Category: Romance

Beach Read by Emily Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A spectacular read! Perfect for the beach, get out of a reading slump, or an escape type of book.

I listened to this one as an audiobook, narrated by Julia Whelan, which I’d highly recommend. Her answering machine voice was just so spot on.

The story itself was lighthearted at times, also uplifting, and with a deeper sentiment, making it a complete and memorable read for me.

I liked the life perspective the author brought out in the characters who celebrated and struggled with feelings of loss, feeling lost, hope, trust, making amends, finding peace, love, and a slew of wavering emotions ranging from hurt and disappointments, as well as wonder and gratitude.

Since it is a book about authors in and of itself, there were some pretty good bits of irony and satyrical takes on the writing process, publishing, and the authorship community. The literary references and sources of writing inspiration were timeless, some, downright hilarious.

As far as the writing goes, I liked the simplicity brought forth with a single timeline and single POV. It wasn’t complicated which was nice and refreshing, one where I could focus on the actual enjoyment of the story. It read like some people I know.

The voices were distinct and the snarky, playful banter was deeply entertaining. A few bits were a little juvenile for the age group and life stage, but they also made it more amusing in a way. The self-reflection was more of a saving-grace for those parts. Yet it was clearly understood why the characters did what they did which made all the difference in connecting and relating to the story and the characters. And to that, it was also an approachable read for most anyone anyway.

All in all, just loved it!

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Tags beach read, beach reads, books to read on summer vacation, books to read on vacation, books to read this summer, Featured, popular books of 2020, reads this summer, summer books 2020, summer vacation

ARCs Book Reviews Books Featured Fiction Romance

A Perfect Cornish Escape (Porthmellow Harbour #3) by Phillipa Ashley

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date May 28, 2020
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A Perfect Cornish Escape by Phillipa Ashley

Summer in Cornwall is the perfect time for a fresh start…
Seven years ago, Marina Hudson’s husband was lost at sea. She vowed to love him for the rest of her life – but when kind-hearted Lachlan arrives in Porthmellow, should she deny herself another chance at happiness?

Tiff Trescott was living life to the full as a journalist in London – until her boyfriend’s betrayal brought it all crashing down. Fleeing to her cousin Marina’s cottage, Tiff feels like a fish-out-of-water. And when brooding local Dirk wins a day with her in a charity auction, she’s thrown headfirst into Cornish life.

This summer promises new beginnings for both Tiff and Marina. But are they too good to be true?

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

FTC disclosure: I would like to thank Avon Books UK for providing me with an advance reader copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

The stories in this book were excellent! It read as bright and cheery with unexpected deep sentiment as subjects of loss, grief, PTSD, betrayal, desire, belonging, and ambivalence in navigating life’s way were charted.

As far as writing, I really liked the way the characters were shaped. Guiding me to be drawn in rather quickly and profoundly, embracing and opposing certain characteristics of both the protagonistic and antagonistic qualities of the other, well done.

The incorporation of an inner monologue to help form/validate their actions and ideas was a little bumpy for me at first. It was the ease of reading, something about how much of the dialogue was followed by an underlying explanation for saying/feeling that way much of the time at the beginning. It just felt a little interruptive where instead I wanted the dialogue to be more genuine and more easily identifiable/distinguishable to each voice, to have a better understanding of the characters so it would come as a natural understanding without having it be pointed out in the inner workings of their head as much as it was. But I warmed up to it about 1/3 of the way in. Maybe it was more of a stylistic choice and was less pervasive and bothersome to me as the stories went on.

I also would have liked to have seen a little more involvement from the other friends and families of the characters to confirm character qualities and certain circumstances they found themselves in.

Loved the setting! Beachfront, Cornwall, England, the lifestyle of characters, jobs/businesses, leisure time, homes, all to go with it. It made so much logical sense and added a drawn in, dreamy, escapism-type attribute that complimented the overall themes of the stories and brought magnetic value to the succinct title of the book.

It was such a lovely read as far as plot was concerned. The connectedness and portrayal of relatability and realistic life circumstances, not cheesy, not overdone, nor over simplified. And the similes and metaphors, the pop culture references, I love it when writers take risks and just dive into such stuff.

I will definitely look forward to reading more stories from this author.

Tags beachread, cornish, cornwall, england, Featured, netgalley

Book Reviews Books Featured Fiction Historical Fiction Romance

Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date February 23, 2020
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It’s 1759 and the world is at war, pulling the North American colonies of Britain and France into the conflict. The times are complicated, as are the loyalties of many New York merchants who have secretly been trading with the French for years, defying Britain’s colonial laws in a game growing ever more treacherous.

When captured French officers are brought to Long Island to be billeted in private homes on their parole of honour, it upends the lives of the Wilde family—deeply involved in the treasonous trade and already divided by war.

Lydia Wilde, struggling to keep the peace in her fracturing family following her mother’s death, has little time or kindness to spare for her unwanted guests. French-Canadian lieutenant Jean-Philippe de Sabran has little desire to be there. But by the war’s end they’ll both learn love, honour, and duty can form tangled bonds that are not broken easily.

Their doomed romance becomes a local legend, told and re-told through the years until the present day, when conflict of a different kind brings Charley Van Hoek to Long Island to be the new curator of the Wilde House Museum.

Charley doesn’t believe in ghosts. But as she starts to delve into the history of Lydia and her French officer, it becomes clear that the Wilde House holds more than just secrets, and Charley discovers the legend might not have been telling the whole story…or the whole truth.

Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The premise was super interesting.

However I had difficulty staying connected to it. There was a lot of information dumping, some passages overworked, some underworked. A lot of passive voice. I couldn’t make sense of it all unfortunately. DNFd at Charlie, page 32.

I think most of my dissatisfaction was that I really wanted to dive into it but I wasn’t in the mood to figure out and look past what wasn’t working for me. It lacked a bit of direction and flow. Perhaps it was some untimely changing of POVs, the amount of interruptive backstory in between the dialogue, and very dense less interesting informational releases about the characters which made the reading experience feel a bit stagnant for my taste.

I really liked the idea behind the story though and will definitely be looking forward to exploring other stories from this author.

The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts by Annie Darling

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Book Reviews Books Featured Fiction Romance

The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts (Lonely Hearts Bookshop #1) by Annie Darling

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date February 3, 2020
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A quaint old bookshop, where happy ever after is only a page away…

Once upon a time in a crumbling bookshop, Posy Morland hid in the pages of romantic novels.

So when Bookend’s eccentric owner, Lavinia, dies and leaves the shop to Posy, she must put down her books and join the real world. Because Posy hasn’t just inherited an ailing business, but also the attentions of Lavinia’s grandson, Sebastian, AKA The Rudest Man In London™.

Posy has six months to transform Bookends into the shop of her dreams but as Posy and her friends fight to save the bookshop, she’s drawn into a battle of wills with Sebastian, about whom she’s started to have some rather feverish fantasies…

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Loved the cover, loved the idea! But I just couldn’t stay in this book.

The lack of progress did it in for me by the 3rd chapter and I didn’t experience the emotion of it.

The storyline did not move along like I thought it would. It seemed way more stretched out than I felt was necessary for such a simple plot. There was a likeness in some of the characters thoughts and actions where they almost became indistinguishable as far as voice goes.

I really wanted to get to know the characters and their quirks and habits but the substance was just not there. Not a whole lot going besides a surrounding theme of opening a bookstore and dizzying relationships that kept getting shallower and shallower by the minute.

The idea was definitely there but the story to take you there was lacking. I was so bummed about it because I really wanted to like it so much more than I actually did.

I would like to try reading another book by this author though.

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Audiobooks Book Reviews Books Featured Fiction Romance

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date January 31, 2020
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A seaside town helps one young woman reclaim the light after darkness in an uplifting novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A nice beach read with a bit of deep mental and emotional exploration. I ended up converting to the audiobook version which I quite enjoyed.

It featured a classic love story with tension surrounding mental and emotional health conditions and how the characters overcame a lack of acceptance and coping. There were bits of explanation about the coping process itself which was both interesting and somewhat distracting at the same time because it took me in and out of the story, yet was also helpful at getting to the rationale of certain behaviors and thought patterns.

I loved the gardening parts of the story and the tranquil atmosphere that was created surrounding the cottage by the sea theme and the human longing for place and belonging in a relationship and peace.

There seemed to be repeats in the text itself, perhaps an oversight in the editing process. I don’t think they were intentional because they didn’t add anything to the story or help me gain better perspective or emphasis. The love story itself seemed a little juvenile for the ages that were portrayed but I did enjoy it nonetheless.

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Audiobooks Book Reviews Books Featured Fiction Romance

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date January 28, 2020
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Debbie Macomber brings us to the Alaskan wilderness for a magical Christmas tale about finding love where it’s least expected.

Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a sweet tale and I enjoyed every bit of it.

It’s exactly the kind of book that puts you in the Christmas holiday mood of coziness, snuggling by the warmth of the fire, sipping hot chocolate. Highly recommend! I listened via audiobook which was great.

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

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Audiobooks Book Clubs Book Reviews Books Fantasy Featured Fiction Romance

Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle #1) by Diana Wynne Jones

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date January 25, 2020
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Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl’s castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there’s far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

Loved, loved, loved! I read this one for Life’s Library Book Club. I converted my read to the audiobook version which was excellent.

This book was just all-around well-paced, adorable, fun, and adventurous. Side note- I think I may make a scarecrow for my garden just like the character.

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ARCs Books Featured Fiction Historical Fiction Romance

Someone to Honor (Westcott #6) by Mary Balogh

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date September 2, 2019
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First appearances deceive in the newest charming and heartwarming Regency romance in the Westcott series from beloved New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh . . .

Abigail Westcott’s dreams for her future were lost when her father died and she discovered her parents were not legally married. But now, six years later, she enjoys the independence a life without expectation provides a wealthy single woman. Indeed, she’s grown confident enough to scold the careless servant chopping wood outside without his shirt on in the proximity of ladies.

But the man is not a servant. He is Gilbert Bennington, the lieutenant colonel and superior officer who has escorted her wounded brother Harry home from the wars with Napoleon. He’s come to help his friend and junior officer recover, and he doesn’t take lightly to being condescended to – secretly because of his own humble beginnings.

If at first these two seem to embody what the other most despises, they will soon discover how wrong first impressions can be. For behind the appearance of the once grand lady and once humble man are two people who share an understanding of what true honor means, and how only with it can one find love.

Someone to Honor by Mary Balogh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

FTC disclosure: I would like to thank Penguin Random House for providing me with an advance reader copy via access to the galley for free through the First to Read program. I did end up purchasing my own audiobook version, which I would highly recommend.

This was a lovely romance story that highlighted family dynamics, courtship, and the coming of age of characters during the time period of the 19th century with a somewhat modern thought. I will say that the beginning did read more like a perpetual prologue, like a never ending overture, taking quite a while to get going. However I did come to appreciate it as it set up the groundwork for me being a first time reader of this series, especially as the later peaking plot arc paid off.

So hang in there early readers, also consider the audiobook version, it made all the difference for me personally. Once I got the audiobook version I ended up quite enjoying listening to the details of the family tree, interpersonal connections, internal conflict, and the direction it was going. It all tied in and became a very solid story.

I would have liked to have seen more integration of 19th century verbiage/slang and perceptive forethought in the writing, but perhaps the lack thereof was intentional, giving it that more modern feel which could prove more likely relatable to today’s reader. This is especially because I did not feel that the circumstances were unique to the time or to how such a character may perceive and respond to such fall out today. As in the bastardization, the fear of abandonment, grief, being a widow, changes in social caste, a less than desirable surname, etc…

All in all, I really liked the expression, the setting, and character traits that were presented. The growth and maturity of the characters were captured quite nicely and I will be looking forward to going back to the start of the series and then continuing on after this book.

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ARCs Book Reviews Books Featured Fiction Romance

Ellie and the Harpmaker by Hazel Prior

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date August 1, 2019
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In the rolling hills of beautiful Exmoor, there’s a barn. And in that barn, you’ll find Dan. He’s a maker of exquisite harps – but not a great maker of conversation. He’s content in his own company, quietly working and away from social situations that he doesn’t always get right.

But one day, a cherry-socked woman stumbles across his barn and the conversation flows a little more easily than usual. She says her name’s Ellie, a housewife, alone, out on her daily walk and, though she doesn’t say this, she looks sad. He wants to make her feel better, so he gives her one of his harps, made of cherry wood.

And before they know it, this simple act of kindness puts them on the path to friendship, big secrets, pet pheasants and, most importantly, true love.

Ellie and the Harpmaker by Hazel Prior

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such a unique book, both in subject matter about harps and in the style of writing that brings out an appreciation of the delicate things in life. I’d recommend it to anyone, romance readers and non romance readers alike.

I’m clueless about the harp instrument and I really enjoyed the plot integration as well as the descriptions, say, for example, the resonances of different woods, the way “it could charm and enthrall, it could plead and it could command.”

I also liked the pureness, authenticity, and down to earth tone of the book along with the voice of the characters while in their own distinctive point of view. Though I was initially awaiting for a confirmatory diagnosis, I realized that perhaps the story didn’t start or end here and I appreciated the glimpses and maybe the lack thereof helped to add to the innocent tone and freshness of the story as it’s told.

I would have liked to have seen just a little bit more rationalization, like a bit more pull in one of the relationships, a tad more internal conflict or tension, a reason to justify certain actions. Just a smidge though. Like getting your hair trimmed, just a tiny bit more, but not too much if that makes sense.

It’s a really interesting read overall with bits of poetry at the breaks and poetically written themes throughout which were one of my favorite features. I will look forward to reading more from this author.

FTC disclosure: I would like to thank Penguin Random House for providing me with an advance reader copy via access to the galley for free through the First to Read program.

Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather Webber

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Midnight at the Blackbird Café by Heather Webber

Post author By ericarobbin
Post date July 16, 2019
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Heather Webber’s Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town Southern charm.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

FTC disclosure: I would like to thank Macmillan/Forge Books for providing me with an advance reader copy via Wunderkind PR.

This was a heartwarming read and I’d recommend it to anyone, especially for who enjoy books that you want to take your time with and ponder, those who enjoy a bit of magical realism, a plot taking place around a charming cafe set in the American south, and those who enjoy reads by Sarah Addison Allen.

It would also make an excellent book club read.

If you are drawn to the lovely title, the lovely cover, and are expecting a sweet and meaningful story to match, you won’t be disappointed. This one lingered with me, especially the quote “There were times, like right now, when it felt as though I’d been grieving my whole life long. Probably because I had been.”

I really enjoyed the author, Heather Webber’s writing style as it drew out the beautiful atmosphere and real emotion of the characters. There was great insight into each character’s emotion as they dealt with loss, their life choices, and each other’s outcome.

There was a middle-fourth to fifth of the book where the premise started to be a bit drawn out and being much much more descriptive in style. Not meandering in the sense because the focus remained, but sort of caught up in descriptive details rather than more about the depth of what was to come and sort of double-backed in that which was already established. However it certainly picked up again and soon I was even more intrigued by the level of mystery and connectivity among the characters as events led up to find the truth.

Discussion of life including business, penmanship, southern cooking, gossip, tragedy, building of friendship and family bonds, and just enjoying conversation and each other’s company as well as the precious things in life helped to keep the story grounded, while the birds brought a certain depth and validity to humanistic expression. The quote, for example “We survive on sweet tea and complaining, plain and simple. Mostly the sweet tea, if I’m tellin’ it to you straight.”

There were excerpts to guide the story along as well which I thought was helpful and confirming.

Also the perfect read for this summer!