Review: You Look Beautiful Tonight by L. R. Jones

Summary

A secret admirer’s devotion turns deadly in a twisting novel of psychological suspense.

Mia Anderson is an invisible woman. An unremarkable thirty-two-year-old Tennessee librarian, she’s accustomed to disappearing in a crowd, unseen and unheard. Then she receives an anonymous note: You look beautiful today.

It doesn’t stop there. The attentive stranger—a secret admirer named Adam—has plans for Mia. With each new text comes a suggestion for her hair, clothes, or attitude, and for the first time in memory, Mia feels noticed. Slowly, she develops a confidence in herself she’s never had. But Adam has a surprise coming…and Mia finally sees him for who he is and what he’s prepared to do for her. Even kill.

Fearing she could be implicated in the murder, Mia’s forced to turn to the stranger in the shadows watching her every move. Adam’s game of cat and mouse begins with Mia as the prey. In order to survive, she must also become the predator.

Review

Well, that plot took a hard unexpected twist that made this thriller unexpected. My curiosity was piqued along the way with suspicions but never would I ever have suspected the outcome giving that ending. I found this to be a good suspense without having that predictable feel which kept me hooked, wanting to know what was going to happen. This makes the psychological drama to come all the more satisfying.The book slowly builds then turns very quickly.

I will say given this being a character driven plot, you really connect with the characters. The characters in the book are what made me want to keep reading. On a side note, had this not been a thriller, this could’ve been an amazing contemporary romance. Wishful thinking pairing up Jack and Mia but in the context of this book, I loved their friendship. Then there’s Jess. Well, you’ll love her and then you won’t.

Overall, You Look Beautiful Tonight was a good psychological thriller with a slow unravel that really became quite the page turner. Given my experience with this author only in the contemporary romance genre, I’m ready to explore more of her thriller and suspense side.

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Review: Gods & Monsters Series by Amber V. Nicole

Summary

Book of Azrael: World Ender meets Ender of Worlds...

A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Eoria to save her dying sister. She called upon anyone who would listen, not expecting a monster far worse than any nightmare to answer. Now she does what Kaden asks, even if that means securing an ancient relic from the very creatures that hunt her.

A King thought long dead and long forgotten.

In the old world his name was Samkiel. In the new world it is Liam, but one title remains true throughout time. He is the World Ender, a myth to his enemies, a savior and King to those loyal to him. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, hiding from the world. He denied his crown and responsibilities, leaving the very ones who needed him most to deal with the fallout of the death of their homeworld. Now an attack on those he holds dear sends him back to the one realm he never wished to visit again and into the sights of an enemy he thought imprisoned eons ago.

Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.

The Throne of Broken Gods: “Then, Samkiel, you will know this is how the world ends.”

But it was not this world. No, it was mine.

It was Dianna.

The world quakes in fear as the last shred of Dianna’s humanity is ripped from her. As it should. Grief consumes Dianna, burning away any semblance of good within her and threatening the budding relationship between her and Liam. Now, Liam must pull her back from the brink of complete damnation before time runs out.

Review

I went into this book series with zero information and zero expectations. Truthfully, I had only decided to read it because I saw a pretty photo of it and decided why not. I hadn’t expected to spend a weekend digesting these books, and being absolutely wrecked when I finished both-- The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1) & The Throne of Broken Gods (Gods & Monsters Book 2). It felt like a dragger straight in my heart, and I was gasping for air because I can’t believe they ended the way that they did.

It’s safe to say that I loved the book. It is worth mentioning that at times the writing did get a little confusing as well as the world feeling complex and all over the place. However, the characters make up for every single flaw, and even a few weeks later, both books are still on my mind, and I’m itching to read them again. The characters are just too good, and there’s such a great dynamic between them. True enemies to lovers. Amber V. Nicole has crafted multiple beautiful characters with an addicting all-consuming romance that should be the standard for all enemies to lovers. They are again, that good.

I adored Dianna and Samkiel despite all their flaws and along with their heartaches and tragic pasts. The two of them are some of the most powerful beings in the world, and they can’t save everyone. That is an important thing to keep in mind while reading these books, and it was very heartbreaking as the books progressed. Their journeys are incredible, and I understand how they get to where they are in the second book.

I sobbed real tears, and I’m not so patiently awaiting the next book because I need to know what happens. I am completely sucked into this world and obsessed with the characters that have been created.

Final Thoughts

The first two books of the Gods and Monsters series felt almost flawless to me. Mainly because of the characters and the romance. Despite some flaws, the books are standout and quickly became some of my favorite reads of the year. They are action packed, funny, and heartbreaking. These are books about family and love and power. I need the third one in my hands—STAT.

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Review: Beginning of Forever by Catherine Bybee

If you haven’t been following this wonderful series, then you need to start. Beginning of Forever, is the third book in The D'Angelos series by Catherine Bybee. Each book just gets better and with no exception, this was another wonderful addition to the series.

If you have been following, this book centers around Giovanni, or as we have come to know “Gio”. Gio is such a lovable character that has always put his family first. Deep down, he has had some big dreams for himself but helping his family has been his priority. With a great family such as his, he got the best surprise of his life when they came together to show their love with a gentle nudge to his dreams. Little did he know how a three week tour in Tuscany would be the start of the life he always dreamed of.

All Emma Rutledge knows and has dreamed about was having a bigger part of her family’s wine business. As hard as she’s worked, she just can’t seem to get past the male dominated wall in the business.She can’t shake the feeling of them trying to push her out. Adding insult to injury, when her ex husband gets a promotion that should've been hers, she reevaluates her situation and decides she needs a break. With 6 weeks owed to her, she decides it’s time to consider her options. What other place to do that is to explore a beautiful wine tour vacation. Little did she know that when you’re not looking, the answers seem to find themselves in front of you.

As fate does its thing, Gio and Emma find themselves connecting on the tour. As they get to know each other, they find themselves bonding over similar aspirations and share their hopes and dreams. As the trip progresses, inspiration isn’t the only thing in the air. Their growing chemistry seems to sparkle more than the wine and they find themselves growing closer with the openness to the possibilities of the future.

When Emma receives some unexpected news that affects her future, Gio tries to show her that he’s more than just this moment. For someone not wanting or expected love, could this be her Beginning of Forever?

I just can’t say enough about how wonderful this series is. This family pulls you in and makes you feel a part of them. I love how you can feel the influence and love of each member in each book. As we get to know them more and each series introducing more intimately another member, your connection to them doesn’t fade. It’s the stories like this that make you feel good and want to dive into. Gio is so swoon worthy because he is the type of guy that any woman would dream of. Emma is fierce, strong and determined and just fits so well with the D’Angelo clan.

If you have been following along, the next book will be about Salena so you know that it’s going to be fun. You can read more about it on Catherine’s website. Until then, it looks like we will have to wait until the fall. If you aren’t familiar with her or this series, go back and read to catch up.

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Review: Every Other Weekend by Margaret Klaw

About the Book

Forty-ish hipster dad Jake is happily settled down in the politically progressive, urban, and notably self-satisfied community of Greenwood, working at his not-so-interesting job, playing guitar with his band, and enjoying domestic life with his beautiful and accomplished wife Lisa, their two charming daughters, and the beloved family dog.

When Lisa rocks Jake's world by telling him she wants a divorce, their story unfolds from multiple points of view including those of other family members, Jake's self-absorbed divorce lawyer, the cranky family court judge who presides over his custody case, his polyamorous millennial girlfriend, and the eighteen-year-old babysitter who also happens to be his lawyer's daughter. Throughout Greenwood, in the coffee shop, the yoga studio, and the basketball court, lives intersect. Choruses of friends and neighbors gossip, dissect, and weigh in. A surprise witness upends Jake's custody trial. Things are not always as they seem, and there is no one truth about a marriage.

Review

Told through multiple perspectives, Every Other Weekend by Margaret Klaw delves into the complexities of divorce and the changes in families. It has relatable characters, insight into the challenges faced by divorced parents and has thought provoking moments and definitely puts the rawness of divorce during and after out there.

The story revolves around the family of Lisa and Jake. Both live in your typical upper class, progressive neighborhood, specifically in Philadelphia. They find themselves navigating the rough waters of their shared custody and trying to adjust to their new lives after divorce. The book captures the conflicts, tension and effects on everyone including the children transitioning between their homes. We not only get their perspective but also the impact of the judicial system in the mix.

With divorce so prevalent out there, I love how we experience the real and multi perspective of all involved through the process. At first, I thought Lisa was very shallow and her reasoning for asking for divorce left me feeling sympathy for Jake. Then after getting to know Jake, I understand why. Neither is perfect but when two people are on different pages, sometimes it’s best to stop the bleeding if one is willing to change. 

Something that stands out about Jake’s character that drove me insane was the lack of accountability no matter what he did or does, his impulse decisions had consequences beyond his comprehension. On the other hand, Lisa’s unrealistic expectations of someone who was very different from who she really wanted to be with, I often wonder about the fairness of evolved resentment.

Getting to the heart of these characters, giving insight into their thoughts and how they feel, allow you to understand their journey. They are flawed. So many similar people out there have qualities like them and with children involved makes it harder. Their journey gives you so much to think about because there’s so many other moving components that people don’t take into consideration and how they can impact all involved, especially the children.

The children were represented so well in the book. Their innocence and then getting to experience from their perspective and how it impacts their lives, emotions and behavior through adapting to the transitions was handled so well. The impact of the decisions their parents made and the courts involvement into their lives really spoke loudly. 

This will appeal to those who love emotional stories that will resonate with you. Evident through her law experience dealing with these types of cases, Klaw gives us an insightful and engaging read that takes us to the depth of divorce, family and the challenges everyone involved faces. 

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Review: Strawberry Lane by Jodi Thomas

Fans of Robyn Carr and Susan Mallery will adore this heartwarming new book from the beloved New York Times bestselling author. In a small Texas town where most families go back generations, four strangers meet and unite as they bury a father none of them has ever seen and begin slowly to piece together a bond that will not only change them, but the community for the better.

Starri Knight is a big believer in fate. How else to explain the compelling connection she feels to the stranger she pulls out of a wrecked car on the very same road where her parents died twenty years earlier? Alongside Auntie Ona-May, the only mother she’s ever known, Starri saves Rusty O’Sullivan’s life—just as Ona-May once did when Starri was an orphaned babe. But convincing Rusty he has something to live for is going to take all of Starri’s faith in miracles .

Like a wish he hadn’t even known to make, Starri landed in Rusty’s life, filling him with a longing for a family. . . . Then Jackson Landry, a new lawyer, turns up to present a surprise that will change the direction of his life: An inheritance from the father Rusty never knew—and the promise of the family he’d never had. It’s a lot for the hard-bitten loner to accept as love rushes into his life . . .

A sense of duty has Rusty heading to Honey Creek to deal with his father’s estate—and find his lost siblings. But having family is one thing, learning to love them is another. Good thing new friends are by his side to help him along the way.

Review

As they say, everything is bigger in Texas. No one seems to capture that big rural charm the way Jodi Thomas does. As with her Honey Creek series, the vulnerability of these rough around the edges characters, drawing a sensitivity and charm from them melts the pages. At the heart and soul of rural Texas, Strawberry Lane begins her new series, Someday Valley.

I really love how this begins the series. If you are a fan and have read the Honey Creek series then you know the heart and soul of those characters make that community. The sense of community and love for looking out for one another brings back a time that we can only reminisce about.

I’ve been anticipating reading this since I found out about it and so fulfilled to begin another wonderful journey. Someday Valley hits the emotions differently than Honey Creek. It really reached deep down and was so engaging. There’s so much to love with this book. What I loved was characters who were saved from being lost, finding friendship and love and how people come into your lives and change the trajectory beyond any expectation of hope or expectation.

Having faith in another day when life presents consistent obstacles, getting the chance for fate to come and showing the possibility of tomorrow and opening your heart to being loved really swept the pages.

The accident that is the catalyst that brings the characters life in the book leads their paths to something that will resonate with those who have experienced similar or pull at your empathy and compassion. They all have experienced loss but they find hope and love amongst each other that makes this a really nice read.

Another wonderful book taking us back to Honey Creek, Tx by way of Someday Valley. We get a little mini glimpse into the next book, The Wild Lavender Bookshop which is set to release in 2024. If you haven’t read the Honey Creek series, I’d recommend checking that out before starting this one. That was such a nice series that blends into this one that I wouldn’t want you to miss anything. If you are a fan, make sure you add this one to your reading list.

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Review: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Seven days to fall in love, fifteen years to forget, and seven days to get it all back again...

Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award‑winning novelist, who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York.

When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their buried traumas, but the eyebrows of the Black literati. What no one knows is that fifteen years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. While they may be pretending not to know each other, they can't deny their chemistry—or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books through the years.

Over the next seven days, amidst a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect—but Eva's wary of the man who broke her heart, and wants him out of the city so her life can return to normal. Before Shane disappears though, she needs a few questions answered...

With its keen observations of creative life in America today, as well as the joys and complications of being a mother and a daughter, Seven Days in June is a hilarious, romantic, and sexy‑as‑hell story of two writers discovering their second chance at love.

Review

This book has left me completely speechless, and a sobbing mess. Not only was it beautiful, but it was so delicate and heartfelt. And it’s messy because these are real characters who are flawed and human. Oh, my gosh, I loved it. Top ten book of the year. Automatic five stars! I can’t say enough good things about this book.

Eva and Shane are both writers, who met each other when they were teenagers. Teenagers who were struggling in this cruel world, who had no guidance, who were screaming so loudly but no one heard them. They only knew each other for a short amount of time, but the impact they had on each other was huge. Flashforward 15 years later, they are still writers, but they still carry their heavy past on their back, and they still have the imprint of each other on their skins. They are fated to be together, but they are older, and more cautious now.

I adored both Shane and Eva and reading them as teenagers was an absolute dragger to the heart. They were in so much pain, and it made sense why they made some of the decisions they did when they were older. It was also interesting that both were writers, and it was so beautiful how they had influenced each other’s writers. Another thing that I enjoyed about this book is how it tackled fan culture in relation to books. It felt very realistic, and I enjoyed reading Eva’s POV about fan’s enjoying her books.

Final Thoughts

Seven Days in June is a beautiful, rich, emotional love story about second chances. The characters are outstanding. Andre is a breakout star, and I enjoyed her relationship with her mother, and how Eva was dedicated to giving her daughter the best life because of her upbringing. I loved Shane's journey, and how he wanted to mentor kids, and despite tragedy he still tried. Reading Seven Days in June was an experience, I was sucked in, and it felt like I was in their world. It was a spiritual journey. That’s the best way to describe it.

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