Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell: Betty’s grandmother Arlette passed away and at 22 she’s finally free to branch out and start a new life in London. In her will Arlette left a large sum of money to someone no one has ever heard of. Betty jumps on the occasion to move to London and starts a new adventure by finding her grandma’s unknown beneficiary. Through her search, she discovers her grandma life in the 20s. This may be my favorite Lisa Jewell book ever, the story was so interesting and I loved reading about Betty’s journey in the 90s and Arlette’s in the 20s. Verdict: 4 Stars
Regretting You by Coleen Hoover: Morgan is 17 and dating Chris, she has feelings for Jonah, Chris’s best friend but he’s dating her sister. When she founds out she is pregnant at 17, all that goes out the window. 17 years later, she’s married to Chris and her daughter Clara is about to turn 17. They have that difficult mother daughter relationship but when Chris is involved in a tragic accident, their relationship deteriorates and Morgan wants to prevent Clara from repeating her mistakes. This was a very interesting book, the story kept me engaged the entire time. It also reminded me that hell is a teenage girl, Clara was so dramatic. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson: Leia is a 38 yo successful graphic novelist, after a tequila infused night and meeting Batman at a comics convention, she is pregnant. Batman left her his number that night but expecting to never see him again, she didn’t save it. Her family does not get her, so she’s not looking forward to tell them her news. On top of all that her grandmother is dealing with dementia, her step sister’s marriage is imploding and she has to travel to her grandma to figure her living situation. Did I mention Batman was black, so she’s also about to have a biracial baby. Never Have I Ever is still my favorite but this one was really interesting, Joshilyn is a really great story teller. Verdict: 4 Stars
Vince & Joy by Lisa Joy: I was trying to read The Goldfinch but after a few painful chapters, I moved on to this. This is an oldie from Lisa Jewell, it came out in 2006 and it did not disappoint. Vince and Joy met in the 80s and fell in love during family holidays, when Joy is forced to leave abruptly, she doesn’t get to say goodbye to Vince. Years later, their lives are not going so well as they keep on making stupid decisions. They eventually see the wrong in their ways and make some necessary changes. I really enjoyed this. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Woman in the Window by A.J Finn: Gina told me this was becoming a movie so I had to get to it. Anna Fox never leaves her home and spies on her neighbors. One night she is convinced she saw a murder take place, but between her meds and heavy drinking, she’s not a reliable source. This was so good and it had a twist that I honestly did not see coming. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Shadows We Hide by Allen Esken: This is the first fiction book I read in 2020. Was so glad to read about Joe Talbert again, this is a sequel to the life we bury. This time Joe is a journalist for Associated Press and is being sued for an article he wrote. In the meantime, his boss shows him a press release about the death of Joe Talbert senior, a man he never wanted to meet. He founds out that Joe senior had indeed a complicated life and his death was in no way a simple ordeal. I loved this book, I think it is worth reading both. Verdict: 5 Stars
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell: Libby learns about her birth parents on her 25th birthday and finds out she inherited a mansion that is worth millions. Twenty five years ago, she was found in the house as a baby with three dead bodies in the kitchen. They were other teenagers in the house back then but they all disappeared. Little did Libby know, a few others were waiting for her to turn 25 and she is about to discover the shocking story of her making. True to Lisa Jewell, this book had the right amount of darkness Verdict: 4 Stars
One-Hit Wonder by Lisa Jewell: Ana is really tall and lonely, she grew up idolizing her estranged half sister Bee, that used to be a pop star. Bee turned up dead and she has to go to London to empty her flats. While doing so, she meets Bee’s friends and discover who her sister really was. She also found out how many lives Bee touched despite having so many demons. This story was so touching and one of my favorite from Lisa Jewell. Verdict: 4 Stars
Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn: I was not at all planning on reading this but I was bored one day and wanted a light read or should I say listen. It’s the first in the hockey series. I read the second one last month. It’s a great brain candy, nothing too heavy just a fun romance. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
One of us is next by Karen M. McManus: I’m not usually into YA but I’m really enjoying Karen M McManus books so far, so I guess I’l keep reading them. I read her first and second novel, this is the sequel of the first one and I enjoyed it. I think you must read the first one before reading this one. A lot will make a lot more sense and you will be able to track the characters better. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher: I kept seeing this book in my library app and decided to give it a go. Thursday’s husband Seth has two other wives. He’s a polygamist but the wives don’t know each other. Thursday has some insecurities, so of course she’s always wondering about the other women. One day she found a receipt in Seth clothing, and everything slowly unravels. I cannot tell you more as I don’t want to ruin this for you. This book is insane til the very end, it was so entertaining. Verdict: 4 Stars
Civilized To Death by Christopher Ryan: There’s books that are great read at the beginning of a new year. This is it for me this year, last year it was Atomic Habits. This book will make you think and questioned our way of life. I’ve read sex at dawn by the same author and love it too. Verdict: 5 Stars
Free Will by Sam Harris: I grew think thinking that I have free will. We also know we are not all dealt the same cards in life. In this short book, Sam Harris shows us the facts that ‘Free Will’ is an illusion. Verdict: 5 Stars
FEBRUARY 2020
Don’t you forget about me by Mhairi McFarlane: This book started light and Georgina seems like kind of a mess, she didn’t finish college, wants to be a writer but never writes and works as a waitress in a crappy restaurant. One night, she loses her crappy job and finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her. She ends up finding a new job and one of her bosses is a boy she adored in High School who doesn’t seem to remember her. This book was compared to Bridget Jones and Fleabag and it’s really a perfect cross of the two. I loved it, I was annoyed with Georgina at first, but the more I got to know, the more I loved her. Verdict: 4 Stars
Lies by T.M. Logan: Joe is a happily married man and a great father, on a Thursday while driving with her son, they spot his wife entering a hotel garage. He follows her and see she’s having a heated discussion with a family friend. Then everything goes South. I really don’t want to give anything away but this book starts with a bang and kept my interested the entire time. Loved it! Verdict: 4 Stars
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin: This book is told by Fiona the youngest of the family. Her older siblings were left to mend on their own for 2 years after their dad suddenly passed away and their mother went into a deep depression. The grew up to be close but very different people. I didn’t give this book 5 stars because there’s a few elements I didn’t care for but other than that it was an amazing read. I loved reading about family dynamics and we get to know them from they were kids well into their 80s. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren: Christina Lauren is a favorite for cute rom coms and this one did not disappoint. Carey has been working for now design and home remodeling gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp since she was 16 back when they only had one store. While working at the store, she starts working on their display and is eventually designing furnitures and sets but with only the title of an assistant. James, an MIT graduate has been recently hired as an Engineer but is also doing assistant work. Carey and him don’t really get along at first and they have to deal with Melissa and Rusty who are a PR nightmare. They have a book about marriage coming out and are going on tour with Carey and James in tow to keep them in line. Carey is overworked, frustrated and tired but soon enough James is a nice distraction. This was such a fun read and I was rooting for Carey the entire time. Verdict: 4 Stars – a copy was provided by Netgalley
Good Riddance by Elinor Lipman Daphne is fresh out of a sham of a marriage. While Marie Kondoing, she gets rid of the high school yearbook her mom left her when she passed. They yearbook has all sorts of notes, that she can’t really decrypt. She is later contacted by a neighbor who got the yearbook from the trash and wants to do a documentary about it. Daphnee is not pleased to say the list but this chain of events led her to discover things about her late mother, her family history over and eventually to find love. I enjoyed this book mainly because it was so different. It’s not your typical rom com. Verdict: 3 Stars
Behind her eyes by Sarah Pinborough: Louise is a single mom, one night she meets a man at a bar and they hit it off right away. On her next day to work, the man ‘David’ is her new boss and is very married to a beauty named Adele. They agree to keep their distance but the attraction is still there. To make things even worse, Louise ‘accidentally’ run into Adele. Adele insists that they get together and they are slowly becoming friends. Worst of all, Adele seems to be scared of David, and now Louise is set on helping her. This book is literally a slap in the face, at the end my mouth was on the floor. Please read it so we can discuss how insane it it. Trust me this little summary didn’t give ANYTHING away. Verdict: 5 Stars
Recipe for a perfect wife by Karma Brown *: Alice moves to the suburbs with her husband leaving behind the city the loves so much and her job. Her days are now spent alone and she’s struggling with her new normal. Their new house came as is, filled with old furniture, in the basement she discovered an old cookbook and become fascinated by the previous owner Nellie, a housewife in the 50s. This book tells Alice’s story in the present and Nellie’s in the 50’s. Both women are struggling with their marriage and Alice is learning a thing or two from Nellie’s story. This was so much more enjoyable than I expected. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Watching you by Lisa Jewell: Someone is brutally murdered dead in their house, in beautiful Melville heights. Tom is loved by his community and is the new headmaster to a local school. Joey just moved in her brother’s new house with her new husband and has a mild obsession with Tom. Tom’s son Freddie is a wannabe spy and is constantly spying on the neighborhood. Everyone’s story is a lot more complicated and clearly someone was upset enough to commit murder, but who did it? Verdict: 4 Stars
The Blinds by Adam Sternberg: Imagine a place where old criminals and witnesses live with no recollection whatsoever of why they are there. This programs wipes people’s memory of their traumatic events, so now they don’t know who’s a victim needing protection and who’s a criminal. Things however gets complicated when there’s a “suicide” then a murder in a short amount of time. Can the habitant of The Blinds be trusted? Verdict: 4 Stars
A friend of the family by Lisa Jewell: This is Lisa Jewell’s latest book and I’m so happy it’s in her older writing style. This one is not a thriller or suspense. Three brothers are perplexed by their parent’s new lodger Gervais. Is he crook or can he be trusted? They are all going through hard times and Gervais seems to always be around with some great insight on what they should be doing. Don’t want to give more away but I loved this one. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan: Alice is a single mom and incredibly attached to her son Matthew and doesn’t want him out of her sight. He is however a teenager now and she is sick. In a parallel story Marsha is grieving the passing of her son Gabriel a few years ago and can’t seem to move on. Marsha loves visiting her local cemetery and observing the eccentric lady that is always feeding the birds, that she secretly name Sally. They grow closer and Sally teaches her that the best way to celebrate her son is to move on. Alice is getting sicker and Marsha is making small steps to finally change her life. I now musth read Ruth Hogan’s other books, this one was so touching and I loved her humor. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner: If you enjoyed Educated, this is a great follow up. Ruth Wariner grew up in a polygamist family, they moved countless times and endured so much. I don’t want to give anything away but there’s some disturbing parts, like child abuse. So beware. Verdict: 5 Stars
Open Book by Jessica Simpson: Growing up in the Mickey Mouse club Britney, Christina and Justing era, I was so excited to read this and loved how candid Jessica was about her life. I enjoyed this memoir a lot. Verdict: 4 Stars
MARCH 2020
The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan: Anthony starts collecting random keepsake he finds after losing his own fiancé. When he passed, he leaves his house and all the keepsakes to his housekeeper Laura, with the clause to find a way to return the keepsakes to their rightful owners. This endeavor changes Laura’s life and other. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley: Julian used to be a well known artist, now he’s a widow and lives alone. He is incredibly lonely and wrote his story in a notebook labeled the Authenticity Project, then leaves it at a coffee house. Monica finds the notebook in her café, she wrote down her own story and tries to come up with a plan to help Julian out of his solitude. This start a chain reaction of people finding the notebook and writing their own truth, creating a small community of friends who comes together to help each other out. I loved this book, it was so sweet and refreshing. Verdict: 5 Stars
The Kissing Game by Marie Harte: Rena is a die hard romantic and is ready to quit her job at a dive bar to open her own hair salon. She is however pissed at Axel, the handsome german that keeps starring at her but won’t ask her out. Axel is somehow always involved in a brawl and Rena is not sure he is boyfriend material. Axel is however set to prove her otherwise. Verdict: 3 Stars
Maybe Someday by Coleen Hoover: Sydney is pissed and homeless when she finds out her best friend is sleeping with her boyfriend Hunter. Her talented neighbor Ridge takes her in and she becomes the third roommate. Sydney is a good a writing music and soon Ridge hires her to write for his band. She is really attracted to him but he has a girlfriend. Needless to say they are in a very complicated situation. This was an ok read for me, I find that I’m more into Colleen’s latest books. Verdict: 2.5 Stars
Ugly Love by Coleen Hoover: Tate meets Miles and is pretty much immediately attracted to him. Miles is interested as well but doesn’t want a relationship at all. They start a physical affair but obviously it’s getting more and more complicated. Miles is forced to face his past in order to move forward. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Antidote to Everything by Kimmery Martin: Georgia is a urologist and unlucky in love. Her best friend Jonah is also a doctor and in major trouble with his practice, he caters to a few gay and transgender patients and they are being refused services in conservative Charleston, South Carolina . Georgia had a conference planned in Germany and leaves Jonah in the midst of all this drama, along the way she has a whirlwind romance but comes back home ready to help Jonah any way she can. I loved this book and I also recommend Kimmery’s other novel The Queen of Hearts. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: Danny and Maeve are raised by their father Cyril in the beautiful Dutch House. Cyril ends up marrying a younger woman with her own two kids. Upon their father’s death, their stepmother kicks Danny out of the house and Maeve has to take him in. Maeve basically end up raising Danny and even in adulthood, they are forever fascinated by the Dutch House and all their memories. I think this book you either love it or feel meh about it. It doesn’t have any major plot twist, it’s just a great story. The audio version is narrated by Tom Hanks and I loved that. Verdict: 4 Stars
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett: I loved the Dutch House so much I had to read another by Ann Patchett. Bert Cousin is forever trying to stay away from his growing family. He shows up uninvited to Franny Keating’s christening and fell immediately for her mom Beverly. With that, two family are destroyed and the Cousin’s and Keating’s kids have to spend their Summer together, unsupervised by their parents who are caught up in their own drama. It takes a while to keep track of all these characters but just like the Dutch House, this one did not disappoint. Verdict: 4 Stars
Followers by Megan Angelo: It’s 2015 and Orla is a writer for a gossip website and not the published author she hoped show would be. She agrees to help her roommate Floss on becoming internet famous and they end up with a reality show, they are now big time influencers making lots of money. After a series of unfortunate events, overnight they are hated by everyone. This story is told in two timelines, now in 2051, Marlo is Floss’s daughter and her entire life is broadcast live. She has millions of followers who watchers her every move daily. Every single thing she does is monitored and planned, she is not thrilled when she’s told she’s having a baby, then escaped when she learn some troubling news about her dad. I am trying really hard not to share the entire plot but this was such an interesting read. Very well written although the end was a bit rushed but it’s a long book, so I understand. This book is very relevant to our culture and maybe shows where we are possibly headed. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Other Mrs: I picked not knowing anything about it and it is bat shit crazy. Sadie just moved to Maine with her husband and 2 boys, soon after a neighbor is killed in her home. Sadie is automatically uneasy and feels unsafe. Is the killer still on the island, looking for a new victim? Is Sadie just paranoid? I cannot tell you anything else about this, just read it. Verdict: 4 Stars
Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson: Malcom is a bookstore owner and once wrote a blogpost for his store called eight perfect murders. This list featured 8 books that depicted 8 well executed murders. One day while at work, he gets a visit from an FBI agent asking him about the list he wrote ages ago, telling him that there may be someone out there following his list and executing similar murders. Malcom is obviously very troubled by this and starts to feel like this person probably knows exactly who he is. Perter Swanson really has a gift for this types of novel, I loved this. Verdict: 5 Stars
You Are Not Alone b Mary Kubica: Shay witnesses a suicide on the subway tracks and cannot get over this tragic event. She is even unable to take the subway without a full on panic attack. When the press releases the name of the decease (Amanda), Shay looks her up and attends her memorial. Amanda friends take an immediate interest in Shay, even when her stories on how she knew Amanda are not adding up. Shay is drawn to this group of women and they are trying their best to make Shay’s life better by helping her any way they can. The thing is are they actually helping? This was such a satisfying read, I don’t want to spoil the plot for you, but it’s a good one. Verdict: 4 Stars
Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams: This one almost didn’t make it but I finished it last night and had to share. It is the cutest British rom com I’ve read in a while. Daniel overheard Nadia talking to her boss and is immediately impressed by her. He gets lucky and run into her on the train, but she is always distracted and he end up writing to her on the missed connection column. Thanks to her friend, she realized that it might be about her. But they can’t seem to be in the same place at the same time. It takes them months to actually meet but it is the cutest romance ever. Verdict: 4 Stars
My Friend Anna by Rachel DeLoach Williams: Rachel the author got scammed by this fake heiress, I didn’t finish this, I feel bad for the author of course but it was just meh for me.
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach: Sometimes you stumble upon some a book at just the right time. I first heard about this on a podcast, then a friend told me she was reading it. It was a very therapeutic read for me and I plan on re- reading it again. Verdict: 5 Stars
APRIL 2020
Ralph’s Party by Lisa Jewell: Ralph and Smith are best friends and roommates. When Jemima moves in with them, everything changes. Jemima is convinced Smith is the man of her dreams but Ralph is convinced he’s the right one for her. This book made me laugh so hard, I love old Lisa Jewell books. Verdict: 4 Stars
Such a fun age by Kiley Reid: Emira’s boss, Alix, calls her late in the evening to come watch her daughter Briar. At the store when Emira is accosted by a security guard, she is forced to call her boss to prove she is not a kidnapper. Of course Emira is a black woman. A bystander films everything and prompts her to share the video and file a complaint, but she doesn’t want to. Emira is 25 and not in a good place in her career, Alix is determined to ‘help’ Emira since the incident and get to know her. This book was very interesting, and a great read. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
What You Wish For by Katherine Center: Samantha is a librarian in a great school in Texas, she loves her job, the kids, neighbors and landlord who also work at the school. When the new principle ends up being Duncan, the guy she was so infatuated with in her old school, she is panicking. However, Duncan is no longer the fun loving teacher she knew. He’s uptight, humorless and obsessed with school safety. When he starts making changes to the school she doesn’t agree with at all, she works out a plan to bring the old Duncan back. This was a cute romance that also tackled some deeper subjects. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore: Oona is about to be ninetee and excited about the new year. She’s still deciding if she’s going to follow her boyfriend and their band or start university. After midnight, she wakes up but she’s actually 51 and disoriented but still very much nineteen on the inside. She’s not at her house and a stranger is telling her that he’s her assistant. This goes on and on, Oona leaps into a new year but not in a linear way. She sometimes leaves herself letters to herself to explain her current life and sometimes she doesn’t. These leaps make her a rich woman, since she knows the future and she strategically buys the right stocks. One year, she has a boyfriend she doesn’t know at all and another she has a husband. Every year is different and challenging in it’s own way, only her assistant and mom knows about her leaps and it’s always a struggle to try to enjoy her life as is. This book was nothing like I’ve read before Verdict: 4.5 Stars
The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sage: Vivian is a painter, her current Forest themed series is doing extremely well. She went to camp when she was 13 yo and all the girls that were in her cabin disappeared and were never found. 15 years later she can’t stop painting them, so when she gets the opportunity to return to the same camp as an art instructor she takes it. As soon as she gets there, weird things start happening. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle: Sabrina once made a list of the people living or dead she would like to have dinner with. On her 30th birthday, as always she meets best friend Jessica for dinner and all the people on her lists are also there, including Audrey Hepburn. I loved this book because it was like nothing I’ve read before. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa: Lina is in line to get a dream job. On her first meeting with her potential new boss, she also run into her ex fiancé and his brother Max who played a role in her fiancé leaving her at the altar. She has her emotions in check and acts like this is the first time she’s meeting both of them. She has to collaborate with Max to get the job and gets to see a new side of him. Falling for her ex’s brother is not ideal. Verdict: 3 Stars
My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella: Katie is finally living and working in London, but her life is not as glamorous as her instagram feed. Her boss Demeter however seems to have it all, the career, fabulous home and perfect family. When Demeter fires her with very little regard, she has to move back home and help her dad start a ‘glamping’ business. When her old boss is one of the guest, she takes it upon her to make her pay for treating her so badly. This was such a great comfort read, this is my favorite Sophie Kinsella book so far. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory: Alexa meets Drew while stuck in a hotel elevator and he convinces her to be his pretend girlfriend at his ex wedding. It was suppose to be a weekend fling, but they can’t seem to stop seeing each other. Drew is not one to commit and Alexa knows she is falling for him. Jasmine Guillory’s books are all such great light reads. I only hope I read them all in the proper order. This is the first one she came out with. If you look up any of her books on this blog, you should be able to find a review. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Well Met by Jen Deluca: Emily was working to help get her boyfriend through law school, then it would be her turn to go finish her degree. Once her boyfriend got a good job, he proceeds to dump her because he doesn’t want to date a waitress. Emily relocate to Willow Creek to help her older sister and niece who were just in a car accident. She is also trying to use that time to figure out her life, her next step and get over her ex’s betrayal. Willow Creek is a small town and in not time Emily has new friends and a new crush. Verdict: 3 Stars
Good In Bed by Jennifer Weiner: Connie is a 28 yo plus size writer, she is witty and smart. She just broke up with her boyfriend Bruce and is outrage when she finds out he’s writing for a magazine, talking about what it’s like to date a big girl. Connie is mortified, angry and wants Bruce back. Don’t want to give much away but I loved this story. Verdict: 5 Stars
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane: I looooved this book and could not get enough of it. Laurie is a 36 yo mixed race lawyer and has been with her boyfriend Dan since she was 18. She’s ready to have kids when Dan tells her he doesn’t want kids or a relationship. Laurie is gutted, the author honestly made me feel like I was going through the breakup as well. When her handsome coworker comes up with a plan to help him advance his career and make Laurie’s ex jealous, she is on board. But things don’t really go as planned. Verdict: 5 Stars
Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner: This is a sequel of Good in bed, Connie is in her 40s and a mother. Her teenage daughter doesn’t seem to like her very much and is learning all about her mom’s wild past. Connie is desperate to be close to her only daughter while dealing with her husband change of heart about having kids. Not as juicy as Good in bed, but it was nice to spend time with these characters again. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Mrs Every-thing by Jennifer Weiner: Sisters Jo and Bethie grew up in the 50s with very strict gender roles. Jo is a tomboy and doesn’t get along with her mom at all and Bethie is everything Jo isn’t. She’s girly, pretty and wants to be a star. As their family go through tragedies and they each go through their own trauma, they end up with lives very different to what they envisioned. This is a more recent Jennifer Weiner book and I really loved it. It will inspire you to live your truth. Verdict: 4 Stars
Love her or Lose her by Tessa Bailey: This is my second time reading Tessa Bailey and this was a cute and steamy romance. Loved that the characters from her previous novel made several appearances in that one. Rosie and Dominic are high school sweethearts and have been together for 10 years, while their attraction is intact, their emotional connection has vanished. Rosie is sick of Dominic’s behaviors and finally move out of their home. Dominic is willing to do everything to get his wife back. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Would like to meet by Rachel Winters: Evie Summers works for a film agency and their biggest client Ezra is taking forever to write his second screenplay. Evie is desperate to get him writing again to save her agency and get a promotion. Ezra is supposed to write a rom-com and he thinks this genre is beneath him. Evie promises that the rom-com’s meet-cute really do happen in real life and goes to recreate the most popular ones in real life to get Ezra inspired. In the meantime, she meets father/daughter duo Ben and Anette after they witness her fumbles at trying to recreate a meet cute. This sounded silly but it was so cute, I love British romance and they always have such great humor. Verdict: 4 Stars
Fumbled by Alexa Martin: I read Intercepted a while back and totally forgot to keep up with Alexa Martin’s Playbook series but I’m all caught up now. Poppy is a single mother working as a waitress at a nightclub. She was pregnant at 16 and her ambitious boyfriend T.K asked her to get an abortion. She didn’t follow through with the abortion and her parents kicked her out. Now at 27, she’s working hard to give her son Ace a great life. When she runs into T.K (who’s now a superstar football player) at her job one night, their spark is still alive and she struggles to tell him that she never got that abortion. Another fun read. Verdict: 4 Stars
Blitzed by Alexa Martin: This is the latest in the Playbook series, I think the next one will be out at the end of the year. In this one Brynn has always been attracted to the quiet and smart football player Maxwell. He keeps to himself but also seems to want to get closer to Brynn. She doesn’t do relationships but her attraction to Maxwell is one that she cannot escape or deny. But it’s hard to get rid of old bad habits. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
MAY 2020
A good neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowle: Valerie is a professor raising her biracial son, Xavier. When a new-money family moves in next door, they don’t have much in common with Valerie, but things escalate when Valerie’s beloved Oak tree seems to be in distress with all the construction happening next door. To make things worse, a romance emerge between Xavier and the new family’s teenage daughter. I really thought this was a light read at first but it got dark and messy. I don’t regret reading it at all, it was a nice break from all the romance. Verdict: 4 Stars
Thirty Nothing by Lisa Jewell: I’m so happy there’s still Lisa Jewell books I haven’t read yet. This is an old one, before she started writing thrillers. Nadine and Dig have been best friends for years, they met in school but stopped talking when Dig started dating another girl. Eventually, they made it back to being friends after that relationship ended, now in their early 30s, they are still very close. That is until Dig run into an old flame and Nadine is not at all thrilled about that. This is not my favorite ever from Lisa but I really enjoyed it. The characters were so dense, I wanted to hit them with a stick. Verdict: 3.5
Here’s looking at you b Mhair McFarlane: Anna is a beautiful 30 something with a great career. Unfortunately, she was overweight as a kid and had the worst time. She was bullied and she never forgot her crush and #1 tormentor, James. In current times, James seems to be a nice guy with a marriage on the rocks. When Anna runs into him, he doesn’t recognize her and they become friends, but can Anna ever fully trust him. I’m getting to really love Mhairi MacFarlane, she has that great British humor and her books, while fun always have depth. Verdict: 4 Stars.
First comes love by Emily Giffin: I haven’t read an Emily Giffin book in 10 years, I checked. Josie and Meredith are sister and very different. Josie is a free spirited first grade teacher, Meredith is a strict and focused lawyer, married with a young daughter. Their relationship deteriorated when a major tragedy hit the family. Now in their 30s, Josie is stressed because her ex’s daughter is one of her student, and Meredith seems to be unhappy despite having the perfect family/life. They can never seem to get along and they can never openly talk about the past. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella: Lottie is at dinner with her boyfriend and is 100% sure he’s about to propose and she is ready. The dinner doesn’t end well to say the least, Lottie is spiraling out of control and took up with an old flame. Her older sister Fliss, knows her well and is determined to stop Lottie from making a big mistake no matter what. This book was hilarious! It would make such a funny movie, full of crazy twists and turns. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella: Sylvie and Dan have been together for 10 and have adorable twin daughters. They know each really well, and can easily predict what the other is about to say. At an appointment, the doctor mentioned casually that they have another sixty-eight years to look forward to considering they are healthy and all. This leaves them both stumped, imagining having to spend another 68 years together. To fight the monotony of marriage, they decide to keep surprising each other, except, these surprises seem to be going terribly wrong and Sylvie is not even sure she knows her husband. Verdict: 4 Stars
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle: I read the dinner list last month and loved it, so I was thrilled to read this and it did not disappoint. Dannie has her entire life planned out unlike her gorgeous and artistic friend Bella. On the night of her engagement, she totally predicted, she fell asleep once she got home and woke up 5 years later in a different home, with a different man and engagement ring. She’s freaking out but ultimately realizes her life clearly didn’t go as planned. She wakes up again in her current life and can never forget this weird flash-forward. I don’t want to spoil it but this is a wonderful book about love and loss. Verdict: 5 Stars
Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain: This is parallel story between two women. Morgan in 2018, who has to restore a mural. She was in jail because she took the fall for a crime she didn’t commit. In 1940, Anna Dale from New Jersey won a contest and gets to create a major mural in Edenton, North Carolina. As Morgan is restoring Anna’s mural, she becomes more and more fascinated by the artist. Along the way, we get to experience what Anna dealt with, by being a female artist in the 40s, specially in the South. I loved this book, it’s must read. Verdict 5 Stars
Take a hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert: I love the Brown sisters and was so excited to get an Arc of book 2. Book 1, Get a life Chloe Brown is out and I loved it. Dani is a bi Phd student and is not looking for a serious relationship. She always have great banter with Zaf, the security guard at her university, so when he is captured rescuing her on video, they go viral on social media. In order to help Zaf’s side project, she agrees to be his fake girlfriend, since the viral video is bringing him a lot of positive attention. The thing is Zaf is already really into Dani, so this is not going to end well. I love that Talia Hibbert writes about such diverse characters, I cannot wait for Eve’s story. Verdict: 4 Stars. Thanks to netgalley for the copy.
Not the girl you marry by Andie J. Christopher: Jack is a not like his other millennial friends, he’s a gentleman and knows how to treat a lady. Hannah is a mixed girl, great a her job but unlucky in love. She is not in the best mood when she meets Jack but slowly get to enjoy his company. She feels bad having to use him for a promotion, little does she know, he’s also using her to get ahead in his career. They are both in the wrong but their feelings for each other are very much real. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The last book party by Karen Dukess: it’s 1987, Eve is an aspiring writer that never writes and work in publishing. She jumps at the opportunity to attend a party in Cape Code, thrown by famous writer Henry and his poet wife, Tillie. At the party, she meets their son Laine and they have a weekend fling. Only to hear later that Laine has a girlfriend. She goes back to New York but soon quits and take a position, working as a research assistant for Henry and gets invited to their annual book party, where each guest must be dressed a literary character. The party unravels and everyone’s dirty laundry get exposed. This book was so juicy! Verdict: 5 Stars
Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams: Liv loses her job as a pastry chef after finding out her boss is a creep and now he is set to ruin her entire career. She has to agree to get help from Braden Mack, he’s powerful enough to help here fight her old boss. In the meantime, they are getting closer and Braden is convinced Liv is the girl for him but Liv has little interest in romance so far, only revenge. Verdict: 3 Stars
Girl gone viral by Alisha Rai: Imagine having a casual conversation with a stranger in a cafe, and you end up going viral when you despise public attention. Kat is mortified and wants to do whatever it takes, to keep her anonymity. When her gorgeous bodyguard Jas, offers to take her to his family farm to hide, she does not hesitate. This is also an opportunity to get to know Jas better and find out if her feelings for him are reciprocated. Verdict: 3 Stars
Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner: Daphne is stunned to hear from her old friend Drue, they had a fight that caused Daphne to go viral and now she’s a plus size influencer. Drue is begging to be back in Daphne’s life and wants her to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. Daphne knows it’s a bad idea but the beautiful, glamorous and rich Drue Cavanaugh is her kryptonite. I read this so fast and loved it. Verdict: 4 Stars