Lisa

A sweet romance that shows you can pull magic from a seemingly ordinary life if you find the right people.

This hits all the marks I want out of an Emily Henry book. The romance is charming, the banter is quick and funny, and the side characters surrounding them are equally as lovable. It's easy-to-read while still having emotional depth, and the humor is there to pull the heavier moments into something that comes off as tender and bittersweet. There's love and acceptance amidst very real, very challenging flaws.

The fake dating/forced proximity premise is funny and believable (for the genre) and sets things up nicely for them to get comfortable with each other fast. You get to experience the satisfaction of Daphne telling off her ex, but also having the space with Miles to be vulnerable and uniquely understood.

In addition to the romance, the book explores making and keeping friends, the importance of community, and complex family dynamics in a way that feels real but not too heavy. Watching Daphne and Miles fall in love is great but I would have been equally enthralled by just watching Daphne fall in love with the place she lives and the people who make it home.

I loved Book Lovers and Beach Read, and this goes right up there with them. Typical Emily Henry humor: sarcastic, often deadpan, and full of absolute commitment to a bit. If you liked those, you'll like this. Reminded me a lot of Just for the Summer which I also loved.

Romantic, easy to read Sci-fi with a quippy Veronica Mars-esque heroine and a plot you'll be dying to unravel.

I'm always blown away by the world building in these. Revis is able to take complex backstory and write it in a way that is concise and informative in a way that feels natural. It never feels like info-dumping. The documents included in the end really give it a found-footage/mystery kind of feel.

This one was a little slower for me in comparison to the first, mostly due to a smaller cast of characters. It feels (understandably) like a set up for what's coming. I was able to guess fairly early on what was happening and then had enough time to somehow talk myself out of it again before the reveal. The plot isn't groundbreaking, but I had so much fun following along and trying to identify all the things that were building up to it.

There's enough information at the start that I think someone who skipped part one would be able to follow along but they would be missing out on the full picture. I'd absolutely recommend this to readers who want fun, casual Sci-fi with some star-crossed lovers style romance.

This ARC was provided by DAW through NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback

A dynamic journey full of history, secrets, magic, and fate that spans centuries.

At it's core, this is a book about tough love and character development. Diana has a lot to understand with her unpredictable magic as well as her deepening relationship with Matthew (and his lifetimes of secrets). Matthew has to come to terms with the actions of his past in light of his newly shifted priorities. Despite getting a break from the pursuit of the Congregation, danger still surrounds them. It's only by trusting each other that they can survive.

There's a lot to like about this one. It's full of historical easter eggs, found family, suspense, and mystery, but where it really shines for me is the gift of having more time. More time for Diana to master her magic. More time for them to understand their relationship. More time with old friends and loved ones.

Without going into detail, there are strong themes of forgiveness, bittersweet happiness, and closure that bring me to tears every time.

Often book two in a series can feel a little slow, especially if it's essentially one big training montage, but I think this book avoids that. It overcomes some of the more obvious obstacles in progressing the plot in a way that doesn't feel tedious or like time wasted.

(4.75) Adventure, romance, danger, and a bit of ancient magic

This book is marketed towards fans of The Mummy and I think it delivers on that. You get a strong-willed, intelligent female lead and her brash, resourceful, charming male counterpart. Their partnership is full of witty banter, respect, and keeping each other from dying.

There are dangerous rivals. Ancient booby traps. Conveniently ripped clothing. False identities. Deadly puzzles. Old friends and new friends. And yet always time for flirting. The story kept my attention in both pacing and plot.

Slow burn, annoyed-acquaintances-to-lovers with no overt spice but enough innuendo that I could see future books leaning that way.

There are a handful of glaring typos I caught (and probably some that I missed) but it's in no way unreadable. They were easy enough to immediately move past. The writing itself was good.

I'd recommend this specifically for anyone who loved The Mummy (1999) or the Amelia Peabody series, and more generally for anyone looking for a bit of romance, mystery, and adventure in a jungle setting.

Special shoutout to the person who borrowed this book before me and MARKED their reactions in a LIBRARY BOOK. In pen. You're a monster.

(4.75) Dark, horrific fantasy with deeply layered lore, complex characters, and a fiercely tender heart beating throughout.

The tone of this book was a definite shift from the first (totally expected after how book one ends), but all the elements that made me love Silver in the Bone are there. The action outnumbers the mystery in this one, and that's saying something because there's still plenty of mystery to unpack. A lot of groundwork was laid in book one and it pays off beautifully.

There's strong themes of friendship, loyalty, and accepting the love you think you don't deserve. A lot of heavy emotions and difficult decisions. The main characters are working through deep grief and betrayal and they don't always handle it well, but that's part of what I liked about it. These characters are flawed, they have complicated motivations, and sometimes they make the wrong decisions but there's always a chance for forgiveness and redemption.

There's only a couple of things holding this back from being a full five star book.

I expected gore, but the slaughter in this book is so unrelenting that I almost found myself getting desensitized to it. The action scenes are very well written and it makes sense within the context of the story, it just started to feel repetitive.

There's a small number of chapters from another character that I truly disliked reading, but you're not supposed to feel sympathetic, so I suppose they did their job. I personally think the ending would have had the same emotional impact without their POV but I can see what it adds to the story.

The book leaves you with a sense of closure while also leaving room for some storylines to continue on. Would absolutely recommend. I think fans of One Dark Window would enjoy this.

This ARC was provided through NetGalley by Random House Children's Books in exchange for honest feedback.

The best parts of the forced proximity and fake marriage tropes

Nothing in this plot is truly groundbreaking, but I enjoyed it so much that it's going to stick with me for a while. The romance is well written. The fake marriage setup is reasonable. Liam and Anna are charming, confident, playful, and have great romantic tension.

The private island wedding setting is the perfect combination of extreme wealth and high stakes to really drive the plot forward. At no point was I bored. I often surprised myself by how fast I was flying through pages but never felt like I was missing any depth.

There was so much going on plot wise outside of the romance that it would have still been compelling without it. Family tension, corporate politics, wedding stress all blended together beautifully.

Highly recommend in general, but especially as a vacation read and/or for people who loved the drama and romance of Crazy Rich Asians.

A charismatic con-woman, a gruff but tender-hearted goat farmer, and a sassy ghost with a TV obsession come together because of a decades long curse.

The story is cute, the farm setting is charming, and the characters are mostly likeable but I found myself wanting just a little bit more.

I think part of that is just the nature of how the plot moves forward. Gretchen is simultaneously building a romantic relationship with Charlie and a friendship with Everett (the ghost), and I think that meant potential romantic development gave way to ghost bonding.

I'd still recommend reading it if the plot interests you. I enjoyed it enough to shed a tear or two towards the end but it's not something I'm going to revisit or think much about now that I'm done with it.

Hypothetically you can read this as a standalone, but you would be missing out on all the context that really puts this book at five stars for me.

This is the best book in the series, and that's saying a lot because I really liked the first two. Justin and Emma have chemistry that pops off the page, cute banter, and charming personalities. It was satisfying to watch Justin break down Emma's trust issues and to watch her come to terms with her deeper feelings.

The external forces get a little heavy. The family issues on both sides get equal page time with the romcom parts, but I found it interesting. I think it's written with nuance and feel realistic for the situations. Both main characters have their own trauma to deal with (at various levels) and it bleeds into everything, but the overall feeling is always one of love and understanding. The plot is dynamic and at no point was I bored. It's funny, it's heartfelt, it's a gut punch sometimes, but the characters stay likeable.

VAGUE SPOILERS BELOW
I absolutely loved how interconnected this book was to the first two. My jaw literally dropped at a few reveals. Epilogues are hit or miss for me but this one was truly satisfying. Happy endings for everyone.I can't speak for the mental health representation but it seems real to me. Sometimes it was hard to watch Emma interact with her mother the way she did, in the same way I imagine it would be hard to watch your friend make decisions you know will hurt them.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a romcom with depth, but I really think you need to read the first two.

This is a great addition to Tessa Bailey's sports romance series.

Tallulah is confident, courageous, and good at communicating her needs even when she doubts herself. Burgess is protective and possessive while still being conscious of Tallulah's independence. You get both an age gap and a boss/employee trope which can lead to some tricky power imbalances, but in this case Tallulah's emotional intelligence and her superior understanding of how to connect with a 12 year old girl helps even that out. It's not insta-love but there is an instant attraction between the two of them. I appreciated that we see Tallulah think about Burgess's protective actions critically and, with the context of her feelings, decide whether or not they cross her boundaries. It's something that mirrors my own thoughts when I'm reading and wonder if an overprotective character's actions cross the line from heartwarming to controlling.

I think it's pretty standard for a Tessa Bailey novel. It's steamy, funny, filled with charming side characters, and you get great character growth from both Tallulah and Burgess. There are phrases or lines of dialogue that toe the line of almost too cheesy or a little unhinged but, for me, that's part of why I'm a fan. It's fresh, fun, unexpected, and sometimes realistically awkward.

Although I enjoyed it overall, it felt a little incomplete to me. I expected more from the nanny plot. I was hoping to see the growth of Tallulah's relationship with Lissa and how she fits into the family. You get glimpses of that but they're sparse. It felt like Lissa as a character was only brought in when she was needed to move the plot forward or to deepen the relationship between Burgess and Tallulah, and when that wasn't happening she was just out of the picture. This gives space for the couple's relationship to progress quickly but it makes it seem like Lissa isn't not a priority to her dad and that made me like him less. I would have loved to see Tallulah and Lissa interact without Burgess. A large part of her moving in with him was to help nanny, and we see very very little of that.

I think fans of Fangirl Down will enjoy this one. It feels rewarding to watch them learn to trust each other and trust themselves, you get a look into how Wells and Josephine are progressing, and (like every other character who asked about it) I'm dying to find out what the deal is with Chloe and Sig.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchance for my honest feedback

Unexpected, filled with dry humor and complex layers

This was good, but was an emotionally heavier book than I anticipated. From the description I thought it would be quicker paced and lighter, and more romance forward than it was. The humor is very dry (which I enjoyed). There's a lot of focus on racial identity and generational trauma, which honestly fits perfectly in a setting where people from the past are dumped into the future. The slow burn romance is quiet and reserved, but was overshadowed for me by the growing sense of impending doom you start to pick up about a quarter in.

Pacing skips along at a very even pace. Highs and lows, action and intrigue kind of landed on the same level for me. Things are clearly being driven to a point and there is increasing danger, but I didn't always feel it. But again, I went in expecting something different so that might be my own issue.

I still really enjoyed it. It captured my attention quickly and easily. Many of the characters are charming. I'd recommend it for people who would be interested in the morality and possible paradoxes that come with time travel, with a hint of romance. If you're looking for a more traditional romance this isn't it. Not a straightforward Happily Ever After, but it wouldn't have felt right for the story if it had.

(3.5 Stars)

I enjoyed reading this but don't think it matches the quality of previous books in the series.

Things felt very wrapped up at the end of Girl Blue, so it makes sense that this one is more of a shift from Rachel and Mason to the (now adult) “kids”. You get almost equal Jeremy/Misty/Christy perspectives. It's adds something fresh to the series, but at 248 pages it comes at the expense of character depth. I feel like we barely spent time with any one. Characters just endlessly circle around the same talking points, Rachel's NFP almost seems like an afterthought, and Mason is boiled down to existing solely for Rachel's emotional support and to occasionally flash a badge. Josh's absence is explained away in one line and never really brought up again.

Two things were very jarring for me and that was the time jump and all the discussion about the pandemic. You go from Rachel and Mason wanting to get married in two weeks to several years later, still unmarried. You don't really get any information on those missing years aside from how things were affected by the pandemic. This is probably a personal nitpick of mine, but I don't need this much realism in my books. I lived it. I don't need to hear over and over about how things were cancelled and stalled. It didn't add anything to the book for me.

The actual mystery was intriguing but felt unfinished for me too. There's no explanation of how certain things happened and only the most basic motive of why.

Overall I think this book is doing too much in too short an amount of pages. It feels like the series peaked and is now on a down swing. Even just from a writing standpoint, this needed another pass from an editor. Multiple examples of missing words and punctuation. I'm on the fence about continuing the series (assuming there's more coming), but for sure my excitement has died down.

The content of this one could potentially be more triggering than previous books in the series, so if that's a concern for you, look into it.

I appreciated the ability to give Rachel and Mason's relationship tension without having them break up.

There are a lot more pop culture references in this one that really pin this series to a very specific time period. Some of which already feel dated despite it being released in the last few years. Not a complaint necessarily, but its going to feel out of touch for future readers.

Still a very strong series, and in a world of 700+ pages fantasy novels (that I also love) it's really nice to have a quicker 250 page read that still feels like the complete package.

(3.5 Stars)

I didn't know cozy suspense was something I was missing in my life, but I found it in Close Knit. It wasn't the story I was expecting but I'm happy I stuck with it.

The book is broken up into two parts. Part one feels like a cozy slice of life view of a tiny seaside town in Scotland and it's quirky inhabitants. Part two is a lot more action driven, with quickly mounting suspense. This makes for a very slow start with a dramatic finish, but you really have to push past the initial set up to get the full effect.

I loved how vivid the descriptions of the land and town were. It makes the setting itself feel alive, and I could easily understand what was drawing the characters to stay there. It feels isolated, but not lonely.

There's sort of an omniscient perspective. You bounce between the inner thoughts of each character multiple times per scene in a way that was a little jarring. I never quite got used to it, but that might just be my personal taste.

The last thing I'll note is that the blurb is a little misleading. I expected a straight forward romance when in reality the romance is more of a sub plot. The suspense was a pleasant surprise. This is my first Jenny Colgan book, so maybe this is standard, but as a first time reader I would have enjoyed it more if I had different expectations going into it.

This ARC was provided through NetGalley by Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for honest feedback. All opinions are my own.

Three stars for this book specifically, but 4-5 on average for the series as a whole.

This is a fine book one, but it's doing a lot of heavy lifting to set up the rest of the series. SJM's big three all have wildly different tones, so I would advise not going into this with the expectation that it's going to be “ACOTAR with different characters”. This is more fantasy forward. It's a strong series but I don't think it really hits its stride until you start getting into book three.

Unpopular opinion: I think it's fine to skip this series if you aren't enjoying it. It's a lot of books, and while I love them and think it's worth it, they're just not going to be for everyone. The consequences of not reading it are minimal in the grand scheme of things.

I'm reviewing this off a reread, so I tried to rate it objectively even though I know where the potential pays off.

Dark Academia, ghosts, magic, murder investigations, and the price of power

Ninth House has a nonlinear timeline circling around a couple fixed points. The pacing starts a bit slow with some dense world building up front, but once you get past that the momentum really finds its stride. There are multiple POVs, but you mostly follow Alex. On the surface Alex is an outsider to the clean cut, high level academic world of Yale, but her traumatic past experiences help her to see through the masks people wear down to their greed, corruption, and arrogance.

I enjoyed this book immensely but it is very bleak. Even the high points are still pretty depressing. Everything sucks, there are no consequences for the rich and powerful, and so Alex must do whatever it takes to survive. Some events are described in detail that were just past my personal line of “too dark” so read the trigger warnings. They felt like they were there just for shock value.

Overall, I loved the mystery and things slowly being revealed. There were twists I didn't see coming, but they had solid, subtle foundations that back them up. I'm definitely continuing the series and would recommend it.

(4.75 stars) Part mystery, part romance, part focus on mental health and family

This is one of the most unique romance books I've read. Jess Greene's life is defined by the mother who left her, and when a popular true crime podcast comes knocking she's forced to confront the emotions she's tried desperately to keep locked away. Adam Hawkins has his own story to tell and he needs this podcast to go well before he can do it. He soon finds himself entangled in Jess's life and at odds with his own professional ethics.

As someone who used to binge a lot of true crime podcasts, the vibes of this book were spot on. The mystery of Jess's mom and the conman she left town with is compelling and holds its own against the romantic arc. There's also a strong theme of mental health and how different people cope with trauma. The two main characters are deeply introspective and hyper observant of the world around them. You spend much of the time in their thoughts (honestly almost too much at times) but it gives a really interesting look into how different a person's own view of themselves can be from those around them.

The romance isn't insta-love but is insta-connection. There's an immediate attraction pulling Jess and Adam together (even when they're basically strangers) and this felt a bit weak to me initially, but I ended up enjoying it. Jess is emotionally guarded, and Adam is there in a professional capacity so the romance is a slow burn. It's satisfying to see him do the work to gain her trust.

Overall I loved it. It was complex and emotional. There's character development not just for the main characters but the side characters as well. I'd recommend it to anyone, but especially to people who have listened to investigative podcasts and enjoyed them.

Cozy, Magical, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity

A cute paranormal romcom that gave me grown up Halloween town vibes. The setting is steeped in magic, but at its core, it's a story of finding your own path and learning to set boundaries with your dysfunctional family.

It was fun to read. There's a lot of pop culture references (which always throws me off) and all the conflict is tied up a little too neatly at the end, but I'd still recommend reading it. Maybe with some hot chocolate and a delicious cookie.

(3.5 stars)

I mean this in the best way when I say this book is 90% banter. It's funny, easy-to-read, and I had an absolute blast. Foul-mouthed, octogenarian roommates. Cute non-date dates. Quick and witty conversations.

The blurb is a little misleading. Midway through the book it turns more towards a fake dating trope than a friends-with-benefits trope (which I still love, don't get me wrong). The climax at the end is a little weak but I wasn't bored.

It doesn't have a whole lot of depth but it is a very very fun, and not at all mentally taxing. A great option for a nice palate cleanser romcom between more involved books.

(4.5 Stars) Enemies-to-lovers in a bone-chillingly haunted castle. The perfect addition to your spooky season TBR.

It's a bit of a slow burn, with really great romantic tension. The passion that made them hate each other is explosive when they realize they don't. There's a fine line between hate and love, and forced proximity in a haunted castle is a great setting for them to cross it.

I expected this to be spooky, but not that I'd almost need to sleep with the lights on. The haunted house atmosphere is so well done. I was simultaneously cursing them for willingly going towards the danger while also hoping they would figure things out. The supernatural mystery is strong enough to stand on its own outside of the romance.

As Pen and Neil are both Native horror writers, there's a big focus on Native identity and how it's affected by society's perceptions and expectations. It gets very specific, but the debate of compromising to make yourself more palatable to other people is universal enough that it will also appeal to non-Native readers. There's a lot of casual queer representation as well.

I would absolutely recommend people pick this up when it comes out later this year. It's a fantastic and unique blend of horror and contemporary romance.

This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions provided are my own.

Mystery, witty banter, and high stakes in space.

I really enjoyed this. You get dropped right into the middle of things and it had me almost immediately hooked. All the pieces of the mystery were pretty obvious to me but I was so invested in the motive and how exactly everything fit together that I didn't mind. The whole thing was like a puzzle.

Ada as a main character is confident, capable, and funny. Lots of banter that reminded me of peak Veronica Mars. The world she exists in is incredibly fleshed out for the amount of pages it's given, and it never felt like info dumping. I feel like I have a good grasp on it but still want to know more.

I'm invested. I'll be looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

This ARC was provided by DAW through NetGalley. All opinions are my own

A cute, fast-paced romcom set in a wildly successful book tour.

The premise of a female author hiring an actor to represent her male pseudonym is a fun one. The pairing of Daphne and Chris felt fresh to me. I feel like it's rare for the guy to be the one playing dumb for attention, and that role reversal continues with his city-boy-meets-wilderness, sunshine-y, baker persona. I could easily see this book working as a hallmark movie. It's dual perspective, with POV switches through the chapter. POV's are labeled by name which felt a little jarring to me but might be helpful for people who struggle with third person perspectives.

The plot relies heavily on the miscommunication trope, so if that's something that bothers you I'd skip this one. A lot of the conflict later in the book could have been avoided if the two characters had sat and discussed things. In general there's a real lack of show-don't-tell. The pacing moves quick because a lot of conversations are summarized as one character explaining (insert topic) to another. It can feel a little montage-y at times and I found myself wishing the reader was let in on those moments, especially the ones that emotionally progress the relationship. Because of this I didn't really feel the chemistry between the two.

Overall, Chris felt like the main character to me. We get the most background on him early on and we spend more time with him processing events and emotions than we do with Daphne. Daphne really feels boiled down to her career as a writer, her former role as her mother's caretaker, and her past relationship trauma. You don't find out that she's also an architect until 30% into the book, which feels very late for basic info on the character I expected to relate to at most.

The book is amusing, with clearly defined stakes and low stress. It would make a good easy-to-read vacation book that you can pick up and put down as needed without feeling like you're losing your momentum.

(3.5 Stars) The epic conclusion of two intertwined series.

There are parts of this I really loved. Persephone is at the height of her power, her confidence, and her fury which is really satisfying to see after where she started in the first book. We get to see the friendship and fierce loyalty her compassion for others has granted her. The war between the gods is also at its peak in this book. I think overall, though, there was just too much going on.

Combining both series means there's a lot of characters and separate plot lines to tie up, and less book in which to do so. Only a few characters have measurable character growth and the rest fall kind of flat. Hermes in particular is reduced to nothing but comedic effect. Before he had the ability to be serious when the occasion called for it, but in this he was almost entirely cheesy jokes.

Pacing was challenging. There's just a lot going on and, while there are highlights of action that drive things forward, sometimes it dragged.

The romance didn't hit the same for me. Hades and Persephone are apart for a large chunk of the book and even once they're together they're fighting a lot.

Stakes are high, but a lot of the punch is missing when characters die and are immediately greeted at the gates of the underworld. I think this also ties in to having too much going on. These moments would have been more emotional if we spent more time in them.

But honestly, a lot of my negative feelings probably spring from the Theseus POV. There are some very blurry, nonconsensual lines crossed and outright sexual assault in sections (that thankfully isn't as explicit as other scenes). I get that he's evil, that he gets off on having power over others and their fear, but I really think I would have understood this in less graphic detail. It really soured the rest of the book for me.

I still think I would recommend the series as a whole because I do love the setting of ancient gods in modern environments, but it ended on kind of a weak note for me.

(3.75 stars) A heartfelt story of a woman finding herself and her way forward by diving into the past.

Heart Restoration Project follows Plum Everly, a longtime reality TV star, as she takes on a new project renovating a chateau in a small French town. It reminded me of early 2000's romantic comedies in the best way. There's romance, small town charm, foreign language mishaps, and mouthwatering descriptions of delicious food, but the book's true strength comes from unearthing the rich, important history of the chateau and the people connected to it.

I anticipated that a majority of the plot would focus on a love triangle and the reality show, and to some extent that is what it is, but within that framework you also get to learn about the bravery and strength the town's families showed during World War II. The secrets of the past are still affecting the present. It's rewarding to see Plum restore not only the heart of the town, but her own confidence and reputation.

As much as I truly enjoyed reading this, some aspects feel like they're just shy of hitting their full potential. The romance feels almost like a subplot by the end and, while I didn't mind, I think I may have been disappointed if that's what I was most looking forward to. The pacing really hits its stride once we get to France, but the beginning set up is a little chaotic. There's a lot going on, a lot of backstory to establish, and it felt a little rushed to me. The book has a ton of pop culture references that pulled me out of the story. Intentionally setting this in the real world made me think more critically about the accuracy of home renovation, the region in France, and the making of a reality TV show. I think it would have been beneficial to replace these with made up references so this world could exist in its own bubble. I can't speak for the accuracy of the French dialogue but there is a lot of it and a French town of the same name does exist but the one in the book seems fairly fictional.

Overall, Heart Restoration Project has fun romcom energy in a beautiful setting with charming side characters and an unexpectedly deep plot. With great character development and a few surprises, it would make an excellent vacation read.

This ARC was provided through NetGalley from Montlake. All the above is my own, honest opinion.

(3.5 stars) A cozy, modern twist on a Victorian era romance with a bit of mystery, some science, and plenty of defied expectations.

This book will appeal to readers who enjoy historical romance but wish it included a more modern representation of present day values. A lot of the conflict that comes up directly parallels current day debates, particularly around women's bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. Lucy and her sister are both working to claim their place in previously male dominated professions. There's a small amount of queer representation included in side characters presented in a normal and accepted way.

Based off the summary, I expected the mystery to be a lot more prominent than it was. It's probably an 80/20 split of Romance/Mystery. You gets bits and pieces here and there but it's primarily focused on the relationship between Thorne and Lucy. Its more cozy romance than detective. There is a lot of info dumping. Backstories for characters are told in large chunks of text, all at once. This is particularly heavy at the beginning as this series seems to have spun off from a previous one but does still occur occasionally throughout the series.

In general this book was a really interesting mix of feminism, science, and faith. There's a strong Christian element that I was not expecting. It's so present throughout the book that I'd borderline consider it Christian fiction if it weren't for the explicit sex scenes and pro-choice plot. It's not really preachy, mostly just quoting of bible verses and their applications on the topic of being a good person. I do think this will narrow the book's appeal down to a very niche audience. It's going to be a little too progressive for a lot of Christian readers, and a little too religious for some of the people looking for those progressive ideals.

I'd recommend it for readers looking for a Victorian era, grumpy/sunshine, single parent romance with a modern twist. The side characters are charming (Sadie in particular is a delightful little weirdo), the mystery is compelling (if light), and there's something fun about watching two people who have sworn off love find themselves right in the middle of it.

This ARC was provided through NetGalley from Berkley Publishing Group. All the above is my own, honest opinion.

Espionage, mystery, and high stakes situations under a carefully curated lie.

This exceeded all my expectations. I didn't anticipate I'd enjoy this as much as I did as it's not a genre I often reach for, but it hooked me early on. Once it did, I couldn't put it down.

The Plot: Non linear timeline. The characters' actions, both past and present, are truly what drive the narrative forward so you're not really getting details that don't directly serve the plot. Sometimes this makes it feel like things are happening in a giant sandbox, despite being set in multiple times and locations. It's meticulously plotted out and comes together in a satisfying end.

The Characters: Due to the fact that the main character is living under a false identity and trying to remain detached emotionally from the people within it, you really don't get a sense of who she is. Other characters feel equally flat as they really get boiled down to the information Evie has gathered about them. If the plot hadn't grabbed me the characters would not have been developed enough to get me to finish it. It does get better as you get further into the story but I didn't really feel attached to any of them until close to the end.

The Pacing: It's a quick read. You get important information often enough that it keeps the momentum going. The flashbacks are usually big moments that tie into the present day chapters around it so it flows nicely and doesn't feel like you're being held back from the main plot.

The Writing: The writing was pretty average for me. Nothing stuck out (good or bad).

I don't think I'd reread it, just because a lot of the interest comes from not knowing what's coming next, but I would definitely recommend it for someone looking for an easy to read, fast paced spy novel.