Archives for June 1, 2022

* Review * OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY by Kristan Higgins

June 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY by Kristan Higgins

Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins
Published by Berkley on June 7, 2022
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Lillie Silva knew life as an empty nester would be hard after her only child left for college, but when her husband abruptly dumps her for another woman just as her son leaves, her world comes crashing down. Besides the fact that this announcement is a complete surprise (to say the least), what shocks Lillie most is that she isn’t heartbroken. She’s furious.

Lillie has loved her life on Cape Cod, but as a mother, wife, and nurse-midwife, she’s used to caring for other people . . . not taking care of herself. Now, alone for the first time in her life, she finds herself going a little rogue. Is it over the top to crash her ex-husband’s wedding dressed like the angel of death? Sure! Should she release a skunk into his perfect new home? Probably not! But it beats staying home and moping.

She finds an unexpected ally in her glamorous sister, with whom she’s had a tense relationship all these years. And an unexpected babysitter in, of all people, Ben Hallowell, the driver in a car accident that nearly killed Lillie twenty years ago. And then there’s Ophelia, her ex-husband’s oddly lost niece, who could really use a friend.

It’s the end of Lillie’s life as she knew it. But sometimes the perfect next chapter surprises you . . . out of the clear blue sky.

An exhilarating dash of love, life and laughter as one life crumbles and another begins! There is a lot of goodness in this story of loss, reconnection and growth as life as one knew it drastically changes, but the growth she learns from it makes her stronger than ever in the end. There’s witty humor that will really tickle your funny bone and there is an emotional depth in several of the characters that will be easily relatable. While it felt a little long-winded and disjointed on occasion when flipping viewpoints, there was great enjoyment between these pages and I walked away with a smile on my face.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a boatload of drama, lots of humor, sadness as well as joy and more heartwarming moments than you’ll know what to do with.

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* Review * STRANDED IN THE MOUNTAINS by Geri Krotow

June 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

Stranded in the Mountains by Geri Krotow
Published by Inspirational Mountain Rescue Collection on May 24, 2022
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They survived the crash…

Now can they escape the wilderness?

Part-time treasure hunter Daniel Sturges’s secret assignment was simple—find a wrecked WWII B-17 and recover the artifacts inside. But now he’s stranded with fellow crash survivor Cassie Edmunds, who's searching for the same plane, and they’ll have to trust one another with their lives. With temperatures falling in treacherous terrain, will they risk everything for the missing wreckage or discover something more valuable between them? That is, if they can stay alive...

Bonded by survival! This strongly faith based story unites two unlikely souls in a fight against the elements when their flight to a remote site strands them with the barest of resources. Each character has a back story that endears their part of the plot to the reader and watching them grow their connection throughout the wilds of the wilderness makes a powerful human interest side to the story. I liked them a lot, but would have enjoyed more relationship development once they returned to real life.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a high impact survival type romance with a strong outdoor backdrop.

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* Review * THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP by Susan Mallery

June 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP by Susan Mallery

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery
Published by MIRA on May 31, 2022
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When fate brings three strangers to a charming space for lease on the California coast, the Boardwalk Bookshop is born. Part bookstore, part gift shop, part bakery, it's a dream come true for Bree, Mikki and Ashley. But while their business is thriving, their personal lives are…not.

Bree, wounded by brilliant but cold parents and her late husband's ultimate betrayal, has sworn to protect her heart at all costs. Even from Ashley's brother, a writer and adventurer who has inspired millions. He's the first man to see past Bree's barricades to her true self, which terrifies her. Mikki has this divorce thing all figured out—somehow, she's stayed friends with her ex and her in-laws…until a new man changes how everyone looks at her, and how she sees herself. Meanwhile, Ashley discovers that the love of her life never intends to marry. Can she live without being a wife if it means she can have everything else she's ever wanted?

At sunset every Friday on the beach in front of the Boardwalk Bookshop, the three friends share a champagne toast. As their bond grows closer, they challenge one another to become the best versions of themselves in this heartachingly beautiful story of friendship, sisterhood and the transformative power of love.

The complexities of love and friendship are beautifully interwoven! THE BOARDWALK BOOKSHOP brings together three women and their separate businesses into one beachfront store in the heart of California and shines a light on the growth of a friendship that supports each of them as life brings them love, turmoil and happily ever afters. The characters are intriguing, each of their lives bring a totally different aspect of love to the forefront and the strength of their friendship grows to support them when they need it most.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys drama, friendship and happy endings.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * BOYFRIEND LESSONS by Sophia Singh Sasson

June 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

Boyfriend Lessons by Sophia Singh Sasson
Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: Ranchers and Rivals #2
Published by Harlequin Desire on May 24, 2022
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Her cardinal rule for learning the ropes of romance?

Don’t fall for the teacher!

Shy Lone Star heiress Caitlyn Lattimore is eager to ditch her wallflower status. So when her best friend playfully suggests she practice dating, Caitlyn goes one further. She asks friend of a friend Dev Mallik to give her boyfriend lessons. The spark between them soon turns fun into fire. But is Caitlyn setting herself up for heartbreak? Because Dev’s exacting parents want just the right woman for their son—and they aren’t so sure she’s the one…

Sizzling love at first sight! The second book in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Ranchers and Rivals series starts out a tad confusing with a lot of characters mentioned without full disclosure of who is who, but it quickly leveled out into an enjoyable meet cute for Caitlyn and Dev. Their timeline until “I love you” was extremely rushed, but I enjoyed the characters as a whole and found them relatable.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys love when it’s least expected between a man of the world and a refreshingly naive heroine.

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* Review * UNBRIDLED COWBOY by Maisey Yates

June 1, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * UNBRIDLED COWBOY by Maisey Yates

Unbridled Cowboy by Maisey Yates
Series: Four Corners Ranch #1
Published by HQN Books on May 24, 2022
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Welcome to Four Corners Ranch, where the West is still wild…and when a cowboy needs a wife, he decides to find her the old-fashioned way.

Cowboy Sawyer Garrett has no intention of settling down. But when he becomes a single dad to tiny baby June, stepping up to the responsibility is nonnegotiable. And so is finding a woman to be a mother to his infant daughter. So he decides to do it the way the pioneers did: by putting out an ad for a mail-order bride.

Evelyn Moore can’t believe she’s agreed to uproot her city life to marry a stranger in Oregon. But having escaped one near-disastrous marriage, she’s desperate for change. Her love for baby June is instant. Her feelings for Sawyer are…more complicated. Her gruff cowboy husband ignites thrilling desire in her, but Sawyer is determined to keep their marriage all about the baby. But what happens if Evelyn wants it all?

A dynamic duo to kick off the brand new Four Corners Ranch series! Maisey Yates is queen of small town cowboys, so it’s no surprise that she sets up a great four family grouping to start this series out strong with the drama yet to come. There are many characters to keep track of, but it didn’t feel overwhelming, just slightly long-winded with introspect on occasion. I enjoyed Sawyer and Evelyn a lot and look forward to lots more to come in the series.

Sawyer might be closed off and distant, but he has an earnest, caring heart and shines bright as he begins to let love in.

Evelyn jumped from one dicey situation to another, but her ability to go all in was heartwarming when it came to baby June.

I recommend this story to anyone that enjoys a working ranch family that doesn’t have much time for love until it suddenly knocks them over the head.

Filed Under: Book Reviews