REVIEW: Beside Herself by Elizabeth LaBan

Title: Beside Herself
Author: Elizabeth LaBan
Narrator: Erin Bennett
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: October 2019
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: When she finds out her husband cheated, Hannah Bent thinks her marriage is over. Isn’t that what happens after an affair? But she’s seen friends divorce, and it’s not pretty. Plus, she and Joel have kids and an otherwise happy life, and she still loves him, although begrudgingly.

Furious and feeling stuck, she suggests having her own affair to even the score. Joel, desperate for forgiveness, agrees. But does she really want to go through with it? And how exactly does a married mother of two get back in the dating pool? Many awkward dates follow until she finds a deep and unexpected connection where she was least looking for it.

Just as she thinks she’s made a decision, her journey to happiness is waylaid by storms of doubt. But the important thing is that she’s finally figuring out what she truly wants for herself, and she understands that whatever choice she makes must be hers and hers alone.

My Thoughts: Beside Herself by new‑to‑me author Elizabeth LaBan is a thought‑provoking exploration of the impossible choices a woman faces after discovering her husband’s infidelity. I usually hate the adultery trope, but what sets this story apart is the direction LaBan chooses. Instead of the predictable breakup‑to‑divorce trajectory, the author presents a marriage where the husband is immediately remorseful and desperate to repair the damage he’s caused.

One of the most compelling elements is the therapist’s blunt honesty: the marriage Hannah and Joel once had is gone. It’s over. If they want to stay together, they must build an entirely new marriage, acknowledging that they are now different people. That framing alone gives the story a fresh emotional angle.

As expected, Hannah is furious, hurt, and unsure whether she wants to salvage the relationship or walk away. Her internal struggle feels raw and believable. But when she tells Joel that before she can even consider starting over she wants to have her own affair to “even the score,” I found myself pulling back. For me, that suggestion felt like it would only compound the pain rather than heal it.

The pacing of the story was solid, and I appreciated that it didn’t get bogged down in excessive emotional drama that would have slowed the narrative. It moved steadily, giving the characters space to work through their situation without dragging the reader through unnecessary turmoil. I also paired the book with the audiobook and found Erin Bennett’s narration engaging and well matched to the tone of the story. Her performance added clarity and nuance, making the experience enjoyable.

My Final Verdict: In the end, Beside Herself offers an unusual and compelling look at what it means to rebuild trust after betrayal. While not all of Hannah’s choices resonated with me, LaBan’s willingness to explore the messy, uncomfortable parts of forgiveness makes the story stand out. It’s a thoughtful read for anyone interested in the complexities of marriage, healing, and starting over.

Thank you to the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Dating Cary Grant by Emelle Gamble

Title: Dating Cary Grant
Author: Emelle Gamble
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
Publication Date: April 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon

Description: A modern Manhattan fairy tale starring . . .

Tracy Connor, a New York City career woman who loves her job and classic movies.

Mike Connor, her estranged husband, a small-town Mayor who loves his wife but doesn’t seem to have enough time to see her.

The handsome stranger, Philip Adams, who lives downstairs from the small sublet Tracy has temporarily moved into. He’s charming, funny, and looks a lot like her very favorite screen icon, Cary Grant.

Dating Cary Grant is a romance all about New York city career woman Tracy Connor struggling with real issues with her real guy, her husband of six years, Mayor Mike Connor of Cukor, Connecticut. Tracy is a smart woman, but some of her problems with relationships are partially caused by her unrealistic expectations that real guys should—and can— behave like matinee idols. Mike’s problems are also caused by the fact that he’s such a great guy and overextends his heart, and his appointment calendar, to every constituent, friend, or stray animal who crosses his path.

Tracy is also being stressed by a TV reality show intent on showcasing Tracy and Mike’s personal life, as well as the imminent takeover of her employer, a small, private television station, by a billionaire with unlimited funds and no taste.

Dating Cary Grant considers just how selfless a man needs to be to meet his wife’s expectations, and just how honest a woman must be with herself about what she’s willing to give, and give-up. And Cary Grant is along to help prove that any woman’s search for ‘Mr. Perfect ‘ might take her to a surprising place to find him.

My Thoughts: This story was an interesting tale of a woman who is struggling with the issues she is facing in her marriage. She wants to live and work in New York City but her husband, Mike, is a mayor of a small town in Connecticut. They are both good people, committed and dedicated to their careers but neither one seems to be willing to make a compromise to keep the marriage intact. Though I understood and empathized with Tracy’s position, this really frustrated me. How can anyone expect to find a resolution to the problems in their marriage if they are living in separate states? Tracy says she needs time and space to think so she signs a six month lease without telling Mike. I understood Tracy is fed up with feeling like she comes second in Mike’s life with the demands being a mayor requires and though I understood, I didn’t feel like she was being flexible either.

Adding to the chaos in Tracy’s life is the news that the television station she works at is likely to be bought out and she will be out of a job before her lease runs out so I was quite perplexed at the logic behind her decision.

Tracy meets the downstairs neighbor, Phillip Adams, who is quite a charming individual and who is the spitting image of Cary Grant at the height of his fame. The interesting thing about this man is nobody else seems to actually see him besides Tracy. It got me thinking that he must be a figment of her imagination so I kept reading this book just so I could find out what is going on.

My Final Verdict: Dating Cary Grant was an intriguing read with an unusual premise, and the mystery surrounding Phillip Adams definitely kept me turning the pages. While I struggled with some of Tracy’s choices and found it frustrating that neither she nor Mike seemed willing to truly compromise, I still appreciated the story’s exploration of marriage, ambition, and expectations.

Overall, this was a thought-provoking contemporary romance with a touch of whimsy that will likely appeal to readers who enjoy relationship-driven stories with a slightly magical twist.

Thank you to the publisher, Soul Mate Publishing, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher

Title: The Orphan Witch
Author: Paige Crutcher
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: September 2021
Genre: Fantasy / Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost...and found.

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around―changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight―and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.

After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.

Answers. Family. Home.

And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.

My Thoughts: I very much enjoyed this debut novel by Paige Crutcher that introduces the reader to a young woman who just wants to belong and fit in somewhere, to find her people. Persephone is a witch and has had to learn the hard way to keep most parts of herself isolated from others as unusual and sometimes scary things happen when Persephone allows anyone to get close to her. While working at a coffee shop where a nearly disastrous and deadly event occurs, Persephone realizes her time there is at an end and it is time, once again, to move on. Persephone is used to moving on as she has bounced from foster family to foster family her entire life. Persephone accepts an invitation from a friend to come visit her at Wile Isle off the coast of North Carolina. When Persephone arrives, she realizes that she isn’t the only one with unusual gifts and learns that she is the key to breaking a curse that has torn her family apart. I did find it a little odd how quickly Persephone adapts to this news with a sense of full acceptance.

This story was really interesting and I was intrigued at the role Persephone plays in the island’s history. Meeting her cousins Hyacinth and Moira should have been just what Persephone was searching for, but it brought more questions and the revelation of more secrets. Additional characters Ariel and her sister Ellison were interesting as it gave me the feeling that there was much more to the island’s history that Persephone was told and I had a sense of not knowing who could be trusted.

I loved the magical world building that Crutcher creates in this story, not only the island but otherworldly locations, like the Library of the Lost that Persephone finds herself able to cross through worlds to enter. There, she meets the intriguing librarian, Dorian, who has plenty of his own secrets but is integral to Persephone’s success with breaking the curse.

My Final Verdict: The story moves at an exceptional pace and the audiobook narration performed by Saskia Maarleveld was captivating. I am looking forward to reading more of this author’s work. I highly recommend this book to readers who gravitate to paranormal themes. Readers who also relish the fantasy genre will find this story enjoyable.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, who provided an advance reader copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Second Chance Boutique by Louisa Leaman

Title: The Second Chance Boutique
Author: Louisa Leaman
Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: May 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A heartwarming story about the power of the perfect dress—and the perfect love—to change your life.

Francesca Delaney has a knack for matching a bride-to-be with the wedding dress of her dreams. Her shop, The Whispering Dress, is no ordinary bridal boutique. Every gown is vintage, and the wedding dresses seem to share their stories with Francesca, pointing to which woman needs them next.

Fran credits her success to two rules: never covet a dress and never sell a dress that led to a doomed marriage. But then she finds a beautiful 1950s couture floor-length gown, and her obsession threatens win out. The owner, however, would quite like the dark past of the dress to remain hidden forever...

My Thoughts: I quite enjoyed the premise of this story about a woman who has the unusual talent of matching vintage wedding gowns with the perfect bride. Francesca appears to have the ability to communicate with the garment, learn its story, its history and from that point her customers to the gown that seem to be made specifically for them.

When Francesca finds a dress at a house clearance, she is shocked that the patriarch of the family wants nothing to do with the dress, has no interest in passing the dress on to a family member who will marry next and appears hostile about learning of the dress’s story even though his deceased mother was the last bride to wear it. I found it intriguing that where Rafael appears repulsed by the dress, Francesa appears to be obsessed by it.

I liked Francesca immediately and was eager to get to know her and learn her background and the reasons behind her love of vintage wedding gowns. I was taken aback by Rafael’s abrupt manner, bordering on rude and socially unacceptable. I also enjoyed getting to know him and learning the reasons behind his icy shell.

The pacing of the story was fantastic. Observing the process Francesca employs to match a gown with the bride and some of the reactions the brides had about the gown chosen for them was fun to see as well as the change that comes over them once they try the gown on.

I highly recommend this heartwarming story to fans of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Readers who are in the market for a wedding gown may find this book useful to point them to the perfect dress, be it vintage or contemporary.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: California Girls by Susan Mallery

Title: California Girls
Author: Susan Mallery
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Publisher: Harlequin - Mira
Publication Date: February 2019
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The California sunshine’s not quite so bright for three sisters who get dumped in the same week…

Finola, a popular LA morning show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation who has set their affair to music. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside, desperate for him to come to his senses and for life to go back to normal.

Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer—after all, she has an available womb and no other attachments to worry about. Except…when everyone else, including her big sister, thinks she’s making a huge mistake, being pregnant is a lot lonelier—and more complicated—than she imagined.

Never the tallest, thinnest or prettiest sister, Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low. And yet Daniel continues to turn up “for support,” making Ali wonder if maybe—for once—someone sees her in a way no one ever has.

But side by side by side, these sisters will start over and rebuild their lives with all the affection, charm and laugh-out-loud humor that is classic Susan Mallery.

My Thoughts: After reading this book, I am perplexed how this book escaped my notice for so long and am wishing I had picked it up sooner. It was a thoroughly enjoyable story that captivated me immediately. I loved the premise of three sisters who all get dumped the same week in very different ways and how these women rebuild their lives in unexpected ways.

The sisters were all different but very likable. Finola is the oldest and is a typical go-getter personality. She’s very career driven and enjoys the fruits of her success with her equally successful plastic surgeon husband living the dream in Beverly Hills. Finding out her husband has been unfaithful is bad enough but having your private pain and embarrassment become local fodder for the tabloids is a nightmare.

Zennie is a surgical nurse who loves her career and doesn’t think being in a relationship is a big deal. She’s happy being single and independent and the guy she is dating is a really nice guy but realizes she isn’t into him so they have an amicable breakup. When Zennie’s best friend and cancer survivor approaches Zennie to ask her to be a surrogate, Zennie doesn’t hesitate. She isn’t planning on getting pregnant for herself anytime soon and if she can help her best friend become a mother, Zennie is more than happy to do it. She doesn’t count on the changes her body goes through, physically and hormonally and is shocked at the lack of support people around her are displaying.

Ali has lived in the shadow of her sisters all of her life but she doesn’t let it stop her even if she feels invisible most of the time. She’s engaged to be married and is neck deep in planning a wedding to occur in a few weeks. That is, until her future brother-in-law, Daniel, shows up on her doorstep to tell her that her fiancé is dumping her but doesn’t have the cajónes to do it himself.

I enjoyed the multiple perspectives from each sister and seeing how their individual situations played out. This book moved at a wonderful pace, keeping me engaged and invested in the story and the characters. This book made me laugh and I also got a little misty eyed at parts. I paired the reading of this book with the audiobook format and very much enjoyed the narration performed by Tanya Eby.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story and look forward to reading more from this author. Readers who love women’s fiction or stories that are highly character driven will enjoy this.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin - Mira, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Postscript by Cecelia Ahern

Title: Postscript
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Narrator: Amy Huberman
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: February 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Sixteen years after Cecelia Ahern's bestselling phenomenon PS, I Love You captured the hearts of millions, the long-awaited sequel follows Holly as she helps strangers leave their own messages behind for loved ones.

Seven years after her husband's death -- six since she read his final letter -- Holly Kennedy has moved on with her life. When Holly's sister asks her to tell the story of the "PS, I Love You" letters on her podcast -- to revisit the messages Gerry wrote before his death to read after his passing -- she does so reluctantly, not wanting to reopen old wounds.

But after the episode airs, people start reaching out to Holly, and they all have one thing in common: they're terminally ill and want to leave their own missives behind for loved ones. Suddenly, Holly finds herself drawn back into a world she's worked tirelessly to leave behind -- but one that leads her on another incredible, life-affirming journey.

With her trademark blend of romance, humor, and bittersweet life lessons, Postscript is the perfect follow-up to Ahern's beloved first novel.

My Thoughts: When I first learned this book had been published, I immediately knew it would break my heart as its predecessor, PS, I Love You, did. Even still knowing what lay ahead for me in this story, I was not deterred. I absolutely had to read this. I had to know how Holly has been faring in her life without Gerry. This book picks up the story seven years after Gerry’s passing and I was happy to see that Holly was doing well, working with her sister and in a relationship that was ready to take the next step of moving in together.

After Holly is invited to come on to her sister’s podcast and share her story, she is inundated by people seeking help. One group of terminally ill people have gone so far as forming a PS, I Love You club and they want Holly’s assistance drafting their own letters and creating memories for their loved ones to hold after they have gone. I was slightly surprised at Holly’s initial reluctance to participate in this endeavor as she feared it would mire her back into the bottomless grief and despair she lived through. I totally understood and empathized with Holly but this book is more about the lives her story touched and the hope they felt and the peace they sought. As Holly gets to know each member of the PS, I Love You club, the story begins to shift away from Holly and onto each of these individuals. As I got to know them, along with Holly, I was once again blind sighted by their bravery and determination as I was with Gerry.

I adore this author and continue to be amazed at the talent she possesses to create stories and characters that can so fully capture the heart of the reader. I find it impossible to be a passive reader when I read one of her books. I am completely entrenched in the story and the characters to varying degrees. It is so easy to get emotionally invested in these characters as they feel like close friends and family. I paired the reading of this book with the audiobook format and the narration by Amy Huberman was a delight. The Irish lilt made my ears happy. Though this book could be read as a standalone, you would be depriving yourself of a beautiful story with PS, I Love You so I highly encourage the reading of that one first.

I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Holly and even getting a few more glimpses of Gerry’s presence through Holly’s recollections as well as a few surprises that Holly hasn’t counted on. I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance and women’s fiction and readers who enjoy stories about strength, perseverance, bravery and embracing life.

Thank you to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Lucky Dress by Aimee Brown

Title: The Lucky Dress
Author: Aimee Brown
Publisher: Aria
Publication Date: August 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | Audible

Description: Emi Harrison hasn't been feeling particularly lucky lately. Ever since her ex-fiancée, Jack Cabot, successfully shattered her heart into a million pieces. She's managed to avoid him for a whole year, but all that's about to change at her brother Evan's wedding...

She will have to face Jack, Jack's sister, Jack's parents, and Jack's new girlfriend: a mean girl that just won't quit. What could possibly go wrong?

But with her lucky dress on, she might just find new love, life, and maybe even happiness at last!

My Thoughts: Though I am not a fan of the big misunderstanding trope, it was written very well in this story and played out beautifully. So many issues could have been resolved so quickly between Emi and Jack if they had just communicated and not let a whole year pass but hindsight is always 20/20 and carries a lot of could’ve, should’ve, would’ve.

I really enjoyed seeing it evolve and had a lot of anticipation of who Emi would end up with. I honestly expected them to end up with other people at this point but my old sappy heart was happy to see they still carried strong feelings for each other in spite of their painful breakup.

I loved the direction the author took with this story to make it feel unique and stand out, especially with the dual timeline between the past and the present. It gave me a better understanding of who Emi and Jack were and the lives they lived before. I felt all the feels and the empathy meter was running high for both Emi and Jack.

I loved this book and definitely want to read more from this author. Fans of contemporary romance, romantic comedies and women’s fiction will likely find this story appealing as well.

Thank you to the publisher, Aria, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Title: A Flicker in the Dark
Author: Stacy Willingham
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: January 2022
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: From debut author Stacy Willingham comes a masterfully done, lyrical thriller, certain to be the launch of an amazing career. A Flicker in the Dark is eerily compelling to the very last chapter.

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?

My Thoughts: As a child, Chloe Davis not only learns her father is a serial killer but she was instrumental in his capture by turning him in. An event like this would leave anyone deeply traumatized and carrying massive loads of emotional and mental baggage. I felt an immense amount of empathy for this character and also felt high amounts of anxiety with her wondering who she could trust when similar disappearances and murders begin occurring twenty years after her father is sent to prison. Did Chloe turn in the wrong person? Is it a copy-cat killer? Is Chloe an intended target?

This author is new to me but I am looking forward to reading more of her work. I loved the tightly woven story, heavily laden with tension and twists that heightened my anxiety while ripping the rug out from under me. I also loved that the author leads the reader into a possible outcome, only to jerk the steering wheel in the opposite direction giving me the sense I’m in a runaway vehicle and the brakes have failed. The audiobook narration performed by Karissa Vacker was excellent as well. She deployed the perfect level of apprehension which made the characters believable and relatable.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to fans of mysteries, thrillers and stories that make you question yourself and suspect everyone around you.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, who provided an advance reader copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Title: The Villa
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Narrator: Julia Whelan, Kimberly Wetherell and Shiromi Arserio
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: January 2023
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs returns with a brilliant new gothic suspense set at an Italian villa with a dark history.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album―and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred―and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge―and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle―the birthplace of Frankenstein―The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy.

My Thoughts: Fans of twisty mysteries and thrillers will definitely enjoy this one. I especially liked the dual timeline told from two characters, Mari in the 1970’s and Emily in the present day. The parallels of their lives were quite interesting. I particularly liked that all of the characters were morally ambiguous and the line separating right from wrong wasn’t always clearly defined. I paired the reading of the book with the audiobook and I think it enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

The story moves at a wonderful pace, building the tension at the appropriate levels to ensure the reader isn’t overwhelmed with details. This was my first experience reading this author’s work and I look forward to reading more from her.

I highly recommend this book to fans of mysteries and thrillers as well as readers who enjoy suspenseful novels set in locations with a creepy past.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Moments With God for Couples by David and Lori Hatcher

Title: Moments with God for Couples: 100 Devotions for Growing Closer to God and Each Other
Author: David and Lori Hatcher
Publisher: Our Daily Bread Publishing
Publication Date: April 2023
Genre: Religion / Spirituality
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Strengthen your marriage with this 100-day devotional that guides you and your spouse through everyday moments of pride, misunderstandings, and life circumstances. Couples will learn to make space to reflect Christ in their relationship through relatable stories, relevant Bible verses, and practical applications. Whether it’s been one year or fifty, draw closer to God and each other.

My Thoughts: My husband and I are both born-again Christians and have been on a spiritual journey to draw closer to God and to each other. As with many other married Christians, we want our relationship to be God centered so that we can be a blessing to each other as He has been to us individually. These devotions were easy to read along and though not all of them were applicable to us specifically, it was enjoyable to share in the personal revelations and perspectives of David and Lori.

Relationships take a lot of work, effort, patience and copious amounts of love and respect. Sharing this journey with my husband has reminded me, yet again, of the blessing He has given me in this man who walks with me sharing the joys and challenges life brings.

I highly recommend this book to everyone as it can be applied to all types of relationships at all stages of life.

Thank you to the publisher, Our Daily Bread Publishing, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

Title: Lying in the Deep
Author: Diana Urban
Narrator: Brittany Pressley
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: May 2023
Genre: Young Adult / Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A juicy mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who’ll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist.

After being jilted by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Jade couldn't be more ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship—and to wedge an entire globe between her and the people who broke her heart.

But when Jade discovers the backstabbing couple are also setting sail, her obsession with them grows and festers, leading to a shocking murder. And as their friends begin to drop like flies, Jade and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they’re trapped at sea with….before anyone else winds up in body bags.

My Thoughts: I loved the concept of this book and was so excited to dive in. College student Jade is recovering a broken heart after her boyfriend breaks up with her in a text message and tells her he’s with her best friend, Lainey. As part of her curriculum, she joins several other college students on a four month world cruise. I loved that this cruise is full of college students from all over who will attend class and do homework while seeing the world. The awesome vacation vibe is really strong here and I would love to go on a four month cruise all over the world. Jade thinks this cruise will help put some distance between her and Silas and Lainey to give her time to process what happened and gain some perspective. Unfortunately, Silas and Lainey are also on the cruise and they don’t react well when they see her.

This story doesn’t waste any time drawing the reader in. I was indignant on Jade’s behalf that Silas and Lainey had the audacity to come on this cruise and then to act like they are the injured party. Jade meets another college student on the ship, Felix and they decide to fake date to help Jade move on and hopefully to give Silas and Lainey the proverbial finger.

The interesting thing about murders committed on a cruise ship is that there aren’t a lot of places to hide. The ship is packed with people and people witness things. Dead bodies will draw lots of attention so nobody feels safe and nobody trusts anyone. I had a lot of fun tagging along with Jade and Felix as they work to figure out who the killer is and also felt the sense of urgency they felt wondering who will be next.

The audiobook format narrated by Brittany Pressley, was exceptional and delivered the perfect amount of tension one should feel if trapped on a ship with a killer aboard. This story also provided many unexpected twists throughout the book that left me with my jaw on the floor. The ending felt a little abrupt but gave me the closure I always seek in thrillers and mysteries. I love how well this author captures the young adult mindset and emotions blending snark, humor and suspense. If you are a fan of young adult mysteries and thrillers, this author is a very good choice to go with.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to adults of all ages who enjoy twisty thrillers and mixing in a little murder and mayhem on vacation.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Group, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose

Title: The Girl I Was
Author: Jeneva Rose
Narrator: Hillary Huber
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Publication Date: November 2021
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: “If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.”

Alexis Spencer will use any inspirational quote to rationalize her failures and shortcomings. Her closest friends are a distant memory, and her college debt is still as high as the day she left. But that’s all fine and dandy, because “whatever will be, will be.”

However, when Alexis loses her job and her relationship on the same day, there’s no quote strong enough to get her through that. In typical fashion, she blames the world for her problems, including her younger self, who should have tried harder.

Feeling sorry for herself, Alexis finds a bottle of vodka from her college days and goes on a bender, blacking out in the process. Only this time, she doesn’t wake up at home, or in the right city. In fact, she isn’t even in the right year.

Alexis is back in her college town in the year 2002.

Convinced this is her chance to do things over, she heads to her dorm—and comes face-to-face with her eighteen-year-old unruly self, who goes by Lexi because it’s “sexier.” Getting acclimated to life in the early 2000s is the easy part. Dealing with Lexi is where things prove difficult.

They might be the same person, but they couldn’t be more different from one another. Now Alexis and Lexi must learn to get along and come to terms with the fact that alone, they will never make things right, but together, they could change their life for the better.

My Thoughts: I love it when an author can capture my attention and draw me in across multiple genres. I became familiar with this author when I read The Perfect Marriage which fed my twisty suspense thriller craving so when I came across this book, which is on the opposite side of the universe of thrillers, I was intrigued. Few authors have the ability to change their voice in genre crossovers, but Jeneva Rose is an author who can and I am excited to read everything she writes.

In The Girl I Was, the reader is introduced to Alexis Spencer, a woman who appears to have just drifted through her life without any noteworthy success or milestones met. Her college degree never brought the glorious career she envisioned for herself and though she focuses on a lot of positive affirmations to justify her failures, everything comes to a head when she loses yet another job. Feeling sorry for herself and blaming the entire world, she goes home and takes it out on her boyfriend, which results in the end of her relationship.

She gets cozy with a bottle of vodka and decides all of her failures and disappointments are because her younger self didn’t try hard enough and if she only knew then what she knows now, everything would be different. When Alexis wakes up, she’s back in college in the year 2002. What makes this time travel story interesting is that her younger self is also there and they can occupy the same time and space without creating a paradox that disrupts the time continuum and destroying life as we know it. I also found it interesting that young Lexi and older Alexis don’t like each other and spend a lot of time at odds. The presence of Alexis in Lexi’s life is explained to their friends as Alexis is Lexi’s older sister and yes, it is wild they have the same name. These two characters were so distinctly different that I often forgot they were the same person. Additionally, Alexis has no clue what she is there specifically to fix so she spends a great deal of time just winging it with the results taking me through the many emotions of hilarity, sadness and shock.

This book moves at a wonderful pace and the audio narration performed by Hillary Huber was brilliantly executed. She uses two different voice inflections for Alexis and Lexi which gave me a lot of insight into their personalities.

My Final Verdict: We have all had that question of whether we could go back and tell our younger selves things to spare us from the failures and disappointments in life and we always say we would. After reading this book, I still would, but like Alexis has to learn, the answers we are looking for may not lie in the past, but in the present. I highly recommend this book to readers who love time travel themes, second chances and stories featuring characters with many complex layers.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Love, Lies and Wedding Cake by Sue Watson

Title: Love, Lies and Wedding Cake (Love, Lies and Lemon Cake #2)
Author: Sue Watson
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: May 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Will Faye get her happy-ever-after or will bittersweet secrets ruin the recipe for love?

Since Faye met her gorgeous Aussie boyfriend Dan, they’ve travelled all over the world to meet in amazing, crazy and romantic locations. They’ve eaten gateaux in a chateau, chocolate torte in a moonlit port, and even had stolen kisses in a sparkling Christmas market. Neither of them wanted to settle down… until now.

When Dan asks Faye to marry him and to move to Australia it throws a real spanner in the works. Faye’s daughter Emma needs her here, so moving to the other side of the world – even for a hunk like Dan – simply isn’t an option. Is it?

Faye’s been down the marriage road before and it ended up with her having Ryan Gosling fantasies while her ex-husband obsessed about the plumbing. Is that what she has to look forward to? Is she ready to end her adventure? And even if she is, how can she be sure Dan is the right man for her?

My Thoughts: If you haven’t read the first book in this series, Love, Lies and Lemon Cake, you need to read that one first so you can get to know Faye and Dan, their backgrounds, how they met and the events that led up to where they find themselves in this book. In addition to catching up with Faye and Dan, I thoroughly enjoyed the moments when Faye’s granddaughter, Rosie, is present. Her personality was captivating and some of the off the wall comments she makes had me laughing myself silly.

This book also brought tears to my eyes as Faye and Dan have to face the inevitable heartbreak that will summon Dan back to his native Australia. I felt so much empathy for them and understood why Faye is so torn about staying in England or going with Dan. I don’t know how I would have handled that situation in her shoes. Faye can be her own worst enemy and she constantly second guesses herself and often feels guilt about pursuing her dream of finishing her degree. This book also surprised me because I was expecting, like Faye, that when she shows up in Australia, she and Dan will just pick up where they left off after being apart for a year.

My Final Verdict: I really enjoyed this book and love that this author’s talent doesn’t just lie with one genre. Her feel-good warm fuzzy romances and nail-biting jaw-dropping thrillers are a must for all bookworms. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy romance, fun and exciting adventures in amazing places.

Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Between the Lies by Michelle Adams

Title: Between the Lies
Author: Michelle Adams
Narrator: Deryn Edwards
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: March 2019
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The truth is hiding between the lies.

What would you do if you woke up and didn't know who you were?

Chloe Daniels regains consciousness in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

She doesn't recognize the strangers who call themselves family. She can't even remember her own name.

What if your past remained a mystery?

As she slowly recovers, her parents and sister begin to share details of her life.

The successful career. The seaside home. The near-fatal car crash.

But Chloe senses they're keeping dark secrets--and her determination to uncover the truth will have devastating consequences.

What if the people you should be able to trust are lying to you?

My Thoughts: It’s traumatizing enough to awaken from a coma and not to have any memory of who you are or the life you once had, but to then discover that your parents and sister are actively keeping secrets and lying to you about the circumstances of your life and the accident that stole your memories adds further damage and is unacceptable.

This is where we meet Chloe. It seems to me that when you have no recollection of your life that learning you have family would be a beacon. I felt so much empathy as well as anger on her behalf when she learns that her family have been lying to her and I was not expecting just how far and twisted the lies ran. What’s worse is that Chloe’s father is a doctor and his so called medical treatment is highly unethical.

I really enjoyed the twisty direction this book takes as along with Chloe, the reader is also trying to put the puzzle pieces together and figure out who can be trusted. I paired the reading of this book with the audiobook format narrated by Deryn Edwards. Her performance added more texture to the character’s personalities and actions. Though this story is told primarily from Chloe’s point of view, there are some insights into the perspective of a character whose identity remains unknown for most of the book. This person gave the story a more sinister feel and I was way off base when their identity was revealed.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy twisty domestic thrillers and unexpected surprises.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Role Play by Kay Cove

Title: Role Play (Off the Books #1)
Author: Kay Cove
Publisher: Page and Vine
Publication Date: September 2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: She wanted to write a bestseller. She wasn't ready for the plot twist.

Being an indie romance author was supposed to be a dream come true. But after publishing umpteen books, I still haven’t “made it” and now I’m just waiting for the dark cloak of insignificance to completely snuff out my career.

I decide to roll the dice on a marketing guru who swears he can yank me out of obscurity. But after a frantic search for “book boyfriend material” and an unexpected bar encounter, I accidentally blow my entire budget on an escort.

Forrest is a charming single dad by day and hotter-than-sin escort by night. But before I can fire him and ask for a refund, he reminds me how I got here in the first place… I’m in desperate need of inspiration.

He might be a walking red flag, but Forrest is ready to be my muse, which means spending the next three months helping me “research” my next bestseller. (Hey, I’m manifesting here.) Our game plan? Act out all the romance novel tropes that make a bingeable love brooding billionaires, masked men, cowboys in small towns, and even swoon-worthy green flags.

Forrest plays all the book boyfriend parts perfectly. So perfectly I’m starting to wonder if his feelings for me might be real, or if he’s just earning his paycheck. I’m not sure if I’m trying to write a love story or live one out.

After all, there is no such thing as happily ever after with a professional escort…right?

My Thoughts: This book was such a wonderful surprise filled with romance, spice, drama and hilarity. I have never read a book where the male main character is a paid escort but the knight in shining armor vibes was strong with this one. A swoon-worthy hero in real life doesn’t come around often and the chemistry he and Sora have was off the charts. As I got to know both of these characters, I was rooting for them so much to take the leap of faith. I also adored Forrest’s four-year-old daughter, Dakota. I loved the author gave Dakota a large role in this story and I was captivated by her.

This book made me feel all the feels. One minute I am fanning myself while contemplating an ice bath and the next I am crying my eyes out or laughing until I can’t breathe. This is my first experience reading this author’s work and I am looking forward to the next two books in this series. I can’t say with certainty that they should be read in order, but to be on the safe side, I recommend that you do so that you get the introduction to the escort friends of Forrest and some background. I really hope that Forrest, Sora and Dakota make an appearance throughout the series.

I highly recommend you get this book and get acquainted with Forrest and Sora. I expect you will fall in love with them and want to spend as much time as you can with them. I highly recommend this book to readers who like spicy, heart-palpitating romance, readers who connect to the characters so deeply they feel like they know them in real life and readers who love to be entertained by a wonderful story that will surprise them, make them cry or laugh so hard, catching breath is a challenge.

REVIEW: Aloha Alibi by Jasmine Webb

Title: Aloha Alibi (Charlotte Gibson Mysteries #1)
Author: Jasmine Webb
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Publisher: Blueberry Books
Publication Date: August 2021
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Most people flee to Hawaii for gorgeous weather, white-sand beaches, and cocktails at sunset. Charlotte Gibson, however, is fleeing for her life after a vengeful mobster leaves a severed finger on her doorstep as a warning. Message very much received.

That’s how Charlotte—Charlie to everyone except her mom— finds herself on Maui with six dollars to her name, living with a mother who can’t stop giving her advice on how to land herself a husband. But when a businessman is murdered and his company offers a reward to whoever finds the killer, Charlie sees an opportunity: with that kind of cash, she could afford her own place and start a new life here away from the people who want her dead. After all, how hard can hunting down a murderer be?

Teaming up with a couple of old ladies with more spunk than Betty White, Charlie is sure she’s on the right track to snag the reward money. However, the infuriating but smoldering hot cop trying to keep her away from his case has other ideas. Throw in a day job at an ice cream shop, corrupt local politicians, and a best friend trying to act as the voice of reason, and Charlie has her work cut out for her.

Will she be able to find the killer, or is Charlie’s time in paradise going to go straight to hell in a handbasket?

My Thoughts: Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy this first installment of a series that takes place in Maui and features some interesting characters. Charlotte Gibson is returning home to Hawaii after she runs afoul of some gangsters in Seattle. Leaving a severed finger on your doorstep leaves a very strong message to beat feet and Charlie hears it loud and clear. Unfortunately, returning to Hawaii without a way to support herself means living with her meddling mother, but Charlie also gets to reconnect with her best friend from high school, Zoe, who is now a doctor. Charlie lands a job at the local ice cream parlor and when one of her customers is later found murdered, the entire town is on edge.

Charlie decides to investigate the murder to win the substantial reward of $100,000, which would get her mother out of her hair and give Charlie some much wanted breathing room and the independence of having her own place. Unfortunately for Charlie, she isn’t the only one looking into the case and two elderly women, Dot and Rosie, join forces with Charlie and agree to split the reward. I loved Dot and Rosie. These women have seen it all and probably done it all and are living their best lives. They are feisty and blunt and with Charlie make a great team. There are currently fifteen books in this series so I would not be surprised if these three decide to open a private investigation firm at some point since they work so well together.

This story flowed very well and it was easy to get to know the characters. The audio narration, performed by Khristine Hvam was also done well and provided an excellent visual in my mind as I listened.

I’m sure the situation Charlie ran from in Seattle will make its presence known in Hawaii at some point. There is also some chemistry between Charlie and one of the detectives so it will be interesting to see where this all leads. I also want to learn more about Dot and Rosie as these two women are full of unexpected surprises.

My Final Verdict: This series has piqued my curiosity and I will be looking for more of this author’s work. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries and stories with feisty characters who tell it like it is.

Thank you to the publisher, Blueberry Books, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

Title: The Wives
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang
Publisher: Harlequin – Graydon House
Publication Date: December 2019
Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Description: Imagine that your husband has two other wives. You’ve never met the other wives. None of you know each other, and because of this unconventional arrangement, you can see your husband only one day a week. But you love him so much you don’t care. Or at least that’s what you’ve told yourself.

But one day, while you’re doing laundry, you find a scrap of paper in his pocket—an appointment reminder for a woman named Hannah, and you just know it’s another of the wives.

You thought you were fine with your arrangement, but you can’t help yourself: you track her down, and, under false pretenses, you strike up a friendship. Hannah has no idea who you really are. Then, Hannah starts showing up to your coffee dates with telltale bruises, and you realize she’s being abused by her husband. Who, of course, is also your husband. But you’ve never known him to be violent, ever.

Who exactly is your husband, and how far would you go to find the truth? Would you risk your own life?

And who is his mysterious third wife?

My Thoughts: Twisty thrillers that provide massive amounts of nail-biting anxiety and moments of the rug being ripped out from under you are high on my want to read genres. Twists that come out of left field without warning or logic don’t bother me either as long as it makes sense to the story and all loose threads are tied up at the end. Unfortunately, this story did not deliver everything I look for in a thriller. The premise was really interesting, even though the polygamy trope gave me all the ick. I was in high anticipation of what was going on, especially since the FMC, Thursday, was a very unreliable narrator.

The story ends on a major cliffhanger with zero closure and a lot of frustration on my end. I fluctuated quite a bit on having empathy for Thursday or if she really is the villain. I enjoy the conflict it creates but by the end of the book, I want everything wrapped up.

The story moved at a very good pace and though it was hard for me to connect with the characters, I thought they were interesting with many layers. I paired the reading of this book with the audiobook format and enjoyed the well-executed narration by Lauren Fortgang.

My Final Verdict: If you enjoy jarring cliffhangers without closure, you will likely enjoy this story and the buildup to the conclusion. If you prefer your thrillers to have all the dots connected with clarity, this is not the book for you.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin – Graydon House, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell

Title: Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
Author: Jill Mansell
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: November 2013
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Finding the courage to trust your heart can be the hardest thing of all…

Dexter Yates has the looks, the money, the swanky apartment, and girlfriends galore. But it's not until his niece, Delphi, is born that Dex falls in love for the first time in his life.

Then tragedy strikes when Dex's sister Laura dies in an accident. Suddenly, Dex finds himself a new parent and a single father to boot. With no idea how to raise an eight-month-old baby girl on his own, Dex decides to move into his weekend home in the small village of Briarwood in the Cotswolds.

The quirky neighborhood welcomes him with open arms, especially next―door neighbor and gifted cartoonist Molly who offers to help with Delphi. Molly won't put up with any nonsense and her messy romantic past makes her cautious.

If they can learn to trust each other, there might be a happily-ever-after for all three.

A fresh and fun British women's fiction and a great romantic book with plenty of humor and friendship.

My Thoughts: I initially tried to listen to the audio format of this book back in 2019 and just wasn’t feeling it. This is very interesting because I have recently learned that sometimes when a book isn’t working for me, changing the format is a gamechanger. I wish I had known that back in 2019 as I would have gotten to experience this wonderful story much sooner.

If you are familiar with Jill Mansell’s work, you are already aware you will get a lush story with many characters and subplots. She weaves this story so seamlessly that the reader has no difficulty keeping everyone straight and following all of the individual story lines. At the center of this story is Dexter Yates. He is your typical playboy bachelor. He lives a fast and carefree life and has no intention of settling down with any one woman. When his sister, Laura, has a baby daughter, Dexter is over the moon for his niece.

Unfortunately, Laura dies suddenly eight months after her daughter is born, leaving Dexter bereft and has named him as Delphi’s legal guardian, something he isn’t sure he can take on. Raising a child is a huge responsibility and a lot of work for people who seek to become parents. How will he ever manage with his career and lifestyle?

Dexter moves out of London and meets his new next door neighbor, Molly. I loved the chemistry between these two and enjoyed the building up of their relationship as friends first. Mixed into their story are the numerous characters living in the village all with their own lives and stories. I enjoyed meeting them all and loved the wonderful sense of community in this village.

This story made me laugh and cry and even made me angry a few times at some of the characters’ behavior. It is so easy to get drawn into the lives of these people and spending time with them, I often forget that they are fictional.

My Final Verdict: I am so happy I decided to revisit Dexter’s world as I would have missed an opportunity to meet so many wonderful characters who left a big impression. I highly recommend this story to readers of women’s fiction and contemporary romance.