Tag: family

REVIEW: A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee

REVIEW: A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Comfort Zone, Aubrey’s bakery, is her life. It’s popular with the locals and with out-of-towners who stop in on their way somewhere else or place orders. In fact, the shop is doing well enough that Aubrey is planning an expansion and a move to a new location.

Landon was only in town because of a blown tire. He had been travelling to do a restaurant review before leaving the country for a month for work. Now he has no review, and he’s in this tiny town for the night. He essentially does two things during his short stay – hook up with Aubrey after a couple drinks in her friend’s bar and buy a chocolate cake from a local bakery.

Instead of getting Aubrey’s shop special chocolate cake, her teen sales girl sold Landon a specialty cake for a kid’s birthday party. Landon was NOT a fan. He never met the baker, but he needed a replacement review. He felt he had a duty to warn customers, so he blazed the baker and Comfort Zone. And Aubrey’s business dried up.

Landon doesn’t find out about the cake mix up until it is too late to change anything. Out of guilt and a sense of responsibility, he invites Aubrey to be a guest on a cooking show he’s producing.

No one can know about their personal connection. They’re both professionals. They can keep their distance. But Landon will have to be on set for his job. And they are sharing a villa during the taping.  And their connection is electric whenever they get close to one another. How will this ever work?

Review

This was great! I loved the characters in this. Their predicament was intriguing. Their chemistry was fierce. There’s terrific back-and-forth, will-they-or-won’t-they tension for ages. And I loved the resolution.

Fans of Hallmark movies should check this out. While there’s more heat here than you will find in a Hallmark movie, the layout of the story will feel familiar. It follows similar beats. The fall-apart moment near the end is just what you would expect if you’ve watched as many Hallmark movies as I have. But the characters and the resolution help this stand out from the crowd. I loved how this one wrapped up.

The food descriptions in the book will leave your mouth watering. There’s only one recipe in the book, which is a shame for those who like to try new recipes. Everything in this sounded amazing.

Don’t miss this yummy contemporary romance with excellent characters. The setting is great; the family and friends we get to meet are fantastic as well. I loved the strong women in this book! Be sure to check it out. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

REVIEW: From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

On Zoe’s birthday, she picks up the mail at home and finds a letter from her birth father, Marcus. Zoe’s never met him because Marcus is in prison. She’s never heard from him before either, although his letter makes it sound like he’s sent others. Zoe tries to talk to her mom about Marcus, but her mom says he is bad news. Zoe decides to write him back anyway. And she doesn’t tell her mom or step-dad about the letter.

Zoe is home for the summer so she can pick up the mail before anyone sees it. Her best friends are gone for the summer, and she’s fighting with her neighbor, Trevor, so she has a lot of time on her hands.

As Zoe learns more about Marcus, she sees what they have in common – a passion for cooking, a love of music. And she finally gets brave enough to ask why he’s in prison. Marcus says he was convicted of murder, but he’s innocent. So Zoe decides she’s going to look into Marcus’ case and try to help him.

Review

This was SO great! I adored Zoe! It’s the nature of the story that Zoe has to keep some secrets and lie at times to stay in communication with Marcus. And I so badly wanted her to have that relationship with him. There are so many other examples of her good character – she’s a hard worker, she forgives her neighbor for the things that hurt her feelings – that I could let the lying not bother me for the sake of the story. I knew it would all come out in the end.

The author does a great job of rounding out Zoe’s story with the baking and cooking pieces (A recipe for her cupcakes would have been a fun addition to the book) as well as her friendship with Trevor. Those non-Marcus threads never distracted from the primary story, they only enhanced it.

The big conflict at the end, when Zoe’s secrets were exposed, felt realistic. And the resolution to Marcus’s situation was so satisfying! There were some details in the story about The Innocence Project, their mission, and statistics about wrongful conviction. There were also references to the biases and discrimination against Blacks in general and against Black men and boys when it comes to the law. It’s a timely story. I thought there might be an author’s note in the back with more information or resources, but the content of the story stands on its own.

I loved this story. Hand this to any and every middle grade reader. Zoe is a delight. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

REVIEW: Not Like the Movies by Kerry Winfrey

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Chloe feels like she’s in quicksand while everyone else’s life clicks along.

Take her best friend for instance. Annie’s written a screenplay – inspired by Chloe and her hot boss – that’s been turned into a major movie (Waiting for Tom Hanks – ♥♥♥♥). She’s fallen in love with an actual movie star, and they’re getting married. Chloe doesn’t understand half of what Annie does for her job, but it has her winging her way to one coast or the other on a regular basis.

In contrast, Chloe still lives in their home town in Ohio. She works in a coffee shop and rents a garage apartment from Annie’s uncle. She dropped out of college, so now she is taking classes online so she can do something with her life besides pour coffee. And she’s got her dad in an assisted living facility for his Alzheimer’s.

It feels like at this point in her life, she should have more to show for her time and energy. She’s run ragged taking care of everything and everyone. And she has no time for romance even if everyone is convinced she and Nick belong together like in some rom-com. Rom-coms aren’t real. And Chloe is all about real life. In fact, she sometimes has more of it than she feels she can handle.

Review

I loved this! Chloe is a character I could really identify with. She feels very real. She’s carrying real burdens. Yet she tries to maintain a sunny disposition. She’s so aware of her own pain in some ways, it makes her aware of the pain of others. And she wants to be the spot of sunshine for those folks on their dark days.

Yet while there are ways Chloe is super self-aware, there are other places where she doesn’t see her own limits. She is so self-protective, she feels she has to do everything – perfectly – all on her own. She’s afraid if she stops being so helpful and accommodating that people will abandon her. Or, if she asks someone else to do something, they will not follow through. And she has good reason for feeling that way!

But all of this personal stuff going on for Chloe never bogs down the story. This is FUNNY! I laughed so much in this one. The characters are a hoot! And Chloe and Nick’s chemistry is terrific. He’s a fascinating contrast for her in some ways – and he’s refreshing in his thoughtfulness and stability.

Fans of book one – Waiting for Tom Hanks – should absolutely check this out and get Chloe and Nick’s full story plus an epilogue of sorts for Annie and Drew as Chloe and Nick’s story plays out. I don’t think you have to read these books in order to enjoy them, but it helps as they build on one another. Fans of romantic comedies – both the movie ones and the book ones – should not miss this story! This book releases next week, July 7, 2020.  (Language, mostly off-page sex, LGBTQ+ – Bisexual character(s) as well as gay and lesbian characters/relationships)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: To Kill a Mocking Girl by Harper Kincaid

BONUS REVIEW: To Kill a Mocking Girl by Harper Kincaid

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Quinn Caine is back in Vienna, Virginia after teaching English in villages overseas for a few years after college. She’s living in a house on her aunt and uncle’s property and doing book binding work at her parents shop, Prose and Scones. Even her brother has moved back to Vienna thanks to a new job. It’s good to be back in town with her people.

Part of Quinn’s “welcome back” is a run in with Trica Pemberley, one of her high school’s mean girls. Tricia and her twin sister, Trina, are local real estate stars in town. But Tricia’s boasting wasn’t about the housing market, but rather about the diamond on her ring finger. She seemed to think Quinn would care that she was engaged to Scott Hauser, a guy Quinn dated for a few weeks several years back. As far as Quinn was concerned, Tricia and Scott could have each other!

But when Quinn stumbles onto Tricia’s dead body, at least one local police officer thinks Quinn might have been jealous enough to kill her “rival.” Quinn, her friends, and her family know the idea is ludicrous. But to keep Quinn out of trouble, she and her cousin/best friend, Sister Daria, are going to track down a killer.

Review

Excellent! Everything about this was a delight – the characters, the setting, the potential romance, the mystery, the dogs. All of it.

The writing here is sharp. I loved the humor and the pop culture references. I laughed out loud many times. The romance, which is typical for cozy mysteries, has great chemistry and didn’t feel like the usual cozy relationship. My favorite pair, though is Quinn and Sister Daria. They have such an unusual dynamic. They grew up together, but Daria has changed so much while Quinn has been gone. I loved both the creativity of the relationship and the execution of it in the book. The scene where Quinn has dinner at the abbey is a perfect example of how fascinating this dynamic is.

The mystery here is SO well done! Quinn isn’t tracking suspects as much as she is tracking clues. The suspects come later as she tries to make the clues fit. It was easy to forget there was a second suspicious death, but it helped complicate the sleuthing when it came up. I was guessing all the way to the end, which was so satisfying. The hook – the book shop and Quinn’s book binding work – was a character development piece for Quinn and other characters more so than a major factor to the mystery, although it did play a role. I imagine it will be developed more in future books. And I am here for all of them. Cozy fans should NOT miss this one!

This book is available now as an e-book, but readers will be able to pick up a print copy after July 7th.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

BLOG TOUR: Puppy Kisses by Lucy Gilmore

BLOG TOUR: Puppy Kisses by Lucy Gilmore

Posted on by Jaymie

Welcome to the Blog Tour for book 3 in the Forever Home series, Puppy Kisses. [I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.] This book will release next Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

 

Summary

It started with a car chase and a lie.

Dawn and Zeke had stolen – rescued – the puppy from an abusive owner who chased them with a shotgun. Their high-speed getaway caught the attention of the sheriff. Zeke was about to lose his license, and Dawn’s flirting was doing no good. So she said the puppy was a service dog in training for Adam.

Zeke’s brother, Adam, went along with the story once he put most of the pieces together. He’d do almost anything for Dawn, not that he’d tell her that. But once the sheriff was gone and the local vet had checked out the puppy, Adam was attached and refused to let her go.

Dawn had been rescuing the puppy for herself. She had other animals at the kennel that would work as a service animal for Adam. Training the right puppy – and getting her rescued puppy back – would be a great excuse for spending more time with Adam. She didn’t know why he insisted on pushing her away. They were combustible when they were together. She would just have to keep pushing until he saw the potential they had together like she did.

Review

This was a great addition to a fun series! The characters – both human and canine (and bovine!) – are terrific. The dogs in this book are especially delightful. I adored Uncle from his first appearance. And I laughed every time Adam called the new puppy Methuselah.

There are lots of laughs in this book. I loved the snappy dialogue between the various characters. The animals added great humor to this too, especially the rogue cow.

Adam and Dawn are fascinating protagonists. Dawn is so in-your-face for most of the book, yet a lot goes unsaid between her and Adam. Both of them could have avoided some conflict with better trust and communication as well as fewer assumptions. Adam gets some benefit of the doubt on the communication pieces because his visual impairment means he misses any visual cues from Dawn’s facial expressions or body language that might have clued him into her true feelings. Dawn is also working through some identity things as the person she wants to be and the person people assume she is don’t always line up.

There was a moment at the end of the book that seemed to be headed one way and then absolutely didn’t go where I thought it would. Which was fine – it was a great shift. But it didn’t feel resolved by the end, which left me feeling off-kilter going into the great epilogue. This was the only blip in a thoroughly delightful story. I have enjoyed this whole series from the start. Be sure to check out book one, Puppy Love (♥♥♥♥) and book 2, Puppy Christmas. (You can read my review of Puppy Christmas here.) I would love to read more books with these characters if the series is going to continue or spin off in any way. Each of the three sisters have had a book, though, so I’m not sure if there will be more Forever Home stories in the future. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

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If you have enjoyed one of Lucy Gilmore’s books before, or if you want to know more about her, you can explore her website here.  While you are there, you can see the other names she writes under and check out those books as well. It looks like she has plans for some new stand-alone puppy-related romances coming in 2021! I even picked up a few books from her other pen names, thanks to the website. Be sure to check it out!

As part of the Blog Tour you can enter a giveaway for copies of the first two books in the series!  You already know I loved them. Check out the giveaway here.

REVIEW: Primer by Jennifer Muro and Thomas Krajewski

REVIEW: Primer by Jennifer Muro and Thomas Krajewski

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Ashley’s been in multiple foster homes as well as a group home before she goes to live with the Nolans. Mr. Nolan is an artist and a professor. He’s funny and relatable and down to earth. His wife is a scientist. Ashley’s convinced Dr. Nolan doesn’t like her.

Ashley notices Dr. Nolan acting suspiciously. She thinks that the box Dr. Nolan puts in the family safe must be her birthday present. She has no idea that Dr. Nolan has stolen this box from her job because what’s inside it is dangerous. She doesn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands.

What Ashley thinks is just a kit of body paint for fun is actually a military project. Each paint color gives Ashley a different power. When a group of villains calling themselves the Night Knights starts trouble, Ashley uses the paints to fight them. She likes being a superhero. And she chooses her own hero name – Primer.

Review

This was so fun! I loved Ashley and the Nolans. They are pretty chill about her new super hero life – more relaxed than you think parents would be – but otherwise I loved the interplay with the three of them.

Ashley’s biological father, who is in jail, is far more alarming with his psychological abuse than the villain of the larger story here. This book only teases at this father/daughter relationship, but it will be a bigger focus of future stories. I will definitely be reading any sequels to see what the writers decide to do with that creepy relationship, especially as Ashley grows more attached to the Nolans.

The art wasn’t completely finished in my review copy, but what I saw was terrific. I can’t wait to see this one in person. DC has graciously provided a few sample pages so you can see the art for yourself:

The story here falls neatly between the light plots in the DC Super Hero Girls graphic novels and the more serious teen titles like Oracle Code and Raven. You can read my other DC reviews here. Hand this one to fans of Black Canary: Ignite and Batman Overdrive. I think they will love it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison

REVIEW: A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Alex has quit her job and gone to Bellamy Bay, North Carolina for vacation with her mother’s side of the family. The family her father refused to visit after her mother’s death. The people he forbid Alex from seeing. But with her father and her job gone and her future up in the air, family is just what Alex needs.

Alex, and her dog Athena, are staying with her aunt Lidia and cousin Minka. Minka’s sister, Kamila, lives in town as well. Aunt Lidia has an apothecary called Botanika, and Alex pitches in there to spend time with her family while she sorts out the upheaval in her life.

Randy Bennett comes to the store in search of a “good luck potion.” Lidia isn’t there, but Minka waits on him. But when Lidia walks in, she flies into a temper at finding Randy in her shop. She tosses his tea at him and bans him – again – from her store.

It’s weird enough that a customer would ask for a “potion.” Add to it Lidia’s temper; it looked like she lifted Mr. Bennett off the floor in her rage. Then there’s the gossip columnist who says Alex’s family are witches. But those problems are weird, and minor, compared to the death of Randy Bennett. The one Lidia is arrested for.

Review

This is a fantastic paranormal mystery! It’s similar in tone and feel to the Wishcrafters series, but with a paranormal hook that’s all its own. The water witch/mermaid piece is unique, and well designed, tying into actual legends from Poland. I thought the world-building here was great!

Alex and her family are characters I would love to know in real life. In fact, finishing the book was actually disappointing because it will be awhile before there’s a sequel. I can’t wait to spend more time in Bellamy Bay.

There’s the usual cozy mystery romance with a law enforcement officer here, or at least the potential for one. But there are actually hints at a possible romantic triangle. Usually I hate those, but this one was fascinating and well written.

The mystery here was top notch. I was guessing all the way to the end, which was so satisfying. There are some unresolved threads here to carry readers into book two. And I can’t wait to read Alex’s next adventure. Paranormal cozy fans – don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Beach Read by Emily Henry

REVIEW: Beach Read by Emily Henry

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

January Andrews is a romance writer who believes her own stories – perfect couples, happy endings – even in the face of ugly truths. But after the hits she has taken in the last year, while her brain still wants to conjure happily-ever-afters, her heart is struggling to write any that would feel believable. Her foundations have been shaken. And she has a book due at the end of the summer.

After losing her boyfriend – and therefore her home – January has moved into the cottage on Lake Michigan that her father left her recently when he passed away. The cottage he shared with the mistress January found out about when he died. It’s an act of desperation to be sure. The cottage is a constant reminder of her father’s lies, her disillusionment, and the fact that she can’t get any answers out of a dead man.

January’s neighbor at the cottage is a grump whose friends throw loud parties late into the night. The loud music and his crappy attitude are bad enough. But then January realizes she KNOWS this guy. Augustus “Gus” Everett. Best-selling author of literary fiction and January’s college rival.

After a few days of snapish comments and bickering, the two writers let down their guard over a box of donuts and horrendous coffee. After admitting they are both struggling with their next books – and could each use a quick and lucrative sale – Gus issues the challenge. January will spend the summer writing his sort of serious, angsty literary fiction, and he’ll write something hopeful with a romantic happily-ever-after. Whoever sells their book first, wins.

Let the writing begin!

Review

This was good! More serious than I was expecting. Each of the main characters has personal baggage to deal with. And that baggage also impacts the relationship between them.

I loved the writing/storytelling pieces of this. January and Gus come at storytelling from different world views and with different personal goals. I found the differences fascinating.

The romance is an enemies-to-lovers that didn’t feel like one. I didn’t even notice that this fit that trope until I was thinking over the book as a whole once I had finished. The fact that January is the only POV character has a lot to do with that, also. The hostile feelings are more on her side than I think they ever were on his, so they weren’t truly “enemies,” really.  But the initial hostility between them fits the trope, too. The camaraderie over their writing made for a nice bit of neutral ground for the story to develop.

I wanted more from the bet/contest. It’s there as they write, as they try to expose one another to the sort of research that goes into the kind of writing they usually do and what the other has been challenged to try. But it moves to the background as January falls into the rhythm of a new story and as January and Gus’s relationship develops. I think that piece would have been stronger and more present if January and Gus had both been POV characters. We don’t get to see the contest from Gus’s perspective, which I would have enjoyed.

While the book I was expecting and the book I read didn’t line up precisely, this was a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging story of love, personal growth, family, grief, and writing. Don’t miss it! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington

REVIEW: The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Lexington was around 5 an EF5 tornado blew her into the Lexington, Nebraska zoo. An elephant named Nyah protected Lex from the storm. Her family never came to claim her leaving everyone to assume they had been killed in the devastating storm. Lex had no memory of her name or her life before the tornado. So one of the zoo employees took her in and became her guardian, raising her at the zoo. He named her Lexington after the town and the zoo.

Lex loves her life at the zoo. Roger takes great care of her. Her best friend, Fisher, lives there, too, as his dad is the zookeeper. Lex even does school at the zoo with Fisher’s mom. And best of all, Nyah is at the zoo.

Lex’s connection with Nyah is special. She communicates with Lex through a deep rumble and in images directly in Lex’s mind when she gets close enough. They had this connection that night of the storm, and it’s still there now, seven years later.

And Nyah’s message for Lex this time is urgent. The images she sees send Lex into the woods outside the zoo where she meets a ghost on a quest to find lost treasure.

Review

This unusual book – a contemporary story which takes place at a zoo but also has a ghost and elephant telepathy – was an unexpected delight!

As I first dug into the story, I read it with an eyebrow raised. Magical elephants? A ghost? It’s an odd story at first and those magical pieces were not what I was expecting.

But Lex is an endearing character. I loved her. My heart broke for her in her loss and in the harassment from other kids that sends her running for the zoo more than once. I was intrigued by the quest the ghost sends Lex on. The pacing of the treasure hunt was great.

By the end, I couldn’t read fast enough to see how the mystery would wrap up and what would happen with Lex. And I think the ending is perfect. This is intriguing, entertaining, and heart-warming – and so satisfying!

Give this to fans of elephants/elephant stories. I think readers who adored The One and Only Ivan might enjoy this. This would also be good for readers who enjoy magical elements in their books. This would make for a great book club book or a family/classroom read aloud.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

REVIEW: Say Yes Summer by Lindsey Roth Culli

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ]

Summary

It hit her in the middle of her speech. Rachel Walls, valedictorian, looked around at her graduating class and realized most of the people in front of her probably had no idea who she was.

Rachel’s high school years were focused. Determined. Disciplined. But what did she have to show for them besides this moment as valedictorian and her admission to her dream college? She has one friend at school. She knows her classmates from their social media accounts and hallway chatter and gossip, not from real life.

When her best friend leaves for a summer music program, Rachel’s “social life” dries up. Her big weekend plans include decluttering her room. That’s where she finds her grandmother’s book A Season of Yes! It looks and smells ancient, but the underlined passages catch Rachel’s eye.

What if, instead of isolation and self-preservation, Rachel started to say yes to the opportunities in front of her?

Yes to a party.
Yes to a friend.
Yes to a dip in the pool.
Yes to a roller coaster.
Yes to flirting.
Yes to Clayton Carville.

Review

This was cute and fun. I liked Rachel and her family and friends. I thought the identity crisis was perfect – Rachel’s ready for college, there are unknowns ahead. Graduation kicks off a season of reflection. And in this case, Rachel is second guessing her choices in life so far.

It’s also not uncommon for college students to try on a new identity. That’s what Rachel does here – she tries on the identity of a person who says yes. And it’s mostly good for her. She rediscovers an old friend. She has a couple small adventures. And she gets to explore some romantic possibilities.

The downside is that in her haste to say yes and change things up, Rachel forgets about wisdom and discernment. And that leads to trouble. And as in most great young adult literature, she starts to learn from it.

I enjoyed the journey with Rachel and her friends. Fans of contemporary YA, contemporary YA romance, and fans of love triangle stories should check this one out. (Language, underage drinking)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥