose-lose situation for me.  But, when we are not melting down, Henry is very into music - he loves to sing and actually knows (some of) the words to a few songs!  My mom got him a small guitar, so he has been loving strumming that.  And his language is just blowing up, new words every day.  I actually had two teachers at his school this month compliment his speaking skills - one said he talks like a much older child, and the other was impressed by his vocabulary and grammar, saying that it was proof that we spend a lot of time reading together at home, which was nice to hear!

The Books

 

 

Icebreaker // After I Do // The Minders // Confessions of a Bookseller

 

When You Wish Upon a Star // The Family You Make // The Duchess Takes a Husband // Wild Card

The Villa

The Posts and Reviews

 

 Michele's Monday Picks #41

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Fate Be Changed

Quick Reviews

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Just For the Summer

Little Free Library Sightings

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Spring TBR

Quick Reviews

Michele's Monday Picks #42

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The House on Biscayne Bay

 

 

How are you doing?

 

 

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: The House on Biscayne Bay

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The House on Biscayne Bay

Chanel Cleeton

Expected publication date: April 9, 2024

As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s atmospheric new novel.

With the Great War finally behind them, thousands of civilians and business moguls alike flock to South Florida with their sights set on making a fortune. When wealthy industrialist Robert Barnes and his wife, Anna, build Marbrisa, a glamorous estate on Biscayne Bay, they become the toast of the newly burgeoning society. Anna and Robert appear to have it all, but in a town like Miami, appearances can be deceiving, and one scandal can change everything.

Years later following the tragic death of her parents in Havana, Carmen Acosta journeys to Marbrisa, the grand home of her estranged older sister, Carolina, and her husband, Asher Wyatt. On the surface, the gilded estate looks like paradise, but Carmen quickly learns that nothing at Marbrisa is as it seems. The house has a treacherous legacy, and Carmen’s own life is soon in jeopardy . . . unless she can unravel the secrets buried beneath the mansion’s facade and stop history from repeating itself. - from Goodreads

Michele's Monday Picks #42

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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A Letter to the Luminous Deep

By Sylvie Cathrall

Expected Publication: April 25, 2024

From Goodreads:

Dive into the curious correspondence of Sylvie Cathrall’s delightful debut novel, A Letter to the Luminous Deep.

A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.

Perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and TJ Klune, A Letter to the Luminous Deep is a whimsical epistolary fantasy set in a mystical underwater world with mystery and heart-warming romance.

This sounds so unique - do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Quick Reviews

The Minders by John Marrs (2021)

In the near future, one country thinks it has figured out a foolproof way to prevent its important information from being hacked - put it in the brains of 5 humans and then send them out into the world, anonymously.  It all sounds good until someone figures out who they are and starts hunting them down.  John Marrs always has the most interesting (and even somewhat plausible) sounding scenarios, especially when you think about technology and where it might go in the future.  In this book, several countries around the world are being targeted by hackers/terrorists, and the United Kingdom comes up with a unique plan.  The story takes place in the same universe as a couple of Marrs' other books; if you haven't read them, it's probably not a huge deal, but it would add a great deal of context as the events of those books are heavily referenced here.  We follow four main characters (plus another woman, whose role is somewhat nebulous for awhile), all of whom are given the choice to leave behind their old lives and start anew, while holding the entire knowledge of a nation in their heads - they're now privy to state secrets, conspiracy theories, and coverups.  The short chapters keep the story moving at a frantic pace, sometimes ending on a cliffhanger.  There are some great twists and reveals (and some not-so-great ones), but Marrs isn't ever afraid to try something.  Overall, another great thriller from this author!  4 stars

The Family You Make by Jill Shalvis (2022)

Trapped on a ski lift during a terrible snowstorm, strangers Jane and Levi are convinced they are going to die.  When Levi calls his mother, she hears Jane's voice; in that moment, he wants his mom to be happy and so tells her that Jane is his girlfriend.  When they survive the ordeal, Jane and Levi decide to continue the ruse for a little bit longer - but when Jane's feelings turn real, will she allow herself to experience the happiness she's always craved?  I've been meaning to read this author for a long time, and I'm so glad I finally did!  Levi and Jane are the perfect complements to each other - Levi has always been surrounded by a big family and poor Jane had a hard family life growing up, although she wants to reconnect with her grandfather.  It's obvious from the beginning that Levi's feelings are real (and he was maybe a little TOO perfect at times), so the bulk of the story is about Jane finally admitting, to herself and Levi, that she wants this relationship, this family, this stability.  There's a secondary storyline about Jane's friend Charlotte starting a relationship with Mateo, a fellow doctor - while I enjoyed the friendship between Charlotte and Jane, I could have maybe done without so much of this second romance and just focused on Jane and Levi.  There are some true moments of humor and hints of spiciness, and overall a lot of heartfelt connections.  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Spring TBR

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is our spring TBR.  I have one book left over from my winter TBR (The Villa) that I included here, and then I tried to pick some books that have been languishing on my TBR (and shelves!) for far too long.

What's on your spring TBR?

Little Free Library Sightings

It's always fun to see a Little Free Library "out in the wild!"  I love to spot them, browse their selection, leave a book if possible, and then look them up on the official website, because sometimes they have interesting stories to go along with them!  There's also an app you can download to find local Little Free Libraries where you can even "check in" to keep track of the ones you've visited!  Here are a couple I've visited recently that actually aren't mapped in the app, but we came across them anyway!

This Little Free Library, called Raritan Library, is located at the edge of a park, just beside an elementary school.  We've passed it a couple times when going to the playground with Henry.  It was built and installed as part of an Eagle Scout project in 2021.  It currently has mostly adult books in it, but I've grabbed a book for Henry from there, too!

#123610 - We came across this LFL just outside a big public playground that we took Henry to for the first time recently.  It was installed by a Girl Scout Troop for a project in 2021.  It has an official LFL charter number and sign but for some reason is not on the official LFL maps.  In any event, the first time we saw this library, it was actually empty.  I made a mental note to bring some baby books we were looking to unhaul the next time we visited, but of course I forgot!  But, it was nice to see some books in there the second time!  And since they're all "adult" books, there are some choices for parents, too!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Just For The Summer

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

Just for the Summer

Abby Jimenez

Expected publication date: April 2, 2024

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together? - from Goodreads

Quick Reviews

 She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha (2021)

Maria is a 39-year-old wife and mother, totally overwhelmed by her job and family - until the day she wakes up as her 17-year-old self, unsure of how she got there or how to get back to her family.  She comes to realize that she has a chance to change history, but the change will prevent her from meeting her husband or having her children in the future - how does she make this impossible choice?  I love time travel stories and I was so taken with the premise of this one, but unfortunately, I was left with more questions than answers and it hindered my enjoyment of this book.  We find out that a certain event propels Maria into the past, where she learns she isn't the only one this has happened to.  She then discovers she has been sent back for a "purpose," which to me wasn't super clear - like, if you couldn't figure out this purpose, what was the point?  And also, there's basically no going back, but completing your purpose will change the future you thought you knew.  So, why these people?  Why this purpose?  And since you can't go back to your old life, what is the point of you reliving your life, albeit very differently?  Would certain things still happen, regardless?  And should you (or could you) try to change those things, too?  I didn't care for the bit of insta-love that was thrown in as well.  I did enjoy the connections between the characters and trying to figure out how it would all work out.  Incredible premise, but the execution didn't work well for me.  3 stars

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace (2023)

 

When a college hockey team and ice skating team are forced to share a rink, sparks fly between the captain and the star skater.  Anastasia doesn't have time for a relationship, but will she make room for a new partner?  I have to admit, I'm not quite sure what to think about this one - it's definitely going to end up being 3 stars for me, though.  There were parts I liked - the college setting is one I don't read often, so it was nice to revisit that.  It was way spicier than the cover might make you think (although sometimes it felt like the sex scenes were taking over the story).  The timeline is realistic (no real insta-love here).  But, I did have issues with it.  First off, there were WAY too many side characters to keep track of and after awhile I just stopped caring.  The book is at least 100 pages too long (it's well over 400 pages, there's a lot of repetition in the forming of the relationship between Anastasia and Nathan, and there were plot points that could have been omitted entirely while important ones were totally glossed over).  While it makes sense than Anastasia would be deeply in touch with her emotions after many years of therapy, I felt like the characters were a little too self-aware (and mature, maybe?) for their ages, and there's so much talking at the expense of actual plot.  And don't get me started on that epilogue!  3 stars

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Can't-Wait Wednesday: Fate Be Changed

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

Fate Be Changed

Farrah Rochon

Expected publication date: April 2, 2024

What if the witch gave Merida a different spell? This New York Times best-selling series twists Disney•Pixar's Brave into a fast-paced story in which Merida is sent back in time.

If you could change your fate, would you? Merida understands that as princess of Clan DunBroch, she has certain obligations—but that doesn’t mean she has to like it. Especially when one of those obligations means losing her freedom by becoming betrothed to a man she has never met. Merida balks at this tradition, but her mother Queen Elinor insists that Merida must do this to embrace her role as future queen.

Determined to chart her own path, Merida follows magical wisps to a witch’s cottage, where she is given a magic pastry and promised it will incite “a great transformation” in her mother. But instead of feeding Elinor the pastry, Merida eats it herself.

Merida awakens in the past, a now-teenage Elinor holding a knife to her throat and accusing her of espionage. She’s been transported to a time when the Clans MacCameron and DunBroch are bitter enemies. And it just so happens that the timing of Merida’s arrival has kept Elinor and Fergus from meeting.

Will Merida be able to bridge the rival clans, help her parents fall in love, and change her own fate? - from Goodreads

Michele's Monday Picks #41

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Wild Love

By Elsie Silver

Expected Publication: April 9, 2024

From Goodreads:

Rosie Belmont has been driving me wild for years. The good kind of wild. The bad kind of wild. But mostly the kind of wild that comes with wanting your best friend’s little sister and knowing you can’t have her.

After living in the city, she comes blasting back into Rose Hill like a storm. Beautiful, messy, and chaotic.

And one wide-eyed desperate plea for a job is all it takes for me to hire her.

Forbes may have labeled me the World’s Hottest Billionaire but all I care about is opening my new recording studio. Something that comes to a screeching halt when I end up face-to-face with a young girl who claims I’m her biological father.

Now I spend my days balancing business with parenting a sullen twelve-year-old all while trying desperately to keep my hands the hell off my best friend’s little sister.

I vow to keep Rosie at arm’s length. I try to stick to scowls and grumpy one-liners. But with her verbal sparring is merely foreplay—friction that turns to blistering heat.

I know damn well I shouldn’t cross that line.

But shouldn’t and can’t are two very different things.

And the only thing I truly can’t do is resist her.

If you haven’t yet started your Elsie Silver journey, here is the perfect time as she starts a new series - do you think you’ll be picking this one up?