|
|
||
|
I loved this author’s previous book and I loved this book so so much. I loved every character, I loved the unique creative plot and I loved every page of this sweet romance with its quirky characters. I loved the predictable bits and the less predictable bits.
I’m a fan of Clare Mackintosh. I started this novel and wasn’t sure it was going to be able to retain my attention but within minutes I was hooked and didn’t want the story to end. There’s a lot in this book but the best part is the pacing and the way it just builds and builds and doesn’t disappoint you in the least. There are several interesting reveals and they come at the perfect time. Loved it.
I loved all the minutes I spent with this novel. This is the story of Sunday Brennan who ends up returning to her hometown after a car accident that she causes. She left home five years ago without an explanation and it hurt her brothers and fractured her family. She also left an ex-fiance behind. This is, at its core, a story of healing. It explores sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, and love, of course. It’s about facing your past, it’s about how one’s pain can spiral out and cause a domino effect of pain throughout a family or a community. It’s a perfect example of how shame, when left hidden, can completely destroy a family (and a person.) After she returns home, Sunday’s healing begins. And it slowly heals her family and relationships. The only part that didn’t sit well with me was Vivienne and how two-dimensional her character was. I didn’t like how convenient it made things. Life is rarely that convenient. This is a story of redemption, beautifully told. I loved it. with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
This was an absolute surprise for me. I can’t remember where I read about this book but the review was so good that I decided I had to read it. And it was spot on. At first I was like this is good but I’ve read books like this before and then wham it shifted and then it shifted again and I enjoyed it so very much. Highly recommended.
This is a surprisingly wonderful read. It’s sweet and touching and deep and also really hilarious. There’s so much healing and so much humor and so so much heart. Definitely recommended.
I really liked the premise of this book. I liked the idea of taking Stepford Wives and turning it on its head. And bits of the execution was excellent. I liked the way the story was set up with the wide variety of careers the women had and using each other and that as a way to build a network and power, which is something many men do. I thought the story was setup well with many examples of all the ways big and small that women carry the load and all the ways big and small that they worry/think nonstop about life as a family and all of its bits. How they carry a disproportionate amount of the load by such a large margin. And yet. I also thought it was more stereotypical than I would have liked it to be because when it’s that two-dimensional the story doesn’t have as much of an impact as it could. It makes it easier for people to write off the points the author was trying to make. I do wish there were more combinations of couples and marriages. Overall, I liked the time I spent with this story. It was a fast, fun read. with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio in exchange for an honest review.
This book had such mixed reviews. Especially as a follow up to Daisy Jones which was so good. So I walked into it thinking it was going to be terrible. It was perfectly enjoyable. It wasn’t deep and layered as much as her previous novels but I still enjoyed it. A perfect example of how expectations can color the reading experience.
This was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed some of the parts of it and thought other parts dragged a bit more than I preferred. The premise was interesting and felt similar to Ready Player One a little bit and at parts it was fun like that book. I liked the idea more than the execution at times.
I love love loved Loren’s previous book in this series and could not wait to get my hands on the second one. I had adored Hollyn and Jasper both and really loved the writing. I didn’t realize this book was going to be about two different characters but I quickly grew to love Andi and Hill as well and found myself rooting for them. I felt like there was less up-front character development in this story so I didn’t find myself as attached to the characters as I had in the previous book and the attraction and steam showed up more quickly in this book. But my favorite part of the first book in the series was how the characters are flawed and real in their own ways and how they are struggling with who they are and how worthy that makes them in a romance. And then they find each other and are so open and kind to these insecurities. This is just as true in this novel with Andi and her anxiety and need to go slow due to her own past experiences and Hill and his grappling with having lost one of his legs. Here are two people struggling with life and trying to navigate their way and they find each other, honor each other’s flaws and love each other because of it all. And there are some steamy steamy scenes in this book! I loved the sneak peek of Hollyn and Jasper, too! I really hope there are more books to come in this series! with gratitude to Dreamscape Media and netgalley for an advanced audio in exchange for an honest review
I have read and enjoyed Gelman’s previous books in this series so I knew I was going to love this one as well and it did not disappoint. Jen Dixon and her sense of humor juxtaposed with serious and real struggles of juggling midlife with kids, school obligations, career, and parents allows you to laugh at the absurdity of life while bringing a lot of heart to it. This short book covers marriage and exes, navigating custody, taking care of aging parents, trying to get a new career off the ground, finding ways to raise money for a school auction and more. Gelman’s ability to blend heart and humor into these otherwise serious and complicated issues makes it a joy to read and laugh as you shake your head and cheer for her and her characters as they navigate life and its complexities. full of heart, full of laughter. with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio in exchange for an honest review
I’ve read Alexandra Franzen’s blog for many, many years and I enjoy her style of storytelling with heart and her ability to get to the heart of the matter and both make you think and make you feel . She can instill courage while making sure you feel held. Many of the stories in this collection are of people who have had major setbacks in their lives and have found ways to move past them and many have found ways to create very powerful outcomes as a direct result of the setback. (So examples of not just “you’re going to survive” but “you’re going to thrive.”) There are a wide range of examples in the book and a wide range of stories. If you’re struggling or in the middle of a setback, this is a good reminder, a good pep talk, and some good advice to help shift that perspective. A reminder that life is long and we are resilient. with gratitude to netgalley and OrangeSky Audio for an advanced audio in exchange for an honest review
This story has so many layers of content and context that giving a simple review of the plot doesn’t do it justice. On the surface it’s a gritty mystery about two dads whose married sons are murdered and when the police seemingly lose interest in digging deep, the dads decide to take matters into their own hands and find out what happened. And yet there’s so much more. One of the dads is white and the other is black and there are a lot of statements, observations and nuance around race and racism in this story. Neither of the dads was ok with their children being gay and it tackles homophobia and more. It tackles incarceration and the aftermath of what it does to a family. It tackles trust, revenge, family, and of course love. This is a fast paced novel with a lot happening, the setting and mood are a part of the story, the characters are complex and jump off the page with their aliveness. The story tackles complicated and nuanced issues and pulls all these elements together with grace and ease. You will remember this story long after you finish the book. with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced audio in exchange for an honest review. |
|
|
|
Copyright © 2026 karenika - All Rights Reserved Powered by WordPress & Atahualpa |
||
