Triple Sec is the perfect name for this polyamorous romcom as it features a bartender, Mel, who has a dream of opening up her own bar one day. After sTriple Sec is the perfect name for this polyamorous romcom as it features a bartender, Mel, who has a dream of opening up her own bar one day. After serving drinks to a customer named Bebe who is happily married to Kade, Mel feels a strong connection. Bebe has an open marriage and given she is attracted to Mel, she asks her out, with Kade’s blessing. It’s a bit of uncharted territory for Mel, dating a married woman, but she enjoys spending time with Bebe and soon she discovers she has feelings for Kate as well.
I’m always up for a love story and what really drew me to this one is that it featured a polyamorous relationship. It’s not something you come across very often in the contemporary romance genre. I was curious about the dynamics when juggling not 2 but 3 individuals’ emotional needs. The author chose more of a nice and neat, ideal relationship rather than one full of drama. And that’s fine because it’s a romcom but I think it’d make for a more interesting story if there were a few more bumps on the road to happily ever after.
Even though I’m not a big drinker, I liked the bartending aspect of the story. As much as I love food, it can be overdone in stories so hearing all the labor and love that goes into making cocktails was a nice change of pace.
All in all, a good read and the characters had great chemistry.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion. ...more
Once again Sarah Pekkanen delivers a solid thriller. Nine year old Rose Barclay witnessed the possible murder of her nanny. She lost her abil4.5 stars
Once again Sarah Pekkanen delivers a solid thriller. Nine year old Rose Barclay witnessed the possible murder of her nanny. She lost her ability to speak after the traumatic experience. Her parents are in the middle of a bitter divorce and Stella Hudson is Rose’s court appointed attorney. Stella will spend time with the Barclays at their mansion in order to determine what is in the best interest of the child. She will have to dig deep to uncover the truth and in doing so will stir up memories of her own childhood.
The story hooked me right away. It’s like a 2 for 1 mystery as you want to know what happened to the nanny and also the circumstances of the death of Stella’s mother. Definitely enough stuff going on to hold my interest. In terms of shock value, some things are predictable but for other parts I didn’t have a strong sense of where the road was leading and needed the author to do the big reveal. Reasonably satisfied with the ending.
A good pick if you love this genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader’s copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion. ...more
After a divorce and losing his retail plant business, Teddy Hughes can no longer afford to live in NYC. Before he moves back to the South, he3.5 stars
After a divorce and losing his retail plant business, Teddy Hughes can no longer afford to live in NYC. Before he moves back to the South, he makes one last visit to his favorite bar. There he meets the very handsome Cole Vivien, an entrepreneur of an app that matches up consumers with adult entertainment workers. Cole just so happens to need a fake boyfriend to show off to investors and he thinks Teddy will be perfect in that role. Teddy could use the money… fake dating trope activated!
Teddy is definitely an underdog type character as he’s down on his luck at the moment which is why it was easy to root for him. The story has a nice balance of fun and light moments while also touching on some serious subjects. Cole and Teddy had great chemistry but the actual falling in love part needed more development. Teddy is a likable character but it needed to be shown why Cole would be able to form a deep connection with him.
Overall, I enjoyed this romance as it had good humor, some heart, and lots of steam.
I won an advance copy in a ÀÏ»¢»úÎÈÓ®·½·¨ giveaway. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
I was too young at the time to have memories of Pete Rose’s baseball career but I do remember the controversy when he was banned due to his g4.5 stars
I was too young at the time to have memories of Pete Rose’s baseball career but I do remember the controversy when he was banned due to his gambling on the sport. It’s fair to say Pete is his own worst enemy and honesty is not his strong suit. His spectacular fall from grace is on him and this nonfiction book about Pete’s childhood, professional career, and scandals makes that apparent. A well-researched book and a fascinating read even if you aren’t a big baseball fan.
Thank you to Pantheon for sending me a free advance reader’s copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
Katherine Center is on my dependable author list. I know when I pick up one of her romances, it will be full of humor and heart. Her characte4.5 stars
Katherine Center is on my dependable author list. I know when I pick up one of her romances, it will be full of humor and heart. Her characters have depth as they have good backstories that bring something different to the table. Her books tend to stick in my mind long after I’ve read them because of that.
Emma is an aspiring screenwriter but being the sole caretaker for her father always comes first. Charlie is a famous screenwriter of action films but is trying his luck at a romcom for the first time. Problem is his script is absolutely horrible. Emma is given the opportunity to work with Charlie to help turn the script around but it would mean leaving her dad with her sister for 6 weeks while she flies out to California. She’s scared as her dad needs full time care and up until now it’s always been her. But working with her idol, Charlie, is a once in a lifetime opportunity that would be a shame to pass up, right?
I had been experiencing a recent reading slump when it came to the romance genre so I was very happy that I was digging Emma and Charlie’s chemistry practically from the get go. Now Charlie did have a few moments that irked me but overall I liked him and was rooting hard for a happily ever after. Emma’s passion for rom coms was contagious and the screenwriting process was interesting to me.
A must read if you are a fan of the author or this genre.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion. ...more
A college age daughter, Cleo, arrives at her parents’ house for dinner and finds food burning and her mother, Kat, nowhere in sight. She then2.5 stars
A college age daughter, Cleo, arrives at her parents’ house for dinner and finds food burning and her mother, Kat, nowhere in sight. She then finds a bloody shoe and understandably grows more concerned. So where is Kat?
Alright, I don’t mind unlikable characters in thrillers as they can be fascinating. Unfortunately Cleo is an insufferable brat who really bogs down the story. Mother-daughter dynamics can be complicated, I get it. But Cleo was over the top, self-involved and it wasn’t much fun reading the parts of the story that featured her. A toned down version of Cleo would have helped as the plot itself is decent. Not awesome, but decent.
On a positive note, I did get a jaw dropping moment which is nice to experience when reading a thriller. For what it’s worth, I really liked A Good Marriage, by this author. I just wish Like Mother, Like Daughter had been more of an enjoyable read rather than a frustrating one.
Thank you Knopf and Netgalley for providing an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion. ...more
Even though I don't read CIA thrillers very often, I wanted to give The Helsinki Affair a chance because it features a female lead character.3.5 stars
Even though I don't read CIA thrillers very often, I wanted to give The Helsinki Affair a chance because it features a female lead character. I figured that would give the author the opportunity to explore some of the challenges a woman might face in what is typically a more male-dominated field. Overall, I liked the story but did have some issues along the way.
Amanda works as a CIA agent in Rome. A Russian operative informs her a US senator will soon be assassinated in Egypt. While Amanda believes the man is telling the truth, her boss disagrees and states no further action such as informing the senator is necessary. Big mistake, boss man as the senator dies in Cairo. Amanda is determined to work the case and figure out who was behind the assassination but uncovering the truth might come at a cost.
So the story does bounce around between quite a few characters but Amanda is the star of the show. The plot is interesting but more than once I questioned if something was truly plausible. Hard to really know as it's not like I know a ton about the CIA. While I don't object to what the author chose as the ending, I didn't care for how it was written. Needed to be fleshed out more as it was abrupt and read like a tacked on, afterthought conclusion.
Still it was nice to read a spy thriller for a change. Thank you to Book Club Favorites for sending me a free copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Wandering Stars is the follow up novel to Tommy Orange’s award winning book, There There. I highly recommend reading the books in order rathe4.5 stars
Wandering Stars is the follow up novel to Tommy Orange’s award winning book, There There. I highly recommend reading the books in order rather than attempting to do a standalone read with Wandering Stars. That way you can fully appreciate the depth of the characters and story.
The author’s books should be required reading. They provide an opportunity to learn about Native history in a more accurate light than the education I received at school as a kid growing up in the 80s and 90s.
I’ll try to tiptoe around spoilers for those who haven’t read There There yet but Wandering Stars shows what happened to some of the characters who attended the Big Oakland Powwow. It also goes back to the 1800s and features some of the ancestors of the current day characters. It really drives home the point how a person is shaped by previous generations and the horrific treatment of Natives by the US government and its people continues to impact the descendants.
Addiction is a topic that is thoroughly explored in this book and yet another thing that gives it substance. Both books are important reads and I highly recommend checking them out.
Thank you Knopf for providing a free advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
2024 is shaping up to be a good year for thrillers and if you enjoy the genre, I recommend adding Daughter of Mine to your tbr list. I’ve rea4.5 stars
2024 is shaping up to be a good year for thrillers and if you enjoy the genre, I recommend adding Daughter of Mine to your tbr list. I’ve read 4 books by Megan Miranda and this one is my new favorite.
Hazel Sharp is the daughter of a Mirror Lake police officer. She returns to the small community after his death to get his affairs in order. Hazel fled Mirror Lake when she became an adult but she’s going to stick around for a bit as she might finally get answers as to why her mother disappeared so long ago and left her daughter behind.
Hazel is a complex character which made her fascinating to me. The drought contributed to this bleak atmosphere which worked in favor of the story. The author tosses breadcrumbs along the way so you can piece together some stuff but I can’t say everything wrapped up exactly the way I had anticipated. It held my interest from start to finish which is so important with this genre.
Thank you to MarySue Rucci Books for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
The Husbands has a truly unique premise and from the get go I was hooked. The main character, Lauren, returns to her flat one night and is greeted by The Husbands has a truly unique premise and from the get go I was hooked. The main character, Lauren, returns to her flat one night and is greeted by her husband, Michael. Nothing odd about that except for the fact Lauren isn’t married and Michael is a complete stranger to her. Michael goes up into the attic to change a lightbulb, and a different husband comes down the stairs. Lauren soon realizes a new husband will appear anytime the previous one goes up into the attic. Why is all this happening to Lauren?
Crazy situation but it was fun seeing how it would all play out in the end. While the story dragged a bit in certain spots due to some non essential characters, my curiosity won out. The ending was the highlight for me and I appreciate the author’s effort to spin a not so typical tale about love and relationships.
Recommend if you are in the mood for something different in the contemporary fiction genre.
Thank you Doubleday for sending an advance reader’s copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion
Some keys to a good mystery thriller are an intriguing premise and enough going on with the story and characters that forces the reader to ke4.5 stars
Some keys to a good mystery thriller are an intriguing premise and enough going on with the story and characters that forces the reader to keep changing their theories as to what really happened. Thankfully, Listen to the Lie had both which is why it held my interest.
After Lucy’s best friend, Savvy, was murdered, she fled her small Texas town for a fresh start in L.A. Everyone thinks Lucy is responsible for Savvy’s death although there wasn’t enough evidence to convict her. Years later and true crime podcast host, Ben Owens, is investigating the case which might mean Lucy will finally confront her past.
Lucy is an offbeat character which is perfect for this story. I ended up questioning anything and everything but ultimately just had to sit back and let it all play out. Made for a good binge read and worth picking up if you enjoy this genre.
Thank you Celadon Books for sending me a free advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion ...more
The Trail of Lost Hearts is the second book I’ve read by Tracey Garvis Graves and she’s now made my list of auto read authors. Resilience is a theme oThe Trail of Lost Hearts is the second book I’ve read by Tracey Garvis Graves and she’s now made my list of auto read authors. Resilience is a theme of this story and there were many beautiful moments that captured my heart.
I don’t want to divulge too much of the plot because it’s best just to follow the main character, Wren, on her journey. Quite literally she is on a journey. After facing some major life stuff she decides to take a solo trip to Oregon to go geocaching. Her hobby involves using GPS and locating markers or containers which have been placed all over the great outdoors. Maybe this trip will be the jump start she needs to get her life back on track.
Recommend if you are looking for a contemporary fiction read with some depth that will also make you smile and laugh.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
The Unsettled is one of those books I won't soon forget. A story and characters that make you think, and make you feel. Sounds quite simple 4.5 stars
The Unsettled is one of those books I won't soon forget. A story and characters that make you think, and make you feel. Sounds quite simple but not every book provides a worthwhile reading experience like this one. A tough read but I highly recommend checking it out.
Ava Carson grew up in the small town of Bonaparte, Alabama. It's now 1985 and she is the mother of a ten year old boy, Toussaint. When they arrive at a family shelter in Philadelphia, Ava knows she must quickly get back on her feet as the living conditions at this place are horrible, to put it mildly. However, providing the life she wants for herself and her kid, might be easier said than done.
The story bounces around among various characters but the true focus is on Ava, Toussaint, and Ava's mother, Dutchess, who still lives in Bonaparte. The book's title is spot on as the characters are unsettled and as the reader your anxiety level rises as the story goes on. You have that unsettled feeling too and that's a credit to the writing as you feel invested in the 3 generations of family members.
With the character of Dutchess, the author is able to explore rural life for Blacks in the South not just in the 80s but also previous decades. Ava is still somewhat a mystery to me because she is such a complex character but that just makes her even more fascinating. I like how she wasn't such an open book. Toussaint is the heart of the story and some of that is due to his age and the desire for him to have a better future.
Thank you Knopf for providing an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Sally Hepworth is on my dependable authors list. She always manages to deliver a good read. Darling Girls had everything I come to expect in one of heSally Hepworth is on my dependable authors list. She always manages to deliver a good read. Darling Girls had everything I come to expect in one of her novels; a little bit of mystery and suspense, characters I feel invested in and a moment or two that leaves me teary eyed.
Jessica, Norah, and Alicia were placed in the foster care system and raised by Miss Fairchild. Not exactly a happy childhood for the girls to put it mildly. Now they are adults and trying to put the past behind them but after a body is found in the house they grew up in, they are considered key witnesses by police. Or maybe even suspects.
The pacing is great because the story alternates between the different characters and you are getting caught up on the backstory as well as the current case as it unfolds. Held my interest from start to finish.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion. ...more
It's important to have a rough idea of what you are getting into when picking up West Heart Kill as it's not your typical mystery. I waited until I waIt's important to have a rough idea of what you are getting into when picking up West Heart Kill as it's not your typical mystery. I waited until I was in the right frame of mind before I started reading this one so I could fully appreciate the author going out on a limb and taking some risks. It's a niche read. Even though it wasn't a 5 star read for me, at least it was a memorable reading experience.
This might sound odd but basically the author is talking to you, the reader, throughout the story. There are many references to classic mysteries written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, to name a few. Fair warning, some major plot points are mentioned so you might get spoiled if you haven't read some of the popular whodunit mysteries. This book almost relies on the reader to be pretty well-versed with the mystery genre in order to get the most out of the read.
The story takes place at a hunting lodge and the cast of characters is extensive. Thankfully a list of the members of each family is included at the beginning of the book for reference. A private detective will be joining this group of people for the Bicentennial Weekend. A person or perhaps more than one person will die before the story is over.
One of the reasons I didn't love the book is I felt limited as a reader. Normally the fun in reading a mystery is putting on your thinking cap and coming up with a theory before the big reveal. It's apparent from the get go the writer is doing his own thing and therefore anything and everything is possible. It was entertaining at times, don't get me wrong. but more than I once I questioned whether the author was trying to show off his cleverness or actually trying to tell a story.
A bit of a mixed bag of a read but one I'd recommend giving a go if you are in the mood for something unique.
Thank you Knopf for sending an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
I started reading The Caretaker one evening and it just grabbed ahold of me. Talk about being emotionally invested in the 3 main characters. 4.5 stars
I started reading The Caretaker one evening and it just grabbed ahold of me. Talk about being emotionally invested in the 3 main characters. Wow, what a story! Highly recommend checking this book out.
It's 1951 and Jacob Lampton is sent overseas to fight in the Korean War. He leaves behind his pregnant wife, Naomi at their Blowing Rock, North Carolina home. Jacob married Naomi when she was 16 years old and his parents, furious with his choice of bride, disowned him. Jacob's friend, Blackburn Gant is a caretaker at the cemetery and periodically checks in on Naomi to make sure she is doing okay. One decision will change so many lives.
The story bounces around among Jacob, Naomi, Blackburn and as well as some other characters living in the community. The author really delivers a sucker punch to the heart early on which took an already good story to the next level. There's so much more I want to say but I don't want to venture into spoiler territory.
The only teeny, tiny criticism is the last few chapters felt rushed either because moments moved too quickly or because they weren't included to begin with. (Does that make sense? It's tricky talking about an ending, when you can't actually talk about it.)
Overall, it was a terrific read though. Thank you Doubleday for sending me an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
What an absolutely lovely story! It’s part mystery but the heartfelt sentiment throughout is really what made the book for me.
Clayton Stumper4.5 stars
What an absolutely lovely story! It’s part mystery but the heartfelt sentiment throughout is really what made the book for me.
Clayton Stumper is 26 years old and is on the hunt for answers as to why he was left at birth on the steps of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers. Pippa Allsbrook founded the group decades ago. It started off as a weekly meeting bringing together experts in such things as crosswords, codebreaking and other logic puzzles. Camaraderie developed which is why the members decided to live on a commune together where each one would create puzzles to sell to the general public. After the death of Pippa, the maternal figure in Clayton’s life, she leaves behind clues so he can finally uncover the mystery of his parentage.
I truly adored this book and the cast of characters. A beautiful example of how people from all walks of life can become a family. This is a book to read when you need a bit of a pick me up and a reminder to keep your faith in humanity.
Recommend to the fans of The Wishing Game or anyone in the mood for a heartwarming tale.
Thank you Anchor Books for sending me an advance reader’s copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion....more
Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead is a slow burn psychological thriller. It has a good premise as some big, bad, terrible thing happened ye3.5 stars
Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead is a slow burn psychological thriller. It has a good premise as some big, bad, terrible thing happened years ago and now the main character is hoping therapy will help her recover repressed memories of that horrific night. I can't say I loved the book but it was a decent read.
Nine years ago on Christmas Eve, paramedics arrived at a gruesome scene at Carroll University. It was given the name, "Scarlett Christmas", by the media. Charlotte Colbert was a witness and now one of her former classmates is making a film about the tragedy and boldly proclaiming it will contain the truth about what really happened that night. Charlotte is worried new attention to the case will totally upend everything in her life.
Charlotte works pretty well as an unreliable narrator as you get the sense she knows more than she lets on but yet she is seeking answers as well. It's worth mentioning I just could not get into a good reading groove with this book. It was more of a pick it up for 10 minutes, set it down, check my phone for a bit, and repeat. It's weird because it's not like I was completely disinterested in the story, more I just couldn't focus for a long stretch, or at least not until the last 100 pages or so. Maybe that's more of an issue with me rather than the actual writing. Who knows?
The final chapters manage to be slightly surprising and yet lackluster at the same time. When you have a slow moving plot in the thriller genre, you really got to nail that ending, and this one fell a little short. Not horrible but a tad disappointing.
I won an advance copy of this book in a ÀÏ»¢»úÎÈÓ®·½·¨ giveaway. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Only If You're Lucky is the third novel I've read by Stacy Willingham. Even though I have mixed feelings about the book as a whole, the endin3.5 stars
Only If You're Lucky is the third novel I've read by Stacy Willingham. Even though I have mixed feelings about the book as a whole, the ending is her strongest to date. If you can handle a slow burn mystery with a cast of unlikeable characters, you do get a decent payoff in the end.
Margot is one of those people who just blends into the background, never attracting much attention. Lucy is the opposite as her personality draws people in. Margot spent her freshmen year in college pretty much only studying and hanging out in her dorm room. When Lucy invites Margot to room with her and two other students in off campus housing, she accepts. It might give Margot the opportunity to step out of her shell. Will she come to regret this decision?
There's a lot going on in this story and I chose to be vague on purpose when describing the premise. Feel free to check out the publisher synopsis as it provides way more details but personally I think it's better to just dive right in without too much info ahead of time. The story bounces around from the present day in which someone has gone missing, and the past which shows everything leading up to the disappearance as well as Margot's life before college. As the reader you are looking for answers to several mysteries.
I hate saying this but it was a bit of a slog to get thru this book because the characters just aren't people you want to hang out with if that makes sense. I can handle unlikeable characters if I feel some sort of investment but I didn't care what happened to any of them. I was only interested in seeing what the author came up with because I have a good track record with her books. It's a decent book with an above average ending but it wasn't a fun popcorn thriller read for me.
If you have never read a Stacy Willingham book, I'd start with A Flicker in the Dark. ...more
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