REVIEW: If I Can Make It Here by Jamie Rose

Title: If I Can Make It Here
Author: Jamie Rose
Narrator: Stefanie Kay
Publisher: Jamie Rose
Publication Date: April 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | Audible

Description: Is it too late for coffee or too early for wine? That’s a question Madeline Burke has come to ask herself all too often. She needs a change, and a big one at that.

Coming into her late 20s, she finally finds the courage to pull herself out of a boring 9-to-5 life in Texas and launch the exciting new career she’s always dreamed about. Thanks to a little chutzpah and some quick thinking, she has landed an internship working in film publicity in New York City. It’s her favorite city in the world, concrete jungle where dreams are made…or crushed. The prospect is both exciting and intimidating for a woman with an ambitious work ethic and a pesky anxiety problem. What could possibly go wrong?

As Madeline goes behind the velvet ropes of movie premieres and celebrity press tours, she finds out what really happens after the cameras flash. Navigating her way through splashy scandals, inflated egos, romantic entanglements, and impossible office demands has her catching her breath behind one too many bathroom stall doors.

The hectic and fast-paced reality that is her new life has her questioning whether or not she has what it takes to stick it out. She decides it is up to her and her alone to make it in New York City.

As the saying goes, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere…right?

My Thoughts: If you enjoy stories about people stepping beyond their comfort zones to pursue their dreams—especially underdog triumphs filled with pop-culture references and plenty of emotion—this book is for you. Madeline Burke dreams of working in the movie industry, so when she is offered an internship at a New York City film production company, she cannot say no. It is her chance to get a foot in the door and open the way to future opportunities.

I liked Madeline immediately and admired her courage in stepping into the unknown. The internship offers an inside look at film publicity and, she hopes, a path to a permanent role as a publicist. First, she must complete the program while balancing the demands of a new job with her anxiety. I loved Maddie’s determination not only to succeed professionally, but also to build a new life in the Big Apple—where romance may be waiting just around the corner.

I enjoyed seeing the work that begins after filming wraps and the publicity campaign takes over. Maddie’s growing friendships and sense of solidarity add warmth as she learns the ropes, while her chemistry with Drake brings a compelling romantic spark. The story also explores potentially triggering topics, but the author weaves them naturally into the narrative, adding depth and emotional resonance.

My Final Verdict: If I Can Make It Here is an engaging, heartfelt story about ambition, resilience, and finding the courage to begin again. With a relatable heroine, an intriguing look at film publicity, supportive friendships, and a touch of romance, it offers an enjoyable read for anyone who loves hopeful stories about chasing big dreams despite anxiety and uncertainty.

Thank you to the author, Jamie Rose, for the invitation to read and review this book.

REVIEW: Falling for You by Portia Macintosh

Title: Falling for You (Marram Bay #1)
Author: Portia Macintosh
Narrator: Karen Cass
Publisher: HQ Digital
Publication Date: May 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Lily Holmes is ready for a fresh start. And there’s no better place to begin again than the idyllic seaside town of Marram Bay.

All Lily wants to do is focus on making her new deli a success and ensuring her son’s happiness. Not the postcard creeping out of her handbag, and definitely not finding a new man in her life!

But this isn’t going to be as easy as she first thought. The town is in an uproar about the city girl who’s dared to join them and she’s fighting a battle at every turn.

Perhaps with a little help from the gorgeous cider farmer next door, she may be able to win them over, but her past secrets threaten to ruin everything…

My Thoughts: Falling for You by Portia Macintosh caught my attention when I realized I owned the third book in the Marram Bay series but had not yet read the first two. Since I am determined to read every series in order, this was the perfect opportunity to start at the beginning—and the story’s strong autumn atmosphere made the timing even better.

I loved the setting of Marram Bay and the vivid way Macintosh brings it to life. At first, it seems like the kind of village where everyone knows one another and neighbors readily lend a hand. That impression changes when Lily Holmes and her eight-year-old son, Frankie, move there from London. Lily plans to open and manage a new deli, but the locals make it clear that they are not pleased. Their protests—complete with signs and cow-dung decorations—quickly turn the village’s cold shoulder into open hostility, and even Frankie feels the effects.

Lily soon meets her neighbor Alfie, a cider farmer who understands her situation because he also had to earn the village’s acceptance. I loved their easy rapport and his determination to help Lily win over the town. The supporting characters were equally enjoyable, especially Alfie’s pug, Pugsley.

Although the story is lighthearted, full of laugh-out-loud moments, and populated by appealing characters, it also delivers plenty of drama. The townspeople’s hostility creates ongoing tension, while the arrival of Frankie’s father—a man who has never made an effort to know his son—raises the emotional stakes.

My Final Verdict: Falling for You is a warm, charming read that blends small-town drama, humor, and romance with an inviting autumn atmosphere. Lily’s fresh start, her easy connection with Alfie, and the lively supporting cast kept me invested, even when Marram Bay was not especially welcoming. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy uplifting contemporary romance, close-knit communities, and stories about finding where you belong.

REVIEW: The Art of Being a Vampire by Kate Karyus Quinn

Title: The Art of Being a Vampire
Author: Kate Karyus Quinn
Publisher: Rosen Publishing Group
Publication Date: August 2022
Genre: Fantasy / Teen – Young Adult
Buy the Book: Amazon

Description: With an addict mother and deadbeat dad, Shelby truly hopes that blood does not define her. She discovers a passion for photography, hoping to make something of herself through art. But when her mother dies of an overdose, Shelby finds herself in a dark place. Taken in by her aunt, she rebels in school and turns away from everyone, except a mysterious classmate named Brandt. Shelby doesn't realize that Brandt is a vampire--until it's too late.

Overwhelmed by new cravings for blood, Shelby must decide whether to abandon her values to satisfy her hunger--or fight for the life she's always wanted.

My Thoughts: The premise drew me in quickly, but the story’s short length ultimately left me feeling unfulfilled. I didn’t have enough time to get to know Shelby before the story ended, and too many questions remained unanswered. With more space for character development, this could have been a story I loved.

Brandt also left me unsure of how to interpret him: Is he a villain, or is he, like Shelby, a victim of circumstance?

I was especially intrigued by Shelby’s love of photography and the way she channels her vampirism into her art. Unfortunately, the story does not spend enough time exploring that compelling idea.

My Final Verdict: An intriguing, creatively grounded vampire story with compelling ideas, but its short length leaves the characters and themes underdeveloped. A promising read that would have benefited from greater depth but will still likely appeal to fans of vampires.

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

REVIEW: Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis

Title: Dear Emmie Blue
Author: Lia Louis
Narrator: Katy Sobey
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: July 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: At sixteen, Emmie Blue stood in the fields of her school and released a red balloon into the sky. Attached was her name, her email address… and a secret she desperately wanted to be free of. Weeks later, on a beach in France, Lucas Moreau discovered the balloon and immediately emailed the attached address, sparking an intense friendship between the two teens.

Now, fourteen years later, Emmie is hiding the fact that she’s desperately in love with Lucas. She has pinned all her hopes on him and waits patiently for him to finally admit that she’s the one for him. So dedicated to her love for Lucas, Emmie has all but neglected her life outside of this relationship—she’s given up the search for her absentee father, no longer tries to build bridges with her distant mother, and lives as a lodger to an old lady she barely knows after being laid off. And when Lucas tells Emmie he has a big question to ask her, she’s convinced this is the moment he’ll reveal his feelings for her. But nothing in life ever quite goes as planned, does it?

My Thoughts: This book surprised me in the best way. I expected an engaging story, but I did not expect it to pull so deeply on my emotions. The premise immediately drew me in: a young girl, carrying the weight of trauma and rejection from people she once trusted, releases a red balloon from her school with the hope that someone, somewhere, might find it and respond.

That simple act felt both vulnerable and brave—like casting her pain into the wind and waiting to see whether the world would answer. When the balloon is discovered hundreds of miles away in France by Lucas, the boy who becomes her best friend, the story gains a sense of wonder and possibility. Although these events happen before the novel begins, they are woven into the narrative through flashbacks and memories, giving Emmie’s present-day story greater emotional depth.

Fourteen years later, Emmie is hopelessly in love with Lucas and has become part of his family. They have shared birthdays, holidays, and countless meaningful moments together. At the same time, Emmie’s own family history remains painful: her mother has never been emotionally present, and Emmie has never known her father. I felt tremendous empathy for her, but I also held onto hope for what her future might become.

I loved the dynamic between Emmie, Lucas, and Lucas’s brother, Eliot. In many ways, they felt like the three musketeers: deeply connected, loyal, and bound by years of shared history. However, by the time the story begins, that bond has been damaged by events that took place when Emmie and Lucas were nineteen.

One of the things I appreciated most was the way the author gives equal attention to Emmie’s present and her past. Those shifts in time helped me understand not only what happened to her, but also why she sees herself, Lucas, and their friendship the way she does. The structure made Emmie feel more layered and allowed her emotional journey to unfold with honesty and care.

This book held so many surprises, and I loved every bit of it. It moved me to tears, made me laugh, and left me breathless more than once. I do not know how I missed Lia Louis before now, but after reading this story, I definitely want to explore more of her work.

I listened to the audiobook, and Katy Sobey’s performance was excellent. Her narration heightened the emotion of the story, captured the distinct personalities of the characters, and made them feel fully alive. She added warmth, nuance, and depth to an already moving novel.

My Final Verdict: Dear Emmie Blue is a heartfelt, beautifully layered story about friendship, longing, family, and learning to choose yourself. Lia Louis balances humor and tenderness with emotional honesty, creating characters who feel real and a journey that is both moving and hopeful. The audiobook narration by Katy Sobey adds even more warmth and depth, making the story especially immersive. This is an easy recommendation for readers who enjoy emotional women’s fiction, complicated friendships, found family, and romances that unfold with heart rather than predictability.

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

REVIEW: Thicker Than Water by JD Kirk

Title: Thicker Than Water (DCI Logan Crime Thrillers #2)
Author: JD Kirk
Narrator: Angus King
Publisher: Zertex Crime
Publication Date: June 2019
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Not all monsters are make-believe.

When a badly mutilated body washes up on the shores of Loch Ness, DCI Jack Logan's dream of a quiet life in the Highlands is shattered.

While the media speculates wildly about monster attacks, Jack and the Major Investigations Team must act fast to catch the killer before they can strike again.

But with Nessie-hunters descending on the area in their dozens, and an old enemy rearing his ugly head, the case could well turn out to be the most challenging of Jack's career.

And, if he isn't careful, the last.

Death and dark humor combine in this fast-paced Tartan Noir crime thriller set in the Highlands of Scotland.

My Thoughts: This series continues to deliver everything I enjoy in a crime thriller: intense storylines, compelling characters, sharp banter, and well-timed humor. I am especially enjoying the audiobook format, and I highly recommend experiencing the series that way. Angus King gives a top-notch performance that makes the story even more gripping and entertaining.

Because this is only the second book, I am still getting to know Jack and the members of his team. One detail I appreciate is that the author does not focus solely on Jack. The story gives meaningful time and attention to the rest of the team, allowing their personalities to come through and adding more depth to the investigation.

Readers should be aware that the author does not shy away from the gruesome details of the murder investigation, so it may be worth checking trigger warnings. At the same time, the pacing works very well. The story moves forward steadily without revealing too much too soon or slowing down with unnecessary details.

There are plenty of suspects to consider, and I enjoyed watching Jack and his team work through them methodically. Their careful approach keeps the mystery engaging while making the progression of the case feel satisfying and believable.

My Final Verdict: Thicker Than Water is a gripping, well-paced crime thriller that blends dark humor, sharp characterization, and a compelling investigation. The mystery kept me engaged, the team dynamic added depth, and Angus King’s narration made the audiobook especially enjoyable. I’m looking forward to continuing the series and spending more time with DCI Jack Logan and his team.

REVIEW: Katie Comes Undone by Jared Wynn

Title: Katie Comes Undone (Katie McGuire, Vampire #1)
Author: Jared Wynn
Publisher: Easy Wynn Publishing
Publication Date: March 2022
Genre: Fantasy / Young Adult
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: As if high school wasn't hard enough, Katie McGuire just died, and her new life is about to get even more complicated. Because in a world where Vampires have civil rights, the last thing they can allow is for mortals to think that people are still being turned against their will. So in order to maintain the fragile peace, a 600-year-old Vampire must bring Katie into the fold - or silence her.

She can't run, and she can't hide, not with midterms, a pregnant best friend, and a nerdy new love interest all needing her attention. Katie must learn to live with her condition while navigating the horrors of high school and trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her afterlife.

This is the story of Katie McGuire, Vampire.

My Thoughts: Katie McGuire had me at teenage vampire problems. She’s a typical teenager, surviving the hellscape of high school—midterms, prom, the usual. She’s also dating Brian, sort of. Brian is the new kid, except his classes are in the basement because he’s a vampire. In Katie’s world, vampires are out of the coffin, walking among us, enjoying civil rights, and following a strict code against turning humans who didn’t ask for it. In Brian’s defense, I don’t think he meant to kill Katie, and he definitely wasn’t thinking clearly when he gave her his blood after taking too much of hers. Unfortunately, intent does not cancel consequences.

Katie is, understandably, less than thrilled with her new condition. High school was already bad enough; doing it as a vampire is going to suck in entirely new ways. And when much older vampires—think 600 years old—need to keep her unwanted transformation quiet, things are not going to stay neat, simple, or remotely pretty for Katie or Brian.

This is the first book in a six-book series, and it’s a very short, quick read. Honestly, the whole setup probably could have fit into one book, but Katie’s new undead existence has me curious enough to keep turning pages—preferably before sunrise.

My Final Verdict: A fun little bloodsucker of a book—short, messy, dramatic, and absolutely committed to making high school even worse.

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

REVIEW: The Mini-Break by Maddie Please

Title: The Mini-Break
Author: Maddie Please
Publisher: Avon Books UK
Publication Date: March 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Sometimes you just need to get away…

Lulu has it all; a romance writer at the height of her career, she can often be found attending glittery parties or spending time with her good-looking, health-fanatic boyfriend, Benedict.

When writer’s block strikes she goes on a mini-break to Devon, which proves just the tonic she needs. But upon her return to London, she finds her usual perfect life in chaos.

Will escaping back to the countryside be the answer? And will life become even more complicated when Lulu runs into handsome, brooding farmer Joe?

A funny, feel-good and fabulous read that will take you on a trip you never knew you needed. Have you packed…?

My Thoughts: I was immediately intrigued when Lulu and her sister, Jassy, leave London for a sabbatical in the Devon countryside to find inspiration for their writing projects. Their remote retreat—with no Wi-Fi, no cellphone signal, and now a flat tire—sets up a wonderfully inconvenient escape. When Lulu meets Joe, the nearest neighbor, she feels an instant pull toward him, even though her life in London still includes her boyfriend, Benedict.

Once Lulu returns home, she finds Benedict with another woman in her apartment and begins to reassess everything she thought she wanted. She realizes that both her London life and her relationship with Benedict no longer fit who she wants to become. From there, she decides to sell her apartment and, after several attempts, finally ends things with Benedict.

I liked both Lulu and Joe, and I was interested to see where their connection would lead. That said, Lulu’s attraction to Joe—and how quickly it seems to deepen into love—felt a little rushed to me. I also struggled with how quickly Lulu shifts from city life to country living, especially when she begins making big decisions like moving to the countryside and buying chickens. Her plan felt more impulsive than carefully considered, as though she was winging it rather than truly preparing for such a major change.

Despite my reservations about Lulu’s choices, I loved the sense of community the author creates in Devon and enjoyed meeting the supporting characters. This was my first time reading Maddie Please’s work, and the warmth of the setting and cast makes me curious to read more from her.

My Final Verdict: The Mini-Break is a warm, feel-good read with an inviting countryside setting, a lively supporting cast, and plenty of charm. While Lulu’s major life changes and the romance with Joe sometimes felt a little rushed, the book still offers an enjoyable escape and a strong sense of community. Readers who enjoy light contemporary romance with humor, heart, and a fresh-start storyline will likely find this a pleasant and easygoing read.

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

REVIEW: If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

Title: If I Never Met You
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Narrator: Sara Novak
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: March 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: If faking love is this easy... how do you know when it’s real?

When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.

Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend...

My Thoughts: Although I completely understood and empathized with Laurie’s situation, I’m not a fan of the fake-dating trope. When a relationship is built on a lie, it sets a troubling precedent, no matter how justified the participants may feel.

I’m also wary of workplace romances—not because dating a boss or coworker is inherently wrong, but because private lives can quickly become office gossip. Laurie and Jamie face intense scrutiny from their colleagues, even after their relationship becomes genuine. If the relationship ends, the workplace can become a battleground, creating awkwardness, discomfort, and an unwelcome loss of privacy.

What makes the story compelling is how convincingly the fake relationship develops, even though the eventual outcome is easy to anticipate. I enjoyed Laurie and Jamie’s chemistry, the ease with which they connect, and the support they offer each other when painful events from their pasts come to light.

McFarlane also blends romantic comedy with sensitive subjects and emotional upheaval remarkably well. This is only the second book I’ve read by her, but it left me eager to explore more of her work.

My Final Verdict: Despite my reservations about the fake-dating and workplace-romance tropes, If I Never Met You won me over with its engaging chemistry, emotional depth, and thoughtful balance of humor and heavier themes. The destination may be predictable, but the journey feels sincere, entertaining, and ultimately satisfying. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary romance with wit and heart.

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

REVIEW: Little Girls Sleeping by Jennifer Chase

Title: Little Girls Sleeping (Detective Katie Scott #1)
Author: Jennifer Chase
Narrator: Lisa Rost-Welling
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: May 2019
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: He looked down at the little girl, sleeping peacefully, her arms wrapped around a teddy bear. He knew he was the only one who could save her. He could let her sleep forever.

An eight-year-old girl, Chelsea Compton, is missing in Pine Valley, California and for Detective Katie Scott it’s a cruel reminder of the friend who disappeared from summer camp twenty years ago. Unable to shake the memories, Katie vows she won’t rest until she discovers what happened to Chelsea.

But as Katie starts to investigate, the case reveals itself to be much bigger and more shocking than she feared. Hidden deep in the forest she unearths a makeshift cemetery: a row of graves, each with a brightly colored teddy bear.

Katie links the graves to a stack of missing-persons cases involving young girls—finding a pattern no one else has managed to see. Someone in Pine Valley has been taking the town’s daughters for years, and Katie is the only one who can stop them.

And then another little girl goes missing, snatched from the park near her home.

Katie’s still haunted by the friend she failed to protect, and she’ll do anything to stop the killer striking again—but can she find the little girl before it’s too late?

My Thoughts: Little Girls Sleeping is the first book in a series with fifteen published installments as of this review. The story follows Katie Scott, a police officer and Army veteran who returns to her hometown with her K9 partner, Cisco. Katie carries significant emotional trauma that is not fully explained, though I hope the series sheds more light on her past as it develops. Her uncle, the town sheriff, offers her an administrative position with the department while she decides what comes next.

Katie inadvertently discovers the graves of two little girls who disappeared several years earlier, their murders still unsolved. Determined to identify the person responsible for the abductions and killings, she makes the case a personal priority—even if pursuing it means stepping on the assigned detective’s toes.

I adore stories in which dogs and cats play prominent roles, and this book was no exception. I loved Cisco and hope he appears throughout the series.

Overall, the story was good, but I am still trying to understand what Katie endured in her youth, later as an adult, and while serving overseas. The book offers vague hints about her trauma without providing concrete answers, which can be frustrating for a reader like me who prefers loose threads to be tied up.

Even so, I enjoyed the story enough to continue the series and see what Katie and Cisco get into next.

My Final Verdict: Little Girls Sleeping is an engaging start to the Detective Katie Scott series, pairing a compelling mystery with a likable K9 partner in Cisco. Although Katie’s unresolved backstory left me wanting more clarity, the investigation held my interest and the characters have enough promise to bring me back for the next book.

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

REVIEW: The Bitter Season by Tami Hoag

Title: The Bitter Season (Kovac and Liska #5)
Author: Tami Hoag
Narrator: David Colacci
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Publication Date: January 2016
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: EVERY FAMILY HAS A SECRET. THEIRS WILL CHILL YOU TO THE CORE.

A murder from the past. A murder from the present. And a life that was never meant to be... As the dreary, bitter weather of late fall descends on Minneapolis, Detective Nikki Liska is restless. After moving to the cold case squad in order to spend more time with her sons, she misses the rush of pulling an all-nighter, the sense of urgency of hunting a murderer on the loose. Most of all she misses her old partner, Sam Kovac.

Sam is having an even harder time adjusting to Nikki's absence, saddled with a green new partner younger than pieces of Sam's wardrobe. Sam is distracted from his troubles by an especially brutal double homicide: a middle-aged husband and wife bludgeoned and hacked to death in their home with a ceremonial Japanese samurai sword. Nikki's case, the unsolved murder of a family man, community leader, and decorated sex crimes detective for the Minneapolis PD, is less of a distraction: Twenty years later, there is little hope for finding the killer who got away.

On the other end of the spectrum, Minneapolis resident Evi Burke has a life she only dreamed of as a kid in and out of foster homes: a beautiful home, a family, people who love her, a fulfilling job. Little does she know that a danger from her past is stalking her perfect present. A danger powerful enough to pull in both Kovac and Liska and destroy the perfect life she was never meant to have.

My Thoughts: Because The Bitter Season was published in 2016 and, as of 2026, no additional books have featured Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, it seems reasonable to view this as the likely final installment in the series. That gives the story a bittersweet quality, especially after the events of the previous book.

Nikki and Sam are no longer partners in this book, and that shift is felt throughout the story. Nikki misses working with Sam, but her move to the cold case unit gives her more time with her sons and keeps her away from the immediate danger of chasing active killers. I was glad to see that they still cross paths, and their scenes together continue to deliver the camaraderie and banter I enjoy so much.

Nikki’s twenty-five-year-old murder investigation eventually connects to the new case Kovac and his inexperienced partner are working, though not in the way I expected. That connection added tension and kept me invested as the two storylines began to overlap.

Because this series is so character driven, I recommend reading the books in order. Doing so makes it easier to understand the characters’ personalities, appreciate their growth, and notice the nuances in their relationships. This installment is also intense and violent at times, so readers may want to check content warnings before diving in.

Several jaw-dropping twists genuinely surprised me and heightened my apprehension as the story unfolded. David Colacci’s excellent audio narration added to that tension and made the suspense feel even sharper. My only real disappointment was the lack of closure around Sam and Nikki’s personal lives, especially if this is the final book in the series. The author may have left that door open intentionally in case she wants to revisit these characters, but I also do not want to hold on to false hope.

My Final Verdict: The Bitter Season is a gripping, character-driven thriller that blends a chilling cold case with a brutal present-day investigation. While I wish the ending had offered more personal closure for Sam and Nikki, the suspense, twists, and emotional weight make this a strong and bittersweet installment in the Kovac and Liska series. Recommended for readers who enjoy dark police procedurals with layered relationships and tense, unsettling mysteries.

REVIEW: A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers

Title: A Witch in Time
Author: Constance Sayers
Narrator: Courtney Patterson, Claire Christie, Brittany Wilkerson, Stephanie Willis
Publisher: Redhook Books
Publication Date: February 2020
Genre: Fantasy / Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A young witch is cursed to relive a doomed love affair through many lifetimes, as both troubled muse and frustrated artist, in this haunting debut novel.

In 1895, sixteen-year-old Juliet LaCompte has a passionate, doomed romance with the married Parisian painter Auguste Marchant. When her mother -- a witch -- attempts to cast a curse on Marchant, she unwittingly summons a demon, binding her daughter to both the artist and this supernatural being for all time. Juliet is fated to re-live her affair and die tragically young lifetime after lifetime as the star-crossed lovers reincarnate through history.

The demon -- who appears to Juliet in all her reincarnations as a mysterious, handsome, and worldly benefactor -- has been helplessly in love with her since 19th century France, even though she forgets him each time she dies. He falls for her in 1930s Hollywood, in 1970s Los Angeles, and finally in present-day Washington D.C. -- where she begins to develop powers of her own.

In this life, she starts to remember her tragic past lives. But this time, she might have the power to break the cycle...

My Thoughts: A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers is spectacular: heartbreaking, atmospheric, and ultimately hopeful. The story introduces a woman bound by a witch’s curse to live many lives across more than a century, repeatedly drawn toward the wrong man while the love that may truly be meant for her remains just out of reach.

What makes the novel even more remarkable is that it is Sayers’s debut. The plotting and pacing are so assured that the book reads like the work of a seasoned author with several titles already to her credit. Her attention to historical detail gives each time period a vivid sense of place, making it easy to feel fully immersed in the world of the story.

Following Helen as she begins to remember her past lives as Juliet, Nora, and Sandra took me through a wide range of emotions. While a few moments were somewhat triggering for me, they never disrupted the story’s flow or diminished my overall enjoyment of the book.

My Final Verdict: Overall, A Witch in Time is a beautifully written and emotionally rich debut that blends romance, history, and fantasy into a haunting, memorable story. Constance Sayers creates an immersive reading experience through vivid historical settings, a layered curse, and characters whose choices echo across lifetimes. The novel’s mix of heartbreak, longing, and quiet hope makes it especially compelling for readers who enjoy atmospheric, character-driven stories with a touch of magic.

I highly recommend this book to anyone drawn to reincarnation, doomed love, historical fiction, and emotional fantasy with strong storytelling at its center.

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

REVIEW: The Date by Louise Jensen

Title: The Date
Author: Louise Jensen
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: June 2018
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: One night can change everything.

‘I know it as soon as I wake up and open my eyes... Something is wrong.’

Her Saturday night started normally. Recently separated from her husband, Ali has been persuaded by her friends to go on a date with a new man. She is ready, she is nervous, she is excited. She is about to take a step into her new future. By Sunday morning, Ali’s life is unrecognizable. She wakes, and she knows that something is wrong. She is home, she is alone, she is hurt and she has no memory of what happened to her.

Worse still, when she looks in the mirror, Ali doesn’t recognize the face staring back at her…

My Thoughts: This was a true nail-biter and an excellent choice for thriller fans. Newly separated from her husband, Ali agrees to go on a date with a man she has been talking to online. When she wakes the next morning, she has no memory of the night before, but she is injured and covered in blood.

As if that were not terrifying enough, Ali no longer recognizes her own face in the mirror—or anyone else’s. That detail immediately raises the stakes and makes her situation feel even more vulnerable and unsettling. I would love to see this story adapted for the screen.

As the story unfolds, the reader learns that the person who hurt Ali is stalking her and knows about something terrible from her past. That thread made the tension especially effective because Ali’s prosopagnosia—face blindness—means the danger could be standing directly in front of her, and she still would not know who to fear.

The structure and pacing are excellent. I was invested in Ali’s situation from the beginning and stayed on edge, eager to see how everything would play out. The finale and big reveal were genuinely shocking and took me through a wide range of emotions.

The supporting characters also added to the suspense. Many of them felt unreliable, which kept suspicion shifting and made Ali’s fear more convincing. I felt tremendous empathy for her and, like Ali, was never sure who could be trusted.

My Final Verdict: The Date is a gripping, twist-filled thriller that kept me turning the pages from start to finish. Louise Jensen builds tension beautifully, using Ali’s fear, confusion, and vulnerability to create a story that feels both unsettling and impossible to put down. With its fast pacing, unreliable characters, and shocking reveal, this is a strong recommendation for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with emotional impact and plenty of suspense.

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

REVIEW: The Lion's Den by Katherine St. John

Title: The Lion’s Den
Author: Katherine St. John
Narrator: Christine Lakin
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: June 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Belle likes to think herself immune to the dizzying effects of fabulous wealth. But when her best friend, Summer, invites her on a glamorous getaway to the Mediterranean aboard her billionaire boyfriend's yacht, the only sensible answer is yes. Belle hopes the trip will be a much-needed break from her stalled acting career and uniquely humiliating waitressing job, but once she's aboard the luxurious Lion's Den, it soon becomes clear this jet-setting holiday is not as advertised.

Belle's dream vacation quickly devolves into a nightmare as she and the handful of other girls Summer invited are treated more like prisoners than guests by their controlling host-and in one terrifying moment, Belle comes to see Summer for who she truly is: a vicious gold digger who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Belle realizes she's going to have to keep her wits about her -- and her own big secret closely hidden -- if she wants to make it off the yacht alive.

My Thoughts: The Lion’s Den blends thriller elements with women’s fiction, pulling the reader into a world of extreme wealth, luxury, and excess. It is a world filled with lavish, materialistic temptations, but beneath the glamour is a darker current of corruption, manipulation, and desperation.

The story is a very slow burn, moving between Belle and Summer’s past and present in a way that made me question how they ever became friends in the first place. I liked Belle, even though she often comes across as naïve and gullible. I kept hoping she would find her backbone and finally tell Summer where to go.

At first, being invited to cruise around the Mediterranean on a super-yacht for Summer’s birthday sounds exciting. But after seeing so clearly how selfish Summer has been—and continues to be—I struggled to understand why Belle would accept the invitation at all.

The final quarter of the book takes a dramatic turn, pulling the story together in a way that gave me the answers I had been looking for. At the same time, the shift was so sharp that I briefly wondered whether I was reading two different books. Somehow, though, the approach works. By the end, I was completely invested—hands fisted and white-knuckled—waiting to see how everything would play out.

Readers who are not fans of slow-burn plots should be prepared to exercise patience. The payoff is there, but getting to it felt tedious at times. Most of the characters are deeply unlikable, yet they are written well enough that it was easy to form strong impressions and assumptions about who they really were.

I do wish the ending had been more fleshed out after the major plot twist. I finished the book wanting a little more closure—perhaps even an epilogue—to show what ultimately happens to all the players.

My Final Verdict: The Lion’s Den is a slow-burn, character-driven thriller wrapped in sun-soaked luxury and simmering tension. While the pacing requires patience and the ending could have offered more closure, the final twists are compelling enough to make the journey worthwhile. Readers who enjoy messy friendships, glamorous settings, and secrets that unravel piece by piece will likely find this an entertaining and suspenseful read.

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

REVIEW: Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

Title: Don’t You Forget About Me
Author: Mhairi McFarlane
Narrator: Madeline Gould
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: September 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: You always remember your first love... don’t you?

If there’s anything worse than being fired from the lousiest restaurant in town, it’s coming home early to find your boyfriend in bed with someone else. Reeling from the humiliation of a double dumping in one day, Georgina takes the next job that comes her way—bartender in a newly opened pub. There’s only one problem: it’s run by the guy she fell in love with years ago. And—make that two problems—he doesn’t remember her. At all. But she has fabulous friends and her signature hot pink fur coat... what more could a girl really need?

Lucas McCarthy has not only grown into a broodingly handsome man, but he’s also turned into an actual grown-up, with a thriving business and a dog along the way. Crossing paths with him again throws Georgina’s rocky present into sharp relief—and brings a secret from her past bubbling to the surface. Only she knows what happened twelve years ago, and why she’s allowed the memories to chase her ever since. But maybe it’s not too late for the truth... or a second chance with the one that got away?

My Thoughts: This book had far more depth than the description suggests. At first, the premise sounds like an engaging second-chance romance: Georgina crosses paths with Lucas, her first love, after twelve years, only to discover that he does not seem to remember her. That question alone creates instant tension—does he truly not remember, or is he pretending? And if he is pretending, why?

The story took me in directions I did not see coming, and those unexpected turns made it even more captivating. I wanted to understand both Georgina and Lucas, and McFarlane does an excellent job of filling in the gaps by revisiting their teenage years. Learning why they did not end up together back then was heartbreaking, and the way McFarlane slowly revealed the truth drew out real emotion.

McFarlane blends humor and romance beautifully with more serious subject matter, including infidelity, toxic relationships, death, and other sensitive topics. Readers may want to be mindful of potential triggers. Even when the story moved in directions I did not expect, those choices ultimately brought everything full circle, and I absolutely loved how it all came together.

Georgina was easy to like right away, and her warmth, humor, and vulnerability made her immediately relatable. I also enjoyed the energy and support of her friends, who helped round out her world, as well as Lucas’s brother, Devlin, who was instantly likable.

Lucas took longer for me to warm up to, largely because I knew he had broken Georgina’s heart. That made me cautious about him at first, but as the story unfolded, McFarlane gave him enough depth and context for me to see him differently.

My Final Verdict: Don’t You Forget About Me is a witty, emotional, and ultimately satisfying read that delivers much more than a simple second-chance romance. With relatable characters, heartfelt revelations, and McFarlane’s sharp blend of humor and vulnerability, this is a story that lingers after the final page. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary romance with emotional depth, complicated pasts, and a strong sense of hope.

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

REVIEW: She's Bad News by Elle Spellman

Title: She’s Bad News
Author: Elle Spellman
Publisher: Elle Spellman
Publication Date: November 2017
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon

Description: What would you do if you woke up with super powers?

For Bella Brown, life hasn't gone according to plan. She's almost thirty, still living in her uneventful hometown, and her dreams of becoming an investigative reporter have fallen by the wayside.

That is, until she wakes up one morning to find she's been gifted with some amazing new abilities. What’s a girl to do with heightened senses, super speed and the ability to lift a truck one-handed? Bella quickly discovers that her new powers can easily help her land front-page leads at local newspaper, The Hartleybourne Gazette.

Soon Bella's out every night chasing down local criminals for stories, while keeping her powers a secret from everyone besides flatmate Chloe. But when a burglary-gone-wrong accidentally turns her into the mysterious Hartleybourne Heroine, Bella finds herself on the front page for the wrong reasons. Her secret becomes harder to keep as she tries to track down the source of her powers, and especially when crime reporter Matt Gilmore is intent on unmasking the town's new vigilante...

Suddenly, having an extraordinary life is far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts: She’s Bad News by Elle Spellman is campy and over the top, but a lot of fun.

Bella Brown is a features writer at a local newspaper who dreams of becoming a major investigative journalist in London. Instead, her awful boss assigns her dull, menial stories that drain her creativity. Assigned to cover an up-and-coming diet pill, Bella is disgusted by the body-shaming trend behind it. After defiantly taking one, she wakes up with heightened speed, vision, strength, and hearing—like Supergirl without the cape or flying.

Bella becomes an anonymous vigilante, but her actions draw attention from the people behind the pill, who want to keep its effects hidden.

I enjoyed Bella and her escapades. The plot moves well, and the characters are easy to know. The ending feels implausible, especially Bella’s confrontation with the villains, but it fits the story’s over-the-top tone.

Overall, She’s Bad News is an entertaining, fast-paced story with a playful superhero twist and an easy-to-root-for main character. While the ending stretches believability, the book’s humor, energy, and campy charm make it an enjoyable read.

REVIEW: The Bestseller by Jenny Knightsby

Title: The Bestseller
Author: Jenny Knightsby
Publisher: Headline
Publication Date: September 2026
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: YOU TOLD HER YOUR DARKEST SECRETS. NOW MILLIONS WILL READ THEM . . .

Therapist Helena Salve knows that client confidentiality is the number one unbreakable rule of her job. But the constant stories of coercive control and threat she hears from her client Belle about her dangerous husband have been wearing her down. One night over too many glasses of wine, she tells her best friend Tala everything that Belle has told her.

The problem is, Tala is a down-on-her-luck novelist who is looking for an idea for her new thriller.

Months later, Tala is excitedly telling Helena that her publisher is saying this is going to be her biggest book ever. The story is Belle's story. Not only is Helena's job on the line, but if Belle's husband is as dangerous as she says, her life is too...

Why would Tala do this to Helena? She knows what's at stake.

Your friends are meant to protect you... aren't they?

My Thoughts: Jenny Knightsby does an excellent job of drawing the reader into the story with intensity, tension, and genuine shock. I was surprised more than once, especially because the direction and heart of the story were nothing like I expected. Although The Bestseller is Knightsby’s debut novel, it reads with the confidence and polish of an author with many published books behind her.

From the beginning, Knightsby pulled me in without revealing the full impact the story would eventually deliver. Like many readers, I quickly made assumptions about the characters and where the plot was headed, only to discover that I was completely off the mark.

I struggled to understand how Tala could betray Helena by writing the book, and I felt a great deal of anger toward her for doing so. At the same time, I was shocked that Helena had broken client confidentiality in the first place. That moral tension made the story even more compelling, because there was blame, fear, and uncertainty on more than one side.

I also found myself trying to understand the complicated dynamic between Tala, Helena, and Helena’s husband, Dylan. The shifting timeline—moving between the present and their university years—helped fill in important gaps while making the story even more intriguing.

I had suspicions about Helena’s client, Belle, and Belle’s husband, Julius. My mind kept returning to the possibility that the entire situation was a setup designed to discredit Helena, but I could not figure out who would do such a thing—or why. As the story unfolded, every character began to feel unreliable. Not knowing who I could trust, or even who I should empathize with, made the reading experience far more thrilling.

The character development is excellent, and I enjoyed getting to know Tala, Helena, and Dylan both in the present and through the events of the past. The story delivers several jaw-dropping twists, and what I initially thought might be just an okay read ended up completely blowing me away.

My Final Verdict: The Bestseller is a gripping, twist-filled thriller that kept me questioning everyone’s motives until the very end. With strong character development, layered tension, and surprises that genuinely caught me off guard, Jenny Knightsby delivers an impressive debut that I would highly recommend to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers built on secrets, betrayal, and unreliable loyalties.

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

REVIEW: The Honeymooner by Melanie Summers

Title: The Honeymooner (Paradise Bay #1)
Author: Melanie Summers
Narrator: Matthew Lloyd Davies, Esther Wane
Publisher: Indigo Group
Publication Date: August 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: He’s tall, dark, and built. The kind of man whose abs have abs. And I only want one thing from him—to forget the last twenty-four hours. Forever.

It was supposed to be the best day of my life. The sun was shining. The church was packed. I was dressed in white and ready to marry my steady-as-a-rock fiancé.

There was just one big, fat problem—he didn’t show up.

So I did the only thing a girl can do under the circumstances—escape to the Caribbean for our honeymoon.

Alone.

Enter Harrison Banks.

Somehow he brings out a side of me I didn’t know existed—a carefree adrenaline junkie. After a few days together, Harrison’s got me wondering if the life I always wanted was meant for some other girl.

I should go back to my safe, comfortable life, right?

That would be the sensible thing to do.

I can’t risk everything to live out some tropical fantasy with a guy I’ve just met, even if he is the only man who’s ever made me feel truly alive…

The Honeymooner is a laugh-out-loud, opposites attract romance about a heroine who’s used to staying inside her comfort zone and a hero who knows exactly how hard to push. It’ll have you laughing, swooning, and sipping fruity blender drinks.

My Thoughts: The Honeymooner, my first book by Melanie Summers, caught my attention because it is the first installment in a series—and since I already have the third book waiting on my to-be-read mountain, I knew I needed to start at the beginning. Yes, I am absolutely one of those readers who has to read a series in order. Thankfully, this book did not disappoint.

This interconnected series is centered around a Caribbean resort, which immediately intrigued me. I love the warm, fuzzy atmosphere that often comes with vacation romances, and Paradise Bay provides the perfect backdrop. The secondary characters also added plenty of fun, and I hope many of them continue to appear throughout the series.

Being jilted practically at the altar is never easy, but I appreciated how the author used that moment as a catalyst for Libby to reclaim her confidence. Instead of sinking into despair, Libby takes the honeymoon trip anyway. The trip also doubles as a working vacation, since her employer is interested in buying Paradise Bay and has tasked her with evaluating the resort’s viability.

Harrison, the resort’s owner, is struggling to keep Paradise Bay afloat. He does not want to sell, but he is running out of time and options. I liked both Libby and Harrison, and their connection felt immediate. Their chemistry gave the story energy, and their dynamic made the romance easy to root for.

My Final Verdict: The Honeymooner is a fun, lighthearted contemporary romance with a dreamy Caribbean setting, likable characters, and plenty of chemistry. Libby and Harrison’s story is sweet, humorous, and easy to root for, making this a great choice for readers who enjoy vacation romances, opposites-attract dynamics, and series with an inviting cast of side characters. I’m looking forward to returning to Paradise Bay and continuing the series.

REVIEW: The Dead Girls Club by Damien Angelica Walters

Title: The Dead Girls Club
Author: Damien Angelica Walters
Narrator: Devon Sorvari
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: December 2019
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Red Lady, Red Lady, show us your face... 

In 1991, Heather Cole and her friends were members of the Dead Girls Club. Obsessed with the macabre, the girls exchanged stories about serial killers and imaginary monsters, like the Red Lady, the spirit of a vengeful witch killed centuries before. Heather knew the stories were just that, until her best friend Becca began insisting the Red Lady was real—and she could prove it. 

That belief got Becca killed. 

It's been nearly thirty years, but Heather has never told anyone what really happened that night—that Becca was right and the Red Lady was real. She's done her best to put that fateful summer, Becca, and the Red Lady, behind her. Until a familiar necklace arrives in the mail, a necklace Heather hasn't seen since the night Becca died. 

The night Heather killed her. 

Now, someone else knows what she did . . . and they're determined to make Heather pay.

My Thoughts: From the opening chapters, this book reminded me of the eerie slumber-party games many of us played at that age—Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, Bloody Mary, and other rituals meant to scare us just enough to be fun. In this story, however, that childhood fascination with fear takes a much darker turn. Becca becomes consumed by the legend of the Red Lady and convinced that the rituals will prove the spirit is real, setting the stage for a tragedy that leaves one friend dead and the other carrying the weight of what happened. 

That part is revealed early, so the real question is not simply what happened, but how two best friends reached such a devastating point. I was especially interested in the emotional fallout: Becca’s death, Heather’s silence, and the scars and trauma Heather continues to carry nearly thirty years later. 

The story becomes even more compelling when someone reveals they know Heather’s secret and begins stalking her. As Heather scrambles to discover who is behind it and why, the author effectively portrays her as a woman on the edge of a breakdown, desperate to appear in control while steadily unraveling. Her panic leads to rash choices that are not only reckless but also deeply unethical. 

The shifting timeline also works well. By moving between the past and present, the narrative gives readers a close look at Heather and Becca’s friendship and the events leading up to Becca’s death. Walters adds several effective red herrings, keeping the mystery of Heather’s stalker uncertain for much of the book. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story, though the slow burn felt a little too slow in places. I also did not feel the finale fully fit with the rest of the book’s buildup.

 

My Final Verdict: The Dead Girls Club is an atmospheric, unsettling thriller with a strong sense of childhood fear, guilt, and long-buried secrets. While the pacing occasionally drags and the ending did not land as strongly as I hoped, the dual timeline, creepy premise, and Heather’s unraveling kept me invested. Readers who enjoy slow-burn psychological thrillers with a supernatural edge may find this one worth picking up. 

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

REVIEW: If I Don't Kill Them...Who Will? by Beck Lewis

Title: If I Don’t Kill Them…Who Will?
Author: Beck Lewis
Publisher: Goody and Grant Narrative Works, Ltd.
Publication Date: May 2026
Genre: Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: I thought a corporate weekend away in Wales was going to involve too much wine, awkward nostalgia and listening to Daniel Bartlesham talk about himself.

I didn’t expect to discover that most of my friends are apparently fine with revenge porn, suicide and corporate cover-ups – just as long as nobody’s bonus is affected.

My friend Eve is dead because Daniel uploaded that video of her.

And everyone at Bartlesham wants to call the whole thing an unfortunate misunderstanding and move on with their lives.

I’m not having that.

Which is probably why I’m currently locked in the boot of a car. Daniel’s mate in the driving seat is going to murder me when we stop.

But now that I’ve realized how many terrible men are protected by money, power and people willing to look the other way… I’m starting to think killing them all might be the only reasonable response.

I mean, if I don’t kill them… who will?

My Thoughts: If I Don’t Kill Them…Who Will by Beck Lewis is over-the-top, intense, surprising, a little scary, and a lot of fun. The story comes with plenty of trigger warnings as the bodies begin to pile up, but I was completely invested in Nicole’s pursuit of justice—not only for Eve, but for anyone harmed by the rich, the powerful, and the bullies who expect to get away with it.

The book opens with Nicole trapped in the trunk of her coworker’s car, convinced she will be murdered as soon as the car stops. That explosive opening immediately pulled me in, and Lewis does a strong job weaving in the backstory that explains how Nicole ended up there while keeping the suspense moving forward. The tension was riveting from the start.

Nicole faces several jaw-dropping twists, and I found myself reacting right along with her. She is an easy character to root for, but her grandmother was an absolute standout. Every young woman deserves a grandmother like hers.

I highly recommend If I Don’t Kill Them…Who Will to readers who enjoy dark, twisty thrillers with sharp edges, fierce characters, and a revenge plot that does not hold back. It is intense, chaotic, and unexpectedly entertaining, with enough suspense and surprises to keep the pages turning.

Thank you to the author, Beck Lewis, for the opportunity to read and review this book.