The Village of Happy Ever Afters

    In this blog post, I reviewed Alison Sherlock’s The Village of Happy Ever Afters, the 4th installment in the Riverside Lane romcom series. This endearing contemporary romance is heart-warming and a tear-jerking. Molly Hopkins works for her community hub and wished she had what her friends had: finding their soul mate and happily ever after. But she hasn't found the right one yet. When her best friend Amber encouraged her to make a wedding cake for her wedding, she wasn’t too sure and confident she could do it, though everybody loved her cake. That’s when she dreamed of having her own tea garden. She also wanted her mother to find happiness again since she lost her job. But when she encouraged her mother to garden at the community garden, she had gotten her happiness and her groove back. When Logan Armstrong arrived in Cranbridge, he wasn’t looking for romance since he had been burned by a failed marriage that made sensational news in London. All he wanted to do was to be alone and work on his furniture pieces, including honoring his grandfather’s dream to restore the watermill like in the olden days. But when he met Molly, they complimented each other to go for their dreams and to be confident to make it right in a small town village like Cranbridge. With a couple of hilarious bumps along the way, they’ve found out they were made for each other and became successful in their dreams with help from a couple of friends. 

This heart-warming romcom was moving and inspirational, when it dealt a tiny bit with mental health. I cared for Molly and her mother Rachel, on how they dealt with some harrowing hardships and rough patches in their lives.  I also adored Logan, who was lost and later found happiness where he was needed and belonged. Keith the Dog was a hoot too. The location of Cranbridge was mesmerizing and wonderful for the scenic settings. The dual  themes of the story are it’s never too late to ask for help, and nature heals all wounds. 

This sweet romcom is the perfect book to cheer you up if you’re blue.  I rated this book, four out of five stars, because for no reason.  If you love heart-stopping and heart-warming romcoms with plenty of romantic and dramatic action,  and a bundle of feel-good-nature laughs, check out The Village of Happy Ever Afters. This book is recommended for fans of delightful romcom movies and Hallmark Channel movies, and Lilac Mills’ The Tanglewood Tea Shoppe and Holly Martin’s Sunrise Over Sapphire Bay.

You Have a Match

    In this blog post, I reviewed Emma Lord’s You Have a Match. This YA romcom is warm-hearted and a tear-jerker with a couple of good laughs. For Abby Day, it all started when she did a DNA project with her two best friends, Connie and Leo. And then it snowballed from there when she discovered a shocking secret: she had a sister somewhere named Savannah and connected to her to have a hook-up. While she withheld this nugget of truth from Leo, who had no luck discovering his ancestral secrets, she met Savvy, who looked like her, and has a huge Instagram following for health and fitness. Though she’s been having a hard time at school with her grades, she hid the truth from her parents and decided not to go to summer school, though she loved taking photos of nature around her. Though she had a huge crush on her best friend Leo, she didn’t know if he felt the same way about her, and followed him to Camp Reynolds. While she was there, she’d gotten closer to know more about Savvy and the hidden truth on how their parents knew about each other. She had made new friends, had made a few laughs, and done well in her classes there while she avoided getting into trouble. But when her parents discovered their little secret, it was up to Savvy and herself to find out what caused the rift between them. Before she left camp, would she discover how Leo had truly felt about her too?

This delightful YA romcom was compelling and heartfelt about friendship, love, and family. I cared for Abby and Savvy, two different split peas in the pod, while Abby had felt her true talent in photography and become her own person. . I loved the diversity of Savvy being gay and Leo being Filipino. The location of Camp Reynolds in the SeaTac area from the cabins to the Make Out Rock and beyond. It was picturesque and magnificent for the scenic settings. The theme of the story is being true to yourself, and family comes from different places.

This funny YA romcom is perfect for everyone to read. I rated this book, five out of five stars, because it was terrific hands-down. . If you love heart-stopping and heart-warming YA romcoms with plenty of romantic action, lots of suspenseful drama, and a bundle of goose-pimpling laughs, You Have a Match is right up your alley. This book is recommended for fans of delightful romcom movies for YA and Adult, Hallmark Channel, and Auriane Desombre’s I Think I Love You.

Lockdown on London Lane

    In this blog post, I reviewed Beth Reekles’s Lockdown on London Lane. this stand-alone romantic comedy is timely and would keep you in suspense and have you laughing in stitches. It all started for the residents of London Lane, when their apartment building complex was in lockdown for a week, during the Covid-19 pandemic. For Ethan, he was separated from his girlfriend Charlotte and couldn’t live without her. For Serena and Zach, they’ve been together for so long, but they haven’t defined what they want in the future as a couple in their relationship. For Imogen and Nate, they had a one-night stand, but could they be something more. As of Isla and Danny, Liv and Addison, would they find new love and give it a chance? For these residents, love was on their line along with some laughs and romantic challenges along the way, while they were locked inside the apartment for one whole week.

This romcom was compelling and uber-funny with laughs. I cared for the five couples, who were trying to find true love in the most unusual circumstances. The forced proximity trope worked well for being sheltered for one week in London, England. The location of being inside an apartment in London had real good scenic settings.  The theme of the story is love can sneak up on you in the most unfortunate time.

This funny romcom will keep you laughing. I rated this book, four of five stars, because for a romance, you’re supposed to focus on one couple and their growing relationship. Not five couples. It’s so much going on, plus less tropes is better than a bunch thrown in for good measure. If you love heart-stopping and hilarious romcoms with plenty of romantic action, lots of suspenseful drama, and a bundle of laughs, Lockdown on London Lane is for you. This book is recommended for fans of delightful romcom movies and on Hallmark Channel, and Heidi Stephens’s Never Gonna Happen.

A Wedding on Sunshine Corner

    In this blog post, I reviewed Phoebe Mills’s A Wedding on Sunshine Corner, the second installment in the Sunshine Corner contemporary romance series. This sweet love story would sweep you off your feet and give you all the feels. Savannah Lowe had always been a free spirit, moving from one interest to another in her hobby, trying to get her foot in the ground. Her parents and older brother had spoiled her in the past. But when her best friend Abby hired her to become a daycare teacher at Sunshine Corner, she wasn’t sure if she could put it off. A couple of times, she had run interference for one undisciplined child who caused trouble for her class. Then her older brother Caleb had wanted her to help plan his wedding with his best friend, Noah Adams. He had always ruffled her feathers and then some. He was the last person she would rather work with. Noah Adams couldn’t believe he would be working with his best friend’s baby sister, Savannah, who was such a spoiled princess. He’s a single divorced father who’s trying to make ends meet to care for his young five-old-daughter Rosie. And he’s trying to please everybody at the fire station as an EMT/paramedic with his flexible work schedule. When they worked together to give Caleb and Issa a perfect dream wedding, they’ve gotten to know each other better through teamwork. But after one tempted kiss, the chemistry they had was off the charts. Due to an unfortunate mishap and a glitch, they needed to realize they need each other and learn how to ask for help when they needed it the most.

This heartfelt contemporary romance was endearing and moving that tugged your heart’s strings. I cared for Savannah, who wanted to find her own way and be her own person. I also adored Noah who wanted to do right for Rosie, and also wanted to have  a great support system. They make an adorable couple who were made for each other. The location of Heart’s Hope Bay is picturesque for a small beach town in Southern California with majestic scenic settings. The dual themes of the story is love will find a way back to your hearts; and it’s never too late to ask for help.

This sweet contemporary romance will make your heart sigh and weep. I rated this book, five out of five stars for no reason. If you love heartfelt contemporary romances with non-stop drama, plenty of romantic action, and a dose of sweet humor, you’ll enjoy the Wedding on Sunshine Corner. This is recommended for fans of Hallmark Channel movies, and romance novels from Jill Shalvis, Kristan Higgins, and Kristen Callihan.

Shadow Sister

    In this blog post, I reviewed Lindsay Marcott’s Shadow Sister. This psychological thriller is dark as noir and twisted as they come to give you the chills. At age 14, Ava Holland’s mother had strangely died to an unusual death. She always believed her father had killed her mother. During her youth, her mother Christina had told a ghost story about a murdered girl named CInderella haunted their historical family mansion. Now, 17 years later, Ava wishes to return home to San Francisco and be reunited with her brother Jamie. When he met Sarah Davis, a rich widow, and later married her, things aren’t what they seem, when she moved into her life. Ava’s also reunited with her high school crush, Thomas Rainier, who works in architecture and construction. For Sarah Davis, she had found the perfect way to become a Holland, and that’s to seduce the object of her obsession, Jamie. But to keep the truth distorted from the lies, we flash back to what happened in 2006 for Didi Morrison, a housekeeper’s heavyset daughter, who everyone had treated cruelly. When Jamie gets into a car accident and is badly hurt, Sarah swoops into the family mansion and shakes things up for Ava as her sister-in-law. The closer to the truth she becomes to discover who Sarah or Didi is, it’s a battle of life and death for her and her breath in the end. 

This bone-chilling psychological thriller will make you stay up all night with the light on. I cared for Jamie and Ava, who had been blindsided and swindled by an evil person. All they wanted was truth for the answers, when things went bad from worse. It had set me on edge. The location of San Francisco California had dreary and compelling scenic settings to paint the scene. The theme of the story is if you have nothing else to say, don’t say it at all, since revenge is best served cold. 

This twisted thriller will give you goosebumps and chills all over. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love twisted psychological thrillers with non-stop action, plenty of dramatic suspense, and sharp surprises to keep you guessing, pick up a copy of Shadow Sister today. This book is recommended for fans of thriller novels, TV shows, and movies like You, Lisa Gardner, Erica Spindler, and Lisa Jewell.

Sink or Swim

   In this blog post, I reviewed Annabeth Albert’s Sink or Swim, the second installment in the Shore Leave m-m contemporary romance series. This steamy love story will fog up your windows. For navy chief Calder Euler, he loved to be deployed and go to shore in a submarine. But when he won a cabin from a poker game in Queen Anne Michigan, and also had a freak accident, life threw him some unexpected surprises along the way. That’s when he met Dr. Felix Segund, a geriatic psychologist, who was the owner of the cabin, and a single father raising his two nieces, during the midst of a snowstorm. Felix didn’t expect to see Calder at his cabin, when he was dealing with a brutal divorce from his ex-husband Tim. They started to get to know each other within time and built a friendship from there after they had stolen some kisses. Felix’s worried that Calder might return back to the shore and run from taking care of two kids. Calder didn’t know what he wanted in his military career, though he had lucked out when he met Felix and his nieces. The closer they got to determining the future, the more they found that they were a good match for each other.

This sizzling contemporary romance is steamy and emotional. I cared for Calder, who lived in a military family, and had built a career for himself. He loved sailing in a submarine from shore to shore. After that freak accident, it did more than set him and his priorities straight in life. I also cared for Felix, who was nothing more than a family man, and his only focus was on his two nieces. He wasn’t expecting to fall in love or looking for romance. The location of Queen Anne Michigan was perfect to picture in the winter with mesmerizing scenic settings.  The theme of the story is sometimes you have to take a gamble when it comes to love. 

This sensual contemporary romance is a fantasy read. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love contemporary romance for same sex or opposite couples with non-stop dramatic action, plenty of suspense, and hints of sexy twists and turns, check out Sink or Swim. This book is recommended for fans who love Hallmark and military themed love stories.

 

The Godmothers

    In this blog post, I reviewed Monica McInerney’s The Godmothers. This stand-alone women’s fiction novel is moving, heartfelt, and touching about family and discovering who you are. When Eliza Miller was seventeen years old, she lost her loving mother Jeannie, right before she told the truth about her birth father. She died from an accidental slip in the tub and faded away. Heartbroken, Eliza never knew the identity of her biological father. But years later, after she lost her job in Melbourne, Australia, with the encouragement of her two mothers, Olivia and Maxie, she flies to Edinburgh on a life-changing journey. There, she stays in Olivia’s hotel and asks about the truth about her mother that she had never known, and who could’ve been her father. Though they hedged the truth a tiny bit, they looked for clues in paperwork and photos. She also meets Lawrence, a widower of two years, who works for the hotel and for Olivia. There, she bonds with them and goes to Trim, Scotland, where she discovers the identity of her father and the hidden secret behind it. Lawrence tags along with her on the trip as they grow closer together. After that revelation, she flies back to Edinburgh and heads home to Australia to start a new life and a new future.

This emotional women's fiction is deeply profound, heart-breaking, and heart-wrenching.  I cared for Eliza, who had been through a lot at a tender age, and had the tender love from Olivia and Maxie to help her through it all. I also became worried for Olivia and Maxie, who harbored the real secret about how Jeannie died. The dual locations of Melbourne and Edinburgh were magnificent with gorgeous scenic settings.  The theme of the story is family–and what makes a family–who would love you who you are.

This heartfelt women’s fiction will pull at your heartstrings. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love women's fiction with non-stop dramatic action, plenty of suspense, and hints of twists and turns, check out The Godmothers. This book is recommended for fans who love Karen White, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Taylor Jenkins Reid.