Review: Mistletoe and Mr. Right

 

I read Sarah Morgenthaler's The Tourist Attraction this past summer after I saw all sorts of bloggers and bookstagrammers talking about it. The cover first grabbed me and the description drew me in even further. Once I realized it was going to be a series, I was thrilled and made sure to request a copy of Mistletoe and Mr. Right to read and review. I'm so glad I did because it was so enjoyable - even more so than the first book!

Here's the synopsis:

How the moose (almost) stole Christmas.
Lana Montgomery is everything the quirky small town of Moose Springs, Alaska can't stand: a rich socialite with dreams of changing things for the better. But Lana's determined to prove that she belongs...even if it means trading her stilettos for snow boots and tracking one of the town's hairiest Christmas mysteries: the Santa Moose, an antlered Grinch hell-bent on destroying every bit of holiday cheer (and tinsel) it can sink its teeth into.
And really...how hard could it be?
The last few years have been tough on Rick Harding, and it's not getting any easier now that his dream girl's back in town. When Lana accidentally tranquilizes him instead of the Santa Moose, it's clear she needs help, fast...and this could be his chance to finally catch her eye. It's an all-out Christmas war, but if they can nab that darn moose before it destroys the town, Rick and Lana might finally find a place where they both belong...together.

If I had to try to explain Moose Springs, I would have to liken it to Stars Hollow but moved from Connecticut to Alaska and with a lot more moose. The townspeople are quirky but loveable and always there for each other. They're very much against tourists and that's why they're hellbent on blocking Lana at every turn. I think that was a really interesting thing to read as the townspeople don't want change nor do they want a bunch of strangers ruining their town. Most of them do know that without tourists their town would start dying but it has to be hard to see your quaint town overrun with people who don't care about what's left when their vacation is over. The thing is, Lana really does care about the town and you can't help but hope the town realizes that her vision does have some merit and that they can all find a way to work together.

I couldn't really remember how Lana and Rick met and there was some allusion to their history that kept throwing me off because I couldn't remember any of it. And I only read the first book in the summer! It wasn't a huge deal but I had to keep reminding myself that they did have history and that was why their relationship was moving as it was. It's a bit of an opposites attract kind of story but I find that kind of insults both Lana and Rick. She's rich, yes, but she knows the important things are friends and family which is why she holds on to her friendship with Zoey and Graham so tightly. And Rick isn't some small town guy with no brain, which he sometimes comes across as - which I don't think was Morgenthaler's intent. He's a quiet guy who observes everything and has a lot of his shoulders, trying to take care of a failing business and raising his ex-wife's nephew, who is now twenty and Rick's roommate.

Speaking of roommates - Rick is a total animal lover (he has a tendency to take in strays and look after everyone which was a bit refreshing since normally it's the female in the romances who has that issue). He has a giant cat, Roger, who often makes his displeasure known but deep down loves his home. AND HE HAS A HEDGEHOG. The set-up to the reader meeting Darla was perfection and I laughed out loud when I got to that part. I'm not a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, exactly, but even I found it too funny that the hedgehog is named after a character in the show.

This book is heavy on the comedy with a sweet romance (no open door sexy time here) and important messages woven throughout. It's not all fun and games when you're trying to: catch a destructive moose, prove to your family that you have a solid business plan for your favourite town, keep your pool hall afloat, keep your nephew out of jail, and just generally save the town.

Sarah Morgenthaler's Mistletoe and Mr. Right is quirky and lovable and I had a lot of fun reading it. I enjoyed the second Moose Springs book much more than the first and I really looking forward to the next book in the series, Enjoy the View. 

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

Review: Home for the Holidays

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! And that includes on my reading list. Many holiday books are released in late September/early October and I'm just not quite in the mood for frosty, festive, fun at that time. I have to wait until after Thanksgiving (which is in October here in Canada) and then there's usually a warm spell and then it's Halloween so November is when my holiday reading ramps up! My second holiday book this year was Sara Richardson's Home for the Holidays, which was the first of Richardson's that I've ever read. It had really strong family elements which is one of my favourite things to read in a holiday book.

Here's the synopsis:

The Buchanan sisters all share special childhood memories of their Aunt Sassy’s beloved Juniper Inn. There, they frolicked in the snow, baked sugar cookies, and celebrated the town’s annual Christmas extravaganza. They haven’t been back to Colorado in nearly fifteen years, but when their aunt invites them for one last Christmas, they can’t say no . . .
With her ex-husband whisking her children away for the holiday, Dahlia decides it’s time to do something for herself. Juniper Springs is just as beautiful as she remembers, but it’s also full of surprises — including the town’s handsome doctor, who makes her feel like herself again for the first time in years.
To the outside world, baker Magnolia has the ideal marriage. Only the pain and sorrow of infertility have strained her relationship with her husband, perhaps beyond repair. But a holiday miracle is about to change her life.
After a whirlwind romance, youngest sister Rose is about to be married, but as the wedding draws near, she’s unsettled by her fiancé’s expectations that she become a society wife. Spending Christmas with her family could be a necessary reality check — or the beginning of a brand-new happily ever after.
Thanks to the strength of their sisterhood, some mistletoe, and the love of their Aunt Sassy, the Buchanan sisters will discover what it is they truly want this Christmas.

Each Buchanan sister is at a bit of a crossroads. Rose, the youngest and the only one still living in their hometown, is preparing for a wedding that's becoming increasingly out of her control. Magnolia is struggling with infertility and instead of talking to her family about it, she and her husband have kept it to themselves and their marriage is suffering. And Dahlia, the eldest, is facing the first Christmas without her kids as they head to Europe with their dad, her ex-husband. So a letter from their Aunt Sassy comes at the perfect time and they all jump at the chance to spend the holidays with their estranged aunt.

One of the most important parts about Christmas, for me, is spending time with family. I won't be seeing my (very tiny) family this year in part because of the pandemic and in part because my sister is living in England and my mom is almost three hours away. So, I think the family part of this story really hit me, in a good way, maybe more than it would have if I had read this book last year. The sisters may live in different cities across the US but you can tell they're really close. I found myself hoping that stars would align and they would be able to find a way to all live in the same town. Ideally at the Juniper Inn! That was actually more important to me than any of them finding a romantic Happily Ever After, though I was rooting for three of those, too.

Given this is a (holiday) romance, the reader has a pretty good idea of how the characters will be paired up by the end of the story. As usual, that was not at all a problem for me! I don't mind figuring out how the HEA might look as long as the journey there is enjoyable. And it really was for each of the three sisters. There were some irritations (especially with Dahlia's storyline...oooh boy I was so annoyed and so proud of her for standing up for what she wanted, not what was "best" for the family) but they had less to do with the romances and more to do with general life stupidity. (I know that probably doesn't make sense but I'm trying not to be spoilery.)

I have to say that the whole reason Sassy and the sisters' mom were estranged was...stupid. I know every family is different and it's hard to judge but I just couldn't understand how their mother was so incredibly judgemental and clueless (I really disliked her) and why Sassy wouldn't have tried to reach out the girls' when they were a bit older. Or why the sisters wouldn't reach out to Sassy once they were old enough to wonder why they suddenly stopped visiting somewhere they had traveled to often.

You'll find the Christmas spirit mostly in the family connections but also as the sisters prepare for a holiday extravaganza at the Juniper Inn. It was the kind of Christmas event I would want to attend - twinkling lights, food (all the baked goods!), drink, sleigh rides, and time to gather with friends and family. 

Home for the Holidays was a really sweet read. I'd recommend Sara Richardson's novel to those who are looking for a holiday read with a lot of heart. It wasn't groundbreaking but I enjoyed the time I spent reading it and I'm looking forward to seeing if Richardson will revisit the sisters and the Juniper Inn in an upcoming 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: Forever Wild

I knew we needed a final wrap up to Calla and Jonah's love story but I hadn't quite anticipated how perfect Forever Wild would be. I never want to say goodbye to characters I love but K.A. Tucker has completed her Wild series in a way that left my heart full and happy. 

Here's what the novella is about:

The holiday season is upon Calla and Jonah, and with the mistletoe and gingerbread comes plenty of family drama. Jonah is bracing himself for two weeks with a stepfather he loathes, and while Calla is looking forward to her mother and Simon’s arrival, she dreads the continued pressure to set a date for their wedding … in Toronto. Add in one bullheaded neighbor’s unintentional meddling and another cantankerous neighbor’s own family strife, and Christmas in Trapper’s Crossing will be anything but simple.

This is a true series so you can't hop into reading this one without having already read The Simple Wild (review) and Wild at Heart (review). I mean, you could, but you would be so confused and you'd have so much spoiled for you. 

Not only was Forever Wild such a perfect story to wrap up the series, but I loved that it's set at Christmas. Christmas stories lend themselves so well to novellas and short stories, given it's such a small part of the year overall, and Tucker used that to her advantage. It also made for the perfect reason for the whole family to be together, tucked into Calla and Jonah's house and cabin. The emotions were running high in the house and I liked seeing how all the traditions came together to create such a wonderful holiday for everyone.

While I can see why Tucker chose to make this a novella, I do wish it could have been a full novel. I think I needed a bit more pre-Christmas time with Calla and Jonah and there didn't seem to be enough (if any??) sightings of Zeke and Bandit - two animal characters that are as well loved as any Disney sidekick. I wanted more about their jobs too since that was a big thing they were trying to sort out in the last book - what, exactly, would give Calla purpose in Alaska? And, yes, I would have loved just more of this story, these characters, that setting. It was hard to say goodbye to Calla and Jonah but it was the right thing for the series. I will say that I'm not surprised that Tucker plans to expand the Wild universe a little bit and will be writing a story about Marie, a longtime vet friend of Jonah's who had a major crush on him. Mostly it's unsurprising because I found the hints pretty obvious in this novella. Not that I'm complaining - I'll read anything Tucker writes!

Multiple characters in the story had a lot of drama but it worked well, considering the novella is only just over 150 pages. Tensions always run high during the holiday season but once things settle, you're left with a group of individuals who care fiercely for each other, whether they're blood relatives or not.

There's not much more I want to say about Forever Wild because I don't want to give away any spoilers. I read this in one sitting on Saturday afternoon and absolutely loved it. I'm pretty sure I was the heart eye emoji come to life as I finished the last page. If you're a fan of contemporary stories, you should definitely pick up K.A. Tucker's Wild series. This is a romance series for those who don't think they're romance readers so keep it in mind this holiday season for gifts for others - or yourself!

Buy Forever Wild
Amazon * Apple * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Indie Bound * Indigo

Not quite ready to buy it or haven't read the first two books? Add Forever Wild to Goodreads. 

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

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

Review: Too Much Lip

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll likely know that I've been to Australia twice and I absolutely love the country (and I don't shut up about it). I don't, however, read many Australian authors. I have a feeling that some of that has to do with rights and what is available to Canadian publishers for Canadian bloggers to read. All that to say, when I came across Too Much Lip by Melissa Lucashenko, I was intrigued and immediately interested. It's a super dark comedy that was different than anything else I've read this year and I enjoyed it.

Here's the synopsis:

Wise-cracking Kerry Salter has spent a lifetime avoiding two things - her hometown and prison. But now her Pop is dying and she's an inch away from the lockup, so she heads south on a stolen Harley. Kerry plans to spend twenty-four hours, tops, over the border. She quickly discovers, though, that Bundjalung country has a funny way of grabbing on to people. Old family wounds open as the Salters fight to stop the development of their beloved river. And the unexpected arrival on the scene of a good-looking dugai fella intent on loving her up only adds more trouble - but then trouble is Kerry's middle name. Gritty and darkly hilarious, Too Much Lip offers redemption and forgiveness where none seems possible.

I do have to say I don't think I was quite in the mood for this book when I read it. I'm definitely a big mood reader and I hadn't realized quite how dark it was going to be. It's definitely more drama than comedy, I felt, but that's not a bad thing. Just took awhile for my brain and expectations to catch up.

Not only was this book set in Australia, but it takes place close-ish to where I've traveled. The town Kerry grew up in is fictional but a few real towns were mentioned so I could get a better idea of the location. It also caused massive wanderlust for me! I can't wait to go back. 

You may have noticed the synopsis mention "Bundjalung country." Bundjalung people are an Aboriginal nation in Australia, which, we should all know is a country with some problems with how they've treated the original custodians of the country (and I say this as a Canadian who knows her own country has many problems as well). Like a lot of readers, I've been trying to seek out more BIPOC authors for the last couple of years and show my support to those authors (and show publishers that we want and need stories by authors who aren't white and straight). I'm really happy to have stumbled across this book (seriously, I had to find it myself in the publisher's catalogue...no one was talking about it).

This novel is about more than a granddaughter returning home as her grandfather is dying. Lucashenko does not shy away from really tough subjects that need to be explored in literature and in life. There were disputes over land rights as well as a lot of trauma in the family. Some characters, like Kerry, have questions about their sexuality. Yes, there was a lot going on but it wasn't confusing in the least. It made my heart hurt and yet also made me laugh out loud a few times. And it taught me a few new words, too.

I think I would have liked Too Much Lip a little bit more if it were less literary (not my favourite) and more comedic. This is, completely, a personal reading preference and doesn't make the book any less good. Because it is that: a really good book. Melissa Lucashenko's novel was an engaging read though and I definitely recommend it, especially to those like me who are trying to expand their reading horizons. I'd also love to talk this book through with someone else who's read it!

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

New Release: Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye

Happy release day to Jacquelyn Middleton! Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye (her fourth novel) is out in the world today! I have, sadly, not been able to get to it yet despite being so, so, so excited to dive into this fun, sweet, sexy, wonderful romance. Middleton's novels always delight me and I can't wait to read it (why must life be so complicated and time consuming?). 

Here's what the new novel is all about:

Will her fling become his forever?
Leia Scott has sworn off love. Fresh from a messy, public divorce from her hockey player ex, the twenty-six-year-old fashion designer temporarily trades New York for London to heal and embrace her freedom. Her vow? To protect her heart, steer clear of relationships, and say yes to flings without strings. She throws herself into designing upcycled dresses and exploring London with her sister. But Leia's carefully curated plan encounters a flirty complication with an irresistible British accent.
Wealthy, charming, and devastatingly attractive, Tarquin Balfour is tired of meaningless hookups and dates that go nowhere. For years, he has played the bon viveur with reckless abandon, throwing decadent parties, sleeping with a parade of women, and diving into extreme sports around the globe. But now the young property developer wants more. He craves love and commitment, to prove his kind heart matters more than the abundance of zeroes attached to his bank balance. Struggling with undiagnosed depression, Tarquin worries he'll never find The One...until he meets his princess, a fashion designer named Leia.
Afraid of falling in love and fearful of being alone, Leia and Tarquin enter into an entanglement that threatens to hurt them both.

I've really enjoyed the rest of Middleton's novels and I wish I had had time to re-read them all before this one published. I don't know about you but I'm having the most up and down reading life this year...I'm rolling with it because that's all you can do in this weird time but it's hard when I find myself struggling to fit in reading books I'm SO excited for. Anyway. Some of the characters from her previous novels will pop up in this story and I'd love to have had the time to remind myself of who's where and dating who. (Whom? This is why I don't write books. Or copy edit them.)

Here's what I thought about two of her previous books:
London Can You Wait? - Review
Until the Last Star Fades - Review

Early Buzz
"Leia and Tarquin's chemistry sizzles…this sultry, yet sweetly heartfelt romance is a winner. Fans of contemporary romance will rejoice in this story of falling in love through and despite mental illness."
-- Publishers Weekly's BookLife 'Editor's Pick'

"Sex scenes are steamy, well written, and anti-shaming. Humor enlivens the drama nicely...SAY HELLO, KISS GOODBYE offers well-drawn, multilayered characters and standout, sex-positive romance."
-- Kirkus Reviews

"As steamy as it is heartwarming...the two main characters are undeniably endearing...mental health issues are explored with the appropriate gravitas and the theme of gratitude is strong throughout. Romance fans will be grateful they picked up this novel. With SAY HELLO, KISS GOODBYE, Middleton has written a winner."
-- BlueInk Review (STARRED REVIEW)

Where to Buy
Amazon * Apple Books * Nook * Kobo 

Not ready to buy? Add Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye to your Goodreads!

About Jacquelyn
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.

Connect with Jacquelyn
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Review: Forever with You

Barb Curtis' debut novel Forever with You delighted me beyond belief. It's the first in a new romance series set in a fictional small town and I had such a lovely time reading it. Romance lovers, take note!

Here's the synopsis:

Jay Wynter wants to be successful on his own merit. That's why he left Sapphire Springs and his family's winery to build a career from scratch. But now that he's successor to Wynter Estate, Jay must return to his small hometown to face everything, and everyone, he left behind-especially his high school sweetheart, who happens to be his stunning new business partner . . .

Leyna Milan knows family legacies come with strings attached, but she's determined to prove that she can run her family's restaurant. Of course, Leyna never expected that honoring her grandfather's wishes meant opening a second location on her ex's property-or having to ignore Jay's sexy grin and guard the heart he shattered years before. But as they work closely together, she begins to discover that maybe first loves deserve a second chance . . . 

Sapphire Springs isn't a real town and Curtis, a fellow Canadian, chose to set her novel in upstate New York. However, in her acknowledgements she mentioned she talked to winemaker Brian Schmidt at Vineland Estates Winery, which is in the Niagara region (in Canada) and where I live. It wasn't obvious at the start that it was in New York state so I went about my merry way and pictured the town as one of the few small villages surrounding Vineland Estates. Even after I learned where it was supposed to be set, my little brain refused to acknowledge it and I will just pretend this is a book set in Canada :)

This is very much a romance novel, which I'll get to more in a bit, but Curtis added a mystery into the mix. Jay was convinced something went wrong with Leyna's inheritance and there was something amiss. I won't go into many details because it should stay a surprise but...Curtis kind of lost me with that plot. It was overdramatic and kind of far fetched and just didn't quite seem to work with the rest of the story. It wasn't bad and it did add a little bit more tension but after I finished the book I was just kind of like...what the heck just happened?

One of the reasons I chose to read and review this book was the second chance element. That's my jam and I liked how Curtis wrote the relationship between Jay and Leyna. It was almost hard to believe that they could fall back into a relationship after 18 years apart, especially since they were teens when they dated the first time around, but I could see it. What got frustrating was Leyna's insistence that they not talk about why they split the first time around. Don't these people realize they should communicate? (No, they don't, because then where would the story be??) But I rolled with it and read on to see if (or, more accurately, how) the pair could sort things out.

I also wanted to read this one because it was set in a small town around a winery. Small town set stories are another of my favourites, given I grew up in a small town and really like the community aspect so many towns have. Plus, as I mentioned, I live in wine country in Ontario and, well, let's just say I take part in the local offerings quite often. It was really cool to have Jay explain about the winemaking process. It may read as too technical for some people but I really enjoyed learning about how certain grapes grow and what a winemaker needs to consider when growing and taking care of grapes. Some of it I already knew, you pick up a lot living around here and dating a journalist who often talks to folks at wineries, but some was new to me and I liked learning about it.

I really liked reading Forever with You and definitely recommend Barb Curtis' novel to other romance readers. It was fun and sweet and I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the series.

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

Review: All Stirred Up

I've been getting more into audiobooks this year so NetGalley's advanced listening copies have been great. I happened to stumble upon Brianne Moore's debut novel All Stirred Up and was immediately intrigued because it's an updated version of Persuasion, my favourite of Jane Austen's novels, and it was set in Edinburgh - a place I had visited just in time at the beginning of March this year. I was sold. And when I was done? Thoroughly delighted.

Here's the synopsis:

Susan Napier's family once lived on the success of the high-end restaurants founded by her late grandfather. But bad luck and worse management has brought the business to the edge of financial ruin. Now it's up to Susan to save the last remaining restaurant: Elliot's, the flagship in Edinburgh. But what awaits Susan in the charming city of Auld Reekie is more than she bargained for. Chris Baker, her grandfather's former protégé - and her ex-boyfriend - is also heading to the Scottish capital.

After finding fame in New York as a chef and judge of a popular TV cooking competition, Chris is returning to his native Scotland to open his own restaurant. Although the storms have cleared after their intense and rocky breakup, Susan and Chris are redrawn into each other's orbit - and their simmering attraction inevitably boils over. As Chris's restaurant opens to great acclaim and Susan tries to haul Elliot's back from the brink, the future brims with new promise.

But darkness looms as they find themselves in the crosshairs of a gossip blogger eager for a juicy story - and willing to do anything to get it. Can Susan and Chris reclaim their lost love, or will the tangled past ruin their last hope for happiness?

It's been a few years since I've read Persuasion (I just checked Goodreads...I read it last in 2013) so the particulars of the novel are a bit fuzzy. I do recall some of the main plot points so I could see where Moore was honouring the story in certain parts. I don't think you have to know Austen's work to appreciate this story and I also think diehard Austen fans can enjoy the way Moore updated the story for her novel. Though I will say I would have much rather had a letter from Chris instead of a text message. If you know, you know.

The reason I love Persuasion so much is because it's a second chance romance, just like All Stirred Up, and that's one of my favourite tropes. It's been years since Chris and Susan have seen each other and you know right from the get-go that there's unfinished business between them. There were so many contributing factors to their break up that neither of them had the full story. They both felt hurt (Chris was justified to feel as such and Susan knew that her hurt was self-inflicted) and that kept them from communicating with each other. I got ever so slightly annoyed when they just refused to talk things through but that's the nature of rom coms, my friends. They're going to do frustrating things! I was rooting for them the whole time because I couldn't wait for them to get over the bullshit in their past and finally get back together. I needed that Happily Ever After!

As I alluded to at the top, I listened to this one as an audiobook. The narrator, Mary Jane Wells, did a pretty good job switching characters and her male Scottish accent didn't annoy me (which is what happened with another audiobook I listened to earlier this year). Since I pretty much only listen to audiobooks on my commute, I found myself looking for ways to get more reading time in. A walk after work when my partner had to work late? Done. (That was before the time change of course. Now it's dark before I even get home. *sobs*) Doing the dishes? Perfect time to listen. Playing mindless games on my phone? More listening time! I didn't want to stop!

This novel was a love letter to Edinburgh. Moore wasn't born there but you can tell in her descriptions that she absolutely, totally, completely loves the city. I had goosebumps as I listened to the description of Susan flying into the city then again as she walked around her new neighbourhood and mentioned streets and monuments I had seen myself back in March. There's a scene where she climbs to the top of Calton Hill that had me swooning because I could completely picture where she was (so much so that I shared my pictures from my trip on Instagram after finishing the novel). 

There were many reasons that may have made me love All Stirred Up more than the average reader but I was so completely thrilled with Brianne Moore's novel that I don't even care. I loved it and it made me feel so happy. That is what I look for in almost every read, even more so this year, and I'm so pleased I had a chance to read this novel.

*An advanced listening copy was provided by the publisher, Dreamscape Media, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*