How is it June Already!! I feel like the time in self isolation really flew by and we are almost half way thru June. I do not know where the time goes by I have been enjoying my summer so far! I have done a lot of reading already for the first part of the month. Do you have any plans for summer that you are looking forward too?
Love’s Recipe by Mila Nicks – 3 Stars In Love’s Recipe we follow Rosalie who after leaving her home when she was 17, returns 7 years later with her 5 year old daughter. Rosalie does not have a great relationship with her mom but is left with no choice but to return home when her husband disappears on her. On her first night back in town Rosalie takes a job at Ady’s, where she meets the owner Nick. The restaurant is a far cry from what it used to be when she lived there before but but with Nick’s reluctant help they start to turn it back around. I found this to be a pretty straight forward contemporary, the love story was cute with two little 5 years old thrown in to the mix, things progress nicely until a miscommunication and the everything is solved. It was definitely a fun read but not one that really wowed me. At times I also found the language a bit jarring, curse words would randomly be thrown into the dialogue. I have no problem with this type of language but just felt like it was a little out of character. The book was also a bit steamy at times so be warned if you are not into that. Over all the book was a fun read and loved the parts that dealt with the cooking. Thank you Netgalley and KDP for my copy to review.
Island Affair by Priscilla Oliveras – 3.5 Stars I have read the fake dating tropes a few times and I have to say that I am just not a fan. I don’t like all the lying that always comes with it. With that being said Island Affair was still a fun one to pick up and read. It follows Sara Vance who is supposed to be introducing her boyfriend to her family on a vacation in the Florida Keys, once she gets there she finds out he is not coming. Luis Navarro a Key West firefighter just got the news he has to take a week off after being involved in a call that left him a little rattled. Over hearing the conversation Luis offers to help which Sara took to mean fake boyfriend. What follows is the two trying to pretend for her family while trying to avoid his who all live on the island. Eventually the two mix and the truth comes out. This book is not just about Sara and Luis but also Sara and her family learning to find a new normal after years of family tension. Luis also has a journey with learning to forgive his brother for a betrayal that leaves Luis a little broken. (Trigger Warning for Eating Disorders). I absolutely loved the setting of this book, I have been reading a few books that take place in the Keys and it sounds amazing! And the food!! The author made me want to eat everything she talked about. While the trope is not one of my favorites, I really liked the author’s writing and will definitely be picking up the next in this series! Thank you Netgalley and Kensington books for my advance copy in return for my honest review.
Alpha Night by Nalini Singh – 5 Stars The Psy-Changling books are some of my all time favorites and this one did not disappoint. This is the 4th book in the new series and 19th in the overall world. Here we follow Ethan who is a Psy Arrow and Salenka who is the alpha of her wolf pack. I loved Ethan so much! He is up there with Judd, Vasic and Valentin for favorite males in the series. I love any book that deals with the empaths and this one is centered around someone using the empaths to wreak havoc in the psy-net using their abilities. We learn a little more about who the Architect is and what their plans are. I can’t wait to see what the next book brings!
The Weekend Wedding Assistant by Rachel Gladstone – 3.75 Stars I am not someone who gets excited about weddings, I never have been so I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this one. Then in the first chapter the main character Julia’s fiance dies. This is a hard no for me, I do not enjoy books about grief of a spouse or partner but this was a buddy read so I pushed thru. I am so glad I did! The author’s writing was so good. I loved the journey that Jalia went on to learn about herself and who she really is. This is still a romance but the book really focuses on her growth. TW for death of a partner.
A Good Marriage by Kimberly McCreight – 3 Stars I did not really care for this one. I thought the ending was just ok, I really wanted more of a wrap up for a few of the characters instead of the book just ending. I am not a fan of open ended endings especially when you are at the end of a murder book! I did think the writing was good and I was engaged in the story till the end. I just wished the ending was a little cleaner.
Until Next Time, Happy Reading
BeckyBookstore 