Review: The Forgotten One by Catherine Bybee

Catherine Bybee brings us back to the Stones with the second book in The Heirs series, The Forgotten One. This novel delivers a blend of family drama, unexpected wealth, and sizzling attraction.

At the heart of the story is Sarah McNeilly, a journalist known for uncovering truths rather than creating sensationalized stories.Given the task to find Maximillian Smith, prepared to do what needs to be done wasn’t prepared to find a man whose life was turned upside down overnight. 

Max, once just a regular guy, suddenly finds himself part of the billionaire Stone family, facing the kind of scrutiny he never imagined. And with Sarah in his course, the chemistry between them is undeniable.

The chemistry between Sara and Max was a slow burn romance that developed beautifully. Beyond the romance, the novel is packed with family mysteries, high-stakes revelations, and deep emotional moments as Max uncovers his past and what it truly means to belong. The transition of the familial relationship between Alex, Chase added another dimension to the story that gave it depth and authenticity. 

Once again another novel by Catherine Bybee that just is such a wonderful read. So far this has been a good series. I’m on the fence if I should say you can read as a standalone but there are some key facts that would make the transition easier into book two, so I would recommend starting with All Our Tomorrows. If you are a fan of romantic suspense, billionaire drama, and warm second chances you will enjoy this book. If you’ve been following the series, make sure you keep your eyes open for the third concluding book, No More Yesterdays. 

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Review: Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson

In this chilling and thought-provoking thriller, Poe Webb, a true crime podcaster who thrives on evoking anonymous confessions, finds herself at the center of the kind of story she usually tells. When a stranger claims he is responsible for the death of her mother, Poe becomes unsettled not just by what he says but also because she knows he’s not telling the truth. With her own secrets, she knows because she killed the person who took her mother’s life.

From its chilling premise to its continuous tension, this novel blurs the line between justice and crime. Poe is faced with the moral dilemma of how to expose a lie when she knows the truth has its own consequences. As the pace of the book quickens with anticipation, the novel keeps you engaged as Poe unravels information that threatens to uncover a secret from her past.

As Poe’s past collides with her present, the story brings unexpected twists and reveals that keep the reader hooked until the end.

This book was extremely addicting. The pace of the book made you not want to put it down. It felt like every time something happened, you needed to know what was coming next and it wasn’t what you thought. The way this book was written keeps you completely zoned in with an unsettling grip, especially the interactions between Poe and Ian. 

The alternating from the beginning of the story unfolding and the podcast transcripts of Poe and Ian really set the book on edge for me. I honestly didn’t like Poe until that bomb drop of who her guest was then my perspective stuck in conflict. What’s interesting is the perspective dilemma of the protagonist from this moment on. Considering her perspective on the criminals who confessed to her and the disdain she had for their actions, were her actions in the same category as the people who confessed to her? Was her punishment justified? This sat in the back of my mind as it spun trying to justify rooting for her but in the end it was worth it. 

This was my first book read by this author and I’m beyond excited to read what he has coming in the future. This was written well, thought out and seamed together perfectly. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, I recommend putting this on your reading list. 

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Review: Echo by Tracy Clark

Tracy Clark’s Echo is the kind of psychological thriller that you will find yourself absorbed in. The perfect plot that piques your interest and keeps you engaged.

The latest installment in the Detective Harriet Foster series by Tracy Clark, Foster tackles the dark secrets of Belverton College’s Hardwicke House, home to the Minotaur Society. The novel begins with the discovery of Brice Collier’s body in a field that claimed the life of another thirty years ago in the same place. Due to Collier's family influence and the similarity to the previous incident, Detective Harriet Foster and her partner, Detective Vera Li, find themselves navigating through privilege, betrayal, and secrets as they attempt to link these decades-apart deaths.

Parallel to Detective Foster trying to solve this case, she is haunted from the death and dealing with the grief of her previous partner. Her journey adds another layer of depth to the narrative as she battles with trying to seek justice for her ex partner, with trying to solve this case. The partnership between her and Li brings a refreshing balance to the book that draws you in and makes you want to root for them to solve the case. On a side note, the supporting characters blend well creating some moments where their banter keeps the reader entertained.

Overall, a good read. Since this is my introduction to the Detective Harriet Foster series, I feel like this could be read as a standalone. This book definitely grabbed my interest to go back to reading the previous two books in the series. For those of you like me who will back read, the first two books in the series are called, Hide and Fall. For those following the series, it looks like we can anticipate the concluding book this fall. 

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Review: Flirting with Alaska by Belle Calhoune

Author Belle Calhoune brings us back to Moose Falls, Alaska in the second book of her charming series, Falling for Alaska. In this book, we get to dive into the life of the middle brother Caleb, a reformed bad boy who unexpectedly falls for a local single mom in this small town romance.

When a reality show destroys his reputation and puts his Hollywood dreams on hold, Caleb finds himself needing to take some time to get things together and what better place for that to be than Moose Falls, Alaska. Between the beautiful scenery and his family business there, this being the perfect place to get out the spotlight, clear his head, it will allow him the chance to take a break and help with the business.

Being the charmer he is, his charm seems too irresistible to all the ladies there except one, a single mom who was all familiar with the type of guy he is. After watching the reality show debacle that involved him, and all the gossip surrounding him, he was the last person she’d have interest in. She’s had enough of his type and was not going to be swayed by his charm.

As they are brought together by a project at his family’s business and find themselves working closely together, she sees another side that softens her criticism of him. As time goes on, they both find themselves open to the possibilities and when your guard comes down, between the beautiful setting and their heartfelt connection, this Hollywood star might just have found his leading lady.

I love this series. There’s so much to love about the characters but in reference to this book, Caleb’s journey from being a punchline to someone adored and respected, his relationship with Sophia and how that evolved and changed him dating a single mother was such a wonderful read. Sophia is someone that will be relatable to those single moms out there who struggle with balancing being a mom and finding love, she is someone to be admired. These two characters with their own struggles who when they let their guards down became vulnerable, allowed them to grow which made them characters that you were not going to accept less than to be together. It was definitely a slow burn but one worth it.

Of course we see familiar faces returning as integral parts to their storylines. I just love the familial community and warmth they bring to the book. The beautiful setting and the small town vibes bring an authenticity that places you in the heart of Alaska. Flirting With Alaska, with its heartwarming story of second chances, redemption and unexpected love will be perfect for those who love romance.

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Review: A Legend in Baking by Jamie Wesley

Jamie Wesley’s A Legend in Baking serves up a wonderful mix of romance, laugh out loud moments, and the temptation of those cupcakes, all frosted with the right amount of social media drama and personal growth. This delicious addition to the Sugar Blitz series, centers on August Hodges, a cupcake baking football player who is a silent partner in the business, finds himself going viral after an incident that instantly grabs the hearts of ladies all over. Teamed up with Sloane Dell, a social media enthusiast, they deliver a charming, sweet romance that gives them the hea they were destined for. 

August Hodges tries his best to stay the silent partner. When a couple of guys came in and said some disparaging things, he found himself being the next viral hit grabbing the hearts of ladies everywhere. With the help of the little sister of one of his co-owners, Sloane Dell saw this as an opportunity not only to capitalize on the moment to promote them but also draw up some excitement for the upcoming second location and let the community get to know them better.

Despite their history together, Sloane decides to power forward to not only help them get to where they need to be but also help jumpstart her career in social media. To be able to work together, they agree to leave their past in the past. The only problem is when a steamy moment brings to the surface unresolved feelings towards each other, they are put in a situation that challenges the task at hand and tempting the fate of what's meant to be.

A Legend in Baking balances its lighthearted plot blending subjects of personal and chasing dreams. August and Sloane, their journey was worth the wait. The perfect tale of the wrong time but the right person finding their fate later is always a good read. If you are a fan of sweet romances and a little spice you will find this as sweet as those devouring cupcakes. Loveable characters, moments that will make you laugh, and who wouldn’t want to be in a cupcake shop will satisfy your sweet tooth with the sequel in this wonderful series. If you haven’t read the first book, Fake It Till You Bake It, make sure to catch it because you won’t want to miss this fun series.

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Review: Something Better by Diane Parrish

Diane Parrish’s debut novel, Something Better explores the story of Ruth and David. A suburban couple whose life begins to shift after the sudden loss of their close friends. As they navigate how to deal with their grief, they find themselves drifting separately into the unknown.

As Ruth takes on a job across the country, we see the unraveling of their relationship. Ruth’s move to the West for work becomes physically and emotionally challenging. Grappling the sacrifice of her desire to be a mother and her marriage. David with his own challenges, his isolation fuels a desire for Annabeth, the daughter of the friends who died. Complicated between dealing with his new grief and yearning for something unknown he makes an impulsive decision that affects the foundation of his commitment. 

Through their struggles, Parrish opens the introspection of forgiveness, faith and the choice you make when faced with the challenge of marriage remaining true to your vows and exploring the subconscious something better. 

As characters, I enjoyed Ruth and David. They represent suburban life and what many folks go through in the trials and tribulations of living married life. They dealt with grief, infertility, and the challenges of long distance for an extended period of time. My issue is for a couple like this, in terms of the challenges to their vows and the enticement for something better, David made a choice that I wish would’ve been explored and dealt with. It was glossed over as if nothing had happened. That was a big deal and it should’ve been dealt with. And then what about Annabeth? How did it get to that point? Ruth later thinks the possibility and brushes it out of her mind isn’t reality. Her husband sort of checks out and that’s ok? That period of time in the book where there was a sequence of events that needed to be confronted and dealt with going into the conclusion, I wish would’ve been addressed to see how couples deal with these types of obstacles. We can infer things based on the circumstances but for me, it would’ve been a more stronger read for me to experience them dealing and overcoming. 

Overall, despite wishing things were explored differently for a more impactful read, this was her debut and I look forward to seeing what she has in the future.

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