REVIEW: One Night Only by Catherine Walsh

Title: One Night Only
Author: Catherine Walsh
Narrator: Jessica Regan
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Publication Date: July 2021
Genre: Chick-Lit / Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Who could have predicted this? Being at the same wedding. In Ireland. There’s a reason one-night stands are one-night stands. You’re not supposed to see each other again, especially not when you’re the maid of honor, and he’s the groom’s brother…

Sarah Anderson has never been more excited about anything in her life. She’s going to her best friend’s wedding. And not just any wedding. An Irish wedding. Goodbye New York, hello rolling green hills and men with beautiful accents and twinkling eyes.

But Sarah should have known that not all guests are fairy-tale princes…

There’s the chinless Uncle Trevor, whose idea of small talk is to claim climate change is a conspiracy.

Then there’s Great Aunt Eileen, who doesn’t talk at all (she’s too busy replacing the hotel cutlery with her own set).

Worst of all, there’s Declan Murphy. Best man. Brother of the groom. And the man Sarah last saw naked.

Is there anything more mortifying than bumping into a one-night stand halfway across the world? Especially as Declan seems determined to embarrass Sarah at every turn. At least when the wedding’s over she’ll never have to see him again.

But, back in New York, Sarah finds the more she tries to forget Declan, the more she can’t shake the thought of that infuriatingly charming smile and the way he wears a tux…

Was he really just for one night only, or might Declan Murphy be The One?

Prepare to laugh until you cry with this perfect feel-good romantic comedy about taking a chance on love. Fans of Sophie Ranald, Sophie Kinsella and Marian Keyes won’t be able to put this down!

My Thoughts: Fun premise for a story I enjoyed but did not love. How awkward would it be to have a one-night stand with a hot guy with an Irish accent only to have him show up at your best friend’s wedding because he is the groom’s brother? For Sarah Anderson, this is exactly what happens.

I liked Sarah for the most part, but I thought her aversion to relationships became tiring and annoying. The reason for her aversion was completely understandable, but get over it, already! Not every guy is your ex who dumps you after you tell him you love him or your mother who bailed.

Declan Murphy, on the other hand, was a great character. He has looks, charm, a great sense of humor, loves his family and has a fantastic work ethic. Sarah, and every dang unattached woman in this book, should be clamoring to catch Declan’s eye. In spite of their initial hook-up, Sarah and Declan have great chemistry and, when she isn’t trying to ruin it, what it takes to make a go of a relationship.

Lots of great supporting characters add to the story and it should be a keeper shelf book, right? I went with the audiobook edition and enjoyed the narration by Jessica Regan. Her Irish accent was lovely and her American accent was good, though I caught hints of her Irish lilt in Sarah’s voice at times. I will check out more of Catherine Walsh’s stories, especially if the protagonist male is anything like Declan.

I would have loved to see Sarah cut loose a little bit and let her hair down, which you would think she does considering she has no problem picking up and sleeping with men she just met. Unfortunately, not Sarah. She’s wound tighter than a straight man’s butt cheeks in prison. Hopefully with Declan around, she will learn to lighten up, grab life by the horns and live in the moment.

My Final Verdict: Fans of the romantic comedy, chick-lit and women’s fiction genres will likely enjoy this book. Books set in interesting locales such as New York and Ireland also hold great appeal.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of One Night Only from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan

Title: The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris
Author: Jenny Colgan
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: August 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Life is sweet in this heartwarming tale of a little chocolate shop in Paris, by the bestselling author of Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams and Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe.

Mouth-watering recipes inside!

As dawn breaks over the Pont Neuf, and the cobbled alleyways of Paris come to life, Anna Trent is already awake and at work; mixing and stirring the finest, smoothest, richest chocolate; made entirely by hand, it is sold to the grandes dames of Paris.

It's a huge shift from the chocolate factory she worked in at home in the north of England. But when an accident changed everything, Anna was thrown back in touch with her French teacher, Claire, who offered her the chance of a lifetime - to work in Paris with her former sweetheart, Thierry, a master chocolatier.

With old wounds about to be uncovered and healed, Anna is set to discover more about real chocolate - and herself - than she ever dreamed.

My Thoughts: Jenny Colgan writes the kinds of books that tempt the reader so subtly, like a whisper, drawing the reader ever closer with thoughts of cupcakes, bakeries and chocolate that before the reader realizes what has happened, they are drawn into the story and completely mesmerized by their surroundings. Having a major sweet tooth and sugar craving, The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris captured all of my senses, the sights, sounds and scents of Paris and the elite Le Chapeau Chocolat where the chocolate is made daily and by hand and is sought out by the entire city of Paris, it seems.

As Anna Trent learns, once you have tried the chocolate made by Thierry Girard, no other chocolate will ever come close and she knows first-hand, having worked in a chocolate factory in England. She also knows that what she thought she knew about making chocolate doesn’t even come close to what she witnesses in Paris. After a tragic accident finds her out of a job and recuperating, she crosses paths with her old French teacher, Claire, who not only helps Anna improve her French but puts her on a path of self-discovery and an opportunity to learn from the best.

This story is really two stories with Anna’s story told in the present and Claire’s story told in the past. Though these women lead very different lives and walk different paths, fate brings these women together at a time when they needed one another, with Anna recuperating from her accident and Claire battling cancer.

I really liked that these characters are flawed humans, not perfect, living lives that are far from perfect, filled with daily challenges that so many of us take for granted. I felt a deep connection with both of these amazing women. I could relate to Anna as she takes her first steps, moving to another country, trying to fit in and find her place. I empathized with her on her accommodations leaving a lot to be desired, but the view of the Eiffel Tower from her tiny balcony is breathtaking. I could also relate to Claire and the lifetime of opportunities that were missed and the regret she carries with her, which is probably just as painful as the cancer ravaging her body.

The secondary characters are just as vibrant, breathing additional life into this story. Thierry, his son, Laurent, Thierry’s partner, Alice, Claire’s ex-husband, Richard, Anna’s eccentric roommate, Sami were all interesting to varying degrees. The detail the author gives for the intricate process of making the chocolate was fascinating.

This story made me laugh and made me cry and made me catch my breath when events come full circle, as life usually does.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story for the charm and excitement of Paris, for the melt in your mouth chocolate, but most especially for the opportunity to meet two characters who live life on their own terms even if it pulls them out of their comfort zone.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: One of Those Flings by Lauren Blakely

Title: One of Those Flings
Author: Lauren Blakely
Narrator: Andi Arndt, Jason Clarke, Erin Mallon, Savannah Peachwood, Emma Wilder, Jakobi Diem, Dan Bittner
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication Date: August 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Audible | Amazon

Description: Skyler’s breakup survival plan is simple: Swear off men for a year and celebrate her man cleanse with a solo tropical vacation to Hawaii. Snorkeling, sightseeing, zip lining, and leisurely dinners by the sea are just what the doctor ordered to mend her broken heart.

That is, until she meets a hunky adventure tour guide who makes her want to break all her own rules. Handsome, funny, and exciting, Caleb is by far the hottest local attraction. Will a romantic island fling lead to more heartbreak - or a new beginning?

My Thoughts: Initially, what I thought was going to be a fun adventure for a woman taking a manbatical after her latest break-up just didn’t measure up. I really liked the idea of taking a year off of dating and focusing on self-care with a tropical vacation to Hawaii thrown in to celebrate it. I just didn’t feel invested in Skylar or her journey and never felt connected to Caleb.

Books with the vacation fling premise can be quite fun and entertaining, but this one just fell flat for me and honestly, I think it’s because it was an audiobook and it was only 1 hour and 17 minutes long so there was absolutely no time to flesh out Skylar and Caleb so the reader can get to know them better. Also the sound effects were too much. By this, I felt like I was in a crowded restaurant with all the white noise in the background; flatware scraping on plates, conversations that aren’t clear enough to make out what’s being said but distracting enough to pull me out of the story. The most annoying for me were the scenes where Skylar is texting her friend about Caleb. There were sound effects for the sounds on the phone when you are typing out a text. I’m rolling my eyes so hard, I began to worry, they would get stuck. At one point, I started to think there was a problem with the recording and that something else had been recorded with this book. Sometimes too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing.

I enjoyed the performances of all the narrators and the story itself was OK. I think I would have enjoyed it more as a Kindle book with quality time spent getting to know the characters better.

My Final Verdict: If you are a person that is easily distracted by a lot of extraneous noise may want to give this one a pass. If you are a reader looking for a quick fix and welcome the plethora of sound effects, this book will fit the bill.

REVIEW: The Werewolf's 15 Minutes by Jonathan Maberry

Title: The Werewolf’s 15 Minutes
Author: Jonathan Maberry
Narrator: Ray Porter and Dina Pearlman
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication Date: October 2021
Genre: Fantasy / Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Audible | Amazon | BN

Description: Gary Bruce is a slacker of epic loserness. Can't keep a job. His friends are as bad as he is. No girlfriend. No direction.

Gary Bruce is also a werewolf.

Desperate for any kind of success, Gary decides to out himself on You Tube. The moment this ordinary guy goes full-on fur, fangs, and claws, the world can't get enough of the biggest thing on social media, he's on every talk show, book and movie deals fall in his lap, and for the first time in his life he gets invited to all the best parties.

But celebrity is a special kind of voracious monster. And when Gary's star begins to lose its luster, he has to decide how far he'll go to stay relevant in a world that discards has-beens in favor of the next big thing.

Fortunately, Gary has a plan....

My Thoughts: Audible has struck a goldmine with their original stories, in my opinion. This one is less than two hours in length, but is thoroughly entertaining, funny and shocking.

Gary Bruce is a slacker, a loser, someone you would expect to be living in their mother’s basement in his fifties and the type of guy most girls want to avoid on the online dating apps. But Gary does have one thing going for him. He’s a werewolf and he decides to out himself by filming his change and posting it on YouTube. Of course, the initial reaction is huge, though most of the comments are assumptions about the use of a morphing software app for special effects.

Once Gary proves it’s real, he’s an overnight celebrity. People can’t get enough of him, he’s invited to talk shows, there are book deals, movie deals in the works, medical professionals want to examine him to figure out how this is possible. There are even werewolf groupies and he has an agent.

The funny thing about overnight fame and glory is it can be short-lived and over-rated and Gary finds himself caught between staying relevant to the public and possibly losing his humanity completely or embracing his life and taking charge of his own destiny on his own merits.

New to me author Jonathan Maberry’s writing is clever and witty while also depicting the trauma one would expect a werewolf to suffer, especially once they have been outed. The narration by Ray Porter and Dina Pearlman was fantastic and kept me riveted on what Gary’s next move will be. I enjoyed that while in wolf form, Gary speaks with a throaty, growl of a voice and the performance of these parts really add to the story, making Gary one of the most interesting characters I have come across in fiction.

My Final Verdict: Werewolf fans will definitely want to sink their teeth into this story, but I think it will appeal to fans of urban fantasy genres and readers who like to root for the underdog…or underwolf.

REVEW: In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer

Title: In a New York Minute
Author: Kate Spencer
Narrator: Amanda Dolan and Neil Hellegers
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date: March 2022
Genre: Chick-Lit / Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A clever, tender, and romantic novel for readers of Christina Lauren, Jasmine Guillory, and Sophie Cousens, this laugh-out-loud debut is a perceptive reminder that fate can have a sense of humor, and that love can happen…In a New York Minute.

Franny Doyle is having the worst day. She’s been laid off from her (admittedly mediocre) job, the subway doors ripped her favorite silk dress to ruins, and now she’s flashed her unmentionables to half of lower Manhattan. On the plus side, a dashing stranger came to her rescue with his (Gucci!) suit jacket. On the not-so-plus side, he can’t get away from her fast enough.

Worse yet? Someone posted their (entirely not) meet-cute online. Suddenly Franny and her knight-in-couture, Hayes Montgomery III, are the newest social media sensation, and all of New York is shipping #SubwayQTs.

Only Franny and Hayes couldn’t be a more disastrous match. She’s fanciful, talkative, and creative. He’s serious, shy, and all about numbers. Luckily, in a city of eight million people, they never have to meet again. Yet somehow, Hayes and Franny keep running into each other—and much to their surprise, they enjoy each other’s company. A lot. But when Franny’s whole world is turned upside down (again!), can she find the courage to trust in herself and finally have the life—and love—she’s always wanted?

My Thoughts: This story was so much fun! Great characters and an interesting story are what every reader seeks and In a New York Minute hits all the marks. It’s bad enough that Franny Doyle gets laid off from her job, but on her way home, her dress gets caught in the subway door and tears the dress exposing her backside. Yes, dig me a hole right here so I can crawl in and die from mortification. Fortunately for us, Franny does not. A handsome guy, who Franny nicknames "Hot Suit", gives her his suit jacket to salvage her modesty. A few tears are shed, she snots all over him, he gets off the train and she has no idea who he is or how she is going to return his jacket to him.

Unbeknownst to either one of them, the entire scene is recorded and appears on social media, making them instant celebrities. #SubwayQTs. At this point, I would be considering a change of identity and city. Instead, Franny meets her rescuer, Hayes Montgomery III, when they are invited to do a television interview and my first impression is he is kind of a stuffed suit, hot or not. The jacket is returned and really, is there any reason to think these two would meet again under any circumstances? Over the course of this story, not only do they cross paths multiple times, but are so dang stinkin’ cute, it got me right in the feels.

Franny is a wonderful character with great spirit and attitude and Hayes is like that box of chocolates Forrest Gump’s mother told him about. Not only was he not a stuffed suit, but he was also fabulous. The arrogant persona he presents to the world is the outer shell to protect the mushy center he keeps private.

This story was hilarious right from the start. The writing was spot on, but the narration performed by Amanda Dolan and Neil Hellegers was fantastic. They captured the essence and personality of these characters perfectly. The supporting characters Cleo, Lola, Eleanor and Perrine added to the fun of the story and New York City is a character in its’ own right. I want to go across the Brooklyn Bridge and eat at Grimaldi’s mainly to see if the Arizona locations actually do it justice.

My Final Verdict: This story is pure fluff, but it works! If you’re looking for something cute and light that doesn’t require a degree in rocket science to understand, give this one a try. This would have been a great rom-com movie from Nora Ephron.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of In a New York Minute from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.