Category: Book Reviews

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Book Review: The Worth of a Penny by Jess B. Moore

 

The Worth of a Penny

by Jess B. Moore

 

Amazon

 

Sweetheart Penelope Davies is what her daddy calls gullible, right after he told her she was stupid and worthless. With her cheek red from being slapped by him, and her heart trampled by a worthless boyfriend, she packs up and follows her half-brother to Fox River, North Carolina, in need of a fresh start.

Dominic MacKenna is the youngest of five brothers, the friendly one with a killer smile and easy laugh. His brothers are all grown up, and one by one they’re flying the nest, leaving him out of sorts and unsure of his place. Who is he if not the youngest MacKenna?

Penny falls in with the MacKenna brothers, welcomed in as family, and offered the kind of love and support she never knew existed. With a new job and a lot of determination, she is finding out what she’s capable of. The last thing she needs now is to fall in love with the most notorious flirt in town.

Dominic falls for the sweet strong girl with a penchant for random facts and quirky homemade dresses. All he wants is to show Penny how wonderful she is, how smart and funny, and how desired and loved—even if he has to do it as her friend.

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

Are they monitoring your texts now? Should I send a shot of my nipples? My gentleman sausage? Would it get you fired?

 

“I can show you all the places girls have professed their love for Dominic.” “Oh, yes, please show Penny all the graffiti. Way to keep it classy, Magnolia.” I deadpanned, shifting my weight, and wishing for an end to this conversation. “Don’t’ Magnolia me, Dominic Oswald MacKenna.” I sucked in a breath. Maggie middle named me. In front of Penny.

 

It’s all my sisters do, and all the women working here. Like a sickness. I swear, if and when I meet a woman who doesn’t gossip, I’ll know she’s the one.

 

My Review:

 

There has to be some type of bewitchment or inexplicable magic that Jess B. Moore sprinkles on her stories as I am immediately sucked into her characters’ vortex whenever I pick up her books. This is my third exposure to her craftily written and heart squeezing tales, and this delightful phenomenon has occurred each and every time.   Her word voodoo is strong! I adored these quirky, irresistible, and complex characters. Ms. Moore certainly has a knack for casting her tales with uniquely compelling and slighted dented yet highly endearing individuals. Penny and Dominic were both adorable, highly appealing, and gentle souls who were well worth knowing. I cannot wait to see what Ms. Moore conjures next for Fox River.

About the Author

Jess B Moore is a writer of love stories. When she’s not writing, she’s busy mothering her talented and stubborn children, reading obscene numbers of books, and knitting scarves she’ll likely never finish.

Jess lives in small-town North Carolina with her bluegrass obsessed family. She takes too many pictures of her cats, thinking the Internet loves them as much as she does. She is a firm believer of swapping stories over coffee or wine, and that there should always be dark chocolate involved.

Her novels combine her interests in family, music, and small towns into thoughtful tales of growing up and falling in love.

Social Media Links –
Website: https://jessbmoore.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjessb
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorjessb
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjessb/

 

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Book Review: One Last Summer by Victoria Connelly

One Last Summer

by Victoria Connelly

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

 

They have the whole summer ahead of them. Is it enough to rekindle the friendship they once shared?

Harriet Greenleaf dreams of spending the summer in a beautiful ancient priory on the Somerset coast with her two best friends—but her dream is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s a chance to reconnect three lives that have drifted apart; on the other, she has a devastating secret to share that will change everything between them forever.

First to arrive is Audrey—the workaholic who’s heading for a heart attack unless she slows down and makes time for herself. Then Lisa, the happy-go-lucky flirt who’s always struggled to commit to anyone—or anything. Ever the optimist, can Harriet remind them of the joy in their lives and the importance of celebrating good friendship before it’s gone?

Through the highs and lows of a long, glorious summer, these three women will rediscover what it means to be there for each other—before they face the hardest of goodbyes.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He was the head of the maths department and she’d told him that she’d always hated figures and he’d made some wisecrack about liking hers.

 

Harrie’s diagnosis. D-Day, she called it, and now her life seemed to be divided between everything that had happened before D-Day and everything that had happened after.

 

Kindness. That was the trait she’d come to value most in recent years. You realised that as soon as you became ill. Kindness trumped absolutely everything else.

 

… the likelihood was that she wasn’t going to see her birthday. How strange a thought was that – to know that you have seen your last birthday?

 

A moment of stillness and wordlessness passed between the two women. It was a strange feeling because Harrie didn’t feel any sort of closeness to Mrs Ryder, but this confession – this sharing of intimate pain – now connected them. Harrie had found that her journey with cancer had linked her to so many people in this way – people she probably would never have spoken to.

 

Lisa, aligning my chakras and teaching me how to breathe through one nostril isn’t going to save me… This thing’s got me good and proper.

 

I know he’s the father of my daughter and there’s a part of me that will always love him, but he’s moved on now. He’s married to Lizzie, who has big hair and wears tight tops. So, you see my health isn’t his concern anymore.

 

My Review:

 

Knowing her days were numbered, Harriet, Harrie for short, splashed out a fortune to provide one last hurrah to host a peaceful summer vacation with her two oldest and dearest friends of twenty years, who are unaware of her dire health issues. This wasn’t a highly eventful or active story but a slowly evolving character-based study of coming to grips with mortality, as well as how that was processed and dealt with within complicated relationships and personalities. Each woman possessed a distinct and complex identity with vastly different temperaments, life goals, and levels of accomplishment, yet they cared about each other and fussed like siblings.

The premise was relevant and thought-provoking while the writing was emotive and thoughtfully insightful with recurrent themes of interpersonal tension, poignancy, melancholia, angst, and wry humor. The main characters were well fleshed out, although the character of Audrey was the most difficult for me to warm up to as she was the type of person I generally make an effort to avoid in real-life; she was stubborn, bristling with self-importance, driven, highly opinionated, and abrupt. I actually found the local workers to be the most compelling and interesting and greatly enjoyed their addition and contributions to the story.

New additions to my Brit Word list include plimsolls – which are rubber-soled canvas shoes; slap-up – a large and sumptuous meal; and supply teaching – what most Americans know as substitute teaching.

About the Author

Victoria Connelly studied English literature at Worcester University, got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and now lives in rural Suffolk with her artist husband, a young springer spaniel and a flock of ex-battery hens.

She is the author of two bestselling series, Austen Addicts and The Book Lovers, as well as many other novels and novellas. Her first published novel, Flights of Angels, was made into a film in 2008 by Ziegler Films in Germany. The Runaway Actress was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Romantic Comedy Novel award.

Ms. Connelly loves books, films, walking, historic buildings and animals. If she isn’t at her keyboard writing, she can usually be found in her garden, with either a trowel in her hand or a hen on her lap.

Her website is www.victoriaconnelly.com, and readers can follow her on Twitter @VictoriaDarcy and on Instagram @VictoriaConnellyAuthor.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/312085782631729/

Twitter: @VictoriaDarcy

Instagram: @VictoriaConnellyAuthor

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Book Review: Amazing Grace by Kim Nash

Amazing Grace

by Kim Nash

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA

  Kobo / Apple

 

She’s taking her life back, one step at a time…

Grace thought she had it all. Living in the beautiful village of Little Ollington, along with headteacher husband Mark and gorgeous son, Archie, she devoted herself to being the perfect mum and the perfect wife, her little family giving her everything she ever wanted.

Until that fateful day when she walked in on Mark kissing his secretary – and her perfect life fell apart.

Now she’s a single mum to Archie, trying to find her way in life and keep things together for his sake. Saturday nights consist of a Chinese takeaway eaten in front of the TV clad in greying pajamas, and she can’t remember the last time she had a kiss from anyone aside from her dog, Becks…

Grace’s life needs a shake up – fast. So when gorgeous gardener Vinnie turns up on her doorstep, his twinkling eyes suggesting that he might be interested in more than just her conifers, she might just have found the answer to her prayers. But as Grace falls deeper for Vinnie, ten-year-old Archie fears that his mum finding love means she’ll never reconcile with the dad he loves.

So when ex-husband Mark begs her for another chance, telling her he’s changed from the man that broke her heart, Grace finds herself with an impossible dilemma. Should she take back Mark and reunite the family that Archie loves? Or risk it all for a new chance of happiness?

A funny, feel-good romance about finding your own path and changing your life for the better – readers of Cathy Bramley, Jill Mansell and Josie Silver will love this uplifting read.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’ve been on eighty-seven dates so far but have still not yet found the girl of my dreams. There’s been something wrong with every single one of them.

 

Derek, here’s a tip from me. On your next first date, treat your lady like a princess. Turn up on time, be nice to her, buy her a drink, ask her about herself and don’t talk about poo.

 

To be honest, even if David Beckham woke me up saying he wanted to roger me senseless in the middle of the night, I’d slap him and say, David, don’t bloody wake me up.

 

He treats me with kindness and respect, something that you don’t appear to have for anyone, not even your own family. And I suggest that if you ever want people to like you, go look those words up in a dictionary.

 

My Review:

 

Amazing Grace was a fun and lively read and the publishing début for this talented weaver of words. I just love finding new authors to fangirl!   The storylines were creative and eventful, yet easy to follow and fairly well-balanced in emotional tone between periods of angsty indecision and Grace’s gradual personal transformation as she waded through tense encounters and confusing exchanges with her ex-husband, rueful reminiscences of her mother, parenting issues, a thrilling new love interest, and other-worldly influences; until she finally found her own voice and regained her long-lost sparkle.

 

Ms. Nash’s writing was pleasantly engaging and evocatively detailed with shimmers of delightful humor that occasionally found me barking out a laugh. She has definitely earned a spot on my Ones to Watch For list. And an interesting addition to my Brit Word List was “big girl’s blouse,” which the Urban Dictionary defined as British slang for “a wimpy, emasculated and weak man. In particular, one who complains immoderately.” Hmm, I used to work with one of those… Retirement is oh, so, sweeet!

 

Author Bio

Kim Nash lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk.

Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association’s Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can’t quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA.

When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge-watching box sets on the TV. She’s also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs.

Amazing Grace is her début novel with Hera Books and will be out on 10th April 2019

Connect with Kim on Social Media here:
Twitter: (@KimTheBookworm) https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBookWorm/
Instagram: @Kim_the_bookworm

 

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Book Review: Hate Bale by Stephanie Dagg

Hate Bale

by Stephanie Dagg

 

Grumbling guests and escaping piglets are precisely what Martha doesn’t need. She’s already struggling to run a holiday cottage and a rather large smallholding single-handedly. Since her husband Mark died, three years ago, her rural property in France, beautiful as it is, has become an increasingly heavy millstone around her neck.

So whilst she’s horrified to stumble across a corpse at the local farm supplies shop, it does at least distract her from her own woes. Best friend Lottie, the cheese to Martha’s chalk, swoops in to offer moral support and encourages Martha to join her in some unofficial sleuthing. Meanwhile, police officer Philippe Prudhomme, a former fellow chess-player of Mark’s, undertakes a rather more professional investigation.

However, despite everyone’s efforts, the killer remains at large. And when more bodies (one and a bit, to be precise) come Martha’s way, it definitely feels like he’s closing in on her…

There’s suspense, humor, and excitement in this entertaining cozy mystery set in the French countryside.

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

French people spoke fast generally, but the added excitement of imparting misfortune that had occurred to someone else made them talk at breakneck speed.

 

‘Angxious’ messages, as Mark would have described them, being a mixture of concern-induced anger and anxiety.

 

“I sometimes wonder if she’s after my husband,” murmured Lottie, only half-joking, as Roger and Madame laughed heartily over a lame joke he’d cracked. “I think you’re safe. She’s got more facial hair than he has.” Martha couldn’t stop the uncharitable but true remark slipping out.

 

 My Review:

 

This was my fourth exposure to Stephanie Dagg’s amusing prose. I always enjoy her wry humor and comfortable storytelling, regardless of the unusual conditions of the murder victims her main character of Martha seems destined to encounter in this pleasantly entertaining cozy mystery. Martha was a highly relatable and realistically drawn character whom I enjoyed getting to know. Adding to my reading pleasure, I also picked up a few new additions to my Brit word list with two having the same meaning – todger and John-Thomas are both slang for penis; and rosbif – which the Urban Dictionary defined as a derogatory term for a Brit by the French, “probably because of the enjoyment and pride the English take in their roast beef.”

About the Author

I’m an English expat living in France, having moved here with my family in 2006 after fourteen years as an expat in Ireland. Taking on seventy-five acres with three lakes, two hovels and one cathedral-sized barn, not to mention an ever-increasing menagerie of animals, has made for exciting times. The current array of creatures ranges from alpacas to zebra finches, with pretty much everything in-between! Before we came to France all we had was a dog and two chickens, so it’s been a steep learning curve.

I’m married to Chris and we have three bilingual TCKs (third culture kids) who are resilient and resourceful and generally wonderful.

I’m a traditionally-published author of many children’s books and am now self-publishing too. As well as being an author, I’m also a part-time editor and, with Chris, manager of three carp fishing lakes. My hobbies are cycling, geocaching, knitting, and sewing.

Social Media Links 

@llamamum

www.facebook.com/StephanieDaggBooks/

www.bloginfrance.com

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Book Review: The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

 

The Library of Lost and Found
by Phaedra Patrick

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

Hardcover: 352 Pages

Publisher: Park Row; Original edition (March 26, 2019)

A librarian’s discovery of a mysterious book sparks the journey of a lifetime in the delightful new novel from the international bestselling author of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people—though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she’s invisible.

All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend—her grandmother Zelda—who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda’s past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever.

Filled with Phaedra Patrick’s signature charm and vivid characters, The Library of Lost and Found is a heartwarming and poignant tale of how one woman must take control of her destiny to write her own happy ending.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Martha’s cheeks began to burn. If she touched them with a wet finger they might hiss.

 

“He said he liked your traumatic reading.” Martha hoped she meant dramatic reading.

 

“Is it true he was on board that fishing boat, that cat’s-eyed?” “Capsized?”

 

“We’ll just do a little trim,” Suki said. The bells on her ankle bracelet jingled as she circled Martha, peering into her hair as if she was looking for eggs in a large bird’s nest.

 

“Sometimes putting things to rest from your past can be catholic.” “Do you mean cathartic?”

 

I’m having a crustacean section next week.” “A cesarean?” … “The baby is lying in a beach position.” “Do you mean breach?”

 

My Review:

 

Ms. Patrick taunted me with her cunning and maddeningly paced story, I reviled this family – they were simply heinous. I enjoyed the cleverly placed use of the levity the amusing quirk of Suki’s poor auditory discrimination and confused vocabulary skills, which helped to counteract and ease the frustrating and prevalent miasma of angst and oppression. I deeply despised the selfish and abhorrent Machiavellian father as well as the mousy mother who allowed it – which was equally as vile, as was the manipulative and favored younger sister. I wanted to administer some foot to posterior therapy to those three.   Yet, despite my irritation, I could not stop reading.

 

I adored Zelda, the colorful and unconventional Nana, although I had no pleasant thoughts for the rest of them – as they were all conniving and disingenuous conspirators. I was taut with tension and grinding my teeth, but I was invested and entrenched, and could not leave my Kindle for more than a few minutes.

 

I was impatient and greatly annoyed with the spineless main character of Martha for not only rolling over and allowing her continual subjugation but extended her servitude to every Tom, Dick, and Harry she knew. She permitted herself to be treated like a doormat and willingly gave her power away, which is an issue I have very little patience with.   Yet, I could not walk away and leave her story hanging.

 

I was frustrated, bitterly antagonized, and fully vexed; yet I had to see where this aggravating tale was going. I was hooked, intrigued, and ruthlessly curious about a deeply buried thirty-year-old secret about Nana. I am delighted and pleased with myself now for sticking with it, as the last few chapters ushered in a totally unexpected, stoical, laconic, and quietly observant hero, as well as writing so poignant that my vision was inexplicably blurred and an odd wetness seemed to be leaking from my eyes while I simultaneously experienced an uncomfortable squeezing in my chest and the sensation of several hot rocks in my throat. What madness! This was my first experience of the unpredictably wily skills of Phaedra Patrick – she is a crafty one.

About the Author

Phaedra Patrick studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organizer, and communications manager. She is a prize-winning short story writer and now writes full time.

She lives in the UK with her husband and son. The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper is her debut novel.

Connect with Phaedra

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

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Book Review: One Hundred Ways (Aspen Cove #8) by Kelly Collins

 

One Hundred Ways

 (Aspen Cove #8)

by Kelly Collins

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

Welcome back to Aspen Cove, the tiny mountain town filled with fresh starts and happily ever afters…

After the death of her father, sculptor Riley Black leaves Butte, Montana for Aspen Cove in search of the family she’s never known. There, she will bend steel to her artistic vision… and maybe, just maybe find a place to belong. Her welcome is less than warm however when handsome firefighter Luke Mosier catches her violating fire safety codes.

Luke Mosier isn’t just dead sexy. He’s dead serious about keeping the people of Aspen Cove safe. He’s convinced Riley Black is an accident waiting to happen. Even so, under her welder’s mask, Riley is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. His iron jaw softens when he realizes she’s more than she first appears to be… Not only can she melt metal, but she melts his heart.

As their attraction heats into a red hot passion and their world goes up in flames, Luke has to choose between love and duty. Will their bond hold together under the strain… or shatter into a thousand pieces?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“We have many single men in town, and they have deep pockets for a girl with a nice smile.” She looked down to where the buttons of her dress were opened to reveal a large amount of cleavage. “Don’t forget to show your personality… Remember to smile. You may want to murder someone on the inside, but you get more tips with sugar than salt.” Riley was sure the saying was something like you get more flies with honey than vinegar, but it never made much sense because why would someone want flies?

 

“Honey, you know I fell in love with you when you used your pickup line.” She tapped her chin. “What was it… oh yeah: baby, if you were a fruit, you’d be a fineapple.”

 

“It all starts with a kiss.” “Says the confirmed bachelor buying a family home on a street called Pansy.” He sat back and frowned. “It gets me more bang for the buck.” “With your crazy standards, you’ll never see any bang in that house.”

 

“I don’t like to talk poorly of the dead,” Maisey said. Riley squinted her eyes and tilted her head. “She’s not dead.” “She is to me.”

 

“That damn love bug hit him like a hammer to the head.” Riley giggled. “I hear it’s contagious.” Thomas held up his hand, giving her a five finger stop sign. “I’m inoculated.” “Someday, someone will worm their way into your heart.” He cuffed her chin. “I’m not an apple.”

 

 My Review:

 

Another lively and wittily amusing small-town romance by the lovely Kelly Collins, AKA, The Queen of Hearts. I adore her wry and uniquely engaging writing style and One Hundred Ways finds her in fine form with reams of keenly honed quips, witty banter, and lots of quirky and interesting little details that tickled my brain and conjured sharp visuals, such as a man drowning during a vodka-fueled session of dishwashing. I enjoyed getting to know this sweet couple and am already looking forward to becoming better acquainted with one of their friends in the next installment.

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS   

Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive.

Always a romantic, she is inspired by real-time events mixed with a dose of fiction. She encourages her readers to reach the happily ever after but bask in the afterglow of the perfectly imperfect love.

Kelly lives in Colorado with her husband of twenty-seven years. She loves hockey, shiny objects and has a new-found appreciation for green smoothies.

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Book Review: Forgiven (Nash Brothers #2) by Carrie Aarons

 FORGIVEN is available for purchase now, and it is the second book in the Nash Brothers series! For a limited time, you can get the first book in the series, FLEETING, for 99 cents! You can follow Carrie for exclusive updates about the series.

Forgiven by Carrie Aarons

 Nash Brothers, #2

AMAZON

Book Blurb:

In a split-second, a car crash killed almost everything between them. Ten years later, can one accidental ride fix tattered spirits, uncertain futures, and broken hearts?

Lily Grantham has always done what she’s been told. The daughter of a senator, she grew up as the good girl of Fawn Hill, and carried that torch right on through to adulthood. Her only wild streak? Bowen Nash. She loved that boy since the day they laid eyes on each other, and it nearly ended them both. A decade later, and Lily still can’t move on. Even if Bowen has made it clear he doesn’t love her anymore.

Bowen Nash never wanted the life he’s trapped in. Destined for baseball fame and the love of his high-school sweetheart, that existence vanished in the flip of an old pickup. Now, he’s stuck in the town that produced his worst nightmare. Pretending to hate Lily Grantham guts him day in and day out. But to protect her from the ultimate secret, it’s necessary to break his own heart each time they pass on the street.

They’ve been fighting fate for as long as it’s been chasing them. And now, time is up.

Add the book to Goodreads

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

“How do you feel about pink?” Penelope asks our bride. “The same way you feel about spring break with all three of your kids at home.” Presley chuckles, taking a sip of her champagne. Our resident mother warrior shudders. “Don’t even joke about that. It’s like surviving a nuclear fallout. There is cereal and poop and Legos everywhere.”

 

He couldn’t locate that thing with a flashlight and a search and rescue team at his disposal… I don’t understand what’s so difficult about it. We have a button, right at the top, full of nerves. It literally sticks out just for them to find. Some men, I swear!

 

Books never stopped calling, they didn’t act like a jerk, and they certainly were there in all times of need. Yeah, I’d rather spend time with my favorite characters than people any day of the week.

 

I didn’t even really care about politics. It was all a bunch of stuffy old men in suits arguing about where money should go.

 

She’s gotta be whip-smart. And she looks like she could either hand me my balls or take real good care of them.

 

  My Review:

 

I had greatly enjoyed the vivacious feel and levity to Fleeting, the first book in this series, but my enthusiasm did not hold up with this sequel. However, it could well be my issue as unfortunately, the author decided to utilize several of my least favorite tropes, which had me sighing and rolling my eyes; why do authors recycle these tiresome angsty themes, why?

 

Nor were the main characters all that appealing to me, Lily was essentially missing a backbone and sold herself out with a smile for her corrupt political family, I am rather amazed the poor girl could walk and sit up straight being without a spine and all. Bowen had been surly for a decade while being blackmailed with a supposed dark secret – a secret that seemed hardly worth the effort and inadequate for the purpose. But worse than that, his behavior toward Lily was vile and deplorable; I would have given him free neutering service had he talked to me that way.

 

My respite from complete and total exasperation was provided by the continuing storylines and amusing banter with and between the secondary characters. I enjoyed the story once the secret was outed and the heavy curtain of angst was lifted. I’m hoping book three brings back the joy with a more authentic and entertaining premise.

 

What Reviewers Are Saying about the Nash Brothers…

“So what do I need to do to find a quaint little town like Fawn Hill? And some Nash brothers? Because good golly Miss Molly I am in love with everything here!” -The Book Branch

—————-

PURCHASE THE PREVIOUS BOOK IN THE SERIES

Read it for FREE in Kindle Unlimited

————————-

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Author of romance novels such as Red Card and Privileged, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the stories she dreams up, and the yoga pant dress code, much better.

When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She lives in the suburbs of New Jersey with her husband, daughter and dog.

 

FIND CARRIE AARONS:

Sign up for Carrie’s Newsletter

Join Carrie’s Street Team

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads

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Book Review, Giveaway: The Inheritance (The Guernsey Novels #7) by Anne Allen

The Inheritance

(The Guernsey Novels #7)

by Anne Allen

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

 

1862 Young widow Eugénie faces an uncertain future in Guernsey when her husband dies at sea. A further tragedy brings her to the attention of Monsieur Victor Hugo, exiled on the island and living in his voluptuous house only yards away from Eugénie. Their meeting changes her life and she begins working for him as a copyist, forming a strong friendship with both Hugo and his mistress, Juliette Drouet.

2012 Doctor Tess Le Prevost, born in Guernsey, now living in Exeter, is shocked to inherit her Great-Aunt’s house on the island. As a child, she listened to Aunt Doris’s tales of their ancestor, Eugénie, whose house this once was, and who, according to family myth, was particularly close to Hugo. Was he the father of her child? Tess doubts it, but inheriting the house allows her to make a fresh start on her beloved island.

Will she discover the truth about Eugénie and Hugo? A surprise find may hold the answer as Tess embraces new challenges which test her strength – and her heart.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She didn’t like confrontations but her mother thrived on them and not for the first time, Tess questioned why she lived in the same city as her mother… Her father had disappeared to his study soon after she arrived. He referred to it as his ‘strategic withdrawal’.

 

I am not particularly religious and not in awe of a God who allows so much death and misery to be endured on this earth.

 

You may be a clever doctor, but I’m not sure how well you understand the workings of the heart.

 

My Review:

 

I know I’m more than fashionably late to the party as this was my introduction to The Guernsey Novels series at book seven. I was an instant convert to Anne Allen’s special talents. Her word voodoo is strong as her transportive writing provided effortless travel for me today, and not just in distance, but also in time. I slipped right into this divinely written and evocative tale that covered two active and eventful timelines one-hundred-fifty-years apart. Ms. Allen’s writing was fluid, well-paced, highly engaging, and so vividly detailed it was as if a movie reel was rolling through my cranium as I read. Her characters were worth knowing and held my interest and curiosity with their lives. I was so deeply enamored with the subjects and setting I was compelled to hit Mr. Google and Ms. YouTube for additional info. I despaired on reaching the end and felt rueful in having to leave them behind, but I’m always greedy when it comes to excellent literature. Anne Allen has mad skills and a rabid fangirl.

All the other 6 titles in The Guernsey Novels are only 99p/c across all ebook retailers until 15th April while The Inheritance is only £1.99/$2.99 until that date. 

Here’s the link for all titles on Amazon: http://Author.to/AnneAllen

 

About the Author
Anne Allen lives in Devon, by her beloved sea. She has three children, and her daughter and two grandchildren live nearby. Her restless spirit has meant a number of moves which included Spain for a couple of years. The longest stay was in Guernsey for nearly fourteen years after falling in love with the island and the people. She contrived to leave one son behind to ensure a valid reason for frequent returns. By profession, Anne was a psychotherapist, but long had the itch to write. Now a full-time writer, she has written The Guernsey Novels.

Giveaway 

 

Win a copy of The Inheritance and a notebook

(Open Internationally)

1st Prize – Signed copy of The Inheritance and notebook

2nd Prize – E-copy of The Inheritance and notebook

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review: What Matters Most by Helen Bea Kirk

What Matters Most

by Helen Bea Kirk

Amazon / B&N

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Meagan Morris has lost everything. Her family is dead, and all that remains of them, all that was endowed to her, has been stolen.

Desperate to retrieve her legacy, she attempts to rob King of her grandmother’s pearls at gunpoint.

Set among the cattle ranches of America’s Southeast, What Matters Most delivers steady suspense and savory romance as Meagan and King’s worlds collide!

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quote:

 

“Why did that woman run from you?”… “She developed a sudden case of diarrhea.”

 

My Review:

 

What Matters Most was the first book in a new series and while it wasn’t a cliffhanger, it did leave several baited hooks in play for subsequent installments, and I’d like to see where they go. The second half of the book was easier to follow and achieved a smoother flow to the writing than the first half – as if the writer had found her muse. The earlier portion had felt a bit choppy and could have benefited from a bit of polish and additional transitions and segues, yet the tale had good bones and the underlying storylines were interesting with unpredictable twists and clever hits of humor tucked in. The characters were markedly quirky and not always likable or admirable, but then, I don’t actually know anyone who approaches that in real life either. I frequently reflected back to the beginning of this book and smiled at the memory of the author’s Acknowledgment page on which she thanked her family as well as “old bones and cancer,” as the book was written while recuperating from surgery. Crediting and appreciating cancer as a creative impetus has to be a first.

About the Author

Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Helen Bea Kirk is an American author currently residing in Texas. Early in her academic career, she studied Journalism. Little did she know it would be decades before she wrote anything more than an email! Helen is married and mother of two boys who have become men all too soon. When not writing, Helen assists with fundraising to help sick shelter dogs diagnosed with heartworms.

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Book Review: The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves 

The Girl He Used to Know

by Tracey Garvis Graves 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

 

Annika Rose likes being alone.


She feels lost in social situations, saying the wrong thing or acting the wrong way – she just can’t read people. She prefers the quiet solitude of books or playing chess to being around others.

Apart from Jonathan. She liked being around him, but she hasn’t seen him for ten years. Until now that is. And she’s not sure he’ll want to see her again after what happened all those years ago.

 

Annika Rose likes being alone.

Except that, actually, she doesn’t like being alone at all.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Marched to the beat of a different drum, did she?” “She marched to the beat of an entirely different band. One you’ve never heard of and under no circumstances ever expected to like.”

 

Whenever I think of Annika, my mind returns to the way we left things and the same unanswered question. It’s like a pebble in my shoe, uncomfortable but not unbearable. But it’s always there.

 

He had the whitest teeth I’d ever seen, which made me think his kisses would taste like Pep O Mint Life Savers. Joe’s kisses probably tasted like pot and Funyuns. And failure.

 

All my life, I’d been waiting for someone I could be myself with. It had never occurred to me that I could be that person for someone else.

 

It’s a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt… My best friend bought me a book of them. ‘Do one thing every day that scares you’ is what got me through my twenties.

 

My Review:

 

This is my favorite book so far this year, it was highly engaging, keenly insightful, and hit all the feels. The storylines were ingeniously crafted and flawlessly populated with an intriguing and captivating cast of characters. Ms. Graves’ writing was emotive and perfectly pitched; she bruised my cold heart, held me transfixed to my Kindle, and stung my eyes more than once.

 

The story was cleverly woven between two timelines and told from the equally mesmerizing POVs of the two compelling and intriguing main characters. This was my inaugural outing with the stunningly talented Tracey Garvis Graves and I am at a total loss as to why I have never availed myself of this clever scribe’s works before as it was nothing short of brilliant.   I covet all her lovely words and am greedy to amass her entire listing.

About the Author

Goodreads
Twitter
Amazon

Tracey Garvis Graves is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, On the Island, spent 9 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into thirty-one languages, and is in development with MGM and Temple Hill Productions for a feature film. She is also the author of Uncharted, Covet, Every Time I Think of You, Cherish, Heart-Shaped Hack, White-Hot Hack, and The Girl He Used to Know. She is hard at work on her next book.