Built to Last (book review)

I received an advance reader copy of Built to Last by Erin Hahn…and really enjoyed it!

The Description:

Shelby Springfield has spent the last ten years trying to overcome her past, sanding it away like she does the rough spots on the vintage furniture finds she makes over. But as a former child star, it’s hard to forget a mediocre pop career, a meltdown widely documented by the paparazzi, and a huge public break with her former co-star Lyle Jessup. It’s also hard to forget her other co-star and childhood sweetheart, Cameron Riggs — the one who got away.

Anytime Shelby has called, Cameron has come running… And then he runs right off again to chase stories around the world by making documentaries, too scared to admit what he really wants. But when Lyle stirs the pot, getting the two back in the spotlight with a home renovation show, Cameron can’t help but come on board.

There’s something in it for everyone — almost. Cameron wants to come home and set down some roots. Shelby wants to prove to the world she’s not the messy party girl anymore. And Lyle wants to twist the screws on his two childhood friends who had more chemistry than he could dream of with anyone. Sparks and sawdust fly as Shelby and Cameron film the pilot for “Homemade” and battle Lyle’s shenanigans at every turn.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this! It’s a fun, easy read. I love how both of the former child stars have moved on and found new careers. They’ve matured, but both still care for each other. When they reconnect through an HGTV-like renovation show, the sparks are still there, but they focus on their friendship first.

The main characters were very likable, engaging and believable, as were most of the supporting characters (with the exception of the sleazy Lyle). It’s well written, without grammatical errors or typos with an intriguing story.

Sometimes you just need a light, pleasant read and Built to Last fits the bill perfectly. Built to Last will be published October 18, 2022.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

5 stars.

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Star Bright by Susannah Nix (book review)

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Description

She’s an A-list Hollywood starlet. He’s a gossip reporter. Sleeping with the enemy has never been sweeter…

Kimberleigh Cress didn’t get to be one of the hottest young actresses in Hollywood without learning how to protect herself. Rule number one? Don’t show weakness. Ever. Especially not in front of the press.

So when a sleazy tabloid reporter comes upon her during a vulnerable moment, the last thing she expects is kindness.

Sexy, charming, and surprisingly thoughtful, Spencer Devlin isn’t at all who Kimberleigh thought he was. After their fateful encounter, she can’t seem to stay away from him—even though she knows she should.

Spencer never expected to share an unlikely connection with the spoiled starlet who hates his guts. With the face of a goddess and an attitude to match, Kimberleigh Cress is one ice queen he’d love to melt.

Now that she’s gotten under his skin, he’ll do anything to keep her in his life. Or will he?

This book was…just okay. The premise is great and after initial bad impressions of the main characters, they do redeem themselves somewhat. I just found it very difficult to get into the story. The romance felt rushed and not realistic at all. Kimberleigh and Spencer went from hating each other to suddenly jumping into bed and then having a secret relationship. And it simply didn’t work for me.

I really wanted to like this. I realize that it’s supposed to be a novella, but perhaps if the author had tried to fill in some of the many gaps and flesh out the characters and plot line a bit more it would have made more sense. As is, it has potential…but it left me feeling empty.

3 stars.

As always, thanks to NetGalley and Haver Street Press for the ARC. Star Bright will be published April 19, 2022.

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Five Stars for The Housemaid

Description:

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

I was so excited to read this ARC of The Housemaid by Freida McFadden and wow! It did not disappoint! I read (devoured) this book in one day…super good, full of surprises, lots of suspense, and twists and turns.

I don’t know what else I can say about this book that’s not in the description (without giving anything away 😅) except to say, look for The Housemaid when it’s released April 26th. Add this to your summer reading list. Five fabulous stars!

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The Homewreckers (book review)

The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews

I love Mary Kay Andrews and I thoroughly enjoyed her latest, The Homewreckers.

Hattie Kavanaugh is a young widow who restores (and flips) historical homes in Savannah, GA along with her best friend and her father-in-law. Hattie is offered an opportunity to participate in a house renovation show called “The Homewreckers” with famous designer Trae. As the house renovations proceed, a mystery is exposed.

This was a really fun book that had it all – mystery, romance, intrigue, and humor. If you’re looking for a summer read, The Homewreckers could be the book you’re looking for.

The Homewreckers will be released May 3!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

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TWO! (Book Reviews)

I received an advance reader copy of The Last Princess by Shelley Wilson. (Thanks to NetGalley and BHC Press for the copy)

Description

Northumbria, 866 AD

Edith still has much to learn about the art of ruling a kingdom, but when her family is murdered, she’s faced with the challenge of staying alive. 

As a young woman in Anglo-Saxon England, Edith finds it hard to be heard above the Eldermen who are ripping the kingdom to pieces, but nothing can prepare her for the arrival of the pirates and the Vikings. Torn from her homeland and sold into slavery, she’s determined to survive at any cost. 

Finding allies in the unexpected and enemies closer to home, Edith clings to her dream of returning home one day to reclaim her throne and to exact revenge on those who harmed her family.

I love historical fiction! I constantly search for people, places, words I’m unfamiliar with…and really appreciate learning something new. In this instance, I learned about Northumbria, the Viking invasions of England, Bamburgh and Bamburgh Castle, and that era.

I really enjoyed this story. Edith is a likable character; courageous , adventurous, and spirited. The other characters were all fascinating as well – from Jarl Aaric, to the shield maiden and Edith’s duplicitous uncle , Aelle. The book was easy to read, and the story was compelling.

Five stars!

Look for The Last Princess May 24, 2022.

I also received an ARC of It Could Be Anyone by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. While completely different from The Last Princess, I enjoyed it just as much.

Description

To anyone on their flight out of New York, they appear to be five best friends excited for a destination wedding in Miami. No one would guess that each of them has a reason to want the groom dead. 

Trevor Vaughn, the groom in question, wooed his bride-to-be by first becoming close with her friends—which is to say that he learned all of the five’s darkest, most dangerous secrets and blackmailed them into convincing Fiona to say “I do.” The friends were forced to convince a doubting Fiona to go through with the wedding, no matter what, and now the charade is set to continue all the way to the altar.

Trevor has his own reasons for wanting to marry into Fiona’s family, and he’ll stop at nothing to make his plan a reality. But when he dies of an apparent allergic reaction at the wedding, surrounded by such close enemies, the possibility of murder isn’t far behind. And for the authorities investigating the case, anyone present could be a suspect…

It Could Be Anyone was an enjoyable, satisfying read. The characters all had many layers, which Ms. Hendricks peeled away little by little, revealing a bit more with each page…and intriguing me a bit more, little by little, with every page.

I started and finished this in one day – very easy and compelling story!

I’m giving this 4.5 stars, only because of the random grammatical errors. While there were only a few scattered throughout the book, I found them distracting from the excellent story I was consumed with.

Thank you NetGalley and Pendleton Publishers for the ARC. It Could Be Anyone will be released May 10, 2022.

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In other news…

I know I’ve been posting a lot of book reviews, and I will be posting more, but wanted to share a bit of what we’ve been doing lately.

Spring break is in full swing here and tourists are everywhere! So, we’ve been staying home a bit more. Seriously, it’s crazy out there.

We had a lovely visit with my mom a couple of weeks ago, and luckily the tourists weren’t too bad while she was here; we were able to eat out (literally, ate outside) a few times without having to wait forever for a table.

Cousins catching up

This week Paige had a fun visit with one of her college friends…

Meanwhile, as we’ve been enjoying the beautiful Florida weather Clay has been tapping trees up in Illinois, and snowshoeing and stuff…

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These Silent Woods (book review)

I began These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant yesterday morning. I finished it late last night…well, technically I suppose I finished it very early this morning!

First, the synopsis:

No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world.

For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the northern Appalachian woods. And that’s exactly the way Cooper wants it, because he’s got a lot to hide. Finch has been raised on the books filling the cabin’s shelves and the beautiful but brutal code of life in the wilderness. But she’s starting to push back against the sheltered life Cooper has created for her—and he’s still haunted by the painful truth of what it took to get them there.

The only people who know they exist are a mysterious local hermit named Scotland, and Cooper’s old friend, Jake, who visits each winter to bring them food and supplies. But this year, Jake doesn’t show up, setting off an irreversible chain of events that reveals just how precarious their situation really is. Suddenly, the boundaries of their safe haven have blurred—and when a stranger wanders into their woods, Finch’s growing obsession with her could put them all in danger. After a shocking disappearance threatens to upend the only life Finch has ever known, Cooper is forced to decide whether to keep hiding—or finally face the sins of his past.

I gave this book (which I found at my local library) 5 stars. I loved it!

Kimi Cunningham Grant has written a mesmerizing novel with a fantastic, lovely storyline and captivating characters. I was engrossed from the first page. I found Cooper and Finch’s life so unusual and also completely fascinating. The author delicately delivered the backstory of Cooper’s past life in such an eloquent way; I could feel his guilt and his resolve to be a good father to Finch. The supporting characters were just as mesmerizing, and the epilogue brought tears to my eyes.

This was one of the most satisfying books I’ve read in a while.

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Something in the Water (book review)

I recently read Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman. This was one of Reece Witherspoon’s book club picks, and I found a copy at our local library. It sounded interesting so I thought I’d give it a read.

The synopsis:

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .

Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?

Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .

The book started strong and hooked me from the first page. It was interesting, suspenseful, and had some surprises. Good storyline and an easy read (this would be a good beach read).

I’m giving it 4 out of 5 stars though, mostly because I found the characters to be difficult to relate to – or, if I’m honest, to like.

Still, I recommend it, especially if you’re looking for a fun, thrilling, suspenseful read. You don’t have to like the characters to enjoy a book, but it helps.

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Book Review: Dark Circles

I received an advance reader copy of Dark Circles by Caite Dolan-Leach, and spent this stormy day happily immersed in this book.

The Description: An embattled actress becomes entangled in a dark conspiracy at a spiritual retreat—and starts a true crime podcast to try to break the case—in this chilling novel about fame, violence, and our morbid fascination with murder, from the acclaimed author of Dead Letters.

Olivia Reed needs a break. She doesn’t want to think about her name plastered on tabloids or be reminded of her recent meltdown on a Manhattan street. Her micromanaging publicist has just the thing in mind: a remote retreat in upstate New York—the House of Light. It’s not rehab; it’s a Spiritual Center, a site for seeking realignment and personal growth. There will be yoga and morning meditation, soft bamboo-blend fabrics and no shortage of crystals to cleanse her energy.

But Liv will soon find that the House of Light is filled with darkness. A prickly local, Ava, informs her that something twisted is lurking behind the Light’s veneer. There have been a series of mysterious suicides committed by women caught in the Light’s web, and no matter who Ava talks to, no one believes the Center is involved. To find out what’s really happened and put her celebrity to good use, Liv starts a podcast, seeking to connect the dots and expose the Light’s true intentions. Because beneath the glowing skin of the Light’s inhabitants lie rotten souls, and Liv starts to wonder if anything—even her own life—is how it appears.

Oh my…this was so good…5 stars from me!

I was hooked from the first page, completely drawn into the story. There are twists and turns, and surprises and shocks. It is very well written…and (importantly) it is easy to read. The mystery is so compelling that I found it difficult to put the book down, even for a few minutes.

A huge thank you to Caite Dolan-Leach, Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley. Dark Circles will be out 4/19/22 – soon!

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Book Review: Steeped to Death

I was given an advance reader copy of Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue. It was a fun, easy read. When Phoebe Winchester’s aunt Eudora passes away and leaves everything to her niece—her Victorian mansion, her bookshop/tea store, The Earl’s Study, and one very chubby orange cat named Bob—Phoebe gets more than she bargained for. When a dead man is found on the shop’s back step, apparently killed while trying to break in, Phoebe investigates. 

I really enjoyed the story (mystery, romance, and even a bit of magic!) and found it quite engrossing. Phoebe is a very likable character and I found myself rooting for her. The book made me crave a good cup of tea (perhaps sitting by a cozy fire with an orange cat sitting in my lap) and the recipes at the end were a fun surprise. 

My only complaint, and the reason I only give the book 4 stars rather than 5, is the editorial errors peppered throughout; typos, and a few grammatical errors. Not many, but enough to distract from the story. 

Overall, I recommend Steeped to Death (publication date 9/6/22). Ms. Rue has created an engaging character in Phoebe and a delightful ambiance in the tea shop and bookstore.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

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