Review: Lover Enthroned

Lover Enthroned by J.R. Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I must start thinking that this is an entirely new series instead of a continuation of the origional book. Since 30 or 35 years have passed with no explanation that I can find (maybe a book I haven't read, *snort*---as if!)? It seems easier to think that the last couple of books, as well as this one, are a whole new series with minor parts given to the old-timers. That means you don't really HAVE to read the preceding 20 or so books to get into these, but you will want to, I assure you!

This was a standout read with a heck of a mystery as well as a simmering love story, a good dollop of some of the old-timers, and for once we weren't fighting the usual suspects. An interesting twist is the back-and-forth of time in Allhan's case, letting us see how he came to be doing what we think he is doing.


An altogether great read!

*ARC provided by the publisher Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, the author, and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY: "In #1 New York Times bestseller J.R. Ward’s newest Black Dagger Brotherhood installment, star-crossed lovers face the battles of their lives…in the midst of war with the Lessening Society.

A Hidden Past

Allhan, a computer genius who works for the Brotherhood, has a deadly secret. Torn between what he must do, and his increasing attachment to Vishous, he’s not looking for any more complications in his life. He’s not going to survive the one he has.

A Royal Future

Princess Dennesha, heir to the throne of the Shadows, is a live-and-let-die kind of female. At least until she finds herself tangling in the destiny of a human—even though it goes against every instinct of hers and all common sense.

A Terrible Choice

When Allhan and Denne meet by chance, their passion is undeniable. But a rare astrological event triggers a crossroads for the Princess. Either mate a male she doesn’t love and assume the throne, or stay true to her heart and condemn the Territory to destruction. With Allhan fighting his conscience—and a lesser who’s after Wrath and the Brothers—can the two find a way out of their fates? Or are they doomed to grieve a love that could never be for eternity…

Review: You’ll Love It Here

You’ll Love It Here by Natalie Sue
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

It took me two weeks of trying to read this book before I realized that I was never going to finish it.

Mona was insipid; the idea of having her update the building to kick everyone out just because she wanted a recommendation for her shaky job was horrific.

The ending (even though I didn't finish) was predictable. And her romance (as it were) was unbelievable.

*ARC supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY: "Mona thought her living situation was bad… but the real mess is just beginning.

One day is all it takes for Mona’s life to implode. After years of climbing at her marketing firm, she was supposed to be getting promoted and finally moving out of her crumbling apartment building. Instead, she’s jobless, aimless, and still stuck in a space barely big enough for a yoga mat.

Then her eccentric landlady takes a tumble and asks Mona to step in as the building’s reluctant super. The deal is simple: help prep the place for sale, and she can secure the upgrade she’s been chasing. But that’s easier said than done when the neighbors treat “boundaries” as optional. There’s the shouting couple, the mysterious shut-in, a possible panty thief in the laundry room—and Sami, the relentlessly cheerful diner owner who keeps showing up with coffee and unsolicited ideas about community. As Mona gets pulled deeper into the building’s chaos—and closer to the people inside it—she’s forced to confront what, and who, she’s really been trying to outrun. Sometimes, the place you’re desperate to leave is the one that finally shows you who you are.

Wise, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud funny, Natalie Sue’s sophomore novel is a story about burning out, starting over, and finding your people in the most unexpected places—perfect for fans of The Wedding People and Anxious People."

Review: Don’t Cross Mo Ellery

Don’t Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Yes, this book was a bit amusing at times, but it was all over the place with too many characters, too much misdirection, too much sex on Mo's mind at very inappropriate times, a childlike main character with Illness Anxiety Disorder and very dislikable characters---ALL OF THEM -Mo especially. Very hodgepodge.

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SUMMARY: "Mo Ellery’s 29th birthday is a disaster. After one small accident—the exposure of her boyfriend’s genitals (well, maybe not that small) on a work video call—she manages to get fired, dumped, and kicked out of their overpriced Chicago apartment. Luckily, a sign appears to guide Mo to her new “Looking for flexible part-time work? Become a school crossing guard!” It’s everything Mo has been looking health insurance. How hard can it be?

A few weeks later, Mo is adjusting to her new low-paying job, her bisexual reawakening, and her new neighborhood’s wacky characters. There’s Claudia, an old woman who refuses to let Mo help her cross the street, and Marlowe, a tween cell phone prodigy whose antics terrify her. But Mo’s greatest nemesis is Poodle Dude, a guy with an SUV full of poodles who speeds through her intersection each morning. . . until the day he speeds into a sinkhole. Mo tries and fails to shield innocent eyes from his bloody corpse, but succeeds in accidentally becoming the guardian to his three poodles.

And that’s not the worst of some of the locals are convinced that Poodle Dude was murdered. Their allegations are obviously ridiculous, but Mo, desperate for distractions—and for several hot neighbor-suspects—reluctantly agrees to help. But Mo the detective is just as chaotic as Mo the underemployed adult, and the three entitled poodles are not helping. When a second local dies under mysterious circumstances, it’s going to take all of Mo’s broadly applicable and transferrable skills to find the killer."

Review: When Lemons Give You Life

When Lemons Give You Life by Anna Johnston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quote from the Author>>>>"This novel is about rediscovering joy when life has lost its flavour-about kindness, connection, and the courage to start again."

I can't argue with that description or do any better describing it myself.

I found this book to be:

Humerous

Sad

Silly  

Life-sucking (for the characters)

An eye-opener

Hopeful

Filled with lies and tragedy, but eventually finding the truth, redemption and happiness.

This book would make an excellent book club read and also an awesome movie.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY: "From the author of the beloved feel-good debut The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife comes another humorous, heart-stirring novel about family, second chances, and the lengths we go for those we love, following a woman fighting to hold onto life and her older brother who's rediscovering reasons to embrace it.

Retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow has lost his appetite. He’s done with grief, guilt and the beige slop they dare call food at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, where he now resides.

Six decades of life have given him all the lemons he can handle, so he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to bake himself one last tart. It’s supposed to be his final meal but the act of cooking stirs a dormant joy. Soon, he’s regularly sneaking in after dark, serving up flavor and comfort to fellow residents, who, in turn, begin to come alive with each bite of Griff's delicious concoctions. Yet behind the apron is a lie so big it could destroy the one thing Griff has left to protect.

Lisa, Griff’s younger sister and sole visitor, is navigating a midlife ADHD diagnosis, the spark of a new romance, and unexpected news that may change life as she knows it. Despite their fractured sibling relationship, she continues to show up, though hope of a reconciliation between the two is long gone, buried in the silence between them.

But the truth has a way of boiling over, and when secrets, soufflés, and second chances collide, Griff and Lisa may discover a recipe for forgiveness.

Heartfelt and inspiring, When Lemons Give You Life is an uplifting, feel-good novel about love, forgiveness, redemption, and the joy of rediscovering what truly matters in life."

Review: Pretty as a Peach

Pretty as a Peach by Grace Helena Walz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 Stars

I was all set for some good Southern women's fiction. You know, a lot of bless your hearts, some good gossiping, and a bit of back stabbing and such. But what I got was three different storylines, which made this a disappointing read. Oh, don't get me wrong, there is a bit of in-family fighting, and an intriguing story of "multi-tiered marketing" (scam, in other words), but you need to read a lot of the book to really get to the delicious parts.

The characters-well, sometimes I just wanted to smack them upside the heads and yell "pull on your big girl panties and make a move", but there was finally some growth near the end of the book

I also felt like the romance could have been left out. It really made no sense in the larger scheme of things. That would have left room to follow up on the five women's lives and left me with a sense of closure.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Thomas Nelkson, the author, and Netgalley/Edelweiss.

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SUMMARY: "A preschool teacher and her retiree neighbor team up to take on a suspicious multi-level marketing scheme that has a vicelike grip on the women in their suburban Southern community.

Delilah Thomas, beloved preschool teacher to the twos class, has always been the unconventional "black sheep" in the perfectly manicured town of Pearl, Georgia. While the rest of Pearl thrives on perfection and tradition, Delilah's thrift store wardrobe and carefree demeanor set her apart, much to the dismay of her pageant-loving mother and her circle of polished, lifelong friends. Though she loves her quiet life, she can't quite understand why she doesn't feel like she truly belongs in the only hometown she's ever known.

When a new multi-level marketing craze called Peach Pit takes hold of Pearl's high-achieving moms with promises of becoming #girlbosses, Delilah's suspicions are immediately piqued. Promising miracle beauty products made from the "magical" pits of Georgia peaches, the company pressures women to invest in hefty starter packs. To Delilah, it's not just a scam but a direct attack on the women of Pearl, already burdened by the weight of polished perfection.

But when it gets personal, Delilah joins forces with her quirky elderly neighbor Mrs. Chopra and her best friend Jasper to uncover the truth behind Peach Pit's toxic façade. What begins as a battle against shady business practices quickly spirals into revelations about Delilah's own family, her lifelong friendships, and the place she holds in a town desperate to change her.

Full of Southern charm, wit, and heart, this captivating story explores the bonds that hold us together, the courage it takes to resist conformity, and the true meaning of belonging."

Review: The Masala Chai Mystery Club

The Masala Chai Mystery Club by M.J. Soni
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 Stars

While this book was very diverse in its characters, many of them were unlikeable, including some of the main characters.

The mystery was so convoluted that I nearly gave up, and once you come to the conclusion that you should never discount the elderly (and let's face it, most of the characters are what would be considered elderly in today's society), it is easy to see who-dun-it. It's the how and the why that kept me reading.

You need to suspend a lot of disbelief to read this novel, and that made it very difficult at times for me to keep pushing through this book.

A very light summer read that does give you a lot of information on Indian cuisine.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher  Crooked Lane Books, the author, and NetGalley.

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Summary: "Suspects abound when a much-despised neighbor is killed, perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building and Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club.

Retired librarian Neeti Shah was hoping for a restful life with her chai-loving friends, but when the body of a neighbor, a childhood friend of Neeti's, turns up dead and the killer’s MO is similar to that of Neeti's most recent book club read, things start to get out of control.

When Neeti hears a commotion at a neighbor’s house, she finds Rohit’s body sprawled across the bottom of the staircase with Agatha Christie’s Dumb Witness nearby. Blackmailing his neighbors, threatening them with lawsuits, and calling them by nasty nicknames were only some of the hateful things that made him so disliked. But were they angry enough to kill?

Neeti is indebted to her old friend, and she's determined to find his killer. But she can't do it alone, so she enlists her mystery-loving friends, the Masala Chai Mystery Club, to get to the bottom of the murder.

But Neeti and her club members need to be careful."

Review: Vera Stein Is Fine

Vera Stein Is Fine by Julie Murphy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Steamy

LGBT

Vera, Brody and Eli meet in college. Vera falls for Brody and Eli is left as the third wheel throughout college.  

Jump forward 20 years, and Vera is still with Brody (well, sort of) as his personal assistant (Brody is an actor) and a sometime booty call. She has also been her dying mother's caretaker for the last ten years or so.   One day, Vera read Brody's e-mail and found out something hurtful. Vera goes running to her Grandmother for comfort and help at the grandmother's retirement home. She walks in on her Grandmother (Ruby, an ex- scream queen) in an awkward situation.

Well, to make a long story short. Vera ends up taking a position at the nursing home as the events coordinator and finds herself face-to-face with Eli.

This is your typical frenemies-to-lovers story with a lot of quirky side characters and situations. Steamy without being over-the-top. And since this is a romance as well as a growth novel, you can bet that there is a HEA.

This would make a perfect movie for the Hallmark Channel, although it would need a bit of editing.*grin*

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Avon, the author, and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY : "From #1 New York Times bestseller Julie Murphy comes a heartfelt and hilarious tale of a woman who thinks life and love have passed her by until she’s thrown into her grandmother’s quirky world of octogenarian free love and gets a second chance with the one man she never expected to see again. Perhaps it’s never too late to play the opening credits…

Welcome to Starlight Palms, a favorite retirement facility among Hollywood actors and industry professionals tucked away just outside of sunny Palm Springs. Filled with forgotten scream queens, eccentric screenwriters, and heartthrobs of the past, it has a brand-new resident: Vera Stein, age forty.

Vera knows she’s missed her chance at a life worthy of the silver screen, just like she missed her chance at ever finding true love. But Vera isn’t one to take chances. She’s spent most of her adult years caretaking for her dying mother and her movie star boss’s ego. Now abruptly houseless and jobless, Vera has nowhere to land, so to grandmother’s house we go!

The Starlight Palms Senior Living Center is midcentury Hollywood down to its pastel-painted bones. This desert gem isn’t lacking in saucy plot twists (swinging seniors, anyone?) or a leading man: Elias Buckley, the on-site doctor and Vera’s former ill-fated college fling and—for reasons that will stay in Vegas—legally her ex-husband according to the state of Nevada.

It’s not long before Vera falls into a job as the activities coordinator and under the spell of a certain smart-mouthed doctor… Suddenly all those empty years in LA look less like mistakes and a lot more like backstory. With a fresh start at her fingertips, Vera begins to see that even with all the detours she’s taken, there’s still a Hollywood ending (and maybe even a happily ever after) in sight…

TROPES
- Second Chance Romance
- Workplace Romance
- Multigenerational Family Drama
- Forced Proximity
- New Lease on Life and Spice"