G. Bianco, 2019
In her sophomore novel, Natasha Siegel brings readers to 1660s London in The Phoenix Bride. This masterful must-read historical fiction book comes out on March 12th and you should definitely keep your eyes peeled for it! It is 1666, one year after plague has devastated England. Young widow Cecilia Thorowgood is a prisoner, trapped and isolated within her older sister’s cavernous London townhouse. At the mercy of a legion of doctors trying to cure her grief with their impatient scalpels, Cecilia shows no sign of improvement. Soon, her sister makes a decision born of desperation: She hires a new physician, someone known for more unusual methods. But he is a foreigner. A Jew. And despite his attempts to save Cecilia, he knows he cannot quell the storm of sorrow that rages inside her. There is no easy cure for melancholy. David Mendes fled Portugal to seek a new life in London, where he could practice his faith openly and leave the past behind. Still reeling from the loss of his beloved friend and struggling with his religion and his past, David is free and safe in this foreign land but incapable of happiness. The security he has found in London threatens to disappear when he meets Cecilia, and he finds himself torn between his duty to medicine and the beating of his own heart. He is the only one who can see her pain; the glimmers of light she emits, even in her gloom, are enough to make him believe once more in love. Facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, David and Cecilia must endure prejudice, heartbreak, and calamity before they can be together. The Great Fire is coming—and with the city in flames around them, love has never felt so impossible. This book was such a unique read and I immediately need more books like it! I loved the way grief was tackled in this book and how both Cecilia and David experienced it in their own ways, yet also showed each other that life is worth living to its fullest, despite the fact that loss could occur again. I was so fascinated by the historical aspects written into this book which included the treatment of Jews in 1660s England, the status of women and overall hierarchy of society, and medicinal treatments of the time. I thought the juxtaposition of Jewish culture and the predominant Christian-based English culture was so interesting to read about and I felt like I learned a lot of this time in history that isn’t often spoken about. I loved this forbidden romance and how Cecilia and David’s love story played out. Without giving away any spoilers, I thought their ending was fitting for what the time period was and I thought Siegel did a brilliant job of showcasing what their love story would’ve been like in real life. And despite my desperation for a smooth and happy ending in every book I read, I actually loved the obstacles that the characters had to go through in order to become their best selves. Aside from David and Cecilia having such amazing character arcs, I adored the side characters (especially Jan and Sam!) and even appreciated the more antagonistic characters in the story. Whether you’re looking for a historical fiction book centered around a forbidden romance that dives deep into different cultures during 1660s England or just looking for a unique new read, I highly recommend this book! *I received a complimentary copy of the book from Random House
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Even though It Must Be True Then by Luci Adams comes out tomorrow (March 11th), I’m gonna tell you guys about it today because why not! Daisy has realized you really can hit rock bottom when you lose your job, your boyfriend, and are estranged from your sister all at once. Seeking to claw her way out from the very definition of a bad year, her plan is to start by simply looking like she’s clawing her way out of rock bottom. On Instagram. Obviously. But when she takes a stopgap job as a nanny to help a single father with his two young girls, being immersed in a close-knit, loving family starts to poke holes in her plan. Can making her not-so-picture-perfect life look perfect online really help her derailed career get back on track? Can it mend her relationship with her unreliable and painfully irritating sister? And can it get her back in the arms of her unbelievably beautiful and shallow ex…and as she gets closer to someone new, does she even want to? I’ll be honest: this book had me just as confused as our main character is! It took me a little while to get into and yet was also strangely binge-able for me? I found some of the plot to be dragged out too much, yet also I could stop turning the pages to see what was going to happen? If you’re now confused also, then yeah same and I’m sorry… There are some parts in this novel that are cute, but others that infuriated me and while Daisy is supposed to be endearing and relatable, I found her so insecure and not relatable to me that I just want to smack her silly! The book is basically just a bunch of present day situations that make Daisy out to be a hot mess (which she is) and flashbacks that make her look like a desperate idiot. But, as usually, I’m a sucker for cute kids and the single dad trope so that part I think is what had me in a chokehold and kept me reading. Eventually, this book did get better in the end and I’ll admit to tearing up at certain points, but I think Daisy just took too long to reach her character arc for me. While this book wasn’t my favorite, I still found it enjoyable and maybe you’ll like it too! *I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion. Melanie Harlow returns to Cherry Tree Harbor with the fourth book in the series, Small Town Swoon! This KU series is slowly turning into one of my go-to comfort series and will continue sharing the Buckley Brothers journeys to find love on March 4th. Only in the movies does the Hollywood heartthrob fall for the small town diner waitress. So when Dashiel Buckley returns to Cherry Tree Harbor for a wedding, Ariana DeLuca is determined not to let her massive crush on her best friend’s older brother hijack her good sense. But when Ari’s hand is injured, it’s Dash who steps in at the diner. The moment he realizes she can’t afford to fix her car, he takes care of it. And when he hears about the way her toxic ex treated her, he refuses to let it go. Now it’s not just his blue eyes and sexy smile that have Ari swooning, it’s the way Dash wants to help her. Encourage her. Protect her. She can’t resist. Eventually night after night, Dash warms Ari’s bed, but it can’t last. Their dreams have them on two different paths–Dash wants the lights, camera, action of Hollywood, and Ari will always be a small town girl. Just like its predecessors, Small Town Swoon has all of the charm of a small town romance centered around a tight-knit family that makes you wish you were part of that family too. Throw in a little pining from childhood, a FWB situation, and a he’s-a-Hollywood-actor-and-I’m-just-a-chef plot line and this book is a recipe for success! Seeing these characters open themselves up to love and be willing to take risks in their own respective careers was really fun to read about and made Ari and Dash that much more relatable. I also really loved the cameos of couples from the previous books in the series and cannot wait to see what’s next for the Buckley clan! This one’s for my small town, second chance, best friend’s brother, celebrity romance lovers! *I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. Falon Ballard returns to the romance scene with her newest novel Right on Cue. Set to be released on February 27th, this celebrity romance you need to pick up! Emmy Harper is no stranger to Hollywood, having penned some of the most popular movies of the past few years. But her latest project has hit a standstill—unable to find the perfect leading lady, Emmy’s been recruited to take on the role herself, dusting off acting skills she hasn’t used in over a decade. Things take a turn for the worse when she's left with the one costar she can’t trust: Grayson West. A blockbuster action hero known for his megawatt smile and impossible abs, Grayson is anyone’s dream of a romantic lead. Too bad Emmy still blames him for her disastrous first movie and the early end to her acting career. The friction between the two risks tanking the movie, and no one knows if it’s lingering awkwardness from their youth or unresolved sexual tension. But if they want to save the production—and their own careers—they need to get their acts together quickly, both on and off camera. I honestly had such a fun time reading this book! This was my first Falon Ballard book and I’m honestly really excited to explore her backlist after reading this one! Watching these two characters go from enemies to costars to FWB to lovers was just so endearing! Plus, having a real love story occur while filming a fake love story in a small town was the kind of romcom inception I didn’t know I needed! While I did find the ending a bit predictable, I still appreciated these characters learning to overcome their insecurities and finally just allow themselves to fall in love. Fans of celebrity romances, enemies to lovers trope, or seeing behind the scenes of Hollywood are going to love this book! *I received an ARC from Putnam Books in exchange for my honest opinion. I coincidentally started reading Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff on a day when I ate blueberry pancakes. Considering there are blueberry pancakes on the cover and there’s a whole plot line about it, I think it was a good sign that this book was going to be a good one! Culinary student Lexi Berman, 24, has one goal: to make her late mother proud by becoming an executive chef in a Michelin-star restaurant. And she isn’t going to let anything–or anyone–get in the way. But when she meets Jake Taylor, a dive bar musician who charms her with show tunes, she makes a rare exception to her no-dating rule. After a steamy weekend together, Jake leaves for L.A. to record his demo, and Lexi never expects to see him again. And she definitely doesn’t expect him to become an overnight celebrity, with a breakout single that’s almost certainly about her famous blueberry pancake recipe. As Jake’s star rises and the world speculates about the subject of his song, Lexi keeps the affair to herself. After all, she’s finally found her footing at her new restaurant job, and even has a prospective romance with her coworker. But when a distraught Jake turns up on her doorstep late one night, her carefully-laid plans are thrown for a loop. Though she and Jake try to be friends, things between them soon reheat faster than a bowl of Lexi's matzah ball soup. But a relationship with Jake means risking her face in tabloids, withstanding cruel internet comments, and worst of all, jeopardizing her career. As Jake’s upcoming tour approaches, and rumors swirl about him and another pop star, Lexi has to decide if holding onto her meticulously-planned future is worth walking away from what could be the perfect recipe for love. I binge read this book in one day and I do not regret it! Not only were the food descriptions in this book making me hungry, but I loved the references to actual NYC landmarks and spots. I also loved the Broadway/musical references sprinkled throughout the plot. This book was super descriptive overall while not taking away from the actual romance. Both Lexi and Jake have to learn how to adapt and change their dreams to fit their dream careers and it was so nice to see both of them grow throughout the novel. Seeing an inside look at what it’s like being in culinary school and working in a kitchen juxtaposed with what it’s like to be famous and in the public eye at all times really showcased how similar and different these high-pressure careers are and how the characters cope with it. Additionally, we see these characters grapple with grief, finding a home, and learning to trust each other after a span of time away from each other. Seeing these real life emotions play out made these characters that much more relatable and the love story that much sweeter! If you like rockstar romances, insta-love/second chance romances, or books that highlight iconic geography, definitely check this debut novel!! *I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion. In case you can’t quite tell from the title, When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein is new UK-set grumpy x sunshine romance! However, what I thought was going to be an opposites attract romance slowly turned into something different. When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper. And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute as heck ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds. But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item for a public who’s ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. Or at least, it feels like it’s pretend―until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control. Now they just have to decide: is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending? I feel deceived by the summary of this book. Not in that it’s inaccurate, but that I was so excited for this book and had such high hopes for a cute romcom and instead I started reading a book I was thoroughly confused by… Ok so these two people who are supposed to be a ex-professional soccer player and a prolific ghost writer are having a conversation that’s giving off the same energy as two socially awkward chimpanzees interacting for the first time...? And somehow cleaning someone’s eyes of the pepper spray that you sprayed them with is erotic??? Color me confused! Additionally, the flow of this novel felt very disjointed. For example, some chapters were just 3-4 pages of Mabel’s thoughts during a 30 seconds moment and then the next sentence was like “and then we ate dinner for 3 hours and went home.” Why there were inconsequential moments being stretched out and major plot points being glossed over is beyond me and it made the flow of this novel very bizarre. Aside from all of that, there were a few steamy scenes that I enjoyed and the last chapter/ending was kind of satisfying? But it just took so long to get to any good parts (no joke: I got to a fake dating trope at the 50% mark of this ebook) that I almost gave up on this book a few times. I’m not sure I’d necessarily recommend this book to anyone, but you’re welcome to read this book if it strikes your fancy! *I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion. Lasairiona McMaster, aka the queen of hockey romances, returns with her latest installment in the Cedar Rapids Raccoons Series, Lighting the Lamp! This sports romance, which is set to come out on February 1st, is the quick steamy read you need to add to your TBR! Tori is offended that Raffi act like they’ve never met! She thought they connected, but after a steamy one night stand, the hockey hot shot ghosted her, leaving her with nothing but wounded pride and two pink lines on a stick. And not the hockey kind. Well, she’s determined to stay away from him and never giving him a second chance to fool her again. Raffi knows Tori’s not a forgettable woman, but is confused as to why she insists she knows him? But then one look at her son and it hits him like a slap shot to the chest. The resemblance is undeniable. But how can he convince the mother of his child to let him be part of their lives, when he doesn’t even remember her? While I don’t normally like accidental pregnancy books, I really enjoyed this one! Maybe it’s because it wasn’t as “oopsy” as the trope tends to be for me or because it was wrapped into a series I already really like, I found myself loving Raffi and Tori’s story! It was also a mix of second-chance and fated mates in my opinion which was just so heartwarming to read. I’m also a sucker for the found family trope and this book not only has that in the biological sense, but in the metaphorical sense as well. As I’ve enjoyed in past books in this series, I love when the hockey guys rally around each other in support no matter what’s going on and so I loved seeing that trend continue in this book. If you like hockey romance, found family, and second-chance romance, then this is the book for you! *I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. So I thought A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft was coming out today, but it turns out it came out on January 2nd… whoops! Well you’re getting my review of it today anyway so enjoy! Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland. But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous gossip columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible. This novel was basically Bridgerton but with a bit of magic and political intrigue thrown into it! I thought Niamh was a great character and all of the supporting characters were just as likable in their own ways. It took me a good number of chapters to really get into the book, but I thought the romance was cute and the court dynamics just added an extra layer of depth to this YA novel and it helped me get more invested in the story as it went on. I ended up enjoying this book and I think fans of Bridgerton will enjoy it! *I received an ARC from Wednesday Books in exchange for my honest opinion. Get your gym shoes on and grab your headphones because Work It Out by Eva Siedler is out today (January 29th) which shows what happens when an actor meets his match while training for a new role! With the lead role in a huge action film up for grabs, actor Jake Newman has ninety days to get in shape. How does a man grow abs without the tabloids watching his every move? By sneaking off to a high-end health resort in his Arizona hometown to supersize his biceps…Thor style. Oh, and hope no one discovers the real reason he bailed from Los Angeles—or the teeny little health issue he’s hoping to keep from everyone. Especially his cute, sunshiny, and absolute hard-ass new trainer. Former gymnast Rayah Summers has poured everything she has into her desert a full-service resort that helps people transform their bodies and lifestyles. But a run of bad luck has her on the brink of bankruptcy —and the Hollywood hunk with insanely sexy dimples is all that’s standing between her and disaster. Now everything depends on her future, her roof over her head, and especially her trainers—who are more family than employees. Rayah can’t afford for anything to go wrong… and no one’s able to explain why Jake Newman keeps collapsing during even the lightest workouts. Now it’s a balance beam nightmare, with Rayah trying to keep her business afloat—all while managing her staff’s drama, keeping her celebrity client a secret, and not falling for him or his devilishly sexy grin. And it’s just a matter of time before Jake’s secrets threaten not only her dreams, but the chosen family she’s found… This novel wasn’t my favorite… it genuinely feels like the author just cut out classic romcom tropes and pasted them into this book without really fleshing them out at all. The insta-love felt too fast and more lusty than any true affection. Like honey, you can’t feel betrayed by a man you met 3 days ago. This isn’t Romeo and Juliet… None of the characters were all that likable, except for maybe Jake’s grandparents. Everyone else just felt like very flat characters with not much substance or that their personalities were almost bipolar/went from one extreme to the other. The amount of plot lines that just got thrown in a third of the way into the book with no background was very bizarre and made the main plot of the novel even more confusing, especially with the timeline of the novel. Literally, the first half of the book takes place over the course of like 3 days or something. The author attempts to add some depth to the novel by adding in a characters who have disorders or have dealt with domestic and/or sexual abuse, but the novel just gets so bogged down with frivolous plot lines in the beginning that by the time I got to the heavier topics, I wasn’t all that interested in the novel anymore. Overall, this book wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t blow me away either… *I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. One of my most anticipated reads of the year was It Takes A Rake by Anna Bennett and it did not disappoint! This third and final book in the Rogues to Lovers Series is the perfect historical romance book to add to your TBR! Since she was a girl, Miss Kitty Beckett has been adept at finding trouble: sneaking brandy, running away, and getting under the skin of the boy who, like her, was an apprentice to an architect. Now Kitty’s a talented heiress who can take a dry building plan and breathe life into it with her pencils and paints. Also? She can spot a rake at a hundred yards―and she won’t be tricked or charmed into marriage. Certainly not by a man who might interfere with her dreams. When Bellehaven Bay announces its first ever architectural design contest, she vows to win―with a little help from her childhood rival. Leo Lockland, a hardworking architect with a gift for numbers, has returned home after a few years in London, and he has secrets. The biggest? He’s been in love with Kitty since they were both apprentices. She refuses to give her heart to any man, but Leo’s determined to beat the odds―even if it means learning how to be a rake. Fortunately, Kitty’s willing to tutor him in the nuances of fashion, flirtation, and seduction in exchange for his help with the contest. But the whole plan would fall apart if she knew how he felt, so he’ll have to be very convincing. Leo proves to be a surprisingly quick study in the ballroom, on the beach, and in the bedchamber. Before long, he’s softening Kitty’s hard edges with his wicked words and kissing his way past all her defenses. Perhaps she’s a bit too skilled at teaching, because her lessons are threatening to backfire, putting her closely guarded heart in grave danger… As if I couldn’t adore Anna Bennett’s writing even more, Kitty’s story just solidified my love for this series! I absolutely adored this historical romance! Both Kitty and Leo were fabulous characters and I loved the trajectory of their story! From childhood nemeses to reluctant friends to lovers, I could not get enough of this book. And having it all set in Bellehaven Bay and having the Bellehaven Belles making cameos in the story makes this novel even more delightful! Honestly, Leo might be my new favorite book boyfriend! His unwavering love for Kitty was so adorable and quite a few scenes had me fanning my face! The way both Kitty and Leo grew in this story both with their own insecurities and in their feeling for one another, was so enjoyable to read about and I was so sad to have this book end. Whether you’re reading this as a standalone novel or reentering Bellehaven Bay, this novel is perfect for any fans of historical romance! *I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion. |
AuthorHi! My name is Elisa and my bookshelf is quite literally overflowing! Join me in my journey of reading as many books as humanly possible! Archives
February 2023
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