Review: Secrets at Bletchley Park

I don't know about you but I find the work that was done at Bletchley Park during World War II to be absolutely fascinating. There's still a lot of mystery around it but after reading The Rose Code by Kate Quinn earlier this year, I wanted to know everything. So, when I was offered the chance to review Secrets at Bletchley Park by Margaret Dickinson I jumped at it. Turns out it wasn't exactly the kind of novel I was expecting. It wasn't bad but I wish I had realized beforehand what I was getting into.

Here's the book's description:

In Secrets at Bletchley Park by Margaret Dickinson, two young women from very different backgrounds meet in the Second World War and are plunged into a life where security and discretion are paramount. But both have secrets of their own to hide . . .
In 1929, life for 10-year-old Mattie Price, born and raised in the back streets of Sheffield, is tough. With a petty thief for a father and a mother, who turns to the bottle to cope with her husband’s brutish ways, it is left to the young girl and her brother, Joe, to feed and care for their three younger siblings. But Mattie has others rooting for her too. The Spencer family, who live at the top of the same street, and Mattie’s teachers recognize that the girl is clever beyond her years and they, and Joe, are determined that she shall have the opportunity in life she deserves.
Victoria Hamilton, living in the opulence of London’s Kensington, has all the material possessions that a young girl could want. But her mother, Grace, a widow from the Great War, is cold and distant, making no secret of the fact that she never wanted a child. Grace lives her life in the social whirl of upper-class society, leaving Victoria in the care of her governess and the servants. At 11 years old, Victoria is sent to boarding school where for the first time in her young life she is able to make friends of her own age.
Mattie and Victoria are both set on a path that will bring them together at Bletchley Park in May 1940. An unlikely friendship between the two young women is born and together they will face the rest of the war keeping the nation’s secrets and helping to win the war. They can tell no one, not even their families, about their work or even where they are. But keeping the secrets is second nature to both of them . . .

Considering the length of that description, you'd think I'd know what was what when I went into reading this book. Um. Nope. Not so much. The story is divided into three equal parts. Part one follows Mattie from 1929 through to 1940 when she arrives at Bletchley Park. Part two goes back in time and tells the story of what Victoria was up to during the same time period. And then part three is the pair's story together from 1940 until just past the end of the war in 1945. Considering the title, I was kind of expecting more than just a third of the novel to take place at, you know, Bletchley Park. So that was a disappointment. 

It shouldn't be a surprise to longtime readers of the blog that I love historical fiction and very much enjoy WWII novels. Because of that, I feel like I've learned a lot of facts about the war that have made those school history lessons from way back when come to life and stick in my mind a little bit more. I consider a historical fiction novel good, in part, when it doesn't feel like a textbook. This novel was kinda like that. The details about the war that were shared were pretty basic - at least in my opinion. There wasn't a single unknown event or incident in the entire novel for me. Not that I know everything or even a ton about the mentioned events but it was all surface level information. Is this a bad thing? No. What I think this means is that I was not the target demographic for this novel. I think if there's a reader who enjoys history but doesn't necessarily want the nitty gritty or wants to be reminded of the big events and how they impacted people, this is the kind of story for them. Not necessarily one like me who reads a ton of WWII set novels every year.

What made this novel more enjoyable for me was the way Dickinson told her characters' stories. I couldn't quite figure out how to describe the way she wrote the novel. There were a lot of characters. It was all told in third person so the perspective jumped around from character to character even though Mattie and Victoria were the main threads of the story. Anyway. I didn't know how to explain what this was like until I noticed a Daily Express review on the back of the book where they called Dickinson, "The Queen of Saga." Saga! That was it. This was a sweeping story that impacted a lot of characters and you were immersed in their lives. That's where Dickinson shines.

So, Secrets at Bletchley Park wasn't a winner for me but I'm still glad I read Margaret Dickinson's novel. She introduced me to some wonderful characters who I really felt for as I read their stories over the course of the novel. 

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

Review: The Ex Hex

I know a lot of people loooove *spooky szn* but I'm not really one of them. The fall aesthetic I love? Witches and spells and all sorts of hocus pocus magic. So when I heard about The Ex Hex, just published today, I was all in. I really enjoyed Erin Sterling's witchy rom com and I think a lot of others will too!

Here's the book's description:

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.
That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.
Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

I wasn't expecting open door and steamy sex scenes with this book but I got them and I was here for it! Rhys and Vivi haven't, exactly, confronted all the issues they had back when they were younger, but there's one thing they know for sure: sexy times are necessary. The only thing that annoyed me was they got so wrapped up in each other that they didn't focus on the curse. HELLO. The town is CURSED. Keep it in your pants for a bit and let's get that hex lifted, shall we? But also the chemistry between them was top notch and I was totally rooting for a Happily Ever After!

Speaking of the curse, the magic in this book was really fun (er, apart from the whole "the town is cursed" thing). I like contemporary witch stories when they're in a town surrounded by humans but still have their covens and ability to do their magic (I don't really love that they have to hide their magic from others though...). I especially liked that there was a college that had both magic and non-magic classes. I think Vivi's hesitation to using magic made some sense - she could only remember her mom hating magic before she died - but I don't think it was explored as much as it should have been. It was a trauma that she wasn't addressing and was avoiding magic so much (even teaching "normal" history classes) but no one seemed too concerned by it. I also wish there hadn't been any references to Harry Potter. I get it, I love the books and Vivi and Rhys are millennials who would have grown up with the books. It's just always so odd to have another magical story get referenced in a magical story. And that doesn't even get into the issues surrounding JKR. But! Magic! Fun! I got a kick out of Vivi's aunt and cousin running a witchy shop that catered to those "normals" who fancied themselves witches. Truthfully, I'd love to find a town just like this and wander around! Though I would hope the toy skulls wouldn't come to life...

I liked that there was a twist with the history of the town and the founding family. That's one aspect of fictional witchcraft that I really like - how there's so much importance with ancestry and heritage, and making sure magic and information is being passed down through the generations. Anyone else love that too? Plus, family is so important and I loved the relationship between Vivi, her aunt, and her cousin.

I think anyone who loves rom coms and witchy stories will love The Ex Hex. Erin Sterling has written a really great novel that gave me just the right Halloween vibes. I'm hoping this will be a series because I'd love to return to Graves Glen next fall! And remember, friends, NEVER mix vodka and witchcraft!

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

Review: First Love, Take Two

Second chance romances are my kryptonite. I'll pretty much always say yes to reviewing them because there's something about that romance trope that I absolutely love. But sometimes, I don't read enough about the book so I don't realize it's part of a series and then a whole bunch of other things let me down and then I don't like a book. *heaves large sigh* It's a sad, sad day when that happens but, unfortunately, it does occur. That was the case with First Love, Take Two by Sajni Patel, which just released last week. I wanted to love it. I really did. Alas, it was a struggle to get through.

Here's the book's description:

On the verge of realizing her dream of being a doctor, Preeti Patel should be ecstatic. But between the stress of her residency, trying to find a job, and managing her traditional, no-boundaries family, Preeti's anxiety is through the roof. Relationships and love aren't even an option. Fortunately, Preeti's finally found a new place to stay . . . only to discover that her new roommate is her ex.

Preeti never quite got over Daniel Thompson. Super-hot, plenty of swagger, amazing cook—the guy is practically perfect. And if it weren't for their families, there might have been a happily ever after. But it's hard to keep her sanity and libido in check when the man of her dreams is sleeping mere feet away. Can Preeti and Daniel find a way to stand up and fight for each other one last time . . . before they lose their second chance?

First off, this is the second book in Patel's The Trouble with Hating You series (side note: anyone notice that a lot of rom com series just get named after the first book?). Normally, it's not a huge deal to have not read the previous book in a series like this. They're (supposed to be) more of a companion novel where each book is about a different friend/family member and there are small references to the previous story but nothing that would confuse the reader. I didn't get that with this book. Something MAJOR happened with Liya in the first book and I couldn't really get a good sense of it - it was like it was just alluded to and I was expected to know and Patel wasn't giving any extra info to those who hadn't read the first book. Because of this, I couldn't understand some of the feelings and motivations the characters had in the second book. 

Because I was annoyed at this being a second book and feeling like I wasn't getting all the information I should have, it took longer than I'd like to admit to get used to reading about a culture outside of my own. Normally, this isn't much of an issue for me. I always have to shift my mindset but I'm never outright annoyed like I almost was this time. It can be hard for me, a white, non-religious person, to understand a culture that is based around prayer and respecting elders no matter how terrible they may be. And some of the elders in Preeti's life were horrendous and were acting like catty high school girls. Not a good look. But again, they were being atrocious, in part, because of whatever had happened to Liya so I was a bit lost (but no less furious on Preeti's behalf, I'll say that). 

As for the romance...Preeti spent so much time fighting her feelings and avoiding even talking to Daniel that I wasn't really sure why they had been together in the first place. Did they actually love each other? Does she even like him or just feel like jumping into bed with him? Can they actually talk to each other for crying out loud and discuss why Preeti left? There were SO MANY things they were both keeping hidden and it was infuriating as they just ignored the elephant in the room and didn't address the why of their break up and tried to move past it. Spoiler alert: you have to address all issues before you can have your Happily Ever After.

So...no. First Love, Take Two was not a winner for me. There was too much that just didn't work for me in Sajni Patel's latest novel that meant I couldn't enjoy reading it. I don't think I'll be picking up anything she writes next but I know many others love her books. To each their own, I say!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, HBG Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: When Sparks Fly

Friends to lovers is one of my favourite romance tropes so it's no wonder I was so excited about reading When Sparks Fly, the latest novel from Canadian romance author Helena Hunting. I've been reading her books for years now and they're always enjoyable. Some more than others but that's par for the course when an author has a bazillion books published! This latest one, just published today, kept me entertained throughout and I had a good time reading it.

Here's the book's description:

Running the Spark House, a hotel/event space that has been in her family for years, has been Avery Spark’s lifelong dream. After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best life—she works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she's happy.
But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.
Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she'd dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.

As I said at the top, I love reading romances where the main characters are friends who eventually realize they have romantic feelings for each other. And Hunting worked this trope really well. I don't like it so much when the feelings are unbalanced or have been unrequited for too long. In the case of Avery and Declan, they settled into the friend zone first, never bothered to explore the little spark they had in college, and then Avery started dating someone else and they moved on. There were no pining moments from either of them until the feelings hit them at the same time when they were put into such an intense situation after Avery's accident. The romance was so natural and I absolutely loved reading it.

What I didn't really love was how boneheaded Declan was about his "relationship issues." I think that just kind of stems from the fact that I can't personally understand someone using their parents' relationship as an excuse - and I say this as someone whose parents divorced when I was really young. It just seemed like a cowardly decision for him to use that as a crutch and an excuse and I was proud of Avery for having those hard conversations and doing what was right for her, even though it hurt. 

I really liked how close Avery and her sisters were (I also loved the friendship dynamic with Avery, Declan, and "the guys"). I do wish that we had had more time with the three of them together and really getting to know the other women but I'm pretty sure the reason we didn't is 1. that would have made the book enormous and 2. this is the start of a new series from Hunting. Which I'm OK with! Even though I wasn't WOW-ed by this book, I still liked it enough that I'd like to check back in on the characters. Anyway. Back to the sisters. I have a younger sister and we're really close (though not physically - she's always off working in far flung places!) so I like reading about characters who have great relationships with their sister(s) too.

Some important trigger warnings to note: a car accident (with deaths of other people in the crash but no characters we "meet"), toxic parental relationship, and death of parents in the past.

When Sparks Fly was a good read, not a great one. But I think if you're a fan of contemporary romance with some heat and heart, you might want to consider picking up Helena Hunting's latest novel. I'm looking forward to Starry-Eyed Love, which is about Avery's sister London and will be out next spring!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Press, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Denial

I first came across Beverley McLachlin not because she was the first female Chief Justice of Canada but because she wrote her first novel. Politics and law are important things but I'm a bookworm - what can I say? Full Disclosure came out back in the spring of 2018 and I reviewed the legal mystery for the magazine Niagara Life. I really enjoyed it and was lucky enough to hear McLachlin speak months later at a library event (remember those??). She was magnificent. When I heard she would be writing a sequel to Full Disclosure I was thrilled. Denial, published September 14, follows lawyer Jilly Truitt in another complicated legal case with an ending that is incredibly shocking.

Here's the book's description:

When everyone is in denial, how do you find the truth?
Jilly Truitt has made a name for herself as one of the top criminal defense lawyers in the city. Where once she had to take just about any case to keep her firm afloat, now she has her pick—and she picks winners.
So when Joseph Quentin asks her to defend his wife, who has been charged with murdering her own mother in what the media are calling a mercy killing, every instinct tells Jilly to say no. Word on the street is that Vera Quentin is in denial, refusing to admit to the crime and take a lenient plea deal. Quentin is a lawyer’s lawyer, known as the Fixer in legal circles, and if he can’t help his wife, who can
Against her better judgment, Jilly meets with Vera and reluctantly agrees to take on her case. Call it intuition, call it sympathy, but something about Vera makes Jilly believe she’s telling the truth. Now, she has to prove that in the courtroom against her former mentor turned opponent, prosecutor Cy Kenge—a man who has no qualms about bending the rules.
As the trial approaches, Jilly scrambles to find a crack in the case and stumbles across a dark truth hanging over the Quentin family. But is it enough to prove Vera’s innocence? Or is Jilly in denial herself?

While you could, technically, read Denial without having read Full Disclosure, I think it would be really difficult for readers to get a good handle on Jilly and her motivations without the backstory of the previous book. As it was, I couldn't really remember particulars so I sometimes found myself wondering why on earth I should care about Jilly and her problems. I was more focused on the court case than any of the characters. Is that a bad thing? I'm not sure. I always want to have a reason for reading a story that's more than the plot. I need to know the characters too.

Now as for the case Jilly was working on? Holy hell. There were lots of layers to it and I was totally invested. I thought I had a feeling I knew what happened but then I wasn't sure and then something happened and I was like AH HA and then something ELSE happened and I was like HOLY SHIT. I was shocked at how it all turned out and I think crime lovers will enjoy trying to puzzle out what really happened as the case progresses. 

Something else happens in Jilly's personal life and, I gotta say, I was kind of pissed at how it all went down. Maybe I read too many romances these days but I want certain things to happen and what ended up happening (there are two things, actually) made me super upset. I may have actually yelled, "WHAT?!?" at my ereader because I couldn't believe McLachlin went there. It's likely that this was a personal thing and a mood thing at the time I read the book SO I don't necessarily consider it a negative overall.

McLachlin knows her stuff so the novel is heavy on the legalese. Most of the time it's totally fine. The reader is expected to keep up and know what's happening and it's usually not too difficult. But there were other times where the word choices made me scratch my head. Not necessarily because I didn't understand what they meant. In fact, I was wondered more why she chose certain words or phrases when she was writing about anything other than the particulars of the course case storyline. And there were weird nitpicky things that drove me nuts - what 35+ year old woman talks about wearing Lycra so much? And Lycra specifically. Not just workout gear, which is how I (at 34) talk about the clothing I would wear for a gym session (I don't remember those at all...been so long...) Again, I don't think I'd really call this a downside but my mood at the time noted all this and it may have impacted things just a wee bit. 

I think I'd be happier with Denial if I knew there was going to be a third book. I feel like Jilly's story still isn't wrapped up and I need some closure. Beverley McLachlin is a talented legal mystery writer and I think fans of the genre would enjoy this one. 

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Charm Offensive

I had heard of The Charm Offensive, Alison Cochrun's debut novel, well before it published on September 7. I thought it looked like fun but then I heard a lot of fellow bloggers and bookstagrammers absolutely buzzing about it. I wanted in! And, good news, I enjoyed it just as much as everyone else has. It had everything I look for in a rom com!

Here's the book's description:

Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.
Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.
As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told. 

I think my happiness with this book was helped by the fact that I was in the mood for this kind of story when I read it. I needed something that was funny but also had a romance at the centre. Plus, this had a lot of depth to it that made for a really well balanced rom com read. 

This is the second rom com I've read in the last few months that has played on The Bachelor(ette) TV show and created their own dating reality show. Both novels (the other was If the Shoe Fits which I also adored. Review here.) treat the shows in a similar way. It's not really about finding true love. It's now about making a name for yourself and promoting your own brand or furthering a business agenda. There are some people, like Dev, who want to fall for the over the top romance of it all - the elaborate dates and so on - and it's hard for them to realize that the show is not real life and no one is as invested in the love story as they are. The book pokes a bit of fun at the people who watch the show but also acknowledges that shows like that are an entertaining escape for some people and there's not really anything too wrong with that. (Full disclosure: I used to watch The Bachelor and The Bachelorette but I gave it up many years ago for all the reasons you'd assume but if people still want to watch it, it doesn't bother me any.)

Reading as Charlie opened up to Dev was wonderful. You can tell that it is extremely difficult for him and also that there's A Reason Charlie decides to do so with Dev. He's closed off from so many people but there's something about Dev that he trusts. He doesn't realize it at first but we, the reader of the rom com (emphasis on rom) knows that it's more than a friendship connection there. And it's not just Charlie who's opening up and discovering some Major Things about himself. Dev is forced to realize some hard truths as well - things that he's been avoiding thinking about or doing anything about because it was too hard. So, yes, I suppose you could say that Charlie and Dev made each other better. But I think a more accurate way to put it is they were able to be more honest and more of their true selves with each other. And isn't that the best thing to ask for in a partner?

This book is funny, too! There were so many laugh out loud moments and I thought Cochrun started the book perfectly by setting up the reality TV dating scene and giving the reader a number of hilarious moments right off the bat. I loved how clever and quirky both Dev and Charlie were and their banter - when Charlie allowed himself to let loose - was great.

The Charm Offensive is a book to read for all rom com lovers. Especially if you like reading about couples that we haven't seen nearly enough of in mainstream fiction. Alison Cochrun's novel is an absolute delight and I hope many, many others discover that for themselves soon!

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

Review: The Bennet Women

There are so many great Jane Austen retellings out there and I am so thrilled about it. There's no way I'm ever going to be able to get to all of them but I'm really happy I was able to recently read The Bennet Women by Eden Appiah-Kubi. This debut novel was a modern spin on Pride and Prejudice and I couldn't get enough of it.

Here's the book's description:

Welcome to Bennet House, the only all-women’s dorm at prestigious Longbourn University, home to three close friends who are about to have an eventful year. EJ is an ambitious Black engineering student. Her best friend, Jamie, is a newly out trans woman studying French and theater. Tessa is a Filipina astronomy major with guy trouble. For them, Bennet House is more than a residence—it’s an oasis of feminism, femininity, and enlightenment. But as great as Longbourn is for academics, EJ knows it can be a wretched place to find love.
Yet the fall season is young and brimming with surprising possibilities. Jamie’s prospect is Lee Gregory, son of a Hollywood producer and a gentleman so charming he practically sparkles. That leaves EJ with Lee’s arrogant best friend, Will. For Jamie’s sake, EJ must put up with the disagreeable, distressingly handsome, not quite famous TV actor for as long as she can.
What of it? EJ has her eyes on a bigger prize, anyway: launching a spectacular engineering career in the “real world” she’s been hearing so much about. But what happens when all their lives become entwined in ways no one could have predicted—and EJ finds herself drawn to a man who’s not exactly a perfect fit for the future she has planned?

The novel follows the characters over the course of EJ and Jamie's final year at Longbourn. I liked how the story was laid out with it taking place over a calendar year and broken up based on important events. For example, it starts with the Fall Formal (aka the ball where Elizabeth and Darcy first meet) and then skips ahead to other significant parts of the story. The chapters and sections all vary in length so they're just as long or short as they need to be, which I really liked. 

The nods to Jane Austen's original story were fantastic. This is very much Appiah-Kubi's own story but she uses the plot points of Pride and Prejudice as her framework. I loved the little moments like when EJ (who I absolutely loved) shows up at the hospital when Jamie ends up there and she's covered in mud from a long hike in the woods, just like Elizabeth when she rushes to Jane's side after hearing she'd fallen ill on her way to see the Bingleys. Will is a fantastic modern day Darcy who shows off the snobby and heart of gold sides of his personality so well.

If I had to make one complaint, it would be that it very much felt like this novel was just EJ's story even with the chapters and perspectives from many of the other characters. Sometimes it was just one chapter, such as the case with Dia (the "Lydia" character). But with characters like Jamie, it was a bit different as it was like she was supposed to get as much attention as EJ but she got a bit overshadowed. It was great to get her perspective but I don't know if maybe there needed to be more from her or maybe even less? Then there was Tessa, who is mentioned along with the other two in the description but didn't feature nearly as much as I expected. I wouldn't call this a negative and it didn't take away from my reading enjoyment. I think it's important to note if you're not a fan of multiple perspectives because the uneven focus it might be more of a bother for you.

As someone who grew up in a really white small town and now lives in a fairly white city, I really appreciate reading novels like The Bennet Women that are diverse and very matter of fact about it. I know I'm always learning and novels always give me at least one little (or big) lightbulb moment that helps me approach the world around me in a better way. (Reading novels is great, of course, but that cannot be the only learning I do - and it's not.) In the case of this novel, it was when EJ and Jamie were talking about wanting to do a road trip across the country but the reality was, a black woman and a trans woman would not be welcome in a lot of states. This is something I knew, sort of, but having it laid out like that just hit a little bit harder and stuck with me.

The Bennet Women is one of those books I just want to shove at people and tell them to read it. It's smart and funny and, no surprise here, I loved that Eden Appiah-Kubi wrote a fantastic novel with nods to one of my favourite classics, Pride and Prejudice. It's a great read and I think you should pick it up soon!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, Thomas Allen & Son, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Cover Reveal: The Certainty of Chance

I've been reading Jacquelyn Middleton for a long time now and I'll pretty much read whatever she publishes no matter what it's about. Her latest novel is The Certainty of Chance and it promises to be a magical holiday read. I can't wait!

Today I'm so pleased to be sharing the cover of the upcoming novel, which publishes on October 14, 2021. I think the cover perfectly conveys the wonderful story I'm sure to find inside.

Here's what the novel is all about:

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT DECEMBER…
Madeleine Joy is feeling more meh than merry. When an Icelandic volcano erupts six days before Christmas, hazardous ash congests European airspace, canceling flights indefinitely—including the thirtysomething's connection to Paris. Stranded alone in London, separated from her sister, and with the devastating one-year anniversary of her best friend’s tragic death just days away, Madeleine has never felt less festive. And as if things couldn’t get worse, the cute guy driving the cab to her hotel won’t shut up about carolers and tinsel…
Julian Halliwell is one of life’s sunny optimists. A former music journalist, he’s embraced his love for London by starting his own black cab business, enthusiastically ferrying passengers from one historic landmark to another. But life hasn’t always been easy for Julian. Having navigated several life-changing setbacks including a cruel betrayal by his former fiancée, Julian remains hopeful that he’ll meet somebody kind, who shares his love of music, his corgi named Winnie, and of course, the magic of Christmas time in London.
Despite being an unlikely match, fate seems determined to throw them together. But can the grieving American find joy again in a world where the lights have all but dimmed?
From Jacquelyn Middleton, the award-winning author of UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES, comes a heartwarming Christmas story of love, loss, serendipity, and the belief that what’s meant for you won’t pass you by.

You're ready for the cover, aren't you? I don't blame you. Here...we...go!

It has me so so so excited for this book! And I hope you're just as excited.

Cover Designer: ThinkTank

Pre-order your copy
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About the Author
Jacquelyn Middleton is an award-winning author of love stories for hopeful romantics--'hopeful' because her novels are always full of optimism and a 'happy ever after' is important now more than ever before. But life is messy, relationships are messy, and her books aren't afraid to go there, too. If you enjoy character and relationship-driven stories about people dealing with the triumphs and disasters we all face, Jacquelyn's books are for you.
In 2019, she was named BEST CANADIAN AUTHOR at the RWA's Toronto Romance Writers 'Northern Hearts' Awards for UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES. She is also the author of LONDON BELONGS TO ME, LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT? and SAY HELLO, KISS GOODBYE.
An own voices author, Jacquelyn has dealt with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression all her life, and is dedicated to depicting mental health challenges realistically and empathetically in her novels.
Jacquelyn's books have been featured by The Hollywood Reporter, NBC News, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Daily News, USA Today, Cosmo, Redbook, and the Huffington Post.
She lives in Toronto with her British husband and Japanese Spitz dog.

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Review: While We Were Dating

I've been reading Jasmine Guillory for years now and will likely continue to read her for years to come. She has a way of creating really great stories that I always enjoy reading. While We Were Dating was no exception and I had this one finished in one day!

Here's the book's description:

Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he's trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star Anna Gardiner, however, it's hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she's also down to earth and considerate, and he can't help flirting a little...
Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she's booked her next movie. However, she didn't expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation?
But their lighthearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they've barely shared with those closest to them.
When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna's life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?

I finished this one before bed so I was thinking about what I might write for my review as I was drifting off to sleep. I realized that I had a really enjoyable time reading this book but...that doesn't necessarily mean it was the best it could have been. Anna and Ben were good characters. Not only that, they were good people. So that was fantastic. But...I don't know if I got to know them as much as I expected to. So much of their characteristics were based on their jobs, their race, and their mental health. Don't get me wrong - these are all Very Important Things and I am THRILLED to see all of these things in rom coms. I just felt like I didn't really know them by the end of the book. It's not a major thing but it was something that kind of niggled at me when I thought back on the book.

That said, I really did have a lot of fun reading this book. Guillory is great at finding the perfect balance of humour and depth and a sweet romance with sexy scenes. Her characters are always genuinely good people which is something I look for in my contemporary reads. And the attraction between Ben and Anna was so fun and electric - it was easy to see they were meant to stay together. 

I appreciated that each character was open about their mental health and the highs and lows that they've had. We're starting to see these kinds of discussions more and more in books and I love it. I think it's really important to pay as much attention to our mental health as our physical health - especially after the last year and a half. 

Overall, I liked While We Were Dating but I didn't love it. I expect more from Jasmine Guillory, which may or may not be fair. I know she's capable of writing rom coms I absolutely adore so when she doesn't quite hit that mark, it's kind of disappointing. This one is definitely still worth a read but I'd recommend it as a borrow, not buy. It's lots of fun but it's not necessary to keep it on your bookshelf.

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

Review: The Heron's Cry

It was just about a year ago when I finally realized that I like mystery novels. I'm not sure why it took me so long, perhaps it was because of the bombardment of psychological/domestic thrillers that exploded in bookstores everywhere in recent years. Ann Cleeves' novel The Long Call was one that helped me have that lightbulb moment. It was the first in a new series and book two, The Heron's Cry, is out in the world today. 

Here's the book's description:

North Devon is enjoying a rare hot summer with tourists flocking to its coastline. Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a rural crime scene at the home of a group of artists. What he finds is an elaborately staged murder--Dr Nigel Yeo has been fatally stabbed with a shard of one of his glassblower daughter's broken vases.
Dr Yeo seems an unlikely murder victim. He's a good man, a public servant, beloved by his daughter. Matthew is unnerved, though, to find that she is a close friend of Jonathan, his husband.
Then another body is found--killed in a similar way. Matthew soon finds himself treading carefully through the lies that fester at the heart of his community and a case that is dangerously close to home.

From the start I found the writing to be a bit choppy with quick sentences and the like. There was something else niggling at me and I realized partway through what it was: it was reading more like a screenplay than a novel. And not in a good way. You know when you read a book and can perfectly picture it as a movie? That's fine. But with this one, it was like it was being written with the intention of becoming a show. And guess what? It is going to be a new series, just like Cleeves' other works (Shetland and Vera). I just went down a rabbit hole of searching the actors in the show and Venn actually looks pretty much exactly like I pictured - but isn't necessarily what was described (there's no grey hair, for example). Anyway. I feel like the hope was always for it to be a film or tv show and that's how it was written and that, apparently, is a bother to me. But will I watch it? Oh, 100%. 

But back to the second novel. It's told in third person with most of the story coming from Matthew's perspective. His officers, Jen and Ross, also have their own storylines, both within and outside of the case. Jen's made the most sense since she had seen the first victim at a party the night before he was killed. Ross's side storyline didn't seem to fit at all - it was just like Cleeves wanted to make sure the reader knew he had a life outside of work but it felt shoehorned into the story. Having them each work on the case gave the reader the chance to try to puzzle out the clues with each police officer. All three of them work in different ways, which is so interesting from both a character and a work ethic perspective.

Speaking of working out the clues - the reader isn't given the full insight into Jen's suspicions at the end. Which I kind of loved! I had absolutely no idea what she had connected and couldn't wait to see everything fall together at the end. The end was a little bit of an "evil villain wants to talk all about their accomplishments" scenario, which I don't find super realistic, but I was still reeling from finding out who the murderer was. 

The pace of the mystery was good. I never felt like things were being slowed down or that unnecessary details were thrown in. Even when seemingly unrelated information was brought up, I could see how, maybe, it might tie into the murder investigation. I definitely wanted to keep reading, and quickly, to see how it all ended.

I love the setting of this series too. It takes place in North Devon, somewhere I've never been and likely never will get to visit. But I love the English-ness of it. Perhaps even more so these days as I've been stuck in basically one region of my province for a year. Bring on the armchair travel! Even with a side of murder! (Not real murder, please and thank you.) 

The Heron's Cry didn't necessarily wow me but I was still super invested in Ann Cleeves' latest novel. Crime mysteries are so interesting to read, for me personally and in moderation, and I'll definitely be picking up the third book in the Two Rivers series as soon as it's released.

My review of The Long Call is here.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, Publishers Group Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Better than the Movies

Ah, nothing like a book about teenagers to remind you that it has been a long, long, long time since you were a teenager yourself. But I kind of enjoyed that feeling as I read Lynn Painter's Better than the Movies. I felt everything as deeply as if I was 18 again and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Here's the book's description:

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar—and maybe snag him as a prom date—even befriend Wes Bennet.
The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.
But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love—and rethink her own ideas of what Happily Ever After should look like.

This is the kind of novel Teenage Kaley would have devoured. As it was, Adult Kaley didn't want to put it down either. Painter hit all the right notes of cringey teenage drama, confusing feelings about relationships and growing up, and the sweetness of first loves. I don't know how we made it out of teenagerhood, to be honest. 

I don't love comparing novels but sometimes it's necessary. Liz gave me some Lara Jean (To All the Boys I've Loved Before) and Pippa (Leading Lines) vibes - which I was so here for. There's a bit of a sweetness and innocence to all three that I like for a couple of reasons. First, I was like that too as a teenager. Second, senior year of high school is the last time you really get to be a kid and that's super powerful and full of strong emotions, which is why we love these high school stories so much. So many of us wanted to grow up quickly but, now that we have, there's sometimes a wish that we could go back to when we just had to worry about school and who was crushing on us. As I said, I could see bits of myself in Liz but I was definitely in awe of how she embraced her personality. 

It was hard to read as Liz tried to navigate her senior year of high school without her mom. This is important and I wish the description had mentioned it: Liz's mom died in a car accident when she was in the fifth grade. She's having a really hard time with all of the "last" moments that high school has to offer and can't find a way to talk about it with her dad or best friend. (Side note: Liz is not innocent in the issues that come up with her BFF but I was not impressed with Joss as a best friend but I may have been expecting too much of a teenager.) I can't imagine how hard it would have been to have all these intense feelings as a teen and not know what to do with them.

I absolutely loved all the references to rom coms throughout the book. Did I think Liz was leaning too hard on these movies that her mom left for her? Yes. But grief works in different ways for different people. Each chapter begins with a quote from all sorts of romantic comedies which was too fun. I love the genre (quelle surprise) so understood why Liz was so obsessed but I also understood Wes and Liz's stepmom's feelings on the genre. Some are wildly unrealistic and you just can't suspend your beliefs to make it work. But others? They leave you with all the warm and fuzzies when the credits roll. And that's the kind of feeling Better than the Movies left me with as I closed the book. 

Better than the Movies is a must read for YA readers who love contemporary stories. It's funny and sweet and an absolute delight. Lynn Painter has created a heroine who readers will love and want to root for as she finds her way in the world and discovers that your first love might not be exactly what you expected.

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

Review: The Great Godden

After not reading a YA title in over a year, I've read three within a couple of weeks! The Great Godden was first up. Meg Rosoff's novel was published in April but I held onto it, knowing it would be a great summer read. I was right. It was an intense summer for the characters in the novel and I was really invested in how it would all turn out.

Here's the book's description:

This is the story of one family, one dreamy summer. . . . In a holiday house by the sea, our watchful narrator sees everything, including many things they shouldn't, as their brother and sisters, parents and older cousins fill hot days with wine and games and planning a wedding. Enter two brothers: irresistible, charming, languidly sexy Kit and surly, silent Hugo. Suddenly there's a serpent in this paradise -- and the consequences will be devastating.

It's kind of difficult to explain this one - it's kind of like a literary YA. There's plot and characters but it reads at a different...level, maybe, than your average teen book set during the summer. For one, you don't know the narrator's name or exact age. I'm pretty sure they were female and likely about 17, going into their final year of high school. It didn't bother me, exactly, but the curious part of my brain really wanted to know those details! It was also a pretty short novel so the information that was given was important (even though sometimes I was wondering why certain memories were brought up).

There's a lot of change for the narrator and their family, as well as their neighbours. Their younger neighbours are like a super cool aunt and uncle to the four siblings and they're finally tying the knot. That in itself would make for a lot of drama but the Godden brothers showing up throws off their usual summer balance and no one knows how to act or how things will turn out. 

I loved the feeling of summer in this book. It hits all the highs and lows of summers, especially those that are spent at a cottage (I assume, based on the few visits to cottages I've had in my life). There's the long drive out of the city (in this case, the city being London) and the exhaustion and excitement that brings. Then there's the arrival with the whole summer spread out before you with so many possibilities. But summer ticks along as it always does and suddenly there are only a few weeks left before having to go back to normal life. The drama in the story follows that same meandering path with the climax happening just before the end of summer.

I really had no idea how things would turn out. I'm actually pretty sure my jaw dropped when everything came to light. I was proud of how the other characters reacted in the midst of a total upheaval of their lives. Some of them were a bit judgey of a certain character before but when The Thing happened and it all came to light, they realized how wrong they were and worked to make it right. 

The Great Godden was unique and kept me really interested throughout the whole novel. Meg Rosoff is a talented writer and I enjoyed her summer-set YA novel and think a lot of others would as well.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Teen/Penguin Random House Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*