Review: Head Over Heels by Karla Sorensen

About the Book

There’s only one course of action when your dad wants you to marry a clammy-handed wimp to make one of his board members happy—you get yourself stuck in an elevator with a hot stranger and have the steamiest make-out session of your life. Years of etiquette lessons went out the window thanks to Cameron Wilder, who managed to unleash my hidden bad girl with naught but his talented mouth and deliciously rough hands.

Afterward, he went back to his small-town life, and I marched home to inform my dad there would be no business-centric nuptials. As punishment, he shipped me off to Sisters, Oregon and demanded I turn a healthy profit on a not-so-healthy property.

You see where I’m going with this—the buttoned-up city girl stuck in a small town hires a local builder to help her … and he’s the hot stranger from the elevator. Turns out, I have a weakness for the broad-shouldered nice guy who’s not so nice behind closed doors. Keeping things professional gets harder the longer I’m in town, until the only lesson I have left to learn is how to keep both our hearts from getting broken.

Review

Head Over Heels might be one of my favorite books of the year. I absolutely adored this one, and even days later, I’m still just as obsessed with it as I was while reading. I hadn’t known this book was a part of a series, nor did I know that all of Karla Sorensen’s books were a part of a shared universe. I found that fact interesting, and I’m almost determined to dive into the entire universe. 

One of my favorite things about this book was the family-- the Wilder family. I loved their dynamics, and each other their relationship with Cameron, the main male lead. There’s a lot of history there, and even though I hadn’t read the other books about Cameron’s siblings, the history was still easy to follow. In fact, it made me want to go back and read the previous books. 

Speaking of Cameron. I loved him. He has golden retriever energy, but he’s also a little stubborn. At one point in the story, someone mentioned that he had the desire to save everyone. I think that really summed him up. Despite him and Ivy having a rocky/awkward post-meeting relationship, he wanted to ensure that she was okay, and he saw through her façade. Cameron had the patience that Ivy needed in her life. He wasn’t perfect by any means. He still had his ghosts and issues. 

As for Ivy, she’s my favorite type of female main lead. I’ve always loved main characters with thick skin; however, they are dealing with a lot, but they put on a brave face. There’s so much to Ivy’s character. One of my favorite scenes in the book is when she’s invited to dinner with Cameron’s family. She takes the time to learn something new. She’s determined, and even though labels have been placed on her for her entire life, she’s constantly proving them all to be incorrect. She is someone who cares about people. 

I appreciated her character development. Though, I would have preferred there to be more focus on her learning about her mother. I’m still pleased with what I got with Ivy. 

I have no complaints about the romance. It was amazing. I live and breathe them. They created the standard for me this year. 

I was fully prepared to give this book five stars. The only reason that I did not is because of the ending. I want to begin by saying that there were no lows for this book. Everything was the highest of highs until the end. To me, the ending didn’t feel like an ending. There’s more story to tell. Part of this could be me wanting to never let go of the characters; however, I feel like Ivy and Cameron deserve a better epilogue. And maybe, Karla has written it as a bonus, and I just haven’t looked hard enough. 

Final Thoughts 

Before writing this review, I knew I loved Head Over Heels. And as I wrote it, I realized that I loved it more, something that I hadn’t thought was possible. There was something so beautiful about the characters and romance. The story is emotional, heartbreaking, and engaging. I might have had issues with the ending, but I still absolutely loved this one.

Review: Thirty Day Boyfriend by Whitney G

About the Book

I should've never agreed to this arrangement...

Thirty days ago, my boss--Mr. Wolf of Wall Street--came to me with an offer I couldn't refuse: Sign my name on the dotted line and pretend to be his fiancée for one month. If I agreed, he would let me out of my employment contract with a "very generous" severance package.

The rules were pretty simple: No intimate kissing, no actual sex. Just pretend to love each other for the press, even though I've secretly wanted to knock that sexy smirk off his face since the first day we met.

I definitely didn't need to think twice about this. I signed my name and started counting down the seconds to when I would never have to deal with his special brand of a**-holery again.

Review

I feel as if I have read this book a thousand times. The rude boss needs his assistant to pose as his fiancé or girlfriend to close a big deal. The assistant is the only one who can handle the boss and gives everything she has into her job but she’s very unhappy and wants to quit. They enter this fake relationship, and then surprise! The boss secretly has been in love with his assistant for years and never told her. I’m quite fond of this trope; however, the trope has unfortunately been watered down to the same plot beats. 

Thirty Day Boyfriend adds nothing new to this plot. The romance feels stale at times. There was no true connection to the characters, and the only thing believable between them was their attraction to each other. I would have preferred for the characters to be more fleshed out. Especially, Emily. She wanted so badly to be removed from her contract, but the writing didn’t provide insight into what she wanted next. 

Final Thoughts

Thirty Day Boyfriend adds nothing new to the boss/secretary trope. It feels like it was written using a template. There are no substances to this story, and neither characters nor the romance are memorable.   

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible

Review: You Can Only Yell at Me for One Thing at a Time: Rules for Couples by Patricia Marx and Roz Chast (Illustrator)

About the Book

The perfect Valentine’s Day or anniversary gift: An illustrated collection of love and relationship advice from New Yorker writer Patricia Marx, with illustrations from New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast.

Everyone’s heard the old advice for a healthy relationship: Never go to bed angry. Play hard to get. Sexual favors in exchange for cleaning up the cat vomit is a good and fair trade.

Okay, not that last one. It’s one of the tips in You Can Only Yell at Me for One Thing at a Time: Rules for Couples by the authors of Why Don’t You Write My Eulogy Now So I Can Correct It: A Mother’s Suggestions. This guide will make you laugh, remind you why your relationship is better than everyone else’s, and solve all your problems.

Nuggets of advice include:

If you must breathe, don’t breathe so loudly.

It is easier to stay inside and wait for the snow to melt than to fight about who should shovel.

Queen-sized beds, king-sized blankets.

Why not give this book to your significant or insignificant other, your anti-Valentine’s Day crusader pal, or anyone who can’t live with or without love?

Review

This was an immediate first sight grab. The title caught my attention immediately without a second glance to what the book was about. This might not be for everyone but the humor and wit will bring out a smile. The illustrations complement the advice and tips given throughout the book. This is one that couples can share among each other with some laughs and hopefully realize being with each other isn’t so bad. 

Overall, this was a quick read that was witty with great illustrations. Couples might enjoy it together but the romantic advice is relatable to everyone even if you’re not with anyone. You can still enjoy the intent of the book. 

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Hardcover | Bookshop.org

Audiobook Review: The Ark of Taste: Delicious and Distinctive Foods That Define the United States by David S Shields and Giselle Kennedy Lord

About the Book

Explore and enjoy the heritage foods that give the United States its culinary identity, from heirloom tomatoes to Tupelo honey, in this visual volume for curious eaters, gardeners and home cooks.

The Ark of Taste is a living catalog of our nation's food heritage preserving treasures passed down for generations—some rare, some endangered, all delicious.

Created by Slow Food USA, the Ark shines light on history, identity, and taste through these unique food products, featuring recipes and the stories of how they reach our tables In these pages you'll learn about: 

• Carolina Gold rice

• Wellfleet oysters

• Cherokee Purple tomatoes

• The Moon and Stars watermelon

• Black Republican cherries

• Candy Roaster squash, and more

These foods reflect our country's diversity. By championing them, we keep them in production and on our plates, while promoting a more equitable alternative to industrial agriculture.

The Ark of Taste is a vital resource for all of us who spend the summer searching for that perfectly ripe peach or heirloom tomato—or who are simply looking for the next good thing to eat. 

Review

If you love food or just want to be more active in promoting and preserving farm to table, then this is an amazing book to look into. As an audiobook, I found this so interesting. The narrator had my interest from beginning to end. She was so wonderful to listen to. Her narration gave a voice to the past and present that brought these foods alive. Learning their origin, cultures, recipes and history of foods that were new to me truly inspired me to want to get the book.

In a time where food cost is on the rise, there’s no better time to invest in local farmers. With big corporations monopolizing the market and bioengineered foods replacing traditional ones, eating foods that grow in their intended natural habitat is something we should look more into exploring. There clearly is a wide world of food out there that many of us don’t know about that not only sounds delicious but has amazing stories and histories that need to be preserved. This book sounds like the perfect place to start.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful audiobook that was not only interesting but informative and encouraging. This would be perfect for listeners who are visually impaired. I thought it was such a great touch to separate by regions. It allows those in those areas a great starting point to explore. This book hopefully will promote more interest in local farmers. For the food enthusiasts or if you love food from the farms to your tables, this will definitely inspire conversation and explorative interest the next time you go to the farmers market. 

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Audible | Hardcover | Bookshop.org

Review: Get Your Book Seen and Sold: The Essential Book Marketing and Publishing Guide by Claudine Wolk and Julie Murkette

About the Book

It is easier than ever to publish a book, but many authors find out too late about the actual work-the book marketing-that needs to be done to achieve sizable book sales. Instead of embracing the opportunities to promote their books, authors are intimidated and shut down. Those days are over. This is the book authors MUST HAVE to give their books the best chance to be seen and sold. In this essential, easy-to-understand guide, authors will work through the graphs, examples and exercises to learn:

• The fundamentals of book marketing: Message, Audience, and Hook

• The breadth of book marketing options and how they work, with examples

• How to create a list of media contacts and develop a pitch that will reach them

• How to develop a doable book marketing plan

• How to develop media kit items for their book publicity efforts: Press Release, Author Bio, Sell Sheet, etc.

• The types of book reviews and how to get them

• The best social media channels for promoting books

• The best places to spend book promotion dollars

• Why book distribution IS a crucial part of book marketing . . . and so much more!

Authors CAN get their books seen and sold!

Review

There are many books out there that give you insight on becoming an author and selling your book. Few are written from the perspective of someone that actually can relate to the process and can give insight from the trials and tribulations of the experiences lost and gained. Get Your Book Seen and Sold packs some great resourceful information and experiences in a small package that will give you a great foundation to begin your journey.

Written by two women through their own experiences and acquired knowledge, they share some fantastic information for those who want to write a book or have one but just don’t know what to do next. The book shares information that includes advice and examples on types of publishing, marketing, developing media and social contacts, publicity and so much more.

Overall, I think this is a really good book that lays down the foundation to help you begin and succeed on your book journey. For those out there who want to get your book seen and sold, this is one that you should consider adding to your reading list.

Buy on Amazon | Bookshop.org

Review: Out On a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young

About the Author

Winnifred "Win" McNulty has always been wildly independent. Not one to be coddled for her limb difference, Win has spent most of her life trying to prove that she can do it all on her own. And, with some minor adjustments, she's done just fine.

That is until she has a one-night stand with the incredibly charming Bo, a perfect stranger. And that one night changes everything.

While Bo is surprisingly elated to step upto the plate, Win finds herself unsure of whether she can handle this new challenge on her own or if she’ll need a helping hand.

Together, Win and Bo decide to get to know one another as friends and nothing more. But, as they both should know by now, life rarely goes according to plan.

Content Warnings:

-graphic sexual content, pregnancy and symptoms of pregnancy, brief discussion of abortion (pro-choice stance, not performed), ableism in reference to a limb difference, verbally abusive ex-partner (no reappearance), death of a parent (past, off page) depression and suicide (past, off page), cancer (past, not reoccurring), amputation (referenced, past)

Review

I remember running across a post that hailed this as one of the best accidental pregnancy stories that they have ever read. I can confidently attest to that. Out On a Limb was incredible. There was so much nuance and great characters. It really stands out amongst trope-y and underdevelopment accidental pregnancy stories that get mainstream.

Bo and Win were perfect. The writing allowed them to shine through and showcase their fears, doubts, and personality. Although the book was only in Win’s POV, Bo’s struggles and character were shown by his actions. His character wasn’t neglected. The author was able to fully round him.

Throughout the book, we are able to see them heal and help each other. They accepted each other for who they were and slowly started to fall for each other. There were so many moments that signified their compatibility. The romance within this book is honest, intimate, and raw. Absolutely perfect. Bo and Win will have me smiling for years. They are too good.

Another thing that I enjoyed about this book was the side characters. I think 99% of the characters within this story were loveable. I adored Sarah and Caleb. Moreover, I adored Sarah and Win’s friendship. It was absolutely friendship goals.

Final Thoughts

Out On a Limb will have most readers enamored from the very first page. It’s that good. Not only that but it’s heartbreaking and pure—a beautiful story of soulmates finding each other.

Buy on Amazon | Audible | Bookshop.org