Genre: Romance

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves | Book Review

Posted March 1, 2024 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves | Book ReviewThe Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves
Published by St Martin's Press on March 26, 2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Women's Fiction
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
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New York Times bestselling author Tracey Garvis Graves takes readers on a life affirming journey, where two lost souls find the unexpected courage to love again.

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching―the outdoor activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects―is the only thing getting her out of bed and out of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she needs to take back control of her life.

Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk, she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no longer quite so trusting of the universe―or men in general―but her inner circle might argue that a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.

What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the universe gets it right this time.

When it comes to Tracey Garvis Graves’s books, I’ve come to expect a unique story, well-developed characters you can’t help but grow attached to, drama, romance, and a few twists and turns along the way. The Trail of Lost Hearts is filled with all of this and more. I’ve never read a book of Tracey’s I didn’t enjoy, and my winning streak continues!

We start out with Wren, who has gone through two major losses recently. She’s feeling adrift and sad and doesn’t know how to pull herself out from under this heavy pile of life that’s been dumped on top of her. She finds solace in the outdoors, and geocaching becomes her therapy. She decides to set out on a solo geocaching adventure and runs into Marshall along the way. Marshall, a psychologist, is also grieving a loss of his own and invites Wren to join him on his adventure. She’s adamantly against it at first, but changes her mind when she begins to understand what kind of person he is. Neither one of them loves the idea of traveling and hiking alone, so they team up. They go from strangers to friends quite quickly, and I really loved watching them get to know one another, laugh together, and start to catch feelings for one another. I loved seeing them both happy after being so sad. I loved traveling with them from location to location as they shared meals and eventually hotel rooms while hunting for caches in some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the USA. Tracey’s descriptions of the scenery were some of my favorite parts of the book. I loved reading about the places they went and what they looked like. Eventually, the trip ends and they return to their respective lives. But, of course, their minds continue to return to their time together.

Both Marshall and Wren go on very personal and individual journeys towards healing, but this book is predominately about Wren. I found myself weighed down at times by Wren’s pain. I’m an empath, and apparently even fictional characters send my empathetic feelings racing. She’s been through a lot, and is still going through a lot throughout the book. I craved those moments when she recognized her worth and her strength, and rejoiced as she made those leaps. Marshall was a bright light in this story. He’s one of the most caring and understanding men I’ve read about, and I would like to find a Marshall for myself. He never pushes Wren, never forces her to do or talk about anything she’s not ready for. He’s such a good listener, incredibly protective, and downright kind. He helps Wren wrestle with her thoughts, yet the more she opens up to him the more he closes himself off. He goes into therapist mode, focusing only on her and not participating in the conversation. This made me scream a little bit, but I get it. Everyone grieves differently, and sometimes it’s hard to apply your own advice in your own life. I was proud of him for taking the steps he needed to find healing in his own life. He’s such a sweetheart. Marshall’s and Wren’s story is quite complicated, yet realistic. It shows us that healing isn’t linear, nor is it the same process for everyone. It also shows us that placing the right people in our lives at the right time can change us in ways we never knew possible. Even though it was difficult for me at times, I loved watching Wren and Marshall find happiness in their own lives and in their life together. Their story is filled with twists and turns, bombshells, and ultimately growth. I’m glad I was along for the ride.

The ending was a bit abrupt, and I would have really loved an epilogue. I spent so much time with these two and then poof, the book was basically over without warning. I wish more time had been spent on Wren’s current relationship with Marshall rather than on her past relationship. I feel like I know more about her ex and their relationship than I know about hers and Marshall’s relationship. And I’m being so careful to not post spoilers, so this comment might not even make sense until you’ve read the book. Regardless of my small complaints, I really enjoyed The Trail of Lost Hearts! Tracey Garvis Graves is so good at grabbing you and sucking you in, and she had me from the first page. There was no warm-up, no gradual incline. The book begins, and you are in it. And I love that about her books. The writing is beautiful, like always, and I couldn’t read the pages fast enough. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to go on a journey, both in the literal sense and the figurative sense.


Why I Didn’t Finish The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

Posted January 29, 2024 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 2 Comments

Why I Didn’t Finish The Rule Book by Sarah AdamsThe Rule Book by Sarah Adams
Published by Dell on April 2, 2024
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it’s come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.

Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship be the thing to save their careers?

I thought that surely I would love this one because it’s in the same world and has the same characters as The Cheat Sheet, but unfortunately I DNFed The Rule Book at 20% because I cannot stand these characters and the repetitive storytelling.

Nora’s quirkiness is obnoxious, annoying, and unbelievable. Instead of recognizing Derek’s feelings, she railroads over him with fake perkiness. She comes off as so immature and lacking in awareness. She’s also incredibly shallow, which is something I’ve noticed is a hallmark of this author’s books. I got so tired of reading the repetitive statements like: Derek is so huge. Derek is so big. Derek is so much bigger than he was in college. How can Derek’s t-shirt stretch enough to contain his muscles? Derek’s hugeness is stretching his shirt so much that I can see his tattoos through it. Is this man 8 feet tall and 700 pounds of pure muscle or something? Is Nora actually Thumbelina? His size is so overly discussed every time that they are in the same room together (and then later again when she reflects on their time together) that I’m picturing a comic book character like the Hulk.

Derek is very unlikable. I understand how much Nora hurt him. He’s allowed to be hurt, but he’s looking for revenge. He’s aiming to manipulate her and control her and then ruin her career because she broke up with him with no explanation. I just don’t understand how someone can act like this. Hulk is throwing a tantrum, and it’s hard to empathize with someone who is this hostile. He is so unbelievably rude and I can’t find anything good about his personality right now. Nora is just as manipulative in her own way, but not outright rude like this. She’s trying to be nice, even if it’s fake. But seriously, is she so downright clueless that she doesn’t realize how much she hurt him? Does she really not understand why he “hates” her? When I start trying to figure out which character sucks less that’s when I know I’ve got a problem. I hate these two individually and together.

The writing flows nicely and keeps you turning the pages, but maybe this author’s humor just isn’t my humor. Things that I can tell were written to be funny aren’t funny. And hopefully the repetition is edited out before the final printing. How many times is Nathan referred to as Nathan Donelson, quarterback of the Sharks? Not once is Nathan referred to as only his first name, even though anyone who is paying any attention will know who the book is referring to after reading his last name and who he is the first time. Nobody else in the book is referred to by their entire name and job title every time they’re talked about. Bree, from The Cheat Sheet, is “Bree, Nathan Donelson’s wife” multiple times. Perhaps this is done in an effort to help people who haven’t read The Cheat Sheet know what’s going on, but neither character is important enough in this book to need this kind of attention placed on them over all the other secondary characters. I also feel like I read way too many repetitive details about Nora’s and Derek’s shared past. I got tired of reading about both of them reflecting on their prior relationships. I got tired of reading the internal musings of these two after their meetings. I’d read about the actual meeting, then I’d read about Nora thinking about it and recounting things that happened, and then I’d read about Derek thinking about it and recounting things that happened. Then one of them would talk to someone about what happened, and before you know it I’ve basically read the same thing four times.

I’m so disappointed, because The Cheat Sheet is one of my favorite books ever (I re-read it each year) and I wanted a sequel so badly because the guys on Nathan’s team are amazing. I’m sure it’s overwhelming to write a follow-up to such a popular and well-loved book and I commend the author for trying, but this book is trying way too hard.


Hello Stranger by Katherine Center | Book Review

Posted January 25, 2024 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 6 Comments

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center | Book ReviewHello Stranger by Katherine Center
Published by St Martin's Press on July 11, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 323
Format: Audiobook ARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

I’ve been wanting to read a Katherine Center book for a while now, and I finally had time to sit down with my Netgalley audio review copy and do it! Hello Stranger brought out a lot of conflicting opinions and emotions in me. At times I wanted to DNF, and at other times I couldn’t stop reading. I loved Sadie and I hated her. I went back and forth between being so invested and being so irritated at these characters. lol. Let’s see if I can make this review make sense!

Probably my biggest issue with this book was how self-absorbed and self-centered Sadie was. Face blindness is not something I’d heard of before I read this book, and it sounds scary and frustrating especially for someone who was not born with this condition. It sounds heartbreaking to go your entire life loving and appreciating faces, only to wake up from surgery and not be able to see them or recognize anyone anymore. And the author did a really good job of explaining what this is like. I empathized with Sadie and felt so bad for her, but then I quickly grew tired of the constant complaining and whining. This girl didn’t care about anyone or anything other than herself, and I can’t fathom that. I would feel so lonely going through something like this, and I would crave closeness with people. She refuses to tell anyone she’s face blind, which is her prerogative and not something she owes anyone, yet she also refuses to make adjustments to her social skills to try to compensate for this. She memorizes hairstyles, gaits, and clothing styles but she never asks anyone about themselves or shows genuine concern or interest in anyone she interacts with. It’s all about her. She goes through a bit of a love crisis, not knowing which man in her love triangle to commit to, and if she had showed either of them any real interest or gotten to know them on any sort of deep level it would have been so much easier for her. But instead, she focused only on herself and didn’t get to know either one of them well enough to actually know them.

This brings me to my next issue: communication. Nobody in this book can effectively communicate with one another. Assumptions are continually made. Judgments are made without knowing all the facts. Life is very confusing for multiple people in this book because they won’t ask questions and they won’t think critically about their interactions and use a little common sense to decipher them. Feelings are hurt, lives are ruined, and things happen that shouldn’t because there’s not one character, main or secondary, who can communicate. I stayed up past 5AM yesterday morning because I figured out something important very early on and got so irritated that these people couldn’t figure it out on their own that I couldn’t sleep until things were resolved. So I guess that’s a point in the author’s favor, but when a book is compulsively readable because the reader is furious is that still a good thing? LOL.

Another issue I had was this author’s writing style. It’s very repetitive, which I believe was made worse by how the narrator chose to read it. For example, and this is not a direct quote, let’s say that Sadie is thinking to herself and about her newfound hop. It would go something like this: “I have hope again. Hope that I can X. Hope that I can X. Hope that I will X. Hope that life will X.” And when the narrator reads these kinds of passages, she sounds like a robot. I would have much preferred “I have hope again, that I can X and X, that I will X, and that life will X.” The repetitive “Hope that..” over and over again really annoyed me and I found myself rolling my eyes. This same thing happens multiple times in the book, including the author’s note at the end, and I feel like it’s done in an effort to sound profound or sweeping, but I got very bogged down in all the extra words.

So… why did I continue if I had several really big issues with this story? Well, good question. I did almost DNF, but I really wanted to know how things were going to work out. I really loved Joe. He’s sweet and helpful and selfless, and I found him to be so endearing and patient. I loved Mr. and Mrs. Kim, who own the apartment building Sadie and Joe live in. I hated Sadie’s evil stepsister, Parker, who might be the worst villain I’ve ever read about who was not either a monster in fantasy novel or a serial killer in a thriller. Parker made me so mad, and the narrator made her voice so grating, that I wanted to throw things. At the same time, I really wanted to know how that relationship turned out. I wanted to know who Sadie ended up with, if she ever killed Parker, and if her dad ever grew a heart. Since this is a romance (although, there was no actual romance until about 40% and the bulk of the story felt like women’s fiction), we have to assume there will be a happy ending. So I wanted to know what that looked like for Sadie. Did her face blindness go away? I had many questions. This is such a unique storyline, and I was so intrigued (and ok, infuriated) that I couldn’t stop reading.

In the end, I’m glad I read this. The ending was really sweet, even though I knew exactly how it was going to go and we could have gotten there so much easier… but that clearly wasn’t the point. lol. This was not supposed to be an easy journey for me as the reader, just like it wasn’t supposed to be an easy journey for any of these characters. Nearly all of them are suffering in some way, and they all go through it. Some aspects of the story didn’t feel realistic at times, and some felt impossibly confusing just for the sake of making the story work, but it got me to read it. lol. I have only myself to blame for the emotional tsunami this author put me through because I could have quit! BUT. I didn’t. When I finished the story I was smiling. I was basking in the swoons and the sweetness and the pure relief that things were resolved and I’d be able to finally sleep. So there was good and there was bad, but one thing’s for sure: I will never forget this story.


Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise | Book Review

Posted January 18, 2024 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

Never Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise | Book ReviewNever Blow a Kiss by Lindsay Lovise
Series: Secret Society of Governess Spies #1
Published by Forever on January 23, 2024
Genres: Historical Romance, Romance
Pages: 345
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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In this delightfully witty Victorian romance, a governess spy running away from her past falls for an ex-soldier turned railroad magnate.

The utterly charming Emily Leverton has a dark past and is determined to leave it behind in her respectable new role as a governess. But when she is recruited by a secret network of governesses who spy on the ton, it may just be a way to redeem the dark secrets of her past. Straddling the worlds of the ton and the working class, as an ex-solider turned railroad magnate, Zach hunts killers for the Metropolitan Police by day and dutifully attends balls at night. In neither world has he met a woman with the brazenness to mock him. So when a saucy governess blows him a kiss he is determined to catch her, never expecting that when he does he will find an intelligent, quirky woman hiding more than her true name. As Zach peels back the layers of Emily’s lies, he falls for the street-wise woman who handles a dagger like a pro and kisses like a mistress. But when his affair with Emily intertwines with his hunt for a killer, he discovers Emily is hiding an explosive secret—one that could destroy them both.

Never Blow a Kiss is the kind of historical romance I love! Witty banter, spunky heroine, swoony hero, and maaaaajorly romantic. It’s also got an underlying mystery and suspense, which I love and rarely see in historical romance. Lisa Kleypas does this in some of her books and I LOVE these aspects of her stories, so I am always looking for more historical romance novels that incorporate mystery.

I loved Emily. What a heroine to root for! She’s had to fight against so much opposition and so many obstacles in her life to get herself to where she is today. She’s worked so hard to not be defined by her past and to climb out from under the pile of garbage dumped on her as a child. She’s strong, plucky, independent, smart, and very sweet. She’s so cute with children she’s hired to take care of. Zach is also on the outskirts of society, but is respected because of his money. He doesn’t have to work, but does because he wants to be useful. So he works for the Metropolitan Police. I loved his strong, protective ways, and I also loved that he let Emily shine on her own. He knows she can take care of herself and he values and cherishes every part of her and where she came from. The romance between the two of them happens very quickly, but it felt so believable and realistic. I loved their flirting and their gentle ribbing of one another. Zach calls her Noodles, and I think it’s the cutest pet name. They have such a playful relationship that is also deep and meaningful. When they open up to one another about their pasts and can empathize and offer comfort and support to one another I did a chef’s kiss in my mind. Oh, and did I mention that he falls first and is a total puddle around her? Perfection.

The serial killer plot line kept me so interested. A person the press calls the Evangelist is murdering prostitutes, and there are some intense, action-filled scenes sprinkled throughout the book related to this story. Zach and Emily are both working to catch this killer, although he doesn’t know how invested she actually is. When she’s recruited to this secret society of governess spies by a woman known only as The Dove, she’s instructed to pay attention to any talk that might lead to catching this killer. The Dove is an anonymous informant who has used the information her governesses send her to help the police solve crimes. I am so interested in who this woman is, and hope that we learn more about her in future books in this series. We also meet another governess named Frankie, who is extremely smart, and I am pretty positive she will be recruited and be the main character in the next book. I’m very excited about that possibility.

Lindsay Lovise’s writing is lovely! Her descriptions are rich and placed me right in the middle of those Mayfair streets. The steamy scenes were sultry and romantic without being too much. The light banter balanced out the darkness of the Evangelist, and I couldn’t stop reading once I got invested. The ending surprised me! I had no idea who the killed was! The author has set this up to be such a fun and exciting series and I can’t wait to see where it goes!


Cabin Crush by Kasey Stockton | Book Review

Posted December 15, 2023 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 1 Comment

Cabin Crush by Kasey Stockton | Book ReviewCabin Crush by Kasey Stockton
Series: Gift-Wrapped Romance
Published by Golden Owl Press on October 27, 2023
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Holiday - Christmas, Romance
Pages: 198
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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This Christmas, all she wants is him.

Rachael
I’ve had a crush on my brother’s best friend my entire life. Once, in high school, I even got a taste of what it would be like to be with him thanks to some well-placed incredible and humiliating. We always spend Christmas with Max’s family at our cabin, and every year I have to suffer through a blissful week with him in a completely platonic way. His steady stream of girlfriends have made him off limits . . . until now.

It’s Christmas.

We’re at the cabin together.

And Max Dawson is single.

Max
I’ve never looked forward to Christmas less in my entire life. My parents’ holiday will be ruined after I tell them my news, and to make matters worse, I blabbed to Rachael on the drive out to the cabin. Now she has to keep my secret until I’m ready to share with my family.

Which is probably why she’s acting so weird. Watching me. Touching me. Flirting. It would be terrible if I wasn’t enjoying it so much. But her brother has made it clear she’s off limits. And besides, I kissed Rachael once, and we all know how that ended.

So we definitely shouldn’t do it again.

Right?

There’s just something about a trope-filled Christmas romance, and Cabin Crush has a bunch of them! You’ve got brother’s best friend, childhood friends/grew up together, mutual pining (yet they both think their love is unrequited), forced proximity, and friends to lovers. I love all these tropes, and am honestly so happy to not see an enemies to lovers for once because that’s my least favorite and appears to be everywhere right now, across all genres. Anyway, this was cute! Even though some young teen drama happened that made things a little awkward for the two of them, Rachael and Max have a really sweet friendship. They’ve been pining away for one another for years, and that makes it even cuter.

I love a dual point of view, which you’ll get with this story. It’s so fun getting into the heads of the main characters, and it made me really like both of them. I really enjoyed the family cabin all decked out in Grinch-themed decorations. This cabin sounds like a very cozy and comforting place to be, minus the lack of heating in some of the rooms. I loved the two families, particularly the dads who were both super lovable and funny. I really enjoyed the coziness of the story. The families spend their time at the cabin watching Hallmark and other Christmas movies, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows around the fire, baking and decorating cookies, doing puzzles, chatting on the couch, eating lots of yummy food, hiking, caroling, sledding, and more. There were some deeper, more difficult conversations to be had surrounding loss and grief, and I felt those were handled with reverence and added depth to the story. The romance itself was a little on the cheesier end of cheesy, even for a Christmas romance, but that’s ok! It made me smile. All in all, Cabin Crush is a very fun closed-door romance with a lot of Christmas cheer and characters you’ll love. I’m excited to read some of the other standalones in this series!