Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman

 

From the blurb: 

"The new year barely began when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they're going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.

"When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films with him, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course.

"With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief eases as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them both uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?"

My thoughts:  Matthew Norman brilliantly captures the up-and-down journey through grief. And though this novel deals with death and loss, it's not a sad book. There are poignant moments, but there are also humorous, heartwarming and fun moments. And so many times I found myself nodding my head at something Grace or Henry said about the grief process. Because I've been there. And Norman gets it. I love the way he writes! And I love these characters and their friendship and shared moments of sadness. And Grace's two kids are awesome. I loved Henry's and Ian's art projects. And all the Christmas movie tie-ins were so fun; they made me laugh. This book is the best!

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Sarah's Orphans by Vannetta Chapman

 

The plot:  First her father dies, then her mother leaves. And 23-year-old Sarah Yoder must care for her four younger brothers and manage their household, too. Though two of her brothers, Andy and Henry, are grown enough to work the farm. But there are debts to pay. And they are struggling. Then Sarah discovers a young Hispanic boy and his 3-year-old sister living on their own in town, and she decides she and her brothers have room for two more. Luckily, they are not alone. Their Amish community is there to help, as is their new neighbor, Paul Byler, a 30-year-old bachelor who finds he might have room in his life not only for Sarah, bur for all her charges. 

My thoughts:  This is a lovely novel about found family, community, God, faith, and love. That Amish setting is one of my favs, and I liked Sarah and her brothers and their interactions with young Mateo and his little sister, Mia. Paul was a great character, very thoughtful and kind. I enjoyed the quiet romance between him and Sarah. All in all, this is a charming and heartwarming novel.

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Everything's Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh

 "Well, shoot. This isn't how my life is supposed to go."

The plot: Rosie Waterman has always dreamed of acting, which is why she moved to New York after college. But now, seven years later, the play she's in just closed after only two performances, her roommate is kicking her out for not paying her rent, and her dream feels like a distant memory. To add salt to her wounds, her three best friends from high school seem to have found success and love in their lives, making her feel even worse. She can't tell them the truth:  that she's a failure. So when she's offered a job directing a production of Cinderella at a regional theatre in Wisconsin, she jumps at the chance. It's not until she arrives and a very cute physical therapist named Booker Hayes is showing her around that she realizes the regional theatre is actually a retirement community, and all her actors are senior citizens. What's Rosie to do now? 

Favorite quote:  "Dreams shift and change and grow, and changing along with them isn't failing. Pivoting isn't quitting. Happiness isn't linear, and seeking it isn't selfish."

My thoughts:  This delightful novel is about finding and following your dreams, embracing all the big emotions, finding community, and not being afraid to open up and connect with others. After all, "People, it turns out, really are life's greatest adventure." There's also a lot of humor and heart. Rosie is an engaging character--relatable and funny. And I loved her cute romance with Booker, and her interactions with the Sunset Players. (My only complaint is Walsh's overuse of the word smirk--one of my least favorite words!) Other than that, this book is an entertaining 4-star read. 

Happy Reading!

What I've been reading....

 

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs is the first book about Charles and Anna Cornick, alpha and omega werewolves. It's also the book that introduces Asil, a very old and sometimes very scary werewolf known as the Moor, who is the focus of Briggs' latest book Blind Date With a Werewolf. 

It'd been so long since I first read Cry Wolf, I wanted to reread it so I could better remember Asil's backstory. And I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed it even more this second time around. Anna and Charles are great together. And there's lots of good action, suspense, and magic in it. 

Blind Date With a Werewolf, on the other hand, was unexpectedly funny! All the things that go wrong on Asil's five blind dates just made me laugh. I loved Asil's humor through it all, even as the body count climbed. Each blind date is like a separate short story, but a connecting thread seamlessly weaves them all together. I wasn't sure I would like this format, but Patricia Brigg's writes so well, her books are the epitome of urban fantasy. And this novel is delightful. I ended up giving it 5 stars because it was just so fun. 

Happy Reading!

The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell

 "It is a truth universally acknowledged that women since time immemorial (or at least since 1995) have been obsessed with Colin Firth. My mother was no exception."

The story:

American Tess Bright has just scored the role of Catherine Morland in a new movie production of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, a book her mom loved.

Hugh Balfour is playing Henry Tilney. 

He's a method actor from England who has immersed himself in the Regency era. And he doesn't think much of Tess.

She's all heart and exuberance (and messes), good at improv, and determined to make Hugh like her. Or at least run lines with her.

They're filming in Hampshire, England, near where Austen lived and also near Hugh's ancestral estate.

Then a freak electrical accident sends them both back in time to Jane Austen's era, two hundred years in the past, where they only have each other and their acting skills to rely on. 

My thoughts:

Delightfully witty and utterly charming. It was so much fun to watch Tess and Hugh navigate the courtesies and customs of the Regency Period all while snipping and snarking at each other. I loved how Tess comes to better understand Hugh's quirks and guardedness, and how she draws him out of his introvert shell. And Hugh helps Tess deal with her grief over her mother's passing and learn to smile and love again. They were an entertaining couple. And all their time travel tribulations and trials were very entertaining. I enjoyed their banter and their friendship and romance and that awkward moment when Tess got to meet her hero, Jane Austen herself.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Flipping the Birdie by S.L. Woeppel

 

The plot:  Birdie Bowden, aka the Chicago Bird, got her superpowers when she was a teen-ager. Her mother shipped her off to a government training facility when she was 18. Now she's Chicago's official super, but things are not going well. Even though she has a perfect save record, her bad attitude, hot temper, and tendency to swear at inappropriate moments has won her the label of Superbitch. And gotten her suspended for the next eleven weeks...with mandatory therapy. It gets even worse when her therapist challenges her not to use her superpowers. Because without them, who is she? 

My thoughts: This book is irreverent, funny and full of quirky characters--Bernadette 'Birdie' Bowden included. I loved her new bestie, Evie, who invites Birdie to come stay with her at her beach cottage, and I also really liked Evie's handsome but very grumpy brother, Aiden. Birdie's journey to find herself was both poignant and humorous. She's snarky and sarcastic but also insecure about her own worth. Her own mother had her sent away after all. And she doesn't believe any man could love her. Not with her superpowers making her so much stronger and faster. But Aiden is determined to prove her wrong. I liked the two of them together--though their romance does get pretty spicy. All in all, this was a very entertaining and fun read. And a nice change of pace.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Witchful Thinking by Kristen Painter

 

First line:  Charlotte Fenchurch stared down at the library cart of books waiting to be reshelved and wished for the hundredth time in as many days that her recently acquired status as a witch also came with immediate powers.

Setting:  Everlasting, Maine, where both the normal and the supernatural live.

The plot:  Walker Black, a leopard shifter and witch hunter, is tracking down a dangerous grimoire full of black magic before its evil can be unleashed on the world. The same grimoire Charlotte has just found at her library. She doesn't intend on ever using it, but there are others who aren't so scrupulous. And now Walker must protect her from them.

My thoughts:  This is a cozy paranormal mystery/romance. It's cute and humorous and an easy read if you're running tired--which I seem to be a lot lately. It's also a good book for fall with the whole witch/magic thing. I have to admit, I prefer Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls books to this one, but it was still a fun read, if a little bit thin. Charlotte and Walker are very likable. I just wish there had been more of them, more magic, more story. But this book has its charms and I enjoyed reading it. (It's also a book from off my own shelves, so it was an added bonus to get another of my own TBR books finally read.)

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Happy After All by Maisey Yates

 

"It's a truth universally acknowledged--at least, in a romance novel--that the moment the main character has her life in order, the exact person she doesn't want to meet will come along and knock all that careful order into disarray. For example, when a respectable motel owner who has decided to focus on her writing career and her own personal happiness is beginning to feel satisfied with the way she's rebuilding her life, a disastrously gorgeous man will walk in and disrupt everything."

Amelia fled to Rancho Encanto to rewrite her life. She's not looking for romance. Then Nathan Hart comes to her motel to write for the summer. He's aloof and keeps to himself, but Amelia can't help feeling a spark of attraction between them. Not only are they both writers, they're both grieving loss and trying to move forward and heal. But heartbreak is hard to overcome. 

"We would never have met if our lives hadn't crashed and burned. But it doesn't feel like something that happened because of tragedy. It feels like a small miracle. An oasis in the middle of the desert, which in many ways is what Rancho Encanto is."

This is such a good book! I loved how Yates starts each chapter with a romance trope, and how Amelia, a romance writer, uses that framework to narrate her own story. I thought it was very clever and fun. But this is not a simple summer romance. There's a range of emotions in this one: laughter and loss, hurt and hiding from that sadness, grumpiness, joy, lots of tears, and love. Both Amelia and Nathan had to navigate their own grief in order to find healing and hope. I also loved Amelia's found family full of quirky characters living in this small desert community. They made me smile. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Tears of the Wolf by Elisabeth Wheatley

 

First line:  "Marriage was the second fastest way to get rid of a woman, and the King was quite eager to get rid of Brynn. ... But for King Aelgar to marry her off to the husband of his choosing, he first had to deal with Brynn's current one."

Plot summary: Brynn is an Istovari sorceress grieving the death of her young son. Her mother chose her first husband for her, an older widower who neither loved nor respected her. This time she's choosing for herself. Cenric of Ombra is an alderman in the far northern reaches in need of a sorceress. He has no connection to the king or her mother. Marrying him offers Brynn escape, and freedom. Or so she hopes. She's not hoping for love. But Cenric just might surprise her.

5 Things I loved:

• The richly detailed viking-esque setting and all the magic.
• Brynn's and Cenric's tentative friendship that grows into something more.
• Brynn's steely resolve to not be anyone's pawn ever again, and Cenric's own resolve to protect his new wife.
• All the personable dyrehunds that belong to Cenric (and that can talk to him).
• And all the many fun side characters.

My thoughts:  I saw this fantasy on the new books shelf at my library and picked it up on a whim, and I'm SO glad I did. I loved everything about this one and I really hope Wheatley hurries up and writes a sequel!

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne

 

The plot:  Dr. Miranda Reed, PhD, is a popular astrophysicist and professor at Nova University, with a high IQ and a long waiting list for her astronomy classes. She's bright and pretty and has been on Jeopardy! seven times; she's also a star when it comes to talking science on the morning shows. And she always has a plan, especially for her life's trajectory. So when she's denied tenure she's stunned. And confused. And a little lost. 

Granted a yearlong sabbatical, she decides to explore another side her life besides the science side by studying astrology, figuring out her rising sign, and following her horoscope for one year. What Miranda doesn't predict is how her Horoscope Project will bring her not only new experiences and a new perspective, but a new friend in the cute artist next door, the possibility of a new dream for her life, and maybe even love. 

My thoughts:  What a charming romance! Miranda is such a fun character. I really enjoyed her love of science and her personal journey to explore a new side of herself; I especially enjoyed her slow burn friendship with Archer (the artist next door). Their interactions were humorous and entertaining. And I appreciated that there's no sex in this one...just a few sweet and swoony kisses. With both stars and art this story truly sparkles.  

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

The Big Fix by Holly James

 

First line:  "An estate sale at a dead guy's suburban mansion was not how I'd planned to spend my first Saturday of summer break."

The plot:  Penny Collins did not plan on finding a dead body at the estate sale, either. But now she's involved in a murder investigation along with the mysterious and brooding Anthony Pierce, who knows more about the dead guy than he's admitting. And it all connects somehow to a billionaire's missing wife. Penny's supposed to be finalizing her case for tenure this summer, instead she's running from bad guys, arguing with Anthony, and just maybe falling in love.

My thoughts:  This book has the feel of an amusing cozy mystery with lots of action, humor and romance. Penny's a bit impulsive--which gets her in trouble sometimes--but she's also tenacious and resourceful. She got on my nerves a little at the very beginning, but by the end I enjoyed her enthusiasm. And Anthony's great. I liked how the two of them problem solved, bantered, and rescued each other. And their madcap adventure trying to escape the bad guys? Very entertaining! This is a fun summer read.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham

 

First line:  I'd love to say I became famous because of my excellent writing skills.

Setting:  Isle of Mull, Scotland

The plot:  Katie Campbell is a popular travel writer known for her misadventures. Everywhere she goes something goes wrong. But she somehow always manages to turn it into something humorous and positive. But while she's happy traveling the world, there's something she's missing:  Home.  "Sometimes it's a place. Sometimes it's a person. Sometimes it's both."  So when Katie meets Graeme MacKerrow, and the tall Scot not only rescues her more than once, but makes her feel seen, she starts to wonder if she's finally found it. But she's afraid...of falling, of failing, of not being enough. And of Graeme not loving her back.

Favorite quote:  "Love is always an act of faith because we cannae see the future...But love gives you the strength to leap, and faith gives you the vision to believe that the one you love will be on the other side to catch you."

My thoughts:  I love this book! More than a simple lighthearted romance, this is an engaging novel about finding family, finding home, taking chances and believing in oneself. Basham truly knows how to craft a story with layers and humor, depth, hope, faith and love. And her characters are so delightful. I loved Katie and Graeme and their journey. And I loved the picturesque setting. This book made me want to travel to the Isle of Mull. (And maybe meet my own handome Scot.) I found it captivating. And the ending made me smile. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Another fun summer romance...

 "Adventure awaits."

Emily Edwards is not adventurous or outdoorsy, but she's made a promise to scatter her dad's ashes on Isle Royale, a remote National Park in Michigan that her dad always wanted to visit. So she hires Ryder Fleet to be her guide. Only it was Ryder's older brother, Caleb, who was the outdoorsy one, not him. He doesn't even know how to use a compass. But he needs the money, so he agrees to be Emily's guide. What happens to them on this remote island is some crazy kind of fun that includes getting lost in the woods, a bear spray incident, a pirate shipwreck, some bad guys, and a legendary lost diamond. I thought The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea was laugh-out-loud funny. I loved how Emily and Ryder are total opposites yet connected because of their grief over lost loved ones; I also loved how they found a way to let go of past regrets and move forward with laughter and love together. This book made me smile all the way through. And for that:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Two quick recommendations....

 

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

True crime podcaster, Ben Owens, is looking into the unsolved murder of Savannah Harper. His investigation brings Lucy Chase, the prime suspect, back to her hometown of Plumpton, Texas. It's the last place she wants to be, but Savvy was her best friend and Lucy was with her the night she died. Everyone thinks she did it, but no one can prove it. And Lucy can't remember what really happened that night. But it's time for her to find out the truth...even if the truth points to her. 

What a gripping twisty thriller! I loved the format and how each of Ben's podcast interviews brings out another piece of the truth. Then there's all the lies and contradictions and Lucy's own unreliable memories. It's great storytelling that kept me guessing until the very end.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ornithologist's Field  Guide to Love by India Holton

"Birds are easy; people are utterly bewildering."

Set in England in 1890, this captivating historical fantasy has wild avian magic, cutthroat ornithologists, and a ruthless competition to capture the rare and magical Caladrius bird. At stake? Being named Best Birder of the Year...and winning tenure! Beth, a serious, smart, and shy professor from Oxford reluctantly teams up with Devon, an irreverent, good looking, and intelligent professor from Cambridge who finds out his competitor is not only spunky, but sassy, too. 

"Who knew that racing across the country, being attacked by deadly magical birds and kissed by a handsome rogue, would be so transformative to one's character."

I loved Beth and Devon and their competitiveness, their love of birds, their wit and banter, and their enchanting romance. Holton writes with a tongue-in-cheek humor that I thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, I loved everything about this book.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"All any of us want, bird and birder, is the freedom to find our own skies, our own magic."

Happy Reading!

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

 

The plot:  Her mom died two years ago. Her husband asked for a separation one year ago, and now he wants to finalize their divorce. Professional organizer Ali Morris's life is a mess. She's juggling grief and her three kids. Who needs love? But then her dog pees on Ethan Hogan's foot at the dog park and instead of getting mad, he smiles at her like she's the best thing he's ever seen. And Ali's summer suddenly starts to look a lot brighter. 

My thoughts:  Summer Romance is deliciously sweet and delightfully humorous. I loved it! I could relate to Ali and her very real struggles to deal with everything in her life from her messy kitchen to mediation with her soon-to-be ex-husband. And Ethan was awesome...so kind and admiring of Ali, and such a great listener. I enjoyed their interactions, especially when he takes her skateboarding and dresses up in a crazy suit to go with her to her mediation meetings. He's hilarious. I'd love to meet a guy like him. From start to last, this was such a fun book. It's a perfect summer read. Annabel Monaghan has become one of my favorite authors. I love the way she writes and crafts her characters and their happy endings.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher

 

First line:  They say York is the most haunted city in England, but I'm probably the only person in it named after a ghost.

The plot:  December 1851. Lizzy Grimm and her mother live above their small shop, Grimm Curiosities. For awhile, Lizzy's mother worked as a medium to help pay the rent, but a year ago she was stricken silent. Now it's up to Lizzy to take care of her mother and to keep her late father's antique shop open, but things aren't going well. She finds unexpected help from Antony Carlisle, the oldest son of the local baron. His younger sister has also been stricken silent. He and Lizzie team up to try and discover why. And they think they just might find the answers they're seeking in her father's treasured set of books about ghosts, faeries, doorways, otherworldly creatures, and yuletide myths. Only someone else really wants those books--an older gentleman who is also interested in Lizzy.

My thoughts:  This book is an enchanting combination of mystery & romance with a touch of fairy tale magic. Oh, and ghosts! I loved the Grimm's small curiosity shop and the ghostly atmosphere permeating York. All the old buildings and narrow alleyways called ginnels made for a great setting. And Lizzy and Antony are both very engaging characters. I loved how their cautious friendship deepened into something more over the course of their search. There's even a ball. And the magical elements made this book even more fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading! 

Christmas-y Haiku Reviews....

 

Snowed In by Catherine Walsh

Megan and Christian

team up to survive Christmas

with their families.

Romantic comedy .... 336 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Fun fake dating holiday romance set in Ireland. Walsh's first book, Holiday Romance, is even cuter.)

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler

Sienna marries 

a stranger to help him and his sweet,

but very ill, daughter.

Romance .... 291 pages .... 5/5 stars.

(Have Kleenex nearby when you read this one; it totally made me cry.)

One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery

A quiet Christmas?

Not with her kids, her boyfriend's

kids, his ex, and a dog.

Contemporary fiction .... 316 pages .... 4/5 stgars.

(Unexpected guests, humorous banter, a secret or two, confessions of love, family, friends and exes all in one cabin at Christmas made this a fun read.)

Happy Reading!

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

A cryptic invitation.

A trip to Mistletoe Manor.

A Christmas snowstorm.

And a puzzling locked room disappearance. 

It's up to Maggie Chase and fellow author, Ethan Wyatt, to solve this mystery.

First line:  It wasn't until the elevator doors were sliding open that Maggie realized she was about to come face-to-face with her three lest favorite things in the world:  Christmas. A party. And Ethan Freaking Wyatt.  

My thoughts:  This entertaining novel is a great combination of mystery and romance. And I loved it. There's fun banter, and lots of action and humor. Maggie is a very engaging character; she's clever and funny, but also vulnerable and alone. I liked how Ethan really saw her, and how he wanted to help her, and protect her. I enjoyed their swoony kisses, too. They made a great team (even though she saw him as her nemesis at the beginning of the book). And the mystery was very Christie-esque. If you want a fun holiday mystery/romance, check this book out. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Haiku Reviews...

One Last Play by Annah Conwell

She loves football...and 

his daughter. Can he convince 

her to love him, too?

Sweet romantic comedy .... 252 pages .... 5/5 stars.

(Clean single dad sports romance that I totally loved.)

Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe

He's into cryptids;

she's not. But when they team up,

their new web show rocks.

Romance .... 334 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Cute and humorous with lots of fun banter.)

Reel Love by Savannah Scott

Online word game brings

famous actress and marine

biologist together.

Romantic comedy .... 372 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.

(Opposites attract in this sweet romance. Loved the island setting.)

Happy Reading!

Two fun reads...

 

The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

"Here's the thing about waking up with no memory in the middle of the night, in the middle of the street, in the middle of Paris: at least you're waking up in Paris."

She's not a spy, but she gets caught up with one. And Sawyer's the only thing standing between her and all the bad guys chasing her. There's a lot of action, banter, suspense, and some great laugh-out-loud moments between Zoe and Sawyer in this one. This is such an addictive and fun novel; I couldn't put it down. I loved the combination of spies and romance.   4.5/5 stars. 

Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren

"For as many books as she'd read in her lifetime, Ren had never found one that taught a woman like her--raised away from society and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years--how to live in the real world. Still, she was so ready for the change, she could practically taste it."

Ren is naive, optimistic, eager and full of sunshine. Fitz is streetwise, charming when he wants to be, but hiding some dark secrets from his past. The two of them together? Magic. From Ren's first weeks at college to their road trip across the country, I ate this book up. It's a charming read with lots of humor. I liked how spending time with Ren made Fitz open up and want to be better. And Ren's journey had some unexpected surprises in it, especially at the end.   4/5 stars.