Review: Ten Things My Husband Hated

I've been reading Pauline Wiles' Saffron Sweeting series since just after she published the first in 2013. They've always been sweet, entertaining, heart warming, and placed in just the cutest little English village that I always enjoy revisiting. I haven't loved any quite as much as the first, Saving Saffron Sweeting (review here), but each one, including the latest, Ten Things My Husband Hated, have been a joy to read.

Here's the synopsis:

Maggie Moone is happily divorced.

And with her talent for fixing things, she’s perfectly content with her mundane life in the sleepy English village of Saffron Sweeting. That is, until one humiliating March evening when she learns everyone else assumes she’d love to mend her broken marriage.

Determined to prove them wrong, Maggie and her friends concoct a list of ten ways to assert her independence and live large. But her mission to move on leads to unexpected encounters, and Maggie soon finds herself mixing business with pleasure. Is the attractive young Irishman just another item on her list, or is he something more?

Before long, unresolved issues from her past begin to clash, and Maggie is forced to wonder if antagonising her ex-husband was such a stellar idea.

No sooner does she begin to understand what’s important to her, than she stands to lose everything that truly matters.

Maggie has a good life even if it hasn't turned out exactly the way she planned. But when we meet her, a few things are happening that make her doubt her happiness and wonder if she should be doing more. Plus, some idiot townspeople are convinced that they know everything and that she's actually still in love with her ex-husband, Colin. This infuriated me right off the bat and it was really hard to rein in my annoyance at the busybody folks in town as well as Maggie who is far too kind and couldn't figure out how to get her point across to anyone. 

Maggie's friends were definitely well-meaning as they worked with her to create a list of ten things her ex hated. Things like, pink houses, tattoos on women (ugh, makes me want to smack the man), and dogs. The idea was it was a sort of bucket list of things Maggie could do to show that she was totally over Colin. Her friends were completely in her corner, although I think a few of them may have thought like the rest of the town - that Maggie was still in love with her ex and that she had been far to kind and accommodating towards him since the split. But really, when there's no real animosity and someone is as kind as Maggie, can you not realize that of course she's going to continue to be nice towards someone, even if that someone is her ex-husband?

Amelia, one of Maggie's friends, is the first to spot how talented Maggie is with home repairs (how they're just realizing this, I know not). Colin was a builder but never had time to fix up their own house so Maggie learned how to make basic repairs and then some not-so-basic repairs. Amelia, who runs a real estate office, needs someone to fix up some of her places so pushes Maggie to do the work - things she likes and is good at. I think that went a long way in helping Maggie realize she had skills and talent and gained some control with her life. Plus, she made some super cool treehouses. I also liked that you don't normally see handywomen in books (though I recently read another that also featured a woman who ran her own company) and it's super refreshing.

The romance in the novel goes about as you'd expect. Maggie meets Finn and she figures it'll just be a laugh and she won't get too attached and she'll have some fun with a good guy. But that turns into more and then everything blows up. The reader, like Maggie, realizes that Finn was way more important than she realized and you can't help but cross your fingers and hope for a romantic, Happily Ever After. 

While this book is part of the Saffron Sweeting series, you can read it as a standalone quite easily. You'll probably find you enjoy the town and you'll want to read the rest of the series just so you can hang out with the endearing (though meddling) townsfolk some more.

Ten Things My Husband Hated was a lovely read that is perfect for a weekend afternoon. Pauline Wiles has created characters who are so kind and fun to read about, plus a village you'll enjoy too - even if you're not much of a tiny town person.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Sweet Alaskan Fall

You know how when you read a new book in a series it kind of feels like coming home? You're reunited with friends you've met in other books and get to spend time in a place you love. No? Just me? *shrugs* Regardless, reading Jennifer Snow's Wild River series is like that for me. I had read a not-so-great book and being able to move to Snow's latest book, A Sweet Alaskan Fall, was such a joy. I knew the kind of story I was going to get it and it was so soothing and lovely. Even if I'm not quite ready to say hello to fall.

Here's the synopsis:

Montana Banks has returned to Wild River, Alaska, for a fresh start. Adventure has always been in her blood, but while an injury leaves her unable to participate in her favorite extreme sports, Montana settles for teaching base-jumping classes at her friend’s tour company. Settling in has been almost too easy: a great job, her family’s acceptance and her own apartment—right next door to straitlaced police officer Eddie Sanders.

Eddie has always had feelings for Montana, and now that he’s leaving for a new job in Anchorage he wonders if he should’ve taken a chance with her sooner. Then a moment of violence the night of his going-away party leaves him badly wounded. Seeing Eddie’s job opportunity lost and self-confidence following close behind, Montana is determined to show him all the reasons he has to pick himself up again.

I had a feeling while reading Under an Alaskan Sky, the second book in the series, that the next book would be about Montana and Eddie. It was almost hard to picture at first because in the second book he was extremely suspicious of her and her motives. But, by the end, you could tell there was an interest there but you didn't know if it would be reciprocated. Montana thinks she's pretty damaged and is focused more on strengthening her relationship with her daughter as well as staying on top of her health. And honestly? That was the best thing for her. Romance could take a back seat - it wasn't the most important. But falling for Eddie just seemed so right. Her daughter already knows him and he's friendly with her new friends plus she really gets a handle on so many things in this book that you can't help but root for the romance to blossom between Montana and Eddie.

And do I have a similar feeling about who the fourth novel will be about, you (don't) ask? Why yes, thank you for (not) inquiring. I had a sense that the next book (out next spring) would follow Eddie's sister, Leslie, and I was correct! It sounds great but heavy and I'm already looking forward to it.

I have to say that this book almost veered off into corny made for tv mystery territory (not that there's anything wrong with those, when done well). I suppose that was to be expected given Eddie's profession as a police officer but I think the subject matter was just a touch too heavy for the romance series Snow is writing.

I think I found Montana's character to be a bit stronger than Eddie's, but maybe that's because I got to know her a bit  in the second book. That said, there was a lot more to Eddie than the reader (and Montana) expected and I liked seeing more of him. More of both of them, to be honest. They were a unique couple in that they seemed like opposites but they were a lot more similar than you’d initially expect and in ways that’s kind of hard to describe. Like any great couple, they made each other shine. Their connection may have been unexpected but it was genuine and I loved reading as they fell for each other.

Finally, in case you're curious about what I thought about the first two books, you can read my mini review of An Alaskan Christmas here and my review of Under an Alaskan Sky here.

A Sweet Alaskan Fall might have edged out the others in Jennifer Snow's Wild River series as my favourite of the trio. I liked the story, I loved the characters, and I adored how I felt when reading it. This romance novel came along at just the right time and it made for the coziest, heartwarming afternoon when I read it.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Sunshine on Silver Lake

I read romances all year and can find a reason to suggest them no matter the season. Spring rain? Perfect time to stay inside with a love story. Summer? Great for vacation! Fall? Get cozy with a tea and romance. Cold AF winter? Snuggle under the blankets with a Happily Ever After. Yes, I am Team Romance so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I was interested in Sunshine on Silver Lake by Annie Rains. 

Here's the synopsis:

Welcome back to Sweetwater Springs, North Carolina for a heartwarming second-chance romance between a quirky café owner and a handsome park ranger.

With summer just around the corner, Emma St. James is eagerly planning a 5K run at Sweetwater Springs National Park. But first she needs the help of one charming, rugged, and handsome park ranger. Her brief high school romance with Jack Hershey may have ended in heartbreak, but Emma can't deny that he still gives her butterflies. So when Jack responds to her request with an all-too-tempting plea to pretend to be his girlfriend for the summer, how can she say no?

Jack would do anything for his sister -- even pretend to give up his bachelor life to care for his nephew. Passing his days with his high school sweetheart guarantees one long, hot summer -- but only because every moment together leaves him wanting a real relationship. He can't imagine spending another season without Emma by his side. Can he convince her to give their love a second chance before the summer draws to a close?

I hadn't read Rains before and certainly hadn't realized this latest book was part of her Sweetwater Springs series (yes, I know that the synopsis above says "welcome back" but I don't think I read this particular description when I requested the book). I quickly figured it out as characters kept coming by Emma's coffee shop and it seemed like I should probably know who they were. Rains gave first and last names, after all. Is that a thing that's just in romance novels? Like, is a surname that important? A lot of the times it read super awkwardly as characters popped up and I was getting a lot of backstory on them. I've noticed this is a thing I'm getting annoyed at a lot more recently - these romance series that are purposely started to tell you the love story of everyone in town. I think the pandemic is making me crabby. Everyone deserves a Happily Ever After!

Second chances is probably my favourite trope followed closely by friends to lovers. Bonus if the story takes place in a small town. Because of all that, I figured Sunshine on Silver Lake would be right up my alley. And it was...sort of. See, Jack and Emma never actually dated. The night of Emma's senior prom would have been the start of something, they're both sure of it, but they're both equally sure they can never recover from Jack standing Emma up. She went to prom solo and his excuses never seemed quite right. It turns out his excuse is part of a heavy storyline (one of two) in the book. I'm not going to give anything away but both of those storylines added some depth to an otherwise light novel. But. They were friends and I was rooting for them to eventually become lovers as they pretended to date (side note, the reasoning behind them pretending is sweet but also so ridiculous especially when pretty much the whole town finds out).

I appreciated how important family was in this book. Jack didn't have a great upbringing but he, his mom, and his sister (and his nephew) are all really close. He didn't hesitate when offering to look after his teenage nephew and they had a good time, full of fun and respect. Emma's mom had died when she was young - which is another large part of the storyline - but she and her dad are super tight. But she was also her own woman and wasn't about to be ruled by her dad's apparent disapproval of Jack.

I really liked the setting of this book. It felt a little bit like Stars Hollow but with much kinder people behind the counter at the local coffee shop. It was lovely that everyone looked out for each other and would lend a helping hand, no questions asked. I suppose that would make up for everybody being in everybody else's business. I really wanted to go to the concerts on Friday night at the park and hike in the park Jack worked at. It was a sweet and gorgeous sounding town and I can see why readers would keep coming back to this series.

I know it may seem like I didn't love Sunshine on Silver Lake and, well, I guess I didn't. But I didn't dislike this latest book by Annie Rains. I think it suffered a little bit by not quite being what I wanted to read and not quite being the type of romance I'm usually drawn to. I think there is certainly a place for romances that are sweet instead of spicy and keep the sexy times behind closed doors (and for the love of all things holy - let us not call those romances "clean"). I think I'm just finding I'm more into the angsty, steamy stories these days. All that said, if you want a light story that's full of heart, Sunshine on Silver Lake might be for you. At the very least, you'll be craving caffeine and baked goods and loving the little Westie named Barnaby!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Forever, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Long Call

 

Mystery is not my usual genre and I've never read an Ann Cleeves book before (even though she has oodles of them). But when PGC Books sent a list of titles they had for review and said, "hey, your reading tastes may have changed during this whole pandemic thing" (I'm paraphrasing), I thought, "yes, you are correct. I don't know what I like anymore." Even though I had seen the title before, it had published in February of this year, it hadn't caught my eye. But in the spring after (finally) bingeing Broadchurch? I was so in for another mystery set in England. The Long Call delivered.

Here's the synopsis:

In North Devon, where the rivers Taw and Torridge converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father's funeral takes place. The day Matthew turned his back on the strict evangelical community in which he grew up, he lost his family too.
Now he's back, not just to mourn his father at a distance, but to take charge of his first major case in the Two Rivers region; a complex place not quite as idyllic as tourists suppose.
A body has been found on the beach near to Matthew's new home: a man with the tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.
Finding the killer is Venn’s only focus, and his team’s investigation will take him straight back into the community he left behind, and the deadly secrets that lurk there.

This was a really intriguing mystery. I had absolutely no idea who was responsible for the murder on the beach and really couldn't seen the connections between the dead man and the other crimes that take place later in the novel. Everything was so intertwined that I was a bit in awe of the way Venn worked and how he was able to puzzle everything out. I actually ended up staying up well past my bedtime to finish the book (oops) because I couldn't go to sleep without knowing who committed all the various crimes.

Matthew was a really interesting protagonist. His family history is super rocky and we first meet him while he's standing outside his dad's funeral as he's not welcome inside. He's really closed off plus is more calm than you'd expect a detective to be. He's a good man and not blustery or controlling, which is sometimes rare in a leader. The reader doesn't get a complete, full sense of him which I think really works for both the story and for where, I imagine, the series might go. 

One of the things that sort of irked me, and kept me from swooning over this book, was the way some of it was written. It's hard to explain as it was written well but there were some sections that just didn't seem to flow. There was a scene with the two female roommates of the dead man and the father of one of the women and I have absolutely no idea what the point of it was supposed to be. There were a few things like that that didn't move the plot at all (which I kind of expect in a mystery) nor did they really build up the characters (though some character background was a teeny bit boring). It didn't really take away from my enjoyment of the book and I'd still recommend it.

I'm also super into the cover of this edition. It's so moody and perfect for the setting of the novel.

As I said, The Long Call was my first Ann Cleeves book but I don't think it's going to be my last. I enjoyed the story she put together and the mystery kept me guessing. I really like the characters she's created with this new series so I'm definitely excited to read the next book in the Two Rivers series, whenever it may be released. I'll have to check out her backlist and then start watching the TV shows based on those books. What else is there to do during a pandemic?

*A copy of this novel was provided by PGC Books in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Cover Reveal: Waiting for a Star to Fall

I read Kerry Clare's first novel, Mitzi Bytes, just over three years ago but I've been following her blog, Pickle Me This, and her bookish thoughts on social media for far longer. I was thrilled when I heard that her second novel, Waiting for a Star to Fall, was to be published and even more excited when I read what it's about. So, it shouldn't be surprising that I'm over the moon to be helping reveal the cover of the novel, which officially publishes October 27, 2020 from Doubleday Canada and is available for pre-order now at your favourite bookstores.

Here's what the new novel is all about:

Brooke has long been caught in the orbit of Derek, a rising political superstar. First he was her boss, then they were friends and she became his confidant, the one person he shared everything with. And even though she had feelings for him--it was hard to resist; he's charming and handsome, respected and beloved--she never dreamed he'd feel the same way. Derek is so much older and could have anyone he wanted.

But it turns out that who Derek wants is Brooke, and suddenly none of the reasons they shouldn't be together matter. They fall in love. And even though Brooke has to keep the relationship a secret--stealing weekends away with him, late nights with takeout after long days at work, and business trips that are always a romantic whirlwind--being close to him and her dreams of their future make everything worth it.

Then it all falls apart, and Brooke is left holding the pieces of the life they'd shared. Derek becomes embroiled in a scandal--the kind Brooke never could have imagined he'd be involved in--and she is forced to re-examine their relationship and make sense of the man she loves.

Poignant, heart-stopping, and resonant, Waiting for a Star to Fall is a story about love, the things we choose to believe, and how sometimes the path to happily ever after has to start with ourselves.

Sounds really great, right?

And just in case you need extra motivation to read it, here's what bestselling author Karma Brown has to say about it:

"A love story at its core, though one without an ending written in the stars. . . . Timely and insightful."

Ready for the cover? 

Isn't that so eye-catching? I love it. And cannot wait to read it!

If you're also intrigued, add it to your Goodreads list here.

Review: The Switch

I was really late to the party when it came to The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary. I wanted to read it but there are always so many books to read and then my library didn't have a copy of it. How rude! I finally listened to it on audiobook while commuting earlier this year (remember driving places?) and adored it just as I expected. In an amusing twist, I also listened to O'Leary's latest novel, The Switch. I don't often listen to audiobooks so to have listened to both of O'Leary's is rare. Happily, I was just as in love with the new book and thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.

Here's the synopsis:

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some long-overdue rest.

Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.

So they decide to try a two-month swap.

Eileen will live in London and look for love. She’ll take Leena’s flat, and learn all about casual dating, swiping right, and city neighbors. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire: Eileen’s sweet cottage and garden, her idyllic, quiet village, and her little neighborhood projects.

But stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected. Will swapping lives help Eileen and Leena find themselves…and maybe even find true love? In Beth O'Leary's The Switch, it's never too late to change everything....or to find yourself.

One of the reasons I don't read audibooks is I'm a super fast reader and find audiobooks take longer for me to read. The other is I review so many upcoming/not yet released books that I don't often have time for other books that aren't on my review list. That's starting to change now for book reviewers as there are new options to receive advanced copies audio titles. NetGalley just started their audiobook program and that's how I snagged The Switch. A chance to try out their new system and read a book I was really looking forward to? Win! Slightly less win...the audiobook would decide to pause often whenever it decided my phone had been locked for too long so I would have to unlock it to get the file going again. I had tried updating the app and hope that it's just a bug that will get worked out as NetGalley figures out this audiobook thing.

The narrators of this novel were delightful. There were two, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Alison Steadman, and each chapter switched perspective between Leena and Eileen so having two narrators really helps the reader distinguish between the two characters. I've seen some people mention they had issues understanding their accents but I had no trouble at all. Though my inner voice now seems to have a slight Yorkshire accent...

This novel showed that just because you're above a "certain age," doesn't mean your life has ended and I absolutely loved that. The older adults in this novel have all sorts of personalities but dull or near death's door are not among the descriptors I'd choose for them. Eileen was full of spunk and she was such an intelligent and entertaining character. She was fiercely protective of her family but recognized she needed to do something for herself for once. It was an absolute joy to read her story as well as see the friendships blossom between all characters of all ages.

Leena was slightly more hesitant to throw herself into her new life in an idyllic small town than her grandmother was to take on the big city life. She seemed more bruised and battered from work and family issues than Eileen (I don't want to mention what had impacted the family as the synopsis does not and I feel like it should be unveiled in the way O'Leary intends it to be in the course of the first few chapters). She had to learn that just because her life was going one way, didn't necessarily make it the right way. 

O'Leary's books are marketed as rom coms, and I've used that descriptor myself, but they're so much more than romance or comedy. There's an amazing family storyline woven through both her novels, and I especially loved it in The Switch. Three generations of Cotton women are dealing with major devastation and I loved what and how O'Leary wrote as they finally dealt with their grief. Leena also had to figure out what she wanted to do with her professional life and Eileen was taking stock of her newly single life and what parts of herself she had lost when she first got married so many years ago. Like with most books, The Switch is so much more than one narrow genre.

I really adored The Switch. Beth O'Leary is definitely going to go on my auto-read list because both times I've read her I've fallen a little bit in love with her writing, characters, and stories. Readers will have a lot of fun reading this new book while also having their heart warmed.

*An advanced audio copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Macmillan Audio, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Happy Go Money

Melissa Leong's book Happy Go Money was published way back in January 2019. It took me awhile to get a copy and then to actually read it. And now it's taken months to write the review. I think what's stumped me is: how does one review a book on financial literacy? Even one as accessible and intelligent as Leong's? I still haven't figured it out but buckle in as we go on this ride together.

Here's the book's description:

Everything tells us that what will make us happy can be bought, whether it's the latest gadgets, renovated kitchens, or luxury goods. But research has shown that having more money in the bank and more stuff around the house doesn't necessarily correlate with being a happier person. With Happy Go Money, financial expert Melissa Leong cuts through the noise to show you how to get the most delight for your dollar.
Happy Go Money combines happiness psychology and personal finance and distills it into an indispensable starter guide. Each snappy chapter provides practical, easy-to-understand advice on topics such as spending, budgeting, investing, and mindfulness, while weaving in research, interactive exercises, and relatable anecdotes. Frank, funny, and empowering, this primer challenges everyone to revamp their relationship with their money so they can dial down their worries and supersize their joy.

Way back when I wasn't working, I would watch The Social and always liked when Melissa Leong was on because I found all her financial tips to be easy to follow and implement into my own life. So, when I heard she was writing a book, I was excited. That relatable, easy to understand personality comes through in this book. The tips make sense, even when it's talking about things I normally am completely clueless about. And it's fun! Yes, a book about how to look after your money is fun. Leong's personality shines and it's like talking to a friend about how best to budget your hard earned money.

I'm pretty good with money and always have been. I'm lucky that I didn't have massive student debts and I have a family that helped me out a lot (and still does). But I don't take that for granted. I work hard and save as much as I can. That said, I felt like I should be more Adult about my savings ever since I turned 30 a few years ago. This book can help if you're feeling like that too. Leong doesn't make you feel like an idiot if you haven't started an RRSP etc. (Though you'll still feel like one because she lays things out in such a way that you're like, oh hell I should have started this a decade ago but what did I know at 20?)

I pretty much wanted to highlight this entire book. SO much good information in here. And not just on the nitpicky how to invest or what certain types of accounts are. (I seriously feel like a toddler when it comes to these things.) But also on spending and saving wisely without sacrificing your life and fun. Each chapter ends with "Your Happy Money To-Do List" where she challenges you to think happier and presents suggestions for how to plan for emergencies and learn lessons from regrettable purchases (but don't beat yourself up about it). Then there are "Money Talks" tips that will have you looking at your relationship with money. They're "actionable tidbits," as Leong calls them, so we can chart a better path for ourselves and our finances.

There are chapters on pretty much everything in this book (and with wonderfully catchy titles like "Check Yourself Before You Wreck Your Wealth" and "Happiness for Later") that will guide you through figuring out WTF you're doing with your money. Make notes while you read and you'll probably want to reread it, as I plan on doing, to make sure you're following the road map she's laid out for us.

Things are weird right now and who knows what our savings and jobs will look like even next month. But do yourself a favour and check out Melissa Leong's Happy Go Money. It's never too late to take a look at your finances and try to figure out how to set yourself up for happiness (and, remember, for most of us, more money does not equal more happiness). Talking about money is usually a frustrating thing for me but I actually had fun while reading Leong's book and I think others will too.

*An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher, ECW Press, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Lovewrecked

When I first heard that Karina Halle was writing Lovewrecked, a novel about a couple who got shipwrecked, I thought, "Really? There's a pandemic and I'm supposed to read about a boat run aground on a deserted island?" The novel was coming out at the end of April and I was really struggling at that time. I shouldn't have doubted Halle. It turns out a sexy story set on a deserted island was exactly what I needed.

Here's the synopsis:

Daisy Lewis is experiencing a relentless string of bad luck.

Fortunately, Daisy has her sister’s destination wedding coming up. A week of sand, sea, and sun in the South Pacific as the maid-of-honor is exactly what Daisy needs to forget her upturned life and focus on the positive.

That is until Daisy meets the best man.

If you take tall, dark, and handsome, and add a dash of rugged, a pinch of brooding, and a whole lot of sexy, you’ve got Tai Wakefield. Unfortunately he’s also a major grump, total alpha, and seemingly out to antagonize Daisy at every turn.

As if being part of the wedding party with Tai wasn’t bad enough, Daisy’s bad luck soon resurfaces when she ends up on a cramped sailboat with Tai and the newlyweds.

Which then shipwrecks on a deserted island near Fiji.

Okay, so they aren’t completely alone. There’s an oddball research scientist who has been isolated for far too long, they have rundown bungalows as shelter, stores of water and canned food, plus a feral goat named Wilson.

It’s Lost…without the smoke monster.

But with rescue weeks away, Tai and Daisy realize the only way they’re going to get through this mess is to stop fighting and start working together.

And with their guards down, they get closer.

A lot closer.

Soon, Daisy realizes that the only thing worse than being stuck on a deserted island, is being stuck on a deserted island with a man she hates to love and loves to hate.

A man that can break her heart.

I think one of the things I loved most about this book (and there was a lot I loved) was the ability to do a bit of armchair traveling. I mean, I knew they were going to end up in a really terrible situation, what with the whole shipwreck thing, but I enjoyed reading as Daisy traveled to New Zealand, which is on my bucket list, for her sister's wedding. And even the scenes on the island were so vivid. I found myself sort of thinking, well, if you have to be in isolation, may as well be on a beautiful island. (Pandemics sure are weird, mentally, aren't they?) Halle pretty much only writes about places she knows and/or has traveled to at least once and has a wonderful knack for really capturing the setting. 

I really felt for Daisy...she's been dealt a pretty shitty blow with her boyfriend cheating on her and losing her job. For some reason, though, her family (particularly her sister) seems to think she just waltzes through life and is so lucky and doesn't work for anything. That perception drove me absolutely bananas. It was like her family refused to recognize who she really was and what she had worked for. Just because she and her sister were so different didn't mean either was better than the other. The sisters did work through their issues throughout the novel and Halle did such a good job of writing their relationship so I was feeling all the emotions right along with them.

Speaking of emotions. The relationship between Daisy and Tai? Hoo boy. Lots of tension and sexy times there. You get a little bit of both enemies to lovers and close proximity tropes in there and they're done in a really great way (no surprise for long time blog readers...I'm pretty much always gushing about the way Halle writes). They both had some things to work out and why not work those out together while stranded on an island and super duper attracted to one another? You could tell even through their early sniping that neither was a bad person and they were just putting up walls to protect themselves so it was so worth it by the time they decided they definitely belonged together - even if they figured it was just for the time they would be stuck on the island.

I never watched Lost but I appreciated the few little pop culture references Halle snuck into Tai and Daisy's conversations. They bonded over understanding each other when the others on the island were totally oblivious to the references.

Halle has since published another novel since Lovewrecked (she works fast!) and I definitely recommend both this one and One Hot Italian Summer (review here) for your pandemic reading. As well as a good number of her backlist. I am here and on social to help with your Halle recommendations needs!

Like almost all of Karina Halle's novels, Lovewrecked will give you all the feels and you'll enjoy ever second of it. There's angst, there's family drama, there's romance and steamy moments, and there's lighthearted banter (and a goat) to keep things from getting too heavy. Read it and enjoy!

*An eARC of this novel was provided by the author via Valentine PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*