Review: A Lot like Love (FBI/US Attorney #2) by Julie James

An FBI agent and an heiress have to get up close and personal on an undercover assignment in this thrilling romance from the author of The Thing About Love.

As the daughter of a billionaire and the owner of the city’s top wine store, Jordan Rhodes is invited to the most exclusive parties in Chicago. But there’s only one party the FBI wants to crash: the charity fund-raiser of a famous restaurateur, who also happens to launder money for the mob. In exchange for her brother’s release from prison, Jordan is going to be there—with a date supplied by the Bureau.

As the top undercover agent in Chicago, Nick McCall has one rule: never get personal. This “date” with Jordan Rhodes is merely an assignment—one they’re both determined to pull off even if they can’t be together for five minutes before the sarcasm and sparks begin to fly. But when Nick’s investigation is compromised, he and Jordan have no choice but to pretend they’re a couple, and what starts out as a simple assignment begins to feel a lot like something more...-

A Lot like Love was unexpectedly fun. I had a great time. It’s not an angst filled book, or even a relatively serious book. Instead, it was a cute, fun, fake dating story that was entertaining. There’s a little bit of action, Twitter hacking, and undercover spy stuff.

I enjoyed the characters, and how their relationship began. I will say that it wasn’t my favorite relationship in the book. I did like Jordan’s relationship with her twin brother, Kyle, more. I think the reason I think that sibling relationship outshined the romantic relationship is due to the fact that the romance progressed too fast for my liking. 

It had a solid start. I liked the initial quick banter and hesitation between Jordan and Nick. And I liked how that hesitation turned into trust. But that trust hyper sped into love far too quickly. Especially when Nick had already been established as a guy who didn’t do commitment. After three weeks and at the end of the book, they were already dropping the l word and I didn’t feel like it was earned. Especially when they had just really solidified their relationship.

Final Analysis

A Lot like Love has an insta-love aspect to it, but still is very much entertaining and fun. 

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Review: Ravel (Lake Haven Book 2) by D.M. Simmons

The highly anticipated follow up to EVOKE and book two in the Lake Haven series.

It’s been two years since the accident that claimed the lives of three friends and stopped her heart. But when the truth brought Laney Thomas back, something followed.

Together, Laney and Evan have moved forward from the night that changed their lives forever. They finished college, moved back home, and started the next chapter of their lives. But shortly after being back in Lake Haven, they began. Nightmares. Ominous sleep stealers of never-ending darkness, that plague Laney’s dreams, threatening her happy ever after.

But darkness, is never just itself. Something is always hiding in its shadows. And while the truth may have saved her once, the consequence of that night could be too hard to escape this time.

RAVEL is the second book in the Lake Haven series. It dives deeper into the world of EVOKE, exploring the impact of moments that change us, loves that consume us, and decisions that forever haunt us.-

Even hours after finishing this book, I’m still thinking about it. From the start Ravel was engaging. It follows Laney as she is trying to navigate life two years after a tragic event. As expected, it’s not easy for her. But she’s trying. She’s gotten engaged. She’s thriving at her job. But something isn’t quite right. She’s still missing something from that tragic night and has been having nightmares.

Throughout the book, she’s still somewhat being haunted – which felt extremely realistic. It wouldn’t be easy to move on from something like that. Regardless, of finding love, having a great family, and a great job.

She was an incredible character. And I loved being in her head. I understood her motivations, and her drives. And I also thought her love story with Evan was incredibly sweet. There was no doubt in my mind that they were not soulmates.

And that ending? My jaw was on the floor. That ending was completely unsuspected. It had such a nice and interesting pace, that didn’t give anything away or make it seem rushed. I actually went back and reread it multiple times to make sure that I had read it correctly. It was…wow. There has to be another one. Right???

Final Thoughts

Ravel was an engaging book from start to finish with an incredible twist. 

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Review: The Gook Kings by Kara Cooney

Going into this book with an open mind, compared to my last experience with When Women Rule the World, my thoughts were better on The Good Kings. From that beautiful cover, there is something so compelling of the history of ancient Egypt. In this book, The Good Kings, author Kara Cooney shares her perspective regarding the authoritarian governments evolving through the five pharaohs. She also interjected parallels shown over the course of our history.

Throughout the book, it is evident from the information that she put time and effort into giving us as much information as she could gatherer from historical records and ancient texts. There is a romanticized perspective that movies have portrayed ancient civilizations to be such as this. Having a book that shares insight about power from a patriarchal perspective and how its authoritarian influence shaped civilization was interesting to read as well as the similar parallel moments that have occurred throughout history.

Overall, the book presents an interesting perspective highlighting these five famous kings. This would be an ideal for someone who enjoys reading about history, especially ancient Egypt.

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Review: Our Way Back to Always by Nina Moreno

To All the Boys I've Loved Before meets Morgan Matson in this effervescent romance about childhood best friends reconnecting that's full of sunny days, warm nights, first kisses, and mended hearts.

Luisa (Lou) Patterson grew up across the street from Sam Alvarez in the small, quirky town of Port Coral. They used to be inseparable—spending every holiday together, shooting silly YouTube videos, and rescuing stray cats. But then middle school happened, including the most disastrous (and embarrassing) serenade ever, and Lou and Sam haven't talked in the four years since. Sam is now the golden boy with plenty of friends, while Lou is an introverted romantic who's happy playing video games and writing fan fiction. But it's also the summer before their senior year, and life is knocking on Lou's door.

With her older sister having given up a scholarship to Princeton to have a baby and work at the local botanica, all of their mother's expectations are now riding on Lou's shoulders. She's retaking her SAT's, signed up for way too many AP classes, and her sights set on colleges with fancy names like Duke and Vanderbilt. But when she finds the bucket list she and Sam wrote together as kids, before Sam's father was diagnosed with cancer, she's shocked to see that she hasn't accomplished any of the goals she'd set for herself. Go to a party? Nope. Pull the greatest prank of all time? Still no. Learn how to be a really good kisser? Definitely not.

Torn between the future that her mother, sister, and younger self planned for her, Lou sets out to finish the list, and in a stroke of destiny or fate, Sam decides to tag along. Still trying to stay afloat amid the grief of losing his father, Sam himself is staring down a future that feels all too close, and is coming far too fast. But with the bucket list to guide them, Sam and Lou might just be able to find a way through the future, and also a way back to each other. –

This was so much more than a story about friendship, and it was a privilege to have read this book. Simply saying Our Way Back to Always was good, just isn’t enough. It was an experience that I would recommend a thousand times over. It was clear that there was so much heart and love put into this story.

I loved every single character. Especially the mains- Sam and Lou. It was an instant love of these two characters from the beginning. 

Both of them are dealing with incredible realistic issues. Sam is dealing with the loss of his father. And Lou is trying to figure out how to learn her life for herself and find where she wants to go to college.

Honestly, they both were just trying to do their best. After not speaking to each other for years, in a quick second that all changes. And suddenly, they sort of find their way back to each other, and develop a strong friendship and something more at the end. They were incredible characters. And there were so many moments throughout the book that I wanted to give them both a hug.

As much as this is a story about friendship, it’s a story about family. Both Lou and Sam had these incredible, supportive and positive relationships with their family. It warmed my heart.

Final Analysis

Our Way Back to Always is a beautiful story about friendship, grief, expectations, and family. And most importantly, it is a book about finding yourself. 

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Review: The First Christmas by Stephen Mitchell

In The First Christmas, Stephen Mitchell brings the Nativity story to vivid life as never before. A narrative that is only sketched out in two Gospels becomes fully realized here with nuanced characters and a setting that reflects the culture of the time. Mitchell has suffused the birth of Jesus with a sense of beauty that will delight and astonish readers.

In this version, we see the world through the eyes of a Whitmanesque ox and a visionary donkey, starry-eyed shepherds and Zen-like wise men, each of them providing a unique perspective on a scene that is, in Western culture, the central symbol for good tidings of great joy. Rather than superimposing later Christian concepts onto the Annunciation and Nativity scenes, he imagines Mary and Joseph experiencing the angelic message as a young Jewish woman and man living in the year 4 bce might have experienced it, with terror, dismay, and ultimate acceptance. In this context, their yes becomes an act of great moral courage.

Readers of every background will be enchanted by this startlingly beautiful reimagining of the Christmas tale.

Review

As a Christian, you have a certain perspective of the Nativity that has been taught and accepted. As someone who prides themselves on being open to different perspectives including within spirituality and religion, The First Christmas truly had me inspired and enlightened. Allowing myself to suspend all that I've known to embrace a narrative that took another religion and perspective to place you in the minds of not only the characters but feeling and embracing the moment as if we were there.

What I loved most about the book was the breakdown of each perspective pertinent to this narrative including interludes after each chapter to breakdown down the comparative references. I can see how this might be perceived as breaking the flow of the book but it served a purpose. Each perspective not only told by the people but how amazing to get to experience the point of view of the animals. Those were someone of the most poignant moments in the book, most especially my favorite, the donkey. It's amazing how little people think of how they feel but underestimate the important role they played. They all collectively brought something to the story that will make you feel a bunch of emotions but hopefully takeaway an inspired inner peace and faith in humanity.

The First Christmas was a beautiful narrative that will inspire and expand your imagination. Now, I can understand where others may not be open but keep in mind this is religious fiction. I did my best to judge this objectively purely based on that fact and not allowing my personal beliefs to overshadow my thoughts. It was better than I expected and I believe no matter what your faith or not, you will enjoy this book.

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Review: A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale by Karen Schaler

After reading Christmas Ever After, I’ve been patiently waiting for the next holiday novel from Karen Schaler. From the first chapter, there’s something magical that grabs your attention with her books. There’s this sweet inviting feeling that makes you excited to dive right in and not want to put the book down. A Royal Christmas Fairy Tale, like her other books, features her beautiful storytelling, bringing us a book that inspires hope, love and what magic can happen when you believe.

When news reporter Kaylie Karlyle gets dream crushing news, with the upcoming holiday on the horizon, she’s left uncertain of what she will do with her immediate future. Anticipating a bummed holiday, an unexpected opportunity comes from her former boss that has her intrigued. What she thought was just a regular freelance assignment, she got the shock of her life when she saw where she arrived at a big beautiful castle. Shocked but embracing the opportunity of a lifetime, she finds herself in the presence of the royal family of Tolvania.

Nothing could’ve prepared her for this moment. At first thinking they were joking about being royals, she was taken back by the beauty and warmth of the princess and Queen. Then here comes the Prince. They didn’t exactly get off to a great start prior to her arrival. (You’ll understand when you read the book) What makes matters worse is that he hates reporters from his experience in the past, so she isn’t exactly winning any brownie points with him.

In an attempt to ease his mind, the Queen shares the nature of Kaylie’s assignment which is not to be a reporter but to write a fairy tale for his daughter. Easing some of the tension, he still distrusts but Kaylie finds herself in an uncomfortable situation. As a reporter, she is good with telling a story but fairytales, no idea how to pull this off. With her confidence slim to none for the assignment and the looming perspective of the Prince, she finds some reprieve from the Queen that she has all the faith in the world and believes in her that she can complete the task.

In an attempt to inspire Kaylie, the queen encourages her son to show some of their holiday traditions. Kaylie has had a real Christmas in a while and the Prince hasn’t enjoyed one in some time either. As they spend more time together, the traditions aren’t the only thing that sparks. Having fun and enjoying their time together, they are slowly breaking down their walls and embracing the Christmas spirit. When a secret is revealed that threatens one of their biggest traditions, will this ruin this happily ever after?

This was sweet, fun and all the moments in between will make you not want to stop reading. It had the kind of romance that you want and keep rooting for to have their hea in the end. The princess and the queen definitely bring some sweet and sassy to the book that make you smile and laugh. Karen truly knows how to tell a story that makes you feel good. I loved this new addition to her collection. This was a great start to my holiday reading. I'm really hoping this book gets turned into a Hallmark movie. As a bonus there are a couple of recipes thrown into the back of the book. Make sure you add this one to your holiday reading list.

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