Finding Mr.Write - Kelley Armstrong

Format: 368 pages, Paperback

Published: June 25, 2024 by Forever

Contemporary romance/own

I had some issues with this one because I had just finished Yellowface, and sure this is nothing like that. But Daphne decides to publish under a male penname and then she keeps up the lie and even finds a guy to play the part. There is just so much lying. It would have worked so much better if I had not recently read a book about the anger that any lying causes. Big or small.

But yes they get to know each other as Chris needs to know how to play the part of Zane. And the more they lie the closer they come to a big shown down. Because her book becomes a big hit and he is sent to bookfairs and talks in panels. And I kept thinking, people will be maaad.

There is also the romance bit as they get closer. Though to be fair, the romance lacked a bit. It would have made it even more about the romance. Now there was a lot of other things going on.

It was a good book, though do not read it after reading books where people lie about stuff and a trainwreck begins. LOL. Here there is not a trainwreck in that sense because this is in the end a romance.

A  fun romantic comedy about a woman writing under a male pseudonym and the man she hires to play the role in public.

Daphne McFadden is tired of rejection. After submitting her manuscript to dozens of agents, she's gotten rejection after rejection, and now it's time for something drastic. And so, Daphne submits her manuscript again… under a man's name.

Imagine her surprise when it sells for big money at an auction and soon becomes a publicity darling. Only she needs a man to play her super macho alter ego Zane Remington. Enter Chris Stanton, who absolutely looks the part of a survivalist and has a talent for pressing her piss‑me‑off‑I‑dare‑you buttons while somehow being endearing at the same time. But Chris has a few secrets of his own, including the fact that he’s really an accountant who has no idea how to chop wood or paddle a canoe. When Daphne's book becomes a bestselling sensation and they're forced to go on tour together, Daphne finds herself wondering if this city‑boy geek is exactly what she needs to push her to claim her dreams.

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

6/24/2025 Do you have any travel or staycation plans for the summer?

Not really, but what we do is that we usually do a roadtrip of some sort. Last year we went to a Zoo and I saw pandas! :D But yes that was more of a goal, usually our roadtrips are spontaneous, and more like we go south and then we experience things. No idea to where this year, but somewhere.....

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole´s review: One month boyfriend

 

Author: Roxie Noir

Title: The One Month Boyfriend

Series: Wildwood Society #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: ebook

Pages: 430

Published: May 24, 2022

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

Fake dating my sworn enemy to make my ex so jealous he can't see straight?

Worth it.

Silas and I agree on one thing, and one thing only: my ruthless, heartless, narcissistic jerk of an ex-fiance needs to be taken down a notch.

So we do what anyone would do: we pretend to be a couple.

Even though Silas and I are polar opposites. Silas is a loud, cheerful, over the top showboat. He’s his hometown’s golden boy, the Marine who came back to rescue kittens from trees and walk old ladies across the street.

And me? I'm the awkward new girl who freezes up around strangers and can’t make small talk to save my life.

It shouldn’t work. We can barely have a conversation without arguing. There's no way we should be friends, let alone dating, except... Everyone believes it.

Especially my ex.

Now I'm having way too many real fantasies about the man who gets on my last nerve. My fake boyfriend is starting to feel a whole lot like a real one.

The kisses feel real.

The way he protects me feels real.

The night we spend together in a hotel bed feels very real.

This was supposed to be fake, but I think I might have fooled myself most of all.

Review:

I stumbled up this a while back and was curious about it so when it was free on Amazon I grabbed it up. Weeee love a free book. 

Kat and Silas do not like each other, but they hate her ex more SO why not fake date to get even. However, as they spend time with each other they realize they have a lot in common and maybe they can at least be friends.....or more?

Honestly, this was a roller coaster and maybe not in the best of ways for me.

This started off okay for me....got meh....got better....got meh again. Better for a hot second and then ended with me yawning. 

The characters, esp Silas, seemed to be my alley. Silas was swoon-worthy at first, but I ended up feeling neutral. Luckily I didn't hate them, but I just didn't care. I didn't buy the chemistry. I didn't buy the witty convos. Nope. 

I would've DNFed but there were moments I enjoyed so I stuck it out. PLUS I needed this for a reading challenge. ;)

All-in-all, I wish I had liked this better. I didn't "hate" it, but I ultimately didn't care by the end. Not for me. BUUUUUT there were a couple of cute moments, so I'll give it 2 stars overall. 

Favorite Character(s): no one

Least Favorite Character(s): no one....I didn't even care about the ex. I don't even remember why we had to hate him. 

 Challenge(s):

- TBR (journey) #6

The deepest of Secrets by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Rockton/Casey Duncan (#7)

Format: 341 pages, Hardcover

Published: February 15, 2022 by Minotaur Books

Thriller /own

The last Rockton book! Nooo. I kind of feel like reading book 1 in the follow up now, but since I have book 2 I will just jump there.

Someone is spilling secrets, there will be death. But that is what happens when you make a shitty town where you can buy your way in even if you are a serial killer or smth.

And now it is nearing the end of this city, hidden in the wilderness. But before that there is murder, destruction and just a big race against the clock.

Ohh this last one packed a punch. I was on the edge of my seat. I need more.

It’s not always easy to live in the hidden town of Rockton, something Detective Casey Duncan knows firsthand. Tucked away in the Yukon wilderness, the community survives—and thrives—because the residents' many secrets stay just that—secret.

But what happens when these secrets start to come out? Overnight, no one is safe. It’s not a question of if your secret will come out—but when.

Casey and her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, need to find the culprit while protecting those who have been thrust into the spotlight. For a place built on privacy and new beginnings, Rockton isn’t handling these revelations very well. People are turning on one another, and when one of the loudest complainers turns up barely alive, it's clear that their trickster is actually a murderer.

The threat of exposure is reaching its breaking point, and no one knows what’s going to happen next.

Yellowface by RF Kuang

Format: 319 pages, Paperback

Published: May 25, 2023 by William Morrow

Fiction

Library

I enjoyed it, but, oh you know the story, for me it was too hyped up. So for me I did feel somewhat disappointing when it was not amazing. And that is why I should not listen to hype cos then I would not have felt disappointed, I would just have enjoyed a good book.

This one is so hard to review, it is one of those twitter trainwrecks that we all used to watch back in the day. Oh you know you watched it. One could not look away.

Juniper´s friend dies. And she then steals the manuscript for a book that friend was working on...and finishes it. Damn, ok, wtf girl. She becomes a huge success. But there is the voices about how she is white, she writes about Chinese workers. The name she uses that can be mistaken for Chinese, and last how her friend was a well known American-Chinese author.

The trainwreck begins.

Then she makes it worse.

And she is loosing her mind too, seeing her dead friend. About that, I would have loved that aspect to be honest, a horror story. Alas no.

The ending was a bit too open for me. I would just have crawled under a rock, but Juniper is not going down. And we do not know what will happen.

Honestly so much to say about this one, so many aspects of the publishing world. The good, and the bad.

Authors Juniper Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena is a literary darling while June is a nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls?, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse, stealing Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.

So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? This piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller. That is what June believes, and The New York Times bestseller list agrees.

But June cannot escape Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens her stolen success. As she races to protect her secret she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

6/17/2025 How do you choose what to read next?

I used to have a system when I had lots of review books, now I go by whatever. A review book that should be read, a library book that is due, or just a book that seems the most interesting, or a genre I could enjoy.

'

6/24/2025 Do you have any travel or staycation plans for the summer?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole´s Monday: The Last Party

 

Author: AR Torre

Narrator: Amy Bentley, Will Damron, Neil Hellegers, & Ellen Quay

Title: The Last Party

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Format: Audiobook

Published: August 20, 2024

Where I got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

Perla Wultz lives with her husband, Grant, and their precious daughter, Sophie, in a gated Pasadena community. Affluent, sociable, and accomplished, Perla plays the part of loving wife and mother to perfection. It seems an ideal life, if not for a decades-old crime that has become Perla’s dark and consuming secret obsession.

Twenty-three years ago, Leewood Folcrum confessed to murdering two young girls during a birthday party. Though he’s been condemned to a life sentence, his crime is not forgotten. Not by Perla, nor by an inquisitive doctoral student interviewing Folcrum for his dissertation. He’s getting the killer to open up—about his motives, his confession, and the truth of what really happened on that horrible night.

As the past and the present entwine, the deceptions behind the infamous murder begin to surface. But who’s deceiving who now? And why? And as an ingeniously twisted plan is set in motion, who will be the next to die?

Review:

I've read a couple of books by this author so I was excited this was selected for book club. 

Everything may seem perfect in the Wultz home. A perfect wife, smart husband, and a beautiful daughter. They are affluent, sociable, and accomplished. However, there is a darkness there. There is a decades-old crime that haunts this family in more ways than one. Years ago, Leewood Folcrum confessed to murder but never gave any motive. Now a doctoral student is interviewing him and trying to get the truth about the motive and what really happened that night.

This was intense. I didn't want to stop listening!!!

What can I even say without giving away huge spoilers? Maybe I'll divide and conquer this review:

The Good

- The characters. OMG they were complex. 

- The writing is amazing. The author really knows how to tell a story. 

- This was a wild ride especially near the end. I had no idea what was going to happen at the end there. A web of lies can ruin a lot of lives. 

- Twists and turns galore. But my original idea and belief was proved right! Yayy!

- The narrators were really good. They really brought everything to life. 

The Bad and the Ugly

- One thing and one thing only.....................it ended. I want to follow these characters further. I worry for one of them. 

Conclusion

This was a great read. Be warned there are some triggers in here since the focus of the past crime was the murder of two young girls. Nothing horribly graphic is discussed, but it can be triggering for some. 

I enjoyed this book a lot. Like I mentioned...I didn't want to stop listening. This author is great. I need to read more by them. I can't wait to discuss this at Book Club. Weeee. 

5 stars. 

- Favorite Character(s): ....Grant? Maybe....I don't know honestly

- Least Favorite Character(s): Perla

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #26

- Cloak & Dagger #13

The Frozen People by Elly Griffits

Series: Ali Dawson (#1)

Format: 343 pages, Paperback

Published: January 1, 2025 by Quercus

Mystery Fiction /library

Somehow I managed to miss that this one actually contains timetravel. Maybe I though oh that is a very cold case, but nope, time travel.

Ali works with cold cases, but her department is also really secret because someone invented a way to travel in time. But it is not like hey lets all travel in time. No it is not that advanced. It is dangerous, and not that safe. And when Ali goes back into 1850 she misses her window and she is stuck.

Ali is a 3 time divorcee with a kid. She was down to earth and just got the job done. The case she is on is a politician wanting to clear an ancestors name. Which leads to her getting stuck in the past, and things heating up in bad ways back home.

We get the now and the then when she is trying to make it back then and trying to figure out if that ancestor did those bad things or not...

And back home, well just say it gets intense and I wanted to know what was going to happen. There is murder, secrets and I mean is Ali gonna get home or not?!

It was a good one.

Cold cases are a lot easier to solve when you can travel back in time to find new evidence—unless, that is, you get stuck in the nineteenth century.

Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Ali’s work seems like a safe desk job, but what her friends—and even her beloved son—don’t know is that her team has a secret: They can travel back in time to look for evidence.

So far Ali has made trips only to the recent past, so she’s surprised when she’s asked to investigate a murder that took place in 1850. The killing has been pinned on an aristocratic patron of the arts and antiquities, a member of a sinister group called "The Collectors." She arrives in the Victorian era during a mini ice age to find another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions. But when her son is arrested, Ali attempts to return home only to find herself trapped in 1850.

Audio: Cowboy under the mistletoe - Grace Elena

By: Grace Elena

Narrated by: John William Maddux, Stacy Gonzalez

Series: Alpine Ridge 2

Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins

Release date: 05-27-25 by Tantor Audio

Contemporary romance/ from Tantor

The holidays, a novella, sure thing why not read this when summer starts. I am not familiar with this series, I just dove straight in for a short story.

Katherine is divorced, and thinking of doing some changes in her life. Then one night she steps under the mistletoe and meets a cowboy.

It was short, it was intense at times....in that way. And there was a happy ending. This could have been a full book too. But I take what I can.

It was two narrators and they both did well with their parts. Sometimes I find that one narrator has one speed and the other has another speed, but here it worked when they changed from one to the other.

Wishing for a Christmas miracle is harder than it seems. Katherine Pearson has lived her whole life in Alpine Ridge, TN. From marrying her high school sweetheart to being divorced in her mid-thirties, Katherine is feeling stuck. Stuck in life, stuck in her hometown, and stuck in love.

When she finds herself at a dive bar at the edge of town, there’s a sense of solace that she can’t quite place. A sense of belonging that she hasn’t felt in a long time. Stumbling into a cowboy under a mistletoe is the last thing she expects to happen to her. It doesn’t help that he’s a cowboy who just seems to understand everything she’s feeling this holiday season.

Maybe Santa does have Katherine at the top of his list this year.

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

6/10/2025 New to me authors: who have you discovered in the past 12 months?

I would say T.Kingfisher, I tried my first a year ago and after that I have tried a few more. I like that her style differs. First up was horror, then more fairytale, and now I am reading a fantasy. I like her books.

As for other new authors, well Kingfisher is the only one I have tried more than once. So as for others, I just do not know if I would like their other books. But ;

Liz Nugent, the book I read was just amazing

Caitlin Rozakis, I do want to try more by this author

Jen Beagin, a good storyteller

6/17/2025 How do you choose what to read next?

6/24/2025 Do you have any travel or staycation plans for the summer?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Carole´s Monday: The one that got away

Author: Mike Gayle

Title: The One That Got Away

Genre: Romance, Novella, Short Story

Format: ebook

Pages: 100

Published: May 1, 2025

Where I got It: My shelf (Amazon) 

Summary: 

Reuben thought he’d spend the rest of his life with Beth, until she broke his heart six months ago. He’s not even remotely over her, so he’s devastated to hear she’s getting married—this weekend.

Now he’s faced with the ultimate what should he do on the day of the wedding? Grieve? Disrupt the ceremony? Or do everything in his power to pretend it’s not happening?

Enlisting the help of his friends, Reuben is all set to mark the occasion with distraction on a grand Ferraris, champagne, and a VIP box at the races.

But on the morning of the Big Day, Reuben gets a phone call that not only derails his elaborate it may well change his life completely…

Review:

This was a freebie and I love a good freebie. 

Here we follow Reuben who was in love with Beth but she broke up with him. He's not over her so his heart breaks again after he hears she is getting married...this weekend. His friends spirit him away to get his mind off it, but things get murky when Reuben receives a phone call that could change everything. 

My favorite part of this story was the ending when everyone grows the heck up. 

LOTS of spoilers heading your way.

Reuben and Beth are so unlikeable. *spoiler starts* Beth doesn't believe in love and Reuben does...but they stay together. Reuben does a bad thing and Beth breaks up with him. 6 months later she is marrying another man AND now is calling Reuben to save her? ......He drops his friends like a bag of rotten potatoes and goes and saves her and helps her escape her wedding. They fight. They kiss. Beth gets a call that her intended, Leo, has now run away and she is suddenly in love with him and wants Leo back? Reuben agrees to track him down. They work it out and Reuben goes to the wedding. Sure he finds love there, but WHAT.ON.EARTH. *spoiler ends* 

Don't get me twisted I did enjoy the drama but holy hannah did I want to smack everyone. Minus Pete...he seemed like a cool guy. Everyone grow up please. I think I could've been more forgiving of Beth if her dawn of realization was done a little differently. It just seemed selfish. She was so selfish the whole time. She had no character growth. Reuben took a minute, but he did grow as a character so I'll tip my hat to him. Boo to Beth!

I'm glad the author made this nice and short. 

All-in-all....this was drama-filled with some characters that you will want to shake. 

I'll give this 2 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Pete

Least Favorite Character(s): Beth and Reuben

 

Audio: Booked for the holidays - Liz Maverick

By: Liz Maverick

Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky, Andrew Eiden

Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins

Release date: 11-14-24

Publisher: Audible Originals

Categories: Contemporary romance

I am really hunting down these audible shorter books. I like it. And this one I recognized because Carole and Jen had read it.

Abi is sent to help a mystery author to finish her book...surprise, the author died and her grandson is struggling to finish it.

Is it doomed? Or can they work together to finish this last book?! Oh I know that feeling. Biggest fear if any book lover. Not getting that last book.

And of course they also have time to fall in love.

Good narration, good story. I enjoyed it. Best of all, short!

When mystery author D. B. Ziegler is late delivering her book, Abi Schore steps in to help. Surely she can give her favorite author moral support over the holiday break and get the manuscript to her boss at Tea & Sympathy Publishing in time for the new year.

When Abi shows up on Ms. Ziegler’s doorstep bearing holiday treats, she’s met by the author’s handsome grandson Dov, who reveals a startling plot twist. His grandmother isn’t able to finish the book and Dov promised he’d complete it so fans won’t be disappointed—a task that’s harder than he ever imagined.

As Hanukkah unfolds, Abi and Dov cozy up in his grandmother’s brownstone apartment working their way through his writer’s block and untangling plot threads. Before long, the novel starts taking shape ... and so does their simmering attraction. Will their own story end once the book is written, or is this just the first chapter?

Audio: Sweet talk by Cara Bastone

By: Cara Bastone

Narrated by: Lidia Dornet, Chris Brinkley

Series: Love Lines #2

Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins

Release date: 04-22-21

Publisher: Audible Originals

Categories: Romance, Contemporary

I found another cute audible one and this one takes place mostly on the phone. I do like this concept because you are really in their heads.

Elliott voice messages the wrong person, but she responds and they start talking. And then they talk the next day too. But he does not know who she is, but she knows him. So all he calls her JD.

Oh it was fun. Him trying to figure out who she is, and she doing her best to dodge his questions.

But she does have reasons, and they are good reasons.

But they fall in love over the phone. But will they still feel something when they meet? Obviously ;)

Two narrators and they were both good and it worked really well.

It’s officially booty o’clock, I’m alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake…and I’m pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on.

I’ve been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman’s dimples for two months, and even though I’m sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn’t mean it’s not an opportunity on mine. It’s the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back.

And then somehow we keep talking…ALL NIGHT. We’re both insomniacs, so talking all night soon turns into talking EVERY night.

And talking about nothing soon turns into talking about something.

And here we go from in-depth analysis of reality TV to my relationship with my family to his amazing artwork. There’s no topic we don’t cover…

Except for who I really am. It’s the only question of his I won’t answer.

As my crush turns into an avalanche of Eliot, I think of him all the time now. But if he knew who I was, the entire house of cards we’ve built this relationship on would come toppling down. I want him to be mine, but we might never be more than just a sweet dream….

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

6/3/2025 Paper, electronic, audio... How do you read? Has it changed in recent years?

In recent years I have discovered audio, well 8 years and going. I found out that with a newborn then audio is awesome.

I still read print, but less, since so much audio.

I still kind of hate ebooks. I know I know, I just hate reading on a screen!

6/10/2025 New to me authors: who have you discovered in the past 12 months?

6/17/2025 How do you choose what to read next?

6/24/2025 Do you have any travel or staycation plans for the summer?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

If you are interested in participating in TMST or receiving periodic emails that list the upcoming TMST topics and questions,  please fill out this GOOGLE FORM.  Participation is optional and never required.

Best of May

 

Weeeee. Here are the best of the bests for May. 

Best Book of the Month:

Blodeuedd - A Wizard´s Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher

"It was cute!"

Carole - Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

"It was great!"

Best Movie of the Month:

Carole -  The Queen (2006)

"Such a great cast and it was so good."

Blodeuedd - Nadda this month

"Sigh. Once again who knows what movies I watched. Last one was Nonnas, and sure good, but I would not exactly rec it to someone."

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - North of North

"I watched this series. It was good!"

Carole - Nadda this month

"Just been rewatching some of the favorite comfort shows."

Best Cover of the Month:

Carole's pick: The colors!!!

Blodeuedd's pick: Cute!

Audio: Guarded by the Warrior by Eliza Knight

By: Eliza Knight

Narrated by: Antony Ferguson

Series: Conquered Bride, Book 5

Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins

Release date: 05-20-25

Publisher: Tantor Media

Historical romance/ received from tantor

Emilia runs away from family drama and seeks the help of her king. And the king places her with Lord Ian.

Ian needs a governess, because his dad left behind a bunch of bastards and now they are swarming the castle. He is a good guy and wants to care for them all, but he is only one man.

Lady Emilia has secrets and wants to be on the right side of history. She can keep low here.

But they fancy each other, obviously. She has secrets, he does not think anyone would ever want him.

Romance, danger, secrets. A good one.

Good narration. But then I always like Scottish romances done by Ferguson. He does them very well.

Suffering through a short marriage to an enemy of Scotland, Lady Emilia MacCulloch manages to escape just before her husband dies. But the Ross Clan will stop at nothing to get her back, for she plays a big part in their plans to thwart Robert the Bruce. She fears not only for her life, but for her family who will be labeled traitors. Placed by her king as a governess in the household of a devastatingly handsome warrior, Emilia finds herself drawn to the man when she had previously sworn off love altogether.Ian Matheson has spent his entire life trying to prove himself. When his father passes away and his mother takes her vows at a nearby abbey, he is suddenly left in a position he was wholly unprepared for. And then his father's dozen illegitimate children arrive on his doorstep in need of a father figure of their own. They are adorable and reckless, and he's certain they'll drive him mad. Just when he thinks he might actually need to find a wife to help him, Lady Emilia is presented to him by the king. She needs his protection and he needs her help with the bairns. Ian is tempted by her angelic face, her fiery tongue, and the secrets that surround her. He must resist his growing desire and prove to his clan that he is a worthy leader. But maybe he can have the respect of his people and Emilia, too.

A wizard´s guide to defensive baking by T. Kingfisher

Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso

Release date: 10-12-21

Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher: Tantor Audio

YA /from audible

This was a cute fantasy. I tried it in audio, thanks to audible.

Mona works for her aunt, baking. She has some magic and can make gingerbread men dance, and she made this angry sourdough start that she named Bob.

Then she finds a dead body, someone is killing mages, and something is wrong in the city.

Quite the little adventure as she tries to save the day. Even the smallest baker can make a difference.

Just sweet and good you know. Also great narration

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance.

But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…

TMST

 

 

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

5/27/2025 Which books are you looking forward to reading this Summer? (Jun-Aug)

You know me, I have no idea. But I have....WAY too many books on my nightstand right now begging to get read so those.

6/3/2025 Paper, electronic, audio... How do you read? Has it changed in recent years?

6/10/2025 New to me authors: who have you discovered in the past 12 months?

6/17/2025 How do you choose what to read next?

6/24/2025 Do you have any travel or staycation plans for the summer?

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

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Carole reviews. One of those flings

Author: Lauren Blakely

Narrator: Full cast

Title: One of Those Flings

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novella, Short story, Humor

Format: Audiobook

Published: August 31, 2020

Where I got It: Audible

Summary: 

Skyler’s breakup survival plan is simple: Swear off men for a year and celebrate her man cleanse with a solo tropical vacation to Hawaii. Snorkeling, sightseeing, zip lining, and leisurely dinners by the sea are just what the doctor ordered to mend her broken heart.

That is, until she meets a hunky adventure tour guide who makes her want to break all her own rules. Handsome, funny, and exciting, Caleb is by far the hottest local attraction. Will a romantic island fling lead to more heartbreak - or a new beginning?

Review:

Weee! Short story!

Here we follow Caleb and Skyler. They both survived a bad break-up and refuse to date for a while. Skyler decides to take a nice vacation to celebrate her 1 year of single-hood. That is.....until she meets Caleb. Caleb is a tour guide and lives life by the rules. 

So this was a full cast of narrators. It is more like a movie that you can't see and it worked well. Simple and fun. 

It was really short and it was fine. I did want more of an epilogue but it is what it is. 

Cute couple. Fun local. And some humor sprinkled in. It was a nice short. 

Thank you Blodeuedd for the recommendation ;) It was fun. 

3 stars. 

- Favorite Character(s): Skyler and Caleb

- Least Favorite Character(s): no one. 

 

 Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #23

The Striker by Ana Huang

592 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2024

Series: Gods of the Game (#1)

Contemporary romance /library

This was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long. It did not need 600 pages. I could have cut it in half and you would not have missed a thing.

I think they finally did it after 200 pages. And then there was some drama 500 pages in. And yeah I skimmed some.

Plotholes. Asher is the best player! But oh no he is feuding with a team mate, ok, that shit is gonna get you transferred. So they need to take ballet lessons...why? Srsly, WHY?!?!?! Other than the reason that he can meet Scarlett and fall in love. The thing is that the other guy is her brother and he does not even take the lessons cos he leaves for France. Wasn¨t the whole point to...oh forget it.

Anyway, they had no chemistry. So it certainly does not take 600 pages for them to fall in love cos I felt nothing.

The whole oh no, her brother is my teammate drama. Ugh, if my brother tried to pull that shit I would leave him in the dust. Who effing cares if you know her brother. I do hate this trope. It is stupid.

It did have some good things...like some, just make it shorter.

Would I recommended it? No

She's the only woman he wants...and the only one he can't have.

Asher Donovan is a living legend―the darling of the Premier League, the (arguably) greatest footballer in the world.

But his reckless antics and recent team transfer have caused much controversy, and when his feud with his rival-turned-teammate costs them a championship, they're forced to "bond" during off-season cross-training.

Surviving the summer shouldn't be hard…until Asher meets their new trainer. She's beautiful, talented, and no matter how hard he tries, he can't take his mind off her.

The only problem? She's his rival's sister―and completely off limits.

***

Scarlett DuBois is a former prima ballerina whose career was cut short by a tragic accident.

Now a teacher at a prestigious dance academy but still haunted by the ghosts of her past, the last thing she wants is to spend the summer cross-training Asher Donovan, of all people.

She swore she would never date a footballer, but when her brother leaves town for an emergency, she finds herself thrown into dangerously close proximity with the gorgeous, charming striker.

Training, she can deal with. But falling in love? That's out of the question―especially when he's the only person with the power to break her heart.