Brooke
I really enjoyed this holiday novella! I would have loved to see more of this scenario. But alas, I will gladly take what I was given.
I loved seeing Shelby's side of the everything. She has had her fair share of unfortunate tragedy. You can't fault her for having the feelings she had. But she also has to learn what being a grown up was all about.
I can't wait to see how much she continues to grow in the upcoming books!
Just when I didn't think this series could get phenomenally better it does.
I loved getting to know the new characters and I'm thrilled to see how they grow and continue in the future books in the series.
Max was a cinnamon roll. Rough around the edges but warm and squishy on the inside. He was gruff, but had a heart of gold. Especially when it came to kids.
Noelles character always brings more to the table than I ever expect. She has such a mama bear approach to things involving those she cares about and I love it.
I have to say that I have loved the books in the series before this one but I really enjoyed this one the most! It gave us the found family aspect that I love and brought us more than expected when it came to the hunt for the murderer.
Once again, Noelle saves the day!
I loved being able to see the women on a cruise being able to relax and enjoy themselves. Especially when a new arrival turns to arrivals.
I can't wait to see if the new arrivals come to Keyhole Lake and to see more of their stories. I loved being able to have a mystery along the high seas, it quinched the thirst of needing a short read to break up reading longer books.
It definitely gave me what I wanted in terms of a short mystery. I love being able to see the bag guy go down!
Keyhole Lake is the small southern town that you think about when you hear it's a one horse town. Unfortunately, it was being run by the worst kind of sheriff. Until it wasn't.
Noelle has a air about her that makes you want to be her best friend and see what antics she is going to get into next. Raeann is her partner in crime and is always down to help a girl out when she needs it! Shelby isn't your typical teenager, and I loved seeing her grow into her powers!
Hunter is a hunky new sheriff in town who is in wayyy over his head. But with some help along the way I can't wait to see how he adapts and grows in not only the town but the sheriff's office.
I absolutely loved the paranormal aspect of the book!! I loved that Addie was still able to be around her family and guide them along their path in life!!
I can't wait to read more in this series!
I enjoyed this easy to read Christian romantic mystery. This was lighthearted mystery that involved plenty of lies, deception with a little romance added in.
I think this would have been a bit better if this story didn't revolve around being deceptive but also being very Christian at the same time. Scripture is quoted and they each remind each other of their Christianity, but they do not speak about how they are deceptive or lying about who they are. Granted they aren't some super evil mastermind. But I feel as if they are going to be Christian at every turn they need to address the elephant in the room.
They also never even address where Jolie is Christian or not. They kind of push their values on her without being sensitive to her beliefs. They also really gloss over what she does at one point in the book. They don't really speak about it or address it amongst themselves or alone. I feel like that isn't realistic. If someone was to cross you and steal from you, I honestly don't think that everyone else would be like ‘Oh it's okay. She didn't mean to do that.' but didn't she?? Why else would she have done it. It wasn't an accident, it was intentional.
So I can't honestly say that this book completely made as much sense to me. I can't honestly say that I would continue this series.
Rating: 5 ⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Representation: Autism, Vietnamese culture, Plus Size, Pro-Therapy, Mental Health
Triggers: Domestic Violence, Hate Crimes, Racism, Miscarriage, Toxic Relationships, Toxic Friendship, Generational Trauma, Mental Health, Police Trauma, Parental Trauma
I loved this book sooooooo freaking much.
This book represented so many underrepresented people. From BIPOC to disabled people they are recovered in this book. Open honest conversations are a huge staple in this book and if we could have more of these without prejudice so many things could be accomplished.
I absolutely adore Heidi and K. They couldn't have been more perfect for each other. They definitely come from very different backgrounds but that doesn't stop the magnetic pull they have towards each other.
Their chemistry was off the charts! They each had their own quirks but were able to work with each other for their best experiences. When I started this book I never expected there to be as much 🌶️🌶️🌶️ as there was. But I am no stranger to spice and I loved their spice! They each knew what they wanted but was also cognizant of each other in a way that not everyone could achieve.
I laughed so hard throughout this book because the author has the humor that so many don't have. She's got my type of humor and I loved the every laugh along the way.
With the laughs unfortunately come with racism, violence, domestic violence, and descriptions of injuries from the violence. With every violent attack no matter the type there is always a more prevalent wound left behind. Not just the physical wounds but also mental wounds. Being left with mental wounds can be harder than the physical. Physical wounds will fade with time, mental isn't as easy. I appreciate how much these characters are willing to work through these wounds as well no matter how they were caused.
There was so much that went on in this book and so much was explained that made so many things much more understandable. Other cultures intrigue me, but I don't know enough about most to be able to discern what issues they may have within their journeys. Throughout this book I was able to see things from a different POV and I appreciate the hell out of that. I know there are always people who hate others based on their skin color, but it always surprises me how many there are that are still small minded.
I hope that you take a chance on this book because it is soo worth it!!
I think this book was by far my favorite of the series so far. We were able to see more of the characters back stories. I loved that we were able to get to know more than just Olivia and Damien.
I do love seeing Olivia and Damien grow just as much. I get so excited when Damien is able to explore what he is when he is most comfortable. He is always so surprised when he is able to see that he isn't the monster he thinks he is. I hope that as Damien continues to explore himself and his powers he is able to be less brash as a person. Maybe at some point he will be able to be a more approachable person.
So much growth happened in this book and I'm so excited to see where it goes in the next book!
Every book in this series draws me in even more than the last. I love this series so much!
Olivia is such a bomb character. I love her tenacity and how she is unwilling to just let a murderer get away. I enjoy how much she is willing to put at risk to find the murderer even if they are looking right at her and she doesn't know it.
I am so pumped to see where Damien goes as a character from where he is in this book. He has sooo much potential to be more than just the broody owners son who has a checkered past.
I loved everything about this book. The characters always make it fun when you are in Nightmare but I loved seeing more of the characters that I have come to love and how they deal with another murder in town.
I am so glad I picked this back up and gave it a second chance! I fell in love with Nightmare, AZ in the first book and I really enjoy getting to knownmore of the characters and the town.
Each one of our characters has so much to bring to the table and I love being able to see them in their habitat and navigating the human world.
Our MC definitely has a way about her and how she seems to always find the best way to solve murders. She is still new to the town but has much more in common with the people she works with than she realizes. I'm so glad to see that she is able to adapt to a new way of life while also embracing how different it is.
I can't wait to see how much she grows in her powers as the next book unfolds!
Another in the series that I absolutely loved!
This series will always have a place in my heart. The characters always elicit a feeling in me that so many other books can't.
This definitely was different than previous books that have been in the series and I really enjoyed the branching out. I love that characters that we have heard of but never seen were able to be apart of the story.
I am super excited to see where the story goes from here!
I absolutely love Everly and her ghostly ability. I am a sucker for anything involving Everly and her quirky abilities.
I love how humorous she can be when she is uncomfortable or her sarcasm at the best of times. She has such a great community around her and I love being in her world in each book. It's like coming back to a friend's house that you never wanted to leave.
Everly has such a unique gift and I love that she is able to use it to give those who have passed on the peace that they need. She is always up to something within the town and has her friends in town with her. They give such a great background along with her boyfriend.
It had been a while since I read a book in this series and I had to go back and jog my memory a little to remember everything. But with the jogging I was able to get right back into the storyline.
Davina and Delilah definitely were the two spirits that gave her a run for her money. There was no true answer in the beginning as to how things would work but they figured them out.
I can't say that I wasn't sad to see the end result but with resolution comes the part where other can move on. I had really grown to like Davina and was excited when she said that she was going to hang on a little bit longer.
I can't wait to see what the next book brings!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Going from a normal existence to being thrust into the underworld as a complicated being definitely wasn't on my bingo card for this book.
Moira never knew she had it coming. Deception, deceit, sex and secrets make the world go round. Definitely in Moira's world! I loved her humor and her thought processes. Her and I definitely share the thoughts of humor instead of processing everything right away.
Rowan was definitely the villain you wanted to be with. He was the ultimate bad boy who was unapologetically himself. He did what he needed to do to get what he wanted. He just didn't realize Moira was going to be the ultimate speed bump in his plan.
The spice within this short book was delicious 😋. It was what you didn't know you needed within the storyline to help tie everything together.
I cannot wait for the next book!
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was definitely a darker more isolated book than I was expecting. I've always been books and movies about abandoned/ haunted ships and they have always intrigued me. I am an avid Titanic lover. There isn't one thing about that tragedy that doesn't still captivate me to this day.
This shop definitely captivated me by bringinge into a world that I havent explored before. It brought to life a whole world that I know nothing about. It gave such a harrowing story and was relentless in how it made me feel.
Nicky was such a complex character and she had so much happen in such a short amount of time. I felt for Nicky in a way that I didn't really know how to place my feelings. I still don't.
I wish that we could have had more insight about Nicky from both of the current perspectives. I think it would have given us a bit more dimension and how she was feeling.
This is a huge no! The characters are a hodge podge of people. That's expected. But then there is a disgusting peeping Tom with his pants around his ankles beating his meat outside a woman's window. He is a key player in this book. I find it absolutely disgusting that the author would ever include a character like this in a book.
Why?? Why not just give him a different role. Why include him at all??
After getting 51% in and they have already revealed half of the mystery. Once again. Why?? I want you to lead up to us finding the imposter. Not just letting us figure it out as we go.
That alone was enough for me to DNF this. Not even worth the first half of what I read. I feel like I wasted time I will never get it back.
I enjoyed getting to know our characters, and how they interacted with Maddy. Maddy was definitely a force of nature that couldn't be contained. Even in death. She deserved so much better than the hand she was dealt in life.
I loved being able to see the world through the eyes of a woman in 1920s London. You were able to see how much things have changed throughout the years. Along with change you were able to see the simplicity of the times without the complexity of technology.
This was definitely a story that had to be followed closely or you missed out on details that you would later appreciate.
I have yet to find a book that Simone has written that I didn't love. This is by no means an exception. I loved this with my whole chest. I started it on a Friday night and couldn't put it down.
I devoured this book like no other and I can't say that I regret that decision. The characters in this book kept me on my toes thinking way past when I set the book down. And especially when I was in the middle of the book. I was constantly trying to figure out multiple things and I loved being in the middle of a mystery.
This definitely kept me on my toes and I loved it so much. The paranormal aspect definitely gave it the creepy vibe that I loved throughout the book.
I loved Fiona and her need to fill the curiosity from the past. She needed the clarity from her sisters murder but got so much more than she ever bargained for in the end. She was the perfect person to unfold everything from the inception of Idlewild all the way to the present involving another woman's case against her sisters killer.
There was so much happening not just in the past but also in the present that came together to show how much corruption is in the world. Not just in a war but also small town. The people you are supposed to trust, are the ones to be the most wary of. You never truly know what they are hiding.
Archer and Winnie were the perfect frenemies turned Lovers. Friends in the lightest sense possible because of who they were, and enemies because of who they were. They had to be cordial but had always been urged to be enemies between feuding families.
Winnie was such a relatable character and I loved her so much. She wanted someone to finally share herself with even when she didn't share much to many people. When you are a billionaires daughter you have to keep people at a distance except for those who are your closest friends. When things take a turn, she can't help but feel the guilt her father intentionally inflicted on her. I absolutely hated him for that. No one deserves to be shamed for something they had no knowledge of.
I felt so many feelings within this book when Winnie felt like she was to blame for so much, when she wasn't. I was beyond thrilled when she was able to find solace in Archers arms, and see that she is worthy of the love she wanted from the beginning.
Archer was such a surprise when it came to how much he was willing to be vulnerable when it came to Winnie. I loved that this big billionaire mogul with so much power has bent in ways that he normally wouldn't when it comes to his business. He showed how much a good woman can change a man into the man he never knew he wanted to be.
I received a complimentary copy via the author. All opinions are my own, honest and voluntary.
When I first saw the cover of this book, I couldn't get it out of my mind. 3 young women against the world? Yes please.
I love that Krystal gives the power to women in her books. This book embodied every dream of women being the ultimate badasses. They refused to let someone else take their lives away. They wanted to make a life for themselves and refused to allow no to be the answer.
I loved these three characters. They each brought so much to the story and showed how 3 very different women can come together to make dreams comes true. No matter what their dreams were.
I loved exploring London through the eyes of these women and how their perception involved their surroundings. Seeing something through someone else's eyes is always so much an interesting experience and I love being in their shoes.
Emotions run high throughout this book because of the war that is raging within their world. It's not a typical war, but a war nonetheless. Amidst fighting their hardest they find the most unlikely allies in people they never expected. Not just each other but also people in their lives that they would have never expected.
I loved this so much and I was beyond sad when it ended. I got so invested in this world and these characters and I can't help but want more.
This series never seems to not get better as it goes on. But this just keeps getting better. That's what I love about this authors writing. She always captures me from the first page and keeps my attention throughout the remaining pages.
She brings so much to her characters that makes you feel like they are your best friend and you are just along for the ride.
I loved the humor that Josh and Hazel had going in every conversation and encounter between them. Having humor made everything that much more enjoyable. I loved how they interacted with not just each other but everyone else around them. Hazel had such a a great sense of humor. Even when she didn't think things would always be the best. She had a way of always having a fix for any scenario and a laugh to go along the way.
Josh was such a a southern treat! I loved imaging his Tennessee drawl as he spoke to Hazel when they would have intimate conversations. He was a great character. I loved how well he treated Hazel and how much he cared about the family he had in his life. Even if they weren't always the best.
I really enjoyed this book and all it brought to the table. I laughed so much throughout this along with steamy moments.
I received a complimentary copy via the author. All opinions are my own, honest and voluntary.
I never expected to read through this book as fast as I have. And I'm so sad that it's over. These two characters were some of the best that I have ever read.
I absolutely fell head over heels for Grace and Harrison. The tension, the friendship, the love and banter between them was EVERYTHING.
There were so many laugh out loud moments that I couldn't help but giggle. The tension of what they had together is what really clenched my heart. I couldn't stop rooting for them. I knew that there would be no one who would be able to compare to each other. When you have known someone for that amount of time and can read each other's minds without saying anything, that says sooo much.
I enjoyed getting to know the Valentine Family and can't wait to read more about them! I know if I feel this hard for Grace and Harrison I can't even fathom how much I will love the other siblings.
Thank you to Lyra for the complimentary review copy. All opinions are my own, honest and voluntary.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This novella really has no business being this good. I shouldn't want more of this couple than what was given to me. But HERE WE ARE. C.L. has such a way with words that when I read this it felt like I read 25 pages and it was over. I got into it and I couldn't not finish once I started.
I am head over heels for these two characters. Maverick and Bella couldn't have been more perfect for each other. I loved how Maverick took care of Bella in only the ways someone who truly cares can. Not just physically but emotionally as well.
Being inexperienced can take a toll on someone but Maverick made sure that Bella was comfortable throughout every experience. I love that he took such great care of her. He wanted to make sure that she was the most comfortable so they could both enjoy each other.
I love that C.L. brought Bella to life with real world attributes. She was a people pleaser who had trouble voicing what she wanted. Sooo many people can relate. I can relate. It is hard to find your voice especially when you are uncomfortable.
I totally wish this could have been a full novel. I would have fallen even harder for these two. I can't wait to see them within the next books in the series.
Thank you C.L. for the complimentary copy. My reviews are honest, my own and voluntary.
I really enjoyed this sweet hockey romance!
I loved our MCs and how well they fit together! I enjoyed the banter between the two and how funny they were! I love being able to grin and laugh as I read about a love match between a couple. It just gives it a little bit more pizazz.
I can't wait for the next in the series!
Thank you to Ellie for the complimentary copy! All opinions are my own, honest and voluntary.
3.5 ⭐ rounded up
I had such high hopes for this book. I was hoping this would be the one that I couldn't put down. Unfortunately I put it down so much at times I had to go back and read from a previous page.
At times it grabbed my attention and made me question what I had been thinking. Other times it really made me gasp. Other times it was just meh. Nothin to make me want to recommend this book.
I did enjoy the characters but I feel like I didn't particularly connect with them on a level that made me feel some type of way. Being able to connect with a character in a story is important because then you are able to get more emotionally involved. You can really delve into the storyline with those feelings.
I really enjoyed this audiobook! I loved the characters and what they brought to the table.
I love Julie Murphy in general. She is an amazing human and I adore her. Her writing always hits the right way. I love how she is in the fore front of making sure that she makes fat rep one of the main objectives.
I really enjoyed the narrator but I wish there could have been a bit of a variation in the voices so that it would have been a bit more entertaining between all the characters.
Overall loved this book and what it brought to the table!