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.

REVIEW: I Wanted to Tell You by Anna Mansell

Title: I Wanted to Tell You
Author: Anna Mansell
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: November 2018
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: “Sometimes I think that if I’d found a way to talk, we’d be together now…”

When Helen finds a bundle of unsent love letters, tied with a red ribbon, and signed only ‘the love you wished I could be’ , she wonders who they could belong to.

The same day, however, her husband Alex announces he’s leaving. She’d believed their love would last a lifetime, but now he’s gone and she hadn’t even realized there was anything wrong.

Desperate to understand, Helen doesn’t know where to look for answers. But the letters keep drawing her back. As she reads the words of loneliness, loss and regret, something in them helps her start to make sense of it all… Even as she realizes someone has been keeping heart-breaking secrets.

But who do the letters belong to? Can the sender ever be reunited with the one they love, or is it too late? And when Helen finds out the truth about Alex, can she find it in her heart to forgive him, or will he never be the love she wished he could be?

My Thoughts: This book made me feel both hopeful and heartbroken. Upon meeting Helen, I found it very easy to empathize with her as we have all been where she is. Her marriage is going through a rough patch and her husband takes off. She has no idea where he is or if he is ever coming back. While on her daily route as a bus driver, she finds a bundle of letters written anonymously. She wants to find the owner and return them but she feels drawn to read them and they begin to give her a lot of insight to her situation. I found the letters heartbreaking, written by someone who has lost the love of their life and living with massive regret at not being the person they should have been.

This story also touches on a couple of the bus riders Helen knows. One is an elderly man whose wife is advancing in dementia and the struggle he is facing with wanting to be her caretaker and putting her in a home that their daughter insists would be best. The other passenger is a homeless man that Helen allows to ride for free but doesn’t know a whole lot about.

The story moved at a wonderful pace with a unique and engaging story. The characters were complex and I was captivated by them all. This is the second book I have read by this author and I absolutely love her writing and will be looking for everything she has written.

My Final Verdict: Overall, if you are already a fan of this author and haven’t read this book yet, you are in for a treat. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy women’s fiction as well as stories that feature wonderful characters and realistic stories that make you feel all the feels.

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

REVIEW: Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready

Title: Josh and Gemma Make a Baby (Josh and Gemma #1)
Author: Sarah Ready
Narrator: Erin Mallon
Publisher: Swift and Lewis Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: January 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: New Year’s Resolution:
Have a baby
Preferably with Josh Lewenthal

Meet Gemma Jacobs. She’s driven, energetic, and a positive thinker. She has a great career working for famed self-help guru Ian Fortune, she lives in a cute studio apartment in Manhattan, and her family is supportive and loving (albeit a little kooky). Her life is perfect. Absolutely wonderful.

Except for one tiny little thing.

After a decade of disastrous relationships and an infertility diagnosis, Gemma doesn’t want a Mr. Right (or even a Mr. Right Now), she just wants a baby.

And all she needs is an egg, some sperm, and IVF.

So Gemma makes a New Year’s resolution: have a baby.

Josh Lewenthal is a laid back, relaxed, find-the-humor-in-life kind of guy. The polar opposite of Gemma. He’s also her brother’s best friend. For the past twenty years Josh has attended every Jacobs’ family birthday, holiday, and event – he’s always around.

Gemma knows him. He’s nice (enough), he’s funny (-ish), he’s healthy (she thinks) and he didn’t burn any ants with a magnifying glass as a kid. Which, in Gemma’s mind, makes him the perfect option for a sperm donor.

So Gemma wants to make a deal. An unemotional, businesslike arrangement. No commitments, just a baby.

To Gemma’s surprise, Josh agrees.

They have nothing in common, except their agreement to make a baby and their desire to keep things businesslike.

But the thing about baby-making…it’s hard to keep it businesslike, it’s nearly impossible to keep it unemotional, and it’s definitely impossible to keep your heart out of the mix. Because when you’re making a baby together, things have a way of starting to feel like you’re making other things too – like a life, and a family, and love. And when the baby-making ends, you wish that everything else didn’t have to end too.

My Thoughts: First of all, I absolutely loved that Josh and Gemma have known each other forever. Even though Gemma isn’t looking for any kind of relationship, I was rooting so hard for them to realize they are meant to be together. I also liked the other women in Gemma’s infertility support group and enjoyed how they weren’t just background characters. The author did an exceptional job illustrating the infertility journey for all of these women and I felt so much empathy and compassion for their struggles to conceive. I also loved Gemma’s family and how they have included Josh and made him a part of their family as well.

This is the first book in a two book series and you must read this one first. I went with the audiobook format and the narration was performed by Erin Mallon. I thought her narration was flawless, giving all of the characters vibrance, wit and charm. This story moves at a wonderful pace, giving me time to get to know all the characters. The plot was clear, concise and original. Though I am sitting on several books by this author, this is my first experience reading her work. I don’t know how she or her books have been overlooked for so long but I am looking forward to reading more and catching up with Josh and Gemma in the sequel, Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers of contemporary romance stories that tug on the heart as well as tickle the funny bone.

Thank you to the publisher, Swift and Lewis Publishing LLC, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Title: You Deserve Each Other
Author: Sarah Hogle
Narrator: Taylor Meskimen
Publisher: Penguin Group - Putnam
Publication Date: April 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.

Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him.

Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.

My Thoughts: This book was an absolute hoot! Imagine being engaged, the wedding is only a few months away and you are miserable and completely sick of them. Call off the wedding, right? Unfortunately, neither Naomi nor Nicholas wants to do that because the one who calls it off gets stuck with the bill. I know, it’s absurd. Who in their right mind would agree to that stipulation in the first place? Of course, neither Naomi nor Nicholas request a cease fire to talk about what’s happening.

As the acts of intentional sabotage are perpetrated against each other, I kept wondering if this was going to break out in an all-out war with one or both ending up dead. I also kept thinking all of this could have been avoided if they had just talked to one another and shared their feelings. Finding out Nicholas felt the same way about many of the things Naomi did regarding his mother and the way she took over the entire planning of the wedding gave me hope that they could get on the same page.

In addition to the numerous acts of sabotage that had my eyes almost bugging out of my head, there were several moments of eyes tearing up with laughter. This was my first experience reading this author and am looking forward to reading more of her work. I thoroughly enjoyed the crafting of the story and the snarky behavior of the characters. The audio narration performed by Taylor Meskimen added to the overall enjoyment.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers who love contemporary romance, chick-lit and stories with characters who have no problem showing the world the worst version of themselves and are willing to risk it all for their happily ever after.

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

REVIEW: The New Beginnings Coffee Club by Samantha Tonge

Title: The New Beginnings Coffee Club
Author: Samantha Tonge
Publisher: Harper Collins UK
Publication Date: May 2017
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Everyone deserves a second chance…don’t they?

Jenny Masters finds herself living the modern dream. Wife to a millionaire, living in a mansion and mother to Kardashian-obsessed ten-year-old April, there isn’t anything missing. Until her whole world comes crashing down, forcing Jenny and April to leave behind their glittering life and start over with nothing.

With village gossip following her wherever she goes, she finds refuge and a job in the new coffee shop in town. As the days pass Jenny fears she doesn’t have what it takes to pick herself back up and give April the life she always wanted to. But with the help of enigmatic new boss Noah, and housemate Elle, Jenny realizes it’s never too late to become the woman life really intended you to be!

My Thoughts: I love stories that are relationship driven filled with characters who are flawed and broken but manage to rise above the challenges they are facing by finding their place in a community with other flawed and broken people and begin to heal with love and friendship.

I liked Jenny but living in the lap of luxury for the past ten years clouded her perception about what is important. When she finds out about her husband’s infidelity and near bankrupt status, she and her spoiled daughter, April, find refuge in the village coffee shop owned by Noah, who appears as a shoulder to lean on and an ear willing to listen.

This story surprised me that while Jenny is navigating this new reality for her and her daughter, there are people all around her who are trying to navigate their own reality. Noah is struggling with a mysterious past and trying to make the coffee shop a success. His employee and roommate, Elle, is also trying to navigate her own path that has been challenging. I loved that Noah was willing to offer Jenny and her daughter room and board in exchange for Jenny working at the coffee shop. What initially begins as an act of mercy and compassion by Noah becomes a journey of healing for all of these people. I especially loved how Jenny’s daughter begins to see life outside of her posh friends and exclusive school and embraces the new experiences. With the exception of Jenny’s husband, I loved these characters and the bravery and determination they all demonstrate by not allowing their circumstances to keep them from growing and moving forward.

I have read a few books by this author but this one is my favorite so far. I have several waiting to be read and I’m hoping they will deliver like this one did. I felt such a strong connection to Jenny, Noah, Elle and April and had loads of empathy for each of them. This story flowed so smoothly and the pacing was excellent. None of the characters stayed mired in misery or regret which I also loved. I don’t know if the author has plans to write a follow up to this story but it would be great to visit with them again.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers who love women’s fiction and stories rich in character development and relationships.

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

REVIEW: Believe Me by J. P. Delaney

Title: Believe Me
Author: J.P. Delaney
Narrator: Sally Scott, Matt Reeves, Lorelei King, John Chancer & Eric Meyers
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Publication Date: July 2018
Genre: Mystery / Thriller

Description: In this twisty psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation.

One out-of-work British actress pays the rent on her New York City apartment the only way she can: as a decoy for a firm of divorce lawyers, hired to entrap straying husbands. When the cops begin investigating one of her targets for murdering his wife--and potentially others--they ask her to lure the suspect into a confession.

But with the actress pretending to be someone she isn't, differentiating the decoy from the prey becomes impossible--and deadly.

My Thoughts: A very intriguing and promising plot that just didn’t deliver the twisty suspense I was hoping for. The story was OK but I didn’t feel any connection to Claire and often wondered if she was working for the police to trap the killer or if she was the killer. I found her to be very unreliable and unrelatable. The climax of the story fell flat for me and felt contrived and unbelievable.

I paired the reading of this book with the audio and found the performances realistic and the immersive background sounds gave me a sense of being in the room with the characters, which I enjoyed. I have several more of this author’s work on my to be read shelf so I am hoping I will find those more riveting.

My Final Verdict: This book covers quite a range of ratings from numerous readers who loved it and didn’t love it. I personally cannot recommend it though many people did enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Skeleton in the Closet by Angie Fox

Title: The Skeleton in the Closet (Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries #2)
Author: Angie Fox
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert
Publisher: Moose Island Books
Publication Date: January 2020
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A haunted library is no place for a girl who can see ghosts, but when Verity Long stumbles on a dead body in the middle of the main reading room, she has to believe someone…even a dead someone…must have witnessed the crime.

Her ghostly sidekick Frankie warns her to stay out of it. The very alive, very handsome deputy sheriff, Ellis Wydell, inadvertently places her directly in the middle of it. And her ex-fiancé, Ellis’s brother, is back with an agenda of his own.

Undaunted, Verity presses forward, uncovering scandalous secrets, long-forgotten ghosts, and a shocking trail of clues that places her directly in the path of a killer.

My Thoughts: Verity, Ellis, gangster ghost Frankie and the adorable Lucy the skunk are back in another ghostly adventure that draws on the historic battle of Sugarland during the Civil War, secrets taken to the grave and worth killing over and scandal sweeter than the iced tea served on the veranda with a twist of mint.

One of the things I enjoy about this series is that there is no shortage of ghosts. Anywhere one goes in the town of Sugarland, Tennessee, running into a ghost or some type of paranormal phenomenon is most likely a certainty. In Verity Long’s case, it’s an absolute, especially in the town library.

After a murder occurs in the library, it appears that there could be witnesses, even though those witnesses have been dead since the Civil War. Meeting the ghosts that inhabit the library was more entertaining than figuring out who is behind the murder, as well as meeting a ghost who happens to enjoy reading. This ghost is hooked on Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire series and is hoping Verity will assist him with acquiring a copy of The Vampire Lestat. In addition to Frankie, I really hope ghosts Verity has already met will continue to appear throughout the series.

The story is easy to follow and the audio narration performed by Tavia Gilbert is enjoyable. The budding romance between Verity and Ellis is not the primary focus of the stories at this point. I am eager to see how that develops and hope it turns Ellis’s mother’s hair white. Learning about Frankie’s connection to the Wydell family in this story was interesting too. I am looking forward to Verity’s next adventure.

My Final Verdict: Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries as well as readers who like charming stories filled with interesting characters and adorable skunks should give this series a look. I recommend reading the series in order to better understand the various backgrounds of the characters.

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