Review: Four Weddings and a Puppy

Lizzie Shane has become a go-to author for me when I need a sweet, entertaining, gosh-darn-lovely romance. I fell in love with the town and characters she created back in 2020 with The Twelve Dogs of Christmas and I’ve enjoyed every subsequent novel since. I read Four Weddings and a Puppy at the perfect time and had a great time reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones in this latest Pine Hollow novel.

Here’s the book’s description:

When two childhood friends return home after their sports careers don't go as planned, a puppy just may give them a second chance at happiness together. She’s always been the girl with the plan . . . until the plan crashed big time
Kendall Walsh has exactly one second to save a fancy, five-tiered wedding cake and any possibility of being a wedding planner—not to mention her family’s struggling ski resort. All because of one very cute, very furry, golden menace of a retriever who has a serious thing for butter chiffon icing. Which is exactly when Olympic skier Brody James shows up and saves the day . . . and the cake.
Brody makes Kendall feel about a million indecipherable things. He’s her brother’s bestie. Her first crush. And a ridiculously popular Olympic hero, which only reminds her of her own failed Olympic dreams. What Brody isn’t telling her is that he’s walked away from it all. The fame. The sponsorships. The celebrity girlfriend. Now he and Kendall are both lost somewhere between their past and a future they can’t yet see. But four weddings, one mischievous puppy, and a few steamy kisses later, these two might just realize that they are both exactly where they need to be…with each other.

I’ll be honest (as usual), if you’re looking for a super well-crafted, thought-provoking romance novel and/or want some steam, this series is not for you. But I firmly believe there are different types of books (and romance books in particular) for a reason and sometimes you want the cupcake version of a book and there is NO shame in choosing the cupcake over the carrot.

I loved Brody and Kendall as a couple. They created a partnership first, flirting a little, but they were both so inside their heads and trying to figure out What’s Next that romance didn’t quite have the space it needed to start. Not until they worked through some of their own personal demons. But the beauty of the story was they each helped the other work through those demons, too. It felt like such a realistic portrayal of what it’s like to have someone solidly on your side when you’re figuring out some of the hard choices. Knowing they had built a foundation meant rooting for them romantically was really easy!

As I said, Kendall and Brody both had some hard stuff to figure out. Kendall needed to work out if she could, in fact, walk away from the family business and deal with the trauma from her skiing accident once and for all. Brody had walked away from competitive skiing with no real plan and couldn’t figure out how to balance his life. I respected their problems but I think this is where Shane lost me, just a little bit. I can’t put my finger on why, either, which is frustrating. Maybe it’s just that it seemed like they were both hiding from the truth and seemed stuck for too much of the story. I get that happens in life but being “stuck” isn’t really something you want in a novel.

One thing I see as a pro in this series is you really don’t have to read every previous book to enjoy the latest. Each one features a different couple and they’re all somewhat connected, either by friendship or by blood relation, but it’s the town that holds it all together. And the puppies that always show up! So, what I’m saying is, if you want a brand new romance to read right now but haven’t read the rest of the Pine Hollow series, rest assured, you can pick this one up with no problem or confusion.

I had such a great time reading Lizzie Shane’s latest romance, Four Weddings and a Puppy. I highly recommend picking this one (and the others in the series) up if you want a sweet romance that will leave you with a smile and a full heart (and perhaps a longing for a puppy of your own!).

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

Spotlight: The Ex-Mas Holidays

Did I need another holiday book to read? No. But how could I pass up a second-chance romance that takes place in the Scottish Highlands? I could not. That is the truthful answer. The Ex-Mas Holidays by Zoe Allison is out in the world today and I'm so happy to be able to feature it for a blog tour!

Here's the book's description:

It’s hard to escape your ex when you’re working together over Christmas in the Scottish Highlands, but being stuck together might be the best possible present in this sparkling new contemporary romance.
Maya Bashir is dreading her drive home for Christmas and having to explain that she's just left her high-paying job and a long-term relationship, so a brief detour to her friend’s festive party doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Until Maya walks in to find the last person she wants to see. Sam, the boy who broke her heart eight years ago. And he’s serving drinks. Naked.
Sam Holland is working an extra job on the sly to help his friend get by. But little did he expect Maya Bashir to come barrelling back into his life, learning about his secret side-hustle and taking back her old job alongside him at his daytime role as a ski instructor on the slopes of the Scottish Highlands.
As both Sam and Maya realize that their reason for heartbreak so many years ago wasn’t entirely as it seemed, they must learn to stand up for what they want the most…or else miss their second chance at love. 

I'm not quite sure when I'm going to get to this one but I'm so excited to read it before the holidays. Christmas, Scotland, swoons! Oh, it'll be great!

Thank you to Berkley for inviting me to be a part of this tour and providing an egalley of this novel via NetGalley.

Review: A Queen of Thieves and Chaos

If you’re a regular blog reader you’ll know two things about me: I’ve been reading K.A. Tucker for ages (and love everything she writes) and I don’t often read fantasy novels. Because of my love of Tucker’s books, I’ve been happily devouring her Fate & Flame series even though I say I don't read many fantasy books. The third in the series is A Queen of Thieves & Chaos and is just out today. It’s a beast of a book clocking in at around 600 pages but I needed and loved every page.

Here’s the book’s description:

"You betrayed your brother to steal a broken crown."
The kingdom stands on the brink of chaos. Atticus' grip on the realm is faltering, and as threats arise ever closer to home he is driven to increasingly desperate acts to hold onto power.
With Islor's fate now in the balance, Zander stands to defend the Rift from the oncoming Ybarisan army. With the king's forces scattered, he must risk unlikely new alliances.
And behind the walls of Ulysede, secrets wait for its new queen. Romeria knows that the paths of the hidden city will lead her to answers. But will they be enough to save the realm – or is their fate already sealed?

I had an easier time picking up the story than I did between books one and two, which was a bit of a relief. Since I don’t read a ton of fantasy, the whole world building thing can take a bit to get my head around. This time, I just dove in and hoped that I’d remember important information when I needed to. Tucker provides a few helpful pieces of info here and there to assist the reader who has waited so long for this book but it's not repetitive for those who have better memories (or, I imagine, those who are reading the series in order in a short period of time). It probably also helped that I’ve already spent two books with these characters, learning about the different lands, abilities, and creatures as well as following an intricate (and enjoyable) plot.

The beginning of the book included a table of contents (and a map! Swoon.) and I was a bit worried about how many characters had chapters dedicated to them (hint: it’s A LOT). Not only that, but each character tells their story in the first person. You’d think, as I did, that it would get confusing but it actually worked really well. Each character is included because they have something important to contribute to the overall narrative and while I always wanted to be with Romeria, I appreciated all the time I spent getting to know other characters.

I have no idea how many books Tucker has planned for this series so I wasn’t sure if this third book would be the last. Heads up: it’s not! Book four is due out next summer and it seems like it will wrap everything up and I am desperate to see how all the characters will fare once the prophecy is revealed in its entirety.

This is a fantasy romance (romantasy? Is that what the kids are calling them these days?) but the most prominent romance in this novel was a bit of a surprise. I don’t want to say any more about it because the description doesn’t hint at it and I think readers will enjoy watching the romance unfold as much as I did. I will say that it was a great to have this new romance paired with the romance between Romeria and Zander which, as new as it is, is really solid. There are a few steamy scenes but the characters going off to war definitely played a larger role than sexy times.

Finally, can we take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is this Hang Le cover? My god, she does amazing work.

I absolutely adored K.A. Tucker’s latest novel, which is no surprise. I’ve loved the other books in the Fate & Flame series and A Queen of Thieves & Chaos was just as good as the others (it might even be my favourite so far…). Even when I was anxious for the characters (so many chances for them to be killed!), I was so glad to be able to spend more time with them and I enjoyed being surprised right alongside them as they learned more and more about this mysterious prophecy. How am I going to be able to wait another year for the next book!?!

Download A Queen of Thieves & Chaos today on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo: https://geni.us/queenthieveschaos

The audiobook edition of this book will be released on September 19 with narration by Elizabeth Klett.

Intrigued by my vague review (hey, it's hard to write about a third book of a series!)? Add A Queen of Thieves & Chaos to your Goodreads shelf. 

Don’t forget, this is an adult fantasy story that must be read in series order and you can start the series for only 99¢ for a limited time.
Buy A Fate of Wrath & Flame
Buy A Curse of Blood & Stone

About the Author
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.

Connect with the Author
Website * Newsletter * Goodreads * Amazon * Facebook 
Facebook Group * Instagram * Tiktok * Bookbub * Pinterest * Threads

*An egalley of this novel was provided by Valentine PR for the purpose of a blog tour and release blitz. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Hustler Next Door

You all know I adore K.A. Tucker so it’s no surprise I love love loved The Hustler Next Door, which was just published today. I have been waiting for Justine’s book since I finished The Player Next Door. In the summer. Of 2020. That’s a long time to wait! (Review is here if you missed it.) The wait was totally worth it though and I could not put this book down.

Here’s the book’s description:

Justine MacDermott is in what she would call a transition period: squatting in her best friend’s house and working in an appliance store in Polson Falls while the man she was supposed to marry starts a new life with someone else.
She’s definitely not thinking about slashing his tires and wishing his vital extremities would fall off.
When newcomer Garrett Harrington strolls into Murphy’s Appliances looking to buy a refrigerator, Justine convinces herself she’s found her rebound. Or the next love of her life. Either works. But a chance encounter leads her to discover that Garrett isn’t who he made himself out to be, and he’s more interested in hustling her kindly old boss out of his family business—and using her to do it.
Furious at being fooled by yet another man and itching for retribution, Justine enlists the help of unlikely townsfolk to battle Harrington Group’s big-city development plans for Polson Falls.
It’s all going to plan … until Justine finds herself crossing enemy lines.

I admit I didn’t even read the book’s description before requesting to review this one. I just knew I needed more of Tucker’s contemporary romance (that borders on rom com) in my life. This series is smart and funny, has just the right amount of drama, and adds a (liberal) dash of spice - and sass and swears, in the case of Justine. Which I, of course, loved since I swear like a sailor myself. Anyway. So, because I didn’t read the description, I didn’t know who the love interest was going to be. I had also forgotten about Dean, the best friend of the hero in The Player Next Door. I thought, ooh Justine and Dean would be fun together (other than the rhyming of their names…) so I ended up having to totally change my mindset for this romance! The brain is a weird place. Also, speaking of my weird brain, I’ve been doing a rewatch of Veronica Mars so I was totally picturing Ryan Hansen, who plays Dick Casablancas on the show, as Dean. You’re welcome for that random visual. And now I really want Dean’s story so I’m really hoping that will be coming soon(ish)!

But none of that tells you about The Hustler Next Door, does it? OK, let’s see. First of all, Justine was a hoot to read about. She gives zero shits and doesn’t exactly have a filter. She's a really good human and amazing friend. She tells it like it is, for better or for worse. And most people will probably think the worst of her but I thoroughly enjoyed her as a main character. She knows what she wants, even if she fights against it. Like, duh, of course she was attracted to Garrett and should most definitely hook up with him but it took her awhile to get there. But when they did give in to the attraction they had to each other? Hoo boy, get out the fan, my friends. There’s one particular scene where Justine shows up unexpectedly at Garrett’s that’s seared into my brain. And I’m totally ok with that.

Given I’m a small town girl myself, I love the setting of this novel. And, as in most small town stories, there’s a cast of secondary characters that are lovely and sometimes wacky. The “granny gang” that helps Justine fight the development features Shirley who seems to have it out for everyone and everything. I’m actually really not sure why she was so angry at the world and it got to be a bit much, especially because Justine looked up to her as a grandmother figure. I didn’t want Justine to be that jaded or contrary. It was like she was just fighting for the sake of fighting and the WHY of it was never explained. I think if you’ve never lived in a small town and seen the concern when buildings are being torn down or overhauled, you won’t get why anyone would be trying to fight it.

I ended up rating this one at 4 stars, but would easily give it a solid 4.5 (and probably did on Storygraph). That extra half star to bring it to a full 5, which Player got, is missing because the plot outside the romance was lacking something and I wasn’t on board with Justine’s issues post break up with Bastard Bill. It was too convenient to blame that (not that I’m saying she wasn’t right to be hurt - she absolutely was) for the issues between herself and Garrett.

The Hustler Next Door is a must read for anyone who loves contemporary romance with main characters who practically leap off the page. K.A. Tucker continues to be one of my all-time favourite authors and I’m so, SO very glad she brought us back to Polson Falls with this novel. I’m ready for the next story from the small town!

Download the novel today. It will be available exclusively on Amazon & Kindle Unlimited January 5.

Add The Hustler Next Door to your Goodreads shelf.

About the Author
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.

Connect with the Author
Website * Newsletter Sign Up * Goodreads * Amazon * Facebook
Facebook Group * Instagram * TikTok * Bookbub * Pinterest

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

Review: The Winners

I was kind of late to the Beartown game. I knew about the book but wasn't entirely sure I'd enjoy it. My book club decided to read it in the summer of 2018 and then I finally understood what people were talking about. It was incredible and I immediately put the second book, Us Against You, on hold at the library (I loved it too). I was so grateful and excited to receive an ARC of book three, The Winners, (seriously - there was squealing when I opened the envelope). This book. Oh, my heart. It is everything.

Here's the book's description:

Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there’s something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life’s big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them?
As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home after a long time away. Someone will be laid to rest. Someone will fall in love, someone will try to fix their marriage, and someone will do anything to save their children. Someone will submit to hate, someone will fight, and someone will grab a gun and walk towards the ice rink.
So what are the residents of Beartown willing to sacrifice for their home?
Everything.

This book is massive. It’s a chunky, hefty tome that clocks in at roughly 680 pages. On the one hand, I’m not sure why it had to be that long. On the other, well, I’m so so so very glad it was. I didn’t want the story to be over so I was thankful to have so many pages of this book to read. This is a story that you don’t want to see the end of.

I’ve only read this series from Backman so I don’t know how he writes his other books. This series though? I can’t properly explain how perfectly he’s written this story. It’s not written like most other books I’ve read. There’s a third person omniscient narrator who knows everything that’s happening or has happened in the story. They even know what will happen even if they don’t always tell us (that first chapter though…). It’s the perfect way to tell a story with a bajillion characters who all need to be featured. And if that sounds confusing, it’s totally not. This series works because it’s telling the story of a community, not just one or two characters (even if there are a few who shine brighter than others).

I’m a pretty emotional person who cries more at books than movies or TV but doesn’t always cry at scenes you’d expect. And sometimes it seems like I have an empty space in place of a heart when gut-punch scenes don’t affect me at all. *shrugs* I went in prepared to have All The Feels with this book thought and, friends, it got me. It did take longer than I expected for the tears to come but I had to fight not to sob when I was getting to the end (maybe don’t read this book in the lunchroom at work?) EVEN THOUGH I knew what was going to happen. Backman dropped hints throughout but, my god, it still hurt when you were actually reading it.

If you haven’t yet experienced the magic that is Beartown, you absolutely must read this series. The Winners is a perfect conclusion to a series I never wanted to see end. As much as it broke my heart, it couldn’t have ended any other way. Fredrik Backman is a writing wizard and I’m so very glad I’ve been able to get lost in this series.

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

Review: A Curse of Blood and Stone

If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you know I don’t read fantasy too often. What I do read often is every single book K.A. Tucker writes! The second novel of her Fate and Flame series, A Curse of Blood and Stone, is published today and I completely devoured it!

Here’s the book’s description:

From jewelry thief to interloper to queen-in-waiting, Romeria flees Cirilea a traitor to all. But the yawning distance between her and Zander troubles her more than any king’s bounty on her head. While Zander may have escaped by her side, he seeks to regain his throne, and no immortal will ever welcome her as Islor’s queen. She fears it won’t be long before Zander abandons her as everyone else she’s ever loved has.
Zander sacrificed his crown to save Romeria’s life, yet he dreads what her existence means for the future of his realm. As Ybaris’s plan to destroy Islor unfurls, a more insidious threat, orchestrated by rival fates, lurks beneath the surface. He can offer his allies no honest explanation for why he protects the Ybarisan princess and takes counsel from Queen Neilina’s caster, leading those closest to doubt his wisdom—and his allegiance.
As their company aims for the Venhorn Mountains, steered by prophecy, Romeria is desperate to wield her newfound abilities to undo Princess Romeria’s treachery before the kingdom tears itself apart. But with the mortal rebellion swelling, bolstered by the gift of Ybaris’s poison, it may already be too late.

It had been over a year since I read A Fate of Wrath and Flame so there were a few details of the world Tucker had built that I had completely forgotten. I was a bit worried at first, to be honest, that I had so many gaps in my memory. But I kept reading and all the necessary particulars came rushing back and I was immediately sucked back into Romeria and Zander’s story. I’m already jealous of the people who haven’t discovered this series yet and can read these two back-to-back. But be warned – you’ll feel just like I do right now. Which is impatient (already) for the next book in the series!

I don’t consider myself an expert on the fantasy genre so there may be things that aren’t “done” in that world but, to me, this book did what a fantasy should. It swept me away to a whole other world and introduced me to rules and creatures that we would never encounter. There were a few times when I found it difficult to wrap my head around who was what kind of creature and what curse affected who, but I tried not to focus on the nitty gritty details when I was confused and just went with it.

Tucker, being the kind of writer she is, not only built an intriguing fantasy world but created characters that I love reading about. Romeria and Zander each narrate alternating-ish chapters, both telling their story in the first person. Romeria has the bulk of the chapters with Zander’s many chapters filling in blanks and providing more tension and depth to the novel. There are two other chapters from two different characters that also let the reader know what else is happening elsewhere. You’d think that would all be confusing but it’s really not!

This is a fantasy romance (romance fantasy? Romantic fantasy?) so the love story between Romeria and Zander is just as important as the battle they’re preparing for in the world they’re in. The couple aren’t exactly a couple at the start of the novel and I wondered if they’d be able to work through the outside forces at play that were trying to keep them apart. Which is kind of amusing since one of the outside sources was a prophecy (prophecy? That might not be the exact word Tucker chose) that said the two were destined to be together. Minor spoiler (but, duh, it’s a romance): the pair do make up their differences which allowed for a few sexy scenes between them. *fans self*

I was completely hooked on A Curse of Blood and Stone from the first page and only got more sucked in as I read K.A. Tucker’s latest novel. I’m so glad there’s more to come in this series but it’s going to be tough to wait for the next installment!

Buy the Book
Amazon * Apple Books * Nook * Kobo * Audiobook: Releasing October 25th!

Add to Goodreads

About the Author
K.A. Tucker is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher's Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.

Connect with the Author

Website * Newsletter * Goodreads * Amazon * Facebook
Facebook Group * Instagram * Twitter * Bookbub * Pinterest

My review of A Fate of Wrath and Flame 

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via Valentine PR for the purpose of a review for a blog and Instagram tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Part of Your World

I’ve been hearing about Abby Jimenez’s books for a few years now but had never gotten around to reading one. So many books, so little time, am I right? I decided to finally read my first from her when I heard about Part of Your World and had a chance to get an early copy. I mean, how could I not be intrigued when there was mention of a baby goat?!? This was a really enjoyable rom com that was heavy on both romance and comedy but also heavy on the, well, heavy stuff too. It was pretty well balanced and I had a good time reading it.

Here’s the book’s description:

After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.
While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.
Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

The storyline with Alexis’s ex was really, really hard to read at times. Anyone with triggers with gaslighting and emotionally abusive relationships must take note. I hated how this smart, capable woman had been reduced to being so insecure because of her ex. His behaviour was appalling and it didn’t help that Alexis’s family and so-called friends still thought he was the best thing ever. He was careful to hide his behaviour, of course, but it was such a clear indication that most people in Alexis’s life didn’t care enough about her to realize that something was terribly wrong. I was so glad that she had Bri in her corner, at least.

Even knowing the issues she had had with her ex and the emotional trauma all that came with…I still had a hard time accepting Alexis’s reasons for not wanting to commit to Daniel. Not only that, she wasn’t fully up front with him. It was like she couldn’t see a chance with him and didn’t give him all of the information to make a decision for himself. I loved Alexis but I loved Daniel more and I wish she had shown him a little bit more respect when it came to their relationship.

The small town magic was too much fun. Jimenez made this a fairy tale with hints of magic popping up in town that made this story whimsical and helped balance out the heavier storylines.

Even though Alexis was hell bent on not allowing things to turn into a full blown relationship, the romance between she and Daniel was delightful. Their meet cute was awfully cute – with a dose of awkward too, which is always amusing in a rom com – and the sparks between them were immediately obvious. You couldn’t help but root for the two of them!

Part of Your World was an absolute delight. I laughed and swooned and cried and it was just the read I needed. This may have been the first book of Abby Jimenez’s that I read but I don’t think it’s going to be the last.

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

Review: Bluebird

It is no secret that I love everything Genevieve Graham writes. (And if you didn’t know that…where have you been?) I’ve been so very excited about Bluebird since Graham first hinted at the storyline so my hopes were high for another great read. Even with sky high expectations, Graham managed to smash them and delivered a stunning historical fiction novel that I was completely riveted by. I didn’t want it to end.

Here’s the book’s description:

Present day
Cassie Simmons, a museum curator, is enthusiastic about solving mysteries from the past, and she has a personal interest in the history of the rumrunners who ferried illegal booze across the Detroit River during Prohibition. So when a cache of whisky labeled Bailey Brothers’ Best is unearthed during a local home renovation, Cassie hopes to find the answers she’s been searching for about the legendary family of bootleggers...
1918
Corporal Jeremiah Bailey of the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company is tasked with planting mines in the tunnels beneath enemy trenches. After Jerry is badly wounded in an explosion, he finds himself in a Belgium field hospital under the care of Adele Savard, one of Canada’s nursing sisters, nicknamed “Bluebirds” for their blue gowns and white caps. As Jerry recovers, he forms a strong connection with Adele, who is from a place near his hometown of Windsor, along the Detroit River. In the midst of war, she’s a welcome reminder of home, and when Jerry is sent back to the front, he can only hope that he’ll see his bluebird again.
By war’s end, both Jerry and Adele return home to Windsor, scarred by the horrors of what they endured overseas. When they cross paths one day, they have a chance to start over. But the city is in the grip of Prohibition, which brings exciting opportunities as well as new dangerous conflicts that threaten to destroy everything they have fought for.

What I, and so many others, love about Graham’s novels is that they feature Canadian history – and often the parts of our history that are lesser-known. Yes, most people know that Canadians fought in World War I and anyone who lives near the US/Canadian border knows how important Prohibition was to the Canadian towns along the water. But the specifics about the Canadian Tunnelling Company and the nursing sisters, like Adele? I can’t say I knew anything about them. (And if tunnellers sound familiar, yes, Graham was inspired by Peaky Blinders.) 

Not only is the history presented in Graham’s novel our history but it’s so incredibly well researched. True, I don’t know what it was like to live in this time period so I can’t say for sure that Graham is 100% accurate. But, like many historical fiction authors, she outlines the research she did and mentions some of the sources she used to help craft her narrative. That, to me, shows the author put the work into determining what life was really like and was able to create a story that suited the time period. Another great thing about Graham’s work is that I never feel like a history textbook is being recited at me. The historical facts are woven into the fictional narrative so seamlessly that you can almost forget you’re reading a book set a hundred years ago.

Some people may think that the “present day” sections aren’t necessary but I’d argue that they are. There are only a few pieces of story told from Cassie’s point of view but they do help move the story along. And I think these types of stories – ones that feature characters who lived so very long ago – need something to ground the reader. The reader is in Cassie’s shoes and it helps them realize why this story, about people who died so long ago, matters now. And maybe I’m a bit precious about the present day sections because it was me and my colleagues who helped Graham determine she needed to connect with Cassie (who, yes, really exists) at the Maison François Baby House in Windsor.

It’s so hard to write a review for a book that I loved so, so, so much. Bluebird was one of those books. Genevieve Graham has written seven historical fiction novels now and this latest one? It just may have catapulted itself to the top of my favourites list. It was so well written, and full of fascinating facts and characters that feel like friends. I hope you buy a copy of this one soon and love it just as much as I did.

*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 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: 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: 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.*

Blog Tour: The Bookseller's Secret

The Bookseller's Secret, Michelle Gable's latest novel, immediately intrigued me. A writer who's lost her mojo? London in present day and during World War II? A missing manuscript? A bookshop? Oh, yes. I was intrigued. The novel didn't quite live up to what I was expecting but it was interesting and entertaining enough to keep me turning the pages until the end when I finally learned the bookseller's secret.

Here's the book's description:

In 1942, London, Nancy Mitford is worried about more than air raids and German spies. Still recovering from a devastating loss, the once sparkling Bright Young Thing is estranged from her husband, her allowance has been cut, and she’s given up her writing career. On top of this, her five beautiful but infamous sisters continue making headlines with their controversial politics.
Eager for distraction and desperate for income, Nancy jumps at the chance to manage the Heywood Hill bookshop while the owner is away at war. Between the shop’s brisk business and the literary salons she hosts for her eccentric friends, Nancy’s life seems on the upswing. But when a mysterious French officer insists that she has a story to tell, Nancy must decide if picking up the pen again and revealing all is worth the price she might be forced to pay.
Eighty years later, Heywood Hill is abuzz with the hunt for a lost wartime manuscript written by Nancy Mitford. For one woman desperately in need of a change, the search will reveal not only a new side to Nancy, but an even more surprising link between the past and present…

I have to admit I didn't know who Nancy Mitford was before I read the description of this book and that small tidbit was all I knew when I dove into Gable's novel. I think that might have been a detriment to my reading enjoyment and I can't quite put my finger on why. Perhaps because I didn't know a thing so I didn't know how many liberties the author was taking (I don't mind a few but I know that real people are really hard to write about in historical fiction so I tend to shy away from those types of novels) nor did I have any details or info that I feel like the author might have assumed the reader would have. She does a good job of explaining who Nancy was and all her various family members but the "why I should care"-ness just wasn't there. It wasn't even until partway through the book that I realized Mitford is the author if The Pursuit of Love, which has recently been released on Prime and is on my watchlist! She was an interesting woman, to be sure, but I think some of the context was a bit lost.

There's a dual timeline in this novel, like many other historical fiction titles these days. It functions just about as you'd expect but with one notable exception: the "present day" very clearly references the pandemic on multiple occasions. You know, the one that is currently still much a thing? It was a thing of the past in the "present" timeline and, I gotta say, it really weirded me out. It was the first time I encountered it in fiction and I honestly wasn't expecting to for another year at least. I laughed when, in about the middle of the book, Nancy and her friends were discussing a new novel (Grand Canyon) and Nancy says, "We're a stitch too in-the-middle-of-things to comfortably picture a world in which Germany has defeated us." Was this Gables making reference to the fact that she's referencing something we're still going through or did she not even realize the parallels? The parallels are there, of course, and it is something I've noticed myself when I've been reading war fiction over the last however long this madness has been going on. I just didn't expect it to be in my hands for another long while.

I liked that Nancy seemed to buck all traditions and she wasn't what I would normally expect from a woman in the 1940s (which, I think, is a bit sexist and backwards thinking of me) and I really liked reading as she went about her business of having affairs and hosting blackout salons in the bookshop. She was wicked smart but not always the kindest person. I don't know if she was intentionally cruel or just too focused on herself that she never really thought about the feelings of others. Definitely an intriguing woman!

Katie, on the other hand, was going through a hellish time and I felt like that made for a more flat character. She was like a shell of herself which makes it hard to want to read about her - if that makes any sort of sense. I didn't dislike her by any means but I didn't necessarily feel engaged when reading her story. I did really love that she's an author, as is her best friend, as it's always fun to read about writers and readers. I also appreciated that her storyline was able to satisfy the wanderlust I've been feeling as she wandered around London.

The Bookseller's Secret wasn't, really, much of a secret but I enjoyed Michelle Gable's novel well enough. I think it was a case of the story and characters not being for me, not necessarily the way she wrote them. I'm definitely going to make sure to check out more of her work.

About the Author
MICHELLE GABLE is the New York Times bestselling author of A Paris Apartment, I'll See You in Paris, The Book of Summer, and The Summer I Met Jack. She attended The College of William & Mary, where she majored in accounting, and spent twenty years working in finance before becoming a full-time writer. She grew up in San Diego and lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, with her husband and two daughters. Find her at michellegable.com or on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest, @MGableWriter.

Connect with the Author
Website * Twitter * Instagram

Buy The Bookseller's Secret
Bookshop.org * Barnes & Noble * Google Books 
Amazon * Kobo * Apple Books

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Graydon House, in exchange for a review for the purpose of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: How Sweet It Is

Sometimes a rom com comes into your life just at the right moment. I think that was the case with How Sweet It Is. I had so much fun reading Dylan Newton's novel - it hit all the right notes for a rom com and I really enjoyed my time spent with the characters. 

Here's the book's description:

Event planner Kate Sweet is famous for creating the perfect happily-ever-after moment for her clients’ dream weddings. So how is it that her best friend has roped her into planning a bestselling horror writer’s book launch extravaganza? But the second Kate meets—or rather, accidentally maims—the drop-dead-hot Drake Matthews, her well-ordered life quickly transforms into an absolute nightmare.
Drake Matthews is tired of the spotlight and tired of his reputation as the Knight of Nightmares. He's really a nice guy! But he’s not prepared for Kate, a fearless agent of chaos in steel-tipped stilettos, or for that sweet sting of attraction he feels for her. She’s inspiring him to take his writing in a whole new direction—one that no one expects. Because now Kate and Drake are changing up the rules, and this plot twist might just surprise everyone . . . including themselves.

It seems like this book could be an enemies to lovers or an opposites attract type story but, really, it was a case of miscommunication and assumptions on both sides. Kate isn't as uptight as Drake assumes, and Drake is not the creepy horror writer Kate expected. Once they get to know each other, they (and the reader) realize they have some things in common and, gasp, might actually like each other. I liked that Newton managed to avoid falling into the insta-love trap (even though the story takes place over a short period of time). Kate and Drake falling for each other just made so much sense and I loved reading as the sexual tension got higher and higher until they finally got together (and I loved how they did as well with a mini getaway). 

I'm really hoping Newton continues this novel into a series because I would love to get back into town and see what might happen romantically with both of Drake's brothers. The three siblings had such a great relationship and I'd be really interested to see who the other two end up with. My guess is one of them will end up with Kate's best friend (and Drake's publicist)!

Unlike a lot of small town set romances/rom coms I've read lately, How Sweet It Is didn't fall into any ridiculous territory. Yes, there was a super cute Harvest Festival but you could tell the whole town enjoyed it and it was a really special event for Drake's mom, which came through really well. The town is proud of Drake and welcoming of outsiders, which made the setting feel really good.

If I had to nitpick, I'd say the "crisis" the pair go through at the end of the novel (like in all romances and rom coms) was a bit ridiculous. Drake refused to actually speak to Kate about what happened and made assumptions instead (which, to be fair, made sense as something similar had happened in a past relationship). It wasn't such a bad thing that they couldn't come back from it, so I was happy about that, but it was just kind of like, "well, we have to have something happen so they fight/break up/etc. and then can have a wonderful get back together moment" and it was tossed in without a ton of thought.

I have an event background and I love books so the fact that Kate was an event planner and Drake was an author really made me excited to read this. Each career was explored well without being too technical and Newton was able to showcase each character's skills and how proud the other was of them.

Finally, I liked that there was a brief stop in Niagara Falls, albeit the "other" side of the falls. I live nearby on the Canadian side and it's always fun when books take place in and around the area. It was very much seen from the tourist side of things but it was cool to read as Kate took in Niagara Falls in a spectacular fashion.

How Sweet It Is totally thrilled me and it was a super fun and swoony rom com. If you're a fan of funny and smart romances, you're going to want to check out Dylan Newton's novel.

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

Review: A Lot Like Love

I really enjoyed Jennifer Snow's Wild River series, set in Alaska, so I was excited to see her publishing another small town romance series, this one in a much sunnier state on the West Coast. A Lot Like Love is the first in the Blue Moon Bay series, which is set in a small town in California. The town is super cute, the people are great, but, at the end of it all, the overall story didn't wow me. Was it bad? Definitely not! I just don't think it was as good as it could have been.

Here's the book's description:

They have different ideas about the fate of an old inn...until it brings them together.
When Sarah Lewis inherits a run-down B&B from her late grandmother in coastal Blue Moon Bay, the logical thing to do is sell it and focus on her life in L.A. But when she learns that interested buyers will only tear it down in its current state, she feels a sense of obligation to her grandmother to get it back to the landmark tourist destination it once was...even if that means hiring the best contractor for the job, who happens to be her old high school crush.
Wes Sharrun’s life has continued to unravel since the death of his wife three years before. Now with a struggling construction company and a nine-year-old daughter, he sees the B&B as an opportunity to get back on his feet. Unfortunately, despite trying to keep his distance, his daughter has taken a liking to Sarah, and his own feelings are tough to deny.
As they spend more time together painting, exploring a forgotten treasure trove of wine in a basement cellar, and arguing over balcony placement, the more the spark between them ignites. But will saving the B&B be enough to convince them both to take a second chance at love?

In a case of really unfortunate timing, I had recently read Mermaid Inn by Jenny Holiday (another Canadian romance author, like Snow). There were, at first glance, far too many similarities between the two and it took a little bit for me to shake it off. Really, it was a small town and a woman had been willed a B&B that she wasn't expecting from an elderly relative and was thrust together with a guy from her past. All the other little nuances were quite different, which I could see by the end of the story.

I found the character development to be a bit...lacking. Not too much with Sarah and Wes but the secondary characters did not stand out and I don't find myself wanting to get back to Blue Moon Bay immediately. Marissa, Wes' daughter, was the liveliest character in the whole story. I also struggled with a lot of the connections between them. Everyone seemed to have different memories of high school (don't ask me how long ago it was because there seemed to be conflicting timelines that I could not figure out) and I couldn't really understand, at times, why any of them interacted with the others. The whole Lia storyline seemed shoehorned in, even though the event was the catalyst for Sarah deciding what she wanted to do.

Despite all of the above, there were some great points to this romance. I loved that Sarah worked in the tech sector and that she could be a great role model for Marissa, who was obsessed with all things STEM. Wes was a great dad who wanted to support his daughter, even more so after his wife's death, but he's super old school and couldn't understand why his daughter would be into all that, even if he was trying. I appreciated that Sarah's final decision didn't really have anything to do with Wes (and Marissa). He played a part, for sure, but she knew what she needed to do from a career and personal (not romantic) perspective. 

All in all, A Lot Like Love was...fine. I have a strong feeling this could have been a case of right book, wrong time because I really enjoyed Jennifer Snow's other romances. If you're a sucker for small town romances, you might really enjoy this one.

*An egalley was provided by the publisher, Entangled, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Instamom

Full disclosure: I've known Chantel Guertin for a number of years. I've been reading her books since 2011 (um, I did NOT expect it to have been a decade...) and I've seen her at countless book events in the years since. So, it's no surprise that I was THRILLED when I heard she was writing a new adult novel that was going to fall into the rom com sphere. Instamom is out tomorrow and it's a contemporary story that is smart and fun but also really deep as it addresses a lot of heavy and important topics. 

Here's the book's description:

In this #funny, #wise, #emotionally compelling look at modern love and finding your true path, a proudly kid-free influencer meets the ultimate #dealbreaker . . .
It’s the influencer’s golden rule: know your niche. Kit Kidding has found hers on Instagram, where she gets paid to promote brands and share expertly curated posts about her fun, fabulous, child-free life. Kit likes kids just fine, but she passionately believes that women who choose not to become mothers shouldn’t have to face guilt. Or judgement. Or really hot chefs who turn out to be single dads.
Will MacGregor is aggravating, sexy, persistent, averse to social media, and definitely a bad idea. As soon as Kit learns his parenting status, she vows to put their scorching one-night stand behind her and move on. But Will and Kit are thrown together on an Instagram campaign, and the more time she spends with him—and his whip-smart, eight-year-old daughter, Addie—the more difficult it is to stay away, much less sustain what Will so cleverly calls her “Resting Beach Face.” Kit’s picture-perfect career path is suddenly clashing with the possibility of a different future—messy, complicated, and real. Which life does she truly want? Will she have to re-invent herself? And will love still be waiting by the time she figures it out?

Let's get the heavy stuff out of the way first. I, like Kit at the beginning of this novel, am childfree. I do not want kids and have felt this way for probably over ten years but have been super firm in my decision for I'd say about eight. I've had so many people tell me that I'll change my mind (pro tip: never tell a woman that. Ever.) My boyfriend (of sixteen years) also doesn't want kids and people in his world often say "but doesn't your girlfriend want kids?" There are countless other frustrating and nosy questions and comments I've gotten and it all comes down to this: society finds it really weird and hard to understand when a woman does not want to have children. So it was great to hear that some of Guertin's characters were also feeling those frustrations - it was so incredibly true to life and I appreciated it so much. But. This is where it gets tricky. (And slightly spoilery. But this does have a romance at it's core and if you can't figure out that there's a Happily Ever After at the end of this one, well, I can't help you.) I really, really didn't want Kit to change her mind. And I kind of felt like an asshole about that. One of the main points of this story is that women are allowed to change their mind about having children (or not). I truly do believe that. One of my very best friends did and I'm thrilled to bits for her and her little munchkin. BUT. I don't get to see myself and my views on not having kids reflected in fiction very often and the fact that this one was so close and then wasn't? I think I felt hurt. It's been a very complicated time for me to sort out these feelings, let me tell you. At the end of the day, Guertin's novel nails the judgment women receive because of their decisions on motherhood and how they're questioned because of those decisions. I may have felt way too close to the storyline but that doesn't take away from how important it is for stories like this to be out there, that challenge the status quo and explore what it's like to be a woman - with or without children. 

I love that contemporary novels are finding a great balance between fun and light and serious and heavy. Should we be calling them all rom coms? Hmm, maybe not. Romantic comedies are going to have more real life topics to deal with than straight romance novels but they should still be super heavy on the romance and the comedy. Once you add in struggles with, in the case of Instamom, deciding whether you want to completely change your values when it comes to having children? Can it really be a rom com? This one wasn't laugh out loud funny like I expect from those kinds of books but it was still smart and witty - which I love. I don't have an answer for "what should we call these kinds of books?" and I'm still not sure if we really need one. I struggle with it, too, because a book by a man with these kinds of themes would just be fiction. No need to throw a subgenre on there. Anyone else feel like that? 

The other part of the storyline, apart from the childfree business, explored Kit's job as an influencer. I am so small time but I'm still in the influencer world a little wee bit so I understood some of what she was feeling. Authenticity seems to be what people want to see but it also appears they still enjoy the carefully curated photos and captions more than every day views. Influencers feel they have to have a niche so followers know what to expect. And it all gets to be a bit...exhausting. Guertin doesn't hold back in describing how conflicted Kit was and the issues she was facing as an influencer and it was great to read - really real and impactful. I don't know what's going to happen with our influencer heavy world but I think something has to change.

Kit was a really interesting character to read. She's about my age, which I always appreciate, and smart and a book lover. I was pretty sure we would be friends if we ever met in person. I was really emotionally connected to her and her story and I felt all the feelings right alongside with her. I did feel a little differently about Will than she did. Quite honestly...er...well...I didn't like him. I felt he never listened to Kit and brushed off her concerns as if they were silly or hysterical. I do think he truly cared for her but I couldn't help but think he had some shit to figure out before he'd be good enough for Kit. And Addie? She was an absolute delight. I've read three books in the last two months where there's a daughter who's about seven or eight and they've all been so smart (sometimes too smart) and fun to read about.

I also absolutely loved that this book was set in Toronto. We're seeing that more and more in contemporary reads from Canadian authors and I'm SO HAPPY. Next we need to have more cities and towns represented from across the country. Publishers may have some backwards notion that readers in other countries (cough, the USA, cough) don't want to read books set in Canada but I think that assumption is slowly changing. 

Instamom had me feeling all of the feels and I think Chantel Guertin's latest novel is going to stick with me for a long while. It's a perfect book to throw in your beach bag or dive into while sitting in your backyard. It'll make you think and smile the entire way through.

*Am egalley was provided by both the Canadian (Doubleday Canada/PRHC) and American (Kensington Books) publishers and a print copy was provided by Doubleday Canada in exchange for review consideration. All opinions and honest and my own.*

Review: Sisters of the Resistance

I'm not sure I knew the sister of Christian Dior was involved in the French Resistance until I read Natasha Lester's (amazing) The Paris Secret. Catherine Dior was a passing secondary character in that novel so when I heard that Christine Wells was writing a novel that focused more on Dior's role in World War II? I was immediately intrigued. Sisters of the Resistance was a riveting read that shines a light on the women who worked behind the scenes, at a great risk to their own lives, as they fought to liberate their country from Nazi Germany.

Here's the book's description:

France, 1944: The Nazis still occupy Paris, and twenty-five-year-old Gabby Foucher hates these enemies, though, as the concierge of ten rue Royale, she makes it a point to avoid trouble, unlike her sister Yvette. Until she, like her sister, is recruited into the Resistance by Catherine Dior—sister of the fashion designer, Christian Dior.
Gabby and Yvette are both swept into the world of spies, fugitives, and Resistance workers, and it doesn't take long for the sisters to realize that their lives are in danger.
Gabby discovers an elderly tenant is hiding a wounded British fugitive, and Yvette becomes a messenger for the Resistance. But as Gabby begins to fall in love with her patient and Yvette’s impulsiveness lead her into intrigue at an ever-higher level, both women will discover that their hearts and even their souls hang in the balance as well.

I may have been interested in this book at first because of the Catherine Dior connection but the novel isn't actually about her. Sure, she plays an extremely important role and is featured prominently but the story isn't told by her. The reader follows sisters Gabby and Yvette as they each do work to help Dior's resistance network. It shouldn't matter that it wasn't really about Dior. I believe I've read that there isn't actually a lot of material on Dior and her part in the resistance for researchers and writers to pull from. It makes sense that authors, like Wells, don't want to put fictional thoughts in the minds of real people when the information just isn't there. That's all fine. What I don't love is when publishers try to capitalize on a Big Name in History to sell books. I think historical fiction fans are interested enough in learning more about the people (women especially) that we haven't read about before. Those lesser known stories that are only just being talked about now, decades later. None of this is a bad thing, exactly, but I think readers need to temper their expectations when going into this novel as it is not told from Dior's point of view.

All that said, this novel is a fascinating look at what it would have been like in Paris during the Occupation and as residents worked together to fight back. The French Resistance is so interesting. The number of people, especially women, who put their lives in danger to protect their Jewish neighbours or to provide a safe house for injured Allied soldiers or pilots is astounding. And many of them believed that they were just doing what any normal person would do. But the thing is, a lot of people didn't do anything. It was a terrifying time so it's understandable that some people just weren't able to justify risking their own lives to save someone else's. So many women were left widowed because their husbands had to go off to fight at the front. Why would they risk what little they had left? But others? Like Catherine and the other Resistance Fighters? There was no question. They did everything they could. And there were so many ways that people were helping. I don't want to spoil anything but Wells does a good job of highlighting the many different types of things Parisians were doing to save their city. It was awe-inspiring. 

The story is told from both Gabby and Yvette's perspectives (third person) and in two time periods. During the war, in 1944, and afterwards, in 1947. It's similar to what Kate Quinn did in The Rose Code but it wasn't quite as nimbly done. I listened to both novels - they're actually narrated by the same person, Saskia Maarleveld, who I find incredibly talented - so I know it wasn't a listening vs reading thing that had me comparing the two. I can't put my finger on what didn't work but it wasn't as well done as I was expecting. Not to say that it was bad! I find the post-war period really interesting because it did take years for Europe to emerge from the shadow of war and I think that's a time period that should be explored a bit more. *searches for more novels set in the late 1940s*

As I said, I listened to the audiobook of this novel. Maarleveld put on a French accent (Parisian, not Quebecois like I'd be used to hearing in my own country) when the sisters and other French characters were speaking. It was a bit more of a reminder that, technically, they would have been speaking French most of the time and yet I was reading (listening) in English. It's always a bit weird to read novels like that but what else is there to do? I can't read a book in another language! (Even if I am trying to learn French online. It's slow going.) Maarleveld has a really pleasing voice and I'll definitely be looking into more of the novels that she narrates.

Overall, Sisters of the Resistance was an interesting read that shone a light on the important work French Resistance members, like Catherine Dior, did during World War II. Christine Wells' novel is a good one for historical fiction fans who are looking to learn even more about the time period.

*An egalley and an advanced listening copy of this novel were provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada/Harper Audio, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Soulmate Equation

I knew May was going to be filled with a lot of rom coms and I kicked things off with the queens of the genre. The Soulmate Equation is Christina Lauren's latest novel and I found it to be absolutely delightful. I laughed and swooned and cringed and loved every second of it.

Here's the book's description:

Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. Raised by her grandparents--who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno--Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father's never been around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn't "father material" before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard...and lonely.
But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that's predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands. At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Pena. This is one number she can't wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Pena. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we'll pay you. Jess--who is barely making ends meet--is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the "Diamond" pairing that could make GeneticAlly a mint in stock prices, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist--and the science behind a soulmate--than she thought.

I never know exactly what I'm going to get with Lauren's novels. I always enjoy them but there's definitely a scale on my enjoyment level. The Soulmate Equation? It's joined Roomies and The Unhoneymooners right at the top of the scale. It might have been partly a case of "right book, right time" but mostly it was just because this was a damn good book. It doesn't take itself too seriously but it's not a mindless read, either. It hit the balance of what I love in a rom com and I was sad when it was all over.

The data and science in the novel seem a bit far fetched but if you just kind of roll with it, you'll be incredibly entertained. You can gloss over the science if you want or you can soak up every detail. Either way, you'll still get a lot out of the storyline. I mean, how can you not be intrigued by finding your soulmate through your DNA?

Speaking of soulmates, one River Pena is pretty damn swoonworthy. He's such a grump to start but I knew, a little before Jess did, that he probably wasn't the asshat he was appearing to be. The more Jess (and the reader) got to know him, the more you couldn't help but fall in love with him. The sexual attraction was real and I couldn't wait for them to finally give into that attraction. Fireworks! I've heard quite a few people already request a Dr. Pena of their very own. I totally get it.

The secondary characters in this story are great. Juno was an absolute delight and I, someone who is not a kid fan, would love to babysit her for a day and do all sorts of fun stuff with her. She'd probably ask me a million questions that I would not know the answer to (seriously, the kid is smart!) but we'd have a great time. Jess's grandparents are so solid and dependable and wonderful and there was a scary moment when I thought things would go so badly. Because I loved Jess so much, I was so glad that she had people like her grandparents in her life. And Fizzy! Oh my word, Jess's best friend was AMAZING. She needs her own book. She's a romance author and is so smart and funny and is searching for her own soulmate, one fling at a time. Having a main character with so many people around her is always great because it helps solidify their amazingness.

The Soulmate Equation was so fun to read. It had smarts and heart and those are two of the most important things I want in my romantic comedies. Christina Lauren have given readers yet another entertaining contemporary read that I think will be in many hands over the summer!

*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.*