Welcome to my review for Once Persuaded, Twice Shy: A Modern Reimagining of Persuasion by Melodie Edwards which just released this week! It’s a new twist on the Jane Austen classic, and Melodie’s sophomore novel after last year’s retelling of another classic, Jane & Edward (a spin on Jane Eyre). I’m including a content guide at the end of my review with my blog audience in mind (inspy readers, specifically), noting this is a general market book with some mature content, detailed below. The context of my review focuses on the story merits and the content is something I consider separately ..read more

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Katherine Reay’s latest novel, The London House! You might have seen my previous post announcing a November read-along of this book on social media. Check out the #TLHral hashtag on Twitter to see the reading group’s posts & join the conversation. Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation. Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But ple ..read more

Thanks for stopping by my blog on this spring Monday! I’m sharing a review of a recent read today: Shaped by the Waves by Christina Suzann Nelson. Growing up along the Oregon coast, Cassie George has always been fascinated by the ocean. She’s used her studies in marine biology as a convenient excuse for staying away from her small hometown and avoiding the shame over her unplanned pregnancy. But when she receives a call that her aunt has suffered a stroke and has been hiding a Parkinson’s diagnosis, she knows she must return. Cassie finds a mostly warm welcome from the quirky community–inclu ..read more

Is It Any Wonder is Courtney Walsh’s second “Nantucket Love Story” romance novel! I really enjoyed the audiobook version recently. This is one of those novels I needed to have in ebook AND paperback format those are rare gems! I loved returning to Walsh’s Nantucket for the setting of this romance! Deeply emotional themes of forgiveness and possibility intertwine with the reconciliation of Cody and Lou as they navigate a second chance at friendship and romance. While the history of Cody and Lou’s complicated past is revealed, their relationship goes from surprising rescue to tentative truce t ..read more

With The Beacon Street Bookshop, readers return to author Carla Laureano’s story world of Haven Ridge in Colorado with another fantastic contemporary romance. Read on for more about the books + my thoughts. Novella .5: The Brick House Cafe | Book 1: The Broken Hearts Bakery Ever since Olivia Quinn lost her husband to a plane crash, she’s been focused on one thing—making a stable life for her teen stepdaughter, Taylor, of whom she’s the sole guardian. But when she loses her job as a children’s book editor because she refuses to relocate to New York, all her hard-won stability is shattered. Th ..read more

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on the latest “Murphy Brothers Romance” by Jennifer Rodewald: book 5, Stubborn Love. Their love survived his accident, but can it survive the long, hard road to recovery? Tyler Murphy had his life all planned out: finish college, go back to Sugar Pine as his dad’s able-bodied business partner, and most importantly, marry Rebecca Colson. But a fall from a roof leaves him less than able-bodied, and the pain he suffers as a result goes beyond the physical. Wrestling with his new disability seems manageable only by way of the pharmacy. Which is fine…until the refill ..read more

Thanks for visiting my blog today! I’m sharing a review of the latest contemporary romance novel by Liz Johnson, Summer in the Spotlight, which happens to be the 3rd and last book in her Prince Edward Island Shores series. It’s been a fun bookish journey to travel to the island and have a glimpse into the lives of the three Ross brothers. I will miss their story world! Book 1: Beyond the Tides | Book 2: The Last Way Home A hurricane may have destroyed her livelihood on Prince Edward Island, but she’s determined to save her community. Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Pr ..read more

Thanks for stopping by to read my thoughts on the upcoming indie-released novel by Kristi Ann Hunter, Pixels and Paint. It is a wonderful, inspirational romcom of a story, and one I am hopeful readers will take the time to discover as it offers a fresh perspective on romance, relationships, and even gender roles. For Emma Trinket, life is a delicate balancing act between loving her family and pursuing interests they don’t understand. When the opportunity arises to finally impress them with her job as a computer programmer, she jumps at it even if it means immersing herself in a world she’s ..read more

Thanks for dropping by to read my thoughts on Jane & Edward: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Eyre by Melodie Edwards. It’s a just-released contemporary romance from publisher Berkley. I’m including a content guide at the end of my review with my blog audience in mind. I mostly review and feature inspirational or CBA fiction, so I want to give my readers a head’s up that this is a general market book with some mature content, detailed below. The context of my review focuses on the story merits and the content is something I consider separately. The content note also highlights a few mild story ..read more

Welcome to my annual “best-of” celebration! I set a Goodreads reading goal at 80 books! Last year I exceeded this number, but this year I didn’t quite get there with 74+ ,which is fine by me! It’s an ideal, not something I really payed attention to working toward. Looking back at my reading habits of 2021, I see I have read quite a bit of historical fiction! I’ve included more titles in the histfic category for this best-of list. If you’d like to see all of the books I read and read more extensive reviews, check out my 2021 Goodreads Year in Books or browse my blog archives. THE (self-imposed ..read more