Tag Archives: book reviews

Hot Romance Books For 2024

Posted on by

The Bookbinder’s Guide to Love by Katherine Garbera

The Bookbinder’s Guide to Love is the ultimate witchy rom-com, set in a magical bookshop and featuring the perfect enemies to lovers romance. Readers who loved The Ex Hex and The Pumpkin Spice Café will love this bewitching storyline, and its spicy romance scenes. Out now.

As a lonely foster child, Serafina Conte sought refuge in handmaking journals – and writing her wishes into their pages. Now, in the witchy shop she shares with her two best friends, her journals have catapulted into the spotlight and are rumoured to manifest remarkable things.

But her plot hits a twist.

After the death of her mentor, Ford Sitwell, her only comfort is the box of antique books he left her. Except Ford’s suspicious grandson, Wes, wants them back! Sera won’t back down, but it’s clear Wes is seeking more – an emotional connection no book can replace. So, he offers to work in her shop for six weeks if she’ll help him get closure by sharing memories of his late grandfather.

Wes may seem grumpy, but he is devastatingly good looking…and maybe even kind. Surely nothing’s going to happen between them, or will Sera’s story take her where she least expected?

The (Fake) Dating Game by Timothy Janovksy

For readers of Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston and The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun, The (Fake) Dating Game is the sizzling, laugh out loud romantic comedy where the fun of a reality show competition meets the undeniable chemistry of two men who are only dating for the cameras. 

Things are not going well for Holden James. His chance to audition for his favourite game show, Madcap Market, should have been great – a tribute to his mum, who died six years ago. Instead, he’s destroying the minibar in a grim hotel room… recently dumped and sliding into misery. But at least he has room service. It even comes with a sexy (smart-ass) concierge who arrives with pizza, Monopoly, and rather distracting forearms.

All Holden knows about Leo Min is that he’s beautiful, unexpectedly sympathetic, and the chemistry between them is off the charts. Maybe it’s even enough to convince the show’s casting directors that they’re a real couple. And if they can win the competition and the huge cash prize, all of Holden’s problems – his broken heart, buried grief, and complete lack of money and direction – will be solved.

Of course, nothing ever works out as planned. And love is an entirely different game…

Love Game by Emma Rae

Set in Wimbledon, South West London with a lot of real setting, this one was of particular interest to this SW Londoner.

Can a player on the court be a keeper at home?

Elle’s love language is food. But finding the right kind of work in her industry is difficult. After multiple different stints and temporary work, she lands her dream role: a personal chef to huge tennis star, Nicky Salco. It’s just a bonus that he’s handsome and athletic…but totally off limits.

The pressure is on, and not just in the kitchen. As Nicky trains for hours on the court for Wimbledon, Elle treads carefully around his brutally judgemental fiancée, while also trying to ignore her own boyfriend’s cheating habits.

But the temperature rises when Nicky’s training leads him to get hungry late at night and Elle is the one tasked with keeping his belly full. Despite being worlds apart, their late night rendezvous seem to lead to more than what they intended.

Should they risk the lives they have already built, for the lives they truly want?

A sizzling, forced-proximity sporting romance that fans of Hannah Grace and Ali Hazelwood will fall head over heels for.

It’s out on May 24th and I loved it. Great characters and setting.

Still Unwritten by Caroline Khoury

Loved this. Great characters and story. Drew me in from the first page.

Forty-eight hours to find her passion. Seven days to find his way back on stage. One chance to take a risk on love.

If Fran doesn’t nail this audition for a major TV role, she’s officially done as an actress. She just needs to tap into her inner seductress… who doesn’t seem to exist.

Enter stage right: Jae-seung.

To Fran, he’s just her landlord’s ridiculously hot nephew, helping her rehearse. To the rest of the world, Jae-seung is lead singer of global sensation, JYNKS – and he’s missing in action.

Together, they embark on an international journey of discovery: Fran, to track down her estranged mother and unlock her tightly guarded heart; Jae-seung, to continue (reluctantly) with his tour rehearsals. The chemistry between them is off the charts. But Jae-seung’s life is in South Korea, under strict contracts and constant scrutiny. Would a fling unleash Fran’s passion, or break the heart she’s learning to open?

A fast-paced, forbidden romance for fans of Helen Hoang, Lindsey Kelk and Ali Hazelwood.

Frenemy Fix-Up by Yahrah St John

Accountant Colin Anderson is a workaholic. Shay Davis is finally living her dream of owning a yoga studio. They may have gone to school together – but that’s where their similarities end. He’s Mr Corporate, hustling late into the night, while she flows through sun salutations and half-moon poses.

So when a health scare pushes Colin to make a few life changes, he knows where to turn. If he’s going to alter his work-life balance, he’ll need the right woman – and to do that, he must prioritise his health. Who better than Shay to help whip him into shape so he can win back his high school girlfriend?

The catch is, she only has ninety days to do it. And they can barely stand each other. But as their sessions start to heat up the studio, Colin and Shay move further and further away from what they thought they wanted…

***

Perfect for fans of:

Frenemies to lovers 🔥

Spice 🌶️

Opposites attract ❤️

The Devil in Blue Jeans by Stacey Kennedy

Deal with a devil

Moving to Montana to buy a dive bar with her two best friends sounded like the perfect plan to Charly Henwood. And after her cheating ex-boyfriend destroyed their relationship and their nightclub, she’s determined to focus on herself, her friends, and their business.

But it turns out the regulars resent newcomers swapping their craft beer for an extensive cocktail menu. Especially The Naked Moose’s previous owner, Jaxon Reed. The last thing Charly needs is a cocky cowboy telling her how to run her bar, or her life. But they make a deal – if Jaxon agrees to be the prize in a charity auction, Charly will make the bar a little more cowboy-friendly.

Except Charly finds herself doing battle with a man who is determined to win her over. And if her resolve goes up in flames, her heart is sure to follow…

***

Perfect for fans of:

Enemies to lovers 🔥

Small-town settings 🏡

Cowboy romance 🤠

CARIADS’ CHOICE: JULY BOOK REVIEWS

Posted on by

Josephine Tey’s Brat Farrar, reviewed by Evonne Wareham

A classic from 1949 by an acclaimed novelist and playwright, this is an impostor story loosely based on a Victorian cause célèbre – The Titchbourne Claimant. A long lost heir, presumed dead, emerges to inherit a fortune. It is made clear to the reader from the start that Brat is a fake, but Tey manages to sustain sympathy and support for him despite this. Alongside a portrayal of loneliness and the desire of an orphan to find a family and to belong, a slow burning mystery unfolds. What exactly did happen the night thirteen year old Patrick  Ashby disappeared, leaving an ambiguous suicide note? Who is Brat and what is his real relationship to the Ashby family? An unusual crime story, displaying attitudes of its time – including to horse training – which can jar, it is still an absorbing portrayal of a lost age and an intriguing crime that would no longer be possible with modern DNA techniques.

 

Isabelle Broom’s The Getaway, reviewed by Jane Cable

I was drawn to this book because it is set in Croatia, as my September release is, so I was very curious to read it. Plus lovely Isabelle sent my a copy.

This is such a good holiday read and the descriptions of the island of Hvar are mouth-watering. At the beginning of the book Kate crashes and burns in the most public fashion, so decides to disappear to Croatia where her brother and his partner are about to open a hostel. The Getaway is about her recovery, and how she grows into an even stronger person in this beautiful place, surrounded by supportive people.

There is humour, there is romance and there is drama. But I won’t say any more because I would love you to read this gorgeous book for yourselves.

 

Mhairi McFarline’s Last Night, reviewed by Carol Thomas

I have greatly enjoyed each of Mhairi McFarlane’s previous novels and this was no exception. She has a fast-paced, economic style that makes for page-turning entertainment; no sentence is wasted as her astute talent for observation shines through. (Within the pages of her novels there are always sentences I wish I had said – or written – that sum up a moment, feeling or action perfectly!)

With relatable characters, struggling to cope in the wake of a loss, Last Night is emotional, witty and thought provoking. The story had me hooked, and the possible romance kept me guessing, even as I headed towards the final chapters and the very satisfying ending. With the theme of loss and mention of dementia this story is a little darker than McFarlane’s previous novels, but those aspects are grounded in reality and balanced perfectly with lighter moments. Last Night is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

 

Anita Shreve’s The Stars Are Fire, reviewed by Angela Petch

Set in the immediate post-war years, this is a fascinating glimpse into the life of an ordinary young mother of two young children trapped in a difficult marriage. In 1947, the woman’s place was in the home and the thought of years stretching endlessly ahead with a man mentally scarred, turned cruel by the war, is grim.

The title is beautiful, taken from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, summarising the story perfectly: “Doubt that the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth not move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt that I love.”

Aptly-named Grace is mostly accepting of her fate but when a fire ravages through her hometown, her husband, a volunteer fireman disappears and Grace’s life opens up.

Written in present tense, Grace and her plight feel very immediate. It’s a short book by usual standards, but perfectly formed and I am now a huge fan of this writer.

 

 

CARIADS’ CHOICE SAINT DWYNWEN’S DAY REVIEW SPECIAL

Posted on by

Most people probably know that St Valentine is considered to be the patron saint of love, but did you know that Wales has its own equivalent? St Dwynwen’s day is celebrated on 25th January in the same sort of ways as her more famous counterpart – sending cards, giving flowers, having a special meal – anything in fact that says ‘I love you’. St Dwynwen’s own story is a sad one, told with an overlay of traditional folklore elements – beautiful princesses, thwarted lovers and people being turned into blocks of ice. Ill-fated in love, Dwynwen became a nun, founding a convent on Anglesey, and generously praying that true lovers should have better fortune. Frost magazine is marking her special day with some reviews from Welsh authors of romance books that have a Welsh connection.

Trisha Ashley A Leap of Faith, reviewed by Evonne Wareham

I’m an Ashley fan, and she has been one of my go-to feel-good reads in lockdown. That said, I had mixed feelings about this one. It has familiar ingredients – a slightly older heroine, with a biological clock ticking, a bit of mystery, some infuriatingly arrogant and entitled ex boyfriends and husbands, a supporting cast of eccentrics, crafts and baking and recipes. I loved the fact that it’s set in Wales, in an imaginary community on the Gower and has a rather gorgeous hero called Nye, who speaks with a Welsh lilt, although he was brought up in Manchester and his looks are more Viking than Celtic! On the down side, the book is twenty years old and has not been significantly updated and there are a couple of episodes of harm to animals that I found upsetting. With those caveats, I did enjoy the book. Probably one to choose if you have read her others and are completing your collection, as I was. If she is new to you, it may be better to begin with something more recent. Those involving chocolate are particularly scrumptious.

Sue McDonagh Escape to the Art Café, reviewed by Jan Baynham

The third in a series, Escape to the Art Café is another feel-good, uplifting novel that may also be read as a stand-alone. The author writes with pace and humour to keep the reader turning the pages. However, for me, her strength is in the characterisation. She creates multi-layered characters whom you care about. Both Flora and Jake are ones I really warmed to and as their backstories are revealed, I came to understand more about them. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Gower peninsular and with a great twist towards the end, the theme of strong community so often found in Wales runs through the whole novel. I enjoyed it immensely.

Tracy Rees The Hourglass, reviewed by Jill Barry

Two different eras spring to life in this poignant story of youthful dreams and cold reality. We meet the competent Nora in 2014 at an unhappy time for her. In 1953, schoolgirl Chloe lives for her annual visit to Tenby, a town to which the troubled Nora is also drawn. But the two are linked by more than the Welsh seaside resort which, as the novel progresses, is viewed in all its colourful splendour through the main characters’ eyes. You’ll relive simple pleasures and wonder about the power of love and positive thought.

Evonne Wareham A Wedding on the Riviera, reviewed by Jessie Cahalin

A Wedding on the Riviera is a smoking hot romance entangled with an intriguing mystery. The runaway groom hooked me from the outset. An intricately woven plot ensured I escaped to the Riviera, Cardiff, Bristol and Bath.  Wonderful writing took me into the heart and soul of Nadine and Ryan and made me yearn for their happiness. I absolutely loved the tension created by the dubious dealing of Thackery. Drama, romance and glamour are packed into the novel. Will the perfect plan to catch a thief be thwarted?

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Books That Changed Me: CJ Daugherty

Posted on by

CJ Daugherty The Secret History, by Donna Tartt

This fast-paced but dreamy novel set at a private university in the New England mountains, starts with a murder and tells the story of how it happened in reverse, as a group of elegant young friends obsessed with Greek mythology take everything too far, and close friendships fall to pieces. In her most restrained and elegant book, Tartt performs a magic trick by inventing fascinating characters who are capable of cold-blooded murder, and then making you like them. You know from the start they are killers, and yet you still want to be their friend. I re-read this book regularly.

The Likeness, by Tana French

This Irish crime novel by Tana French is one of my all-time favorite books. I’ve read it multiple times. It follows a female detective as she investigates a murder victim who looks exactly like her. Using their alikeness as a weapon, she takes over the dead woman’s life – moving in with her friends into a house in the countryside outside Dublin. She begins investigating them from within but then, slowly becomes seduced by them, and the rambling mansion where they live. Unfortunately, this is a very dangerous decision. Because one of them is a killer.

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

This is an elegant, wandering, multi-strand tale of a mysterious circus that travels in secrecy and arrives without warning. Nobody knows when or where it will appear, or how long it will stay. The tents are filled with magical, mysterious displays. People are obsessed with it, and for good reason. It could be dangerous or simply wonderful — even after reading the book it’s hard to know which. Either way it doesn’t matter. It’s so beautifully written, I long to wake up one morning, as dawn washes the dark from the sky, to find the circus has appeared in my town. 

Station 11, by Emily St John Mandel

I bought this book after everyone I trust in the world told me it was amazing, and they were ALL right. It starts in a pandemic apocalypse (sound familiar?) and then jumps forward in time to follow a group of survivors who are exploring the remains of America in a roving band of Shakespearean actors, travelling from settlement to settlement performing plays for people who can barely remember a time before life was like this. It’s both scary and thoughtful, and ultimately filled with hope. Maybe just skim the first chapter while we’re all locked in our houses, but the rest will lift you.

Circe, by Madeline Miller

This feminist reinterpretation of The Odyssey told from the perspective of the banished witch, Circe, is the most beautiful, heartbreaking, glorious look at the Greek myths in all of time. Circe’s story is bittersweet. She’s young and voiceless, expected to be nothing but beautiful and compliant. Because she isn’t either of those things, she’s punished by being banished to an island to live completely alone. There, in isolation, she finds herself. The tale is told with wonderful compassion. It’s funny and dry, and terribly poignant in places. I cried 3 times listening to the audiobook. Honestly, it’s so gorgeously written I don’t know why I bother.

 

Number 10 by CJ Daugherty is out now, £9.99 from Moonflower Books available on Amazon here.

 

Hideaway By Nora Roberts Book Review

Posted on by

Some books grip you and never let go. This happened with Hideaway. Written by prolific writer Nora Roberts, Hideaway is about the daughter of a Hollywood dynasty that gets kidnapped. Does not sound cheery, does it? Yet it is a riveting book full of depth that draws you in and never lets you go until the final page. It has it all: crime, romance, mystery, Hollywood, and a kick-ass heroine. What more could you want?

One day, she thought, one moment, one innocent game. How was it that day, that moment, that game never seemed to end?

Caitlyn Sullivan is just nine years old when a game of hide and seek at a family party will change her life forever.

The betrayal she experienced that night will shape Caitlyn’s life – and for years she runs and runs, hiding from the aftermath of the trauma. But Caitlyn comes to realise that if she wants to not just survive but thrive, she must return to the family home to face up to her past.

What happened that night may always haunt Caitlyn but she must decide if it’s what you’re running from that matters. Or who finds you.

Hideaway is available here.

SISTER SCRIBES’ READING ROUND UP: APRIL

Posted on by

Kitty:

Firstly, I thoroughly enjoyed The Cottage in a Cornish Cove, a romantic comedy set in Cornwall and written by a fellow Sister Scribe. Cass Grafton’s descriptions of the county made me feel as I were home, I could see Polkerran beautifully in my mind and the descriptions of community were so well done that I could hear the characters calling to each other as they made their way around the village. Her gentle humour is woven throughout and I was genuinely willing the hero and the heroine together.  I particularly loved how she starts each chapter with a quote from classic romances with each one giving a snippet of what we can expect from the chapter.

I picked up expecting The Charm Bracelet by Ella Allbright a romance and what I got was so much more. The concept behind this novel, the charm bracelet with each charm marking a major event in, and telling the story of, Jake and Leila’s lives, is fabulous. I fell in love with Jake from the very first page and absolutely adored the way his character developed from boy to adult and was willing the relationship on with my whole being. There is however a twist to this tale and this was what made the book so special for me. The author has turned my heart inside out and this story will stay with me for a long time.  Highly recommended.

 

Jane:

First this month my reading took me to Dorset and the Jurassic coast around Lyme Regis. Georgia Hill’s timeslip On a Falling Tide had some lovely comments made about it by other authors I thought I should try it for myself.

The book travels between the 1860s, where Lydia wants no more than to be a fossil hunter but is expected to marry to further her uncle’s business interests, and the present day where Charity is searching for her roots following her grandfather’s death. The two women are linked by an ammonite Charity finds on the beach, but as the story unfolds what binds  them together runs far deeper than that. To say more would give away too much of the story, but Georgia Hill has created a fantastically malevolent ghost – and a heart warming love story – all rolled into one.

I was looking for a proper comfort read when I was reminded I hadn’t read any of Sue McDonagh’s romances by seeing the gorgeous new cover for her third book. Sue is a proper creative all rounder – she’s an artist as well as a writer so paints her own cover images.

I decided to go back to the beginning so downloaded Summer at The Art Café. The premise is wonderful; Lucy wins a gorgeous motorbike in a raffle and despite – or maybe because of – her husband’s disapproval, she decides to learn to ride it and in the process finds so much more than just the freedom of the roads.

What I loved the most about this book is that the characters settle under your skin without you noticing – they are all so effortlessly real, and that is a true gift. From bike instructor Ashley, to his six year old daughter, to Lucy’s best friends at the café, they all rang true and their journeys were convincing. For me the icing on the cake was that the book is set in my native South Wales, but it would be a delightful read for anyone who enjoys a satisfying romance.

 

Mother: An Unconventional History By Sarah Knott

Posted on by

mother an unconventional history by sark knott, book, book reviews, mothering, being a mother

Mother: An Unconventional History By Sarah Knott is a unique and fascinating book. An intoxicating blend of history, autobiography and anthropology. I loved it and read through it as quickly as possible. It brings women from every social class and time together. Essential reading for all mothers.

What was mothering like in the past?

When acclaimed historian Sarah Knott became pregnant, she asked herself this question. But accounts of motherhood are hard to find. For centuries, historians have concerned themselves with wars, politics and revolutions, not the everyday details of carrying and caring for a baby. Much to do with becoming a mother, past or present, is lost or forgotten.

Using the arc of her own experience, from miscarriage to the birth and early babyhood of her two children, Sarah Knott explores the ever-changing habits and experiences of motherhood across the ages. Drawing on a disparate collection of fascinating material – interrupted letters, hastily written diary entries, a line from a court record or a figure in a painting – Mother vividly brings to life the lost stories of ordinary women.

From the labour pains felt by a South Carolina field slave to the triumphant smile of a royal mistress pregnant with a king’s first son; from a 1950s suburban housewife to a working-class East Ender taking her baby to the factory; from a pioneer with eight children to a 1970s feminist debating whether to have any; these remarkable tales of mothering create a moving depiction of an endlessly various human experience.

Available here.

Three Bullets By R. J. Ellory | Book of The Week

Posted on by

three bullets R. J. Ellory, book, JFK

This is a stunning book that I only grudgingly put down when I had to. A mixture of fact and fiction: it is a gripping and pacy thriller. This is my favourite book of the year so far.

IT WAS THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD
On 22nd November 1963, John F. Kennedy’s presidential motorcade rode through Dealey Plaza. He and his wife Jackie greeted the crowds on a glorious Friday afternoon in Dallas, Texas.

BUT WHAT IF IT MISSED?
Mitch Newman is a photojournalist based out of Washington, D.C. His phone never rings. When it does, a voice he hasn’t heard in years will tell him his former fiancée Jean has taken her own life.

WHEN THE TRUTH IS BIGGER THAN ALL THE LIES
Jean was an investigative reporter working the case of a lifetime. Somewhere in the shreds of her investigation is the truth behind her murder.

WHO WOULD BELIEVE IT?
For Mitch, piecing together the clues will become a dangerous obsession: one that will lead him to the dark heart of his country – and into the crossfire of a conspiracy…

Available here.