Review of “Hearth and Home” (Gold Sky #2) by Rebel Carter

January 31, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Carter, Rebel. Hearth and Home. London: Violet Gaze Press, 2019.

ASIN: B07YK1PD6M | $3.99 USD | 326 pages | Historical Romance

Blurb

Can a wealthy businessman find love as a mail order groom?

Julian Baptiste was determined to find a love as epic as that of his parents. As the son of a freedwoman and a wealthy Union solider, Julian was unique among the glittering upper 400 of New York Society. Shrewd in business and discrete with his affairs, Julian was not a man to be trifled with.

Until her. One glimpse of Violet Shield and Julian is haunted. As the cook of the boarding house where he is staying while visiting his sister Julie and her two husbands Violet is a breath of fresh air. But Julian is hesitant to call it love at such a short acquaintance and is determined to be only a friend to her.

But when an unexpected advert for a husband is placed on Violet’s behalf, the frontier cook’s reputation and her very future are at stake. And Julian finds himself stepping into a role he is powerless to resist. Mail order groom.

Amidst the wilds of the sweeping Montana frontier to the riches of the New York 400, Julian and Violet fall deeply in love. But can love be enough when misunderstandings threaten the fragile new passion they have found?

In the series

#1 Heart and Hand

Review

4 stars

Feeling a desire to read more Rebel Carter and more or the Gold Sky series, I picked up Hearth and Home. Like its predecessor, it’s a unique story, following a mail-order groom. Not being super well read on the mail order bride trope, I still enjoyed this fun twist.

Julian is a nuanced character, having a balance of shrewd businessman and sweet cinnamon-roll family man. I was touched how he came to ingratiate himself with Violet and the Gold Sky community, and he has some wonderful musings about the meaning of home that really resonated with me.

As for Violet, she is the perfect partner for Julian. Even though it started as an arrangement, it’s obvious how well matched they are in the sense that she has an independent spirit that he respects and embraces wholeheartedly.

I did find the pacing of this one a bit odd, with the path to their wedding feeling drawn out, and then followed by a honeymoon trip, and then finally the conflict rearing its ugly head. However, it is meant to be more of a slow burn, I believe, so in that regard it does work, but I can see that being a matter of taste as to whether it works or not.

I enjoyed this book for the most part and think this an enjoyable installment in what is shaping up to be a compelling series.

Author Bio

Rebel Carter loves love. So much in fact that she decided to write the love stories she desperately wanted to read. A book by Rebel means diverse characters, sexy banter, a real big helping of steamy scenes, and, of course, a whole lotta heart.

Rebel lives in Colorado, makes a mean espresso, and is hell-bent on filling your bookcase with as many romance stories as humanly possible!

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Review of “The Duke Heist” (The Wild Wynchesters #1) by Erica Ridley

January 31, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ 3 Comments

Ridley, Erica. The Duke Heist. New York: Forever, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1538719527 | $8.99 USD | 353 pages | Regency Romance

Blurb

A New York Times bestselling author kicks off a new Regency series of “irresistible romance and a family of delightful scoundrels” as a woman looking to recover a stolen painting accidentally kidnaps a duke instead. (Eloisa James)

Chloe Wynchester is completely forgettable — a curse that gives her the ability to blend into any crowd. When the only father she’s ever known makes a dying wish for his adopted family of orphans to recover a missing painting, she’s the first one her siblings turn to for stealing it back. No one expects that in doing so, she’ll also abduct a handsome duke.

Lawrence Gosling, the Duke of Faircliffe, is tortured by his father’s mistakes. To repair his estate’s ruined reputation, he must wed a highborn heiress. Yet when he finds himself in a carriage being driven hell-for-leather down the cobblestone streets of London by a beautiful woman who refuses to heed his commands, he fears his heart is hers. But how can he sacrifice his family’s legacy to follow true love?

“Erica Ridley is a delight!” –Julia Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of the Bridgerton series

In the series

#0.5 The Governess Gambit

Review

5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Duke Heist is Erica Ridley’s trad-pub debut, and I’m so happy for her in this new chapter of her career. And given her unique style, I’m glad to see this one still has a similar flavor, in spite of working with a publisher, and may just be the zaniest thing I’ve read in a romance in a while. The Wynchesters are very much a new historical romance family to engross yourself with and root for, and while they have their childish moments, it’s nice to see a family that’s over-the-top and unconventional, yet loving nonetheless.

I really liked Chloe, and how she could use her plain looks to her advantage in the shenanigans, but that it also has a dark side that comes to rear its head. Beneath the plain exterior, she’s utterly dynamic and fiery. Her sharp tongue also had me rolling with laughter.

Not being a fan of dukes, I actually really liked Lawrence, in spite of girding my loins a bit after first reading the blurb. He’s trying to do the right thing for his estate following his father’s excesses, and he’s prepared to marry for money to do it, although he finds himself conflicted as he meets someone unsuitable. In that regard, it was so refreshing that while Chloe was of unequal rank, he never looked down on her. He did make some mistakes where she was concerned, but he was sweet and more or less saw her as a person when few outside her family did, which I really liked.

This book is an absolute delight, and is an absolute must-read for longtime Erica Ridley fans. You’ll also love it if you enjoy historical romantic comedies.

Author Bio

Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of of witty, feel-good historical romance novels, including the upcoming THE DUKE HEIST, featuring the Wild Wynchesters. Why seduce a duke the normal way, when you can accidentally kidnap one in an elaborately planned heist?

In the 12 Dukes of Christmas series, enjoy witty, heartwarming Regency romps nestled in a picturesque snow-covered village. After all, nothing heats up a winter night quite like finding oneself in the arms of a duke!

Two popular series, the Dukes of War and Rogues to Riches, feature roguish peers and dashing war heroes who find love amongst the splendor and madness of Regency England.

When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.

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Review of “My Sister, the Serial Killer” by Oyinkan Braithwaite

January 31, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Braithwaite, Oyinkan. My Sister, the Serial Killer. 2017. New York: Doubleday, 2018.

ISBN-13: 978-0385544238 | $22.95 USD | 226 pages | Thriller/Satire

Blurb

When Korede’s dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what’s expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This’ll be the third boyfriend Ayoola’s dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede’s long been in love with him, and isn’t prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other…

My Sister, the Serial Killer is a blackly comic novel about how blood is thicker – and more difficult to get out of the carpet – than water…

Review

5 stars

The cover for My Sister, the Serial Killer was the first thing that made an impression, but I did not think much about it until just recently, when I found myself going down the rabbit hole for thrillers by Black authors for next month’s Blackathon. With a bizarre mix of dark humor/satire and thriller, this book is just the sort of thing I had no idea I wanted until I read it.

One of the things I enjoyed was how it highlighted the deeply complex and troubled relationship between sisters Korede and Ayoola. Korede is antisocial and awkward, while her sister is more of a social butterfly, thus having the ability to attract men to her. But when things “go south” and Ayoola disposes of the men, it is Korede she turns to to help clean up the mess, and it is fascinating that they still have a bond that Korede feels obliged to do it, in spite of the wrongness of it all and her own growing personal bitterness to her sister.

And when Ayoola started dating Tade, Korede’s crush, I felt that sense of uncertainty of what would happen next…and I was not disappointed when it all came to fruition.

This is a wild book that I think you’ll either love or hate, depending on your feelings about dark humor, satire, thrillers. It happened to work incredibly well for me, and I think it’s absolutely one of those books you should try to see where you fall on the spectrum, if the book intrigues you.

Author Bio

OYINKAN BRAITHWAITE is a graduate of Creative Writing and Law from Kingston University. Following her degree, she worked as an assistant editor at Kachifo, a Nigerian publishing house, and has been freelancing as a writer and editor since. In 2014, she was shortlisted as a top-ten spoken-word artist in the Eko Poetry Slam, and in 2016 she was a finalist for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. She lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

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Review of “The Revolution of Birdie Randolph” by Brandy Colbert

January 30, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Colbert, Brandy. The Revolution of Birdie Randolph. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2019.

ISBN-13: 978-0316448567 | $17.99 USD | 336 pages | YA Contemporary

Blurb

Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Nicola Yoon comes a novel about first love and family secrets from Stonewall Book Award winner Brandy Colbert.

Dove “Birdie” Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she’s on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past…whom she knows her parents will never approve of.

When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family’s apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded–she’s also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she’s known to be true is turned upside down.

Review

5 stars

Brandy Colbert is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA contemporary authors. Her books center real issues, while also prioritizing Black joy over constant trauma and pain. And with a title like The Revolution of Birdie Randolph, this book encapsulates all of that.

I loved the diversity of the cast and how they all interacted with one another, with Birdie’s relationships with her ex (so glad to see a fairly positive relationship between exes that isn’t full of drama!) and her best friend, which also leads to some discussions about LGBTQ+ issues.

Birdie herself is coming into her own, and figuring out how to please her parents as well as be herself, and I found her journey to be compelling, without resorting to some of the typical cliches of a similar storyline.

I also liked that there was a lot of depth to her relationship with “bad boy,” Booker, who has a bit of a criminal history, assisting her on her journey to take risks and break rules. It was nice to see the relationship unfold between them amid the other more serious issues that impacted them.

This is a delightful book, and one I think everyone who enjoys stories about coming of age and falling in love will enjoy.

Author Bio

Brandy Colbert was born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks and has worked as an editor for several national magazines. She lives and writes in Los Angeles.

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Review of “The Paris Library” by Janet Skeslien Charles

January 29, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Charles, Janet Skeslien. The Paris Library. New York: Atria Books, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1982134198 | $28.00 USD | 368 pages | Historical Fiction

Blurb

Named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by Library Journal and Goodreads

Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together, perfect for fans of The Lilac Girls and The Paris Wife.

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.

Review

4.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As a lifelong library user who has since gotten her MLIS and has been hoping fruitlessly to establish a career in libraries, I love books that surround them. And finding out that The Paris Library was inspired by the real American Library of Paris and its efforts to combat Nazi censorship and preserve the right to read for all, including the Jewish population, intrigued me. Despite being set (partly) in the 1940s, there are some anecdotes that warmed my heart, like an exchange that comments on the stereotypical “shushing” librarian and earnest conversations in both timelines about the meaning of censorship.

And while I admit I was a bit concerned with the amount of POV characters, with a supporting character having the stage for a chapter then fading into the background again, otherwise it is fairly solid (and I was intrigued to find out who from the narrative actually existed when I reached the Author’s Note).. While some might struggle a bit with Lily’s chapters (I did a big at times), as she’s a teenager and her thoughts are rather juvenile at times, I like that Charles was able to convincingly replicate the mindset of a teenage girl. And the revelations about Odile’s past obviously have an impact on her.

As for Odile, her own story resonated with me more, with a balance in her dedication to her work and the personal troubles she deals with during that time.

This is a well researched historical novel and a love letter to books and libraries that I would recommend to any historical fiction fan or book lover.

Author Bio

Janet Skeslien Charles divides her time between Paris and Montana. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family.

The backdrop of her debut novel MOONLIGHT IN ODESSA is the booming business of email-order brides, an industry where love and marriage meet sex and commerce.

Her second novel THE PARIS LIBRARY is based on the true story of the courageous librarians at the American Library in Paris during World War II. Janet learned about the story when she worked at the Library.

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Review of “The Lady’s Champion” (Hearts of Blackmere #1) by Marie Lipscomb

January 29, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ 2 Comments

Lipscomb, Marie. The Lady’s Champion. London: Violet Gaze Press, 2020.

ASIN: B08KFNFN6C | $3.99 USD | 214 pages | Fantasy Romance

Blurb

“I’m not gentle with you because I doubt your strength, my lady, but because I know the full extent of mine.”

Lady Natalie Blackmere has always dreamed of meeting the renowned champions of Aldland, especially the legendary Brandon the Bear. When at last the Grand Tourney comes to Blackmere, Natalie swaps places with a barmaid and sneaks out to follow her dreams. But when bandits besiege her town, Natalie barely escapes with the surviving champions. Alone in the woods with the man she has always admired, Natalie must keep her identity a secret and step up to become the leader she was born to be, if she is to save her people.

Brandon the Bear is a champion that ballads are sung about. Or, he was. Past his prime and struggling with each new tourney, Brandon fears his time as a champion has come to an end. When the fight becomes real, he is determined to save the townspeople of Blackmere and rescue the lady who ruled over it. Though there is no love lost for Lady Blackmere, the noblewoman who allowed her town to be vulnerable to attack, and his fellow champions slain, Brandon is resolved to do the right thing. And when a beautiful barmaid looks at him with stars in her eyes, he feels like maybe he can be the hero she thinks he is.

Note from the author: Content warning: This story is about two people falling in love and neither of them are skinny. On a couple of occasions, a big jerk picks on the hero for his weight. He is a jerk, and no one likes him. He’ll get what’s coming to him in future books. We love the hero and his magnificent bod. Also a few people get murdered. Enjoy!

Review

5 stars

Sometimes, you need to try something new, and the something new for me in this case was The Lady’s Champion. While it’s fairly standard at first glance as a pseudo-medieval fantasy romance, Marie Lipscomb does something interesting with it by centering the story around two explicitly fat characters, Lady Natalie and Sir Brandon the Bear. As a fat woman, I didn’t know what it would mean to have a fantasy that actively encourages people like me to be their best selves and I really appreciated that.

And the way the story highlights inner strength is also beautiful. Brandon struggled in the past, but he has grown and learned from his mistakes. Nat has her insecurities too, but she comes to know what she’s capable of. The romance itself is a beautiful slow-burn, full of tension and pining, being paced so wonderfully.

And while the book has a satisfying conclusion, books two and three pick up with them again, so I’m both excited and nervous to see what they get up to next! If you’re looking for a fresh medieval/fantasy romance, I think you’ll enjoy this one!

Author Bio

Marie is a romance and fantasy author with a penchant for unlikely heroes, fantastical creatures, and finding romance in the midst of chaos. She has a particular fondness for big, squishy, cinnamon-roll heroes, especially if they’re beardy.

She was born in Bolton, in the North West of England. After getting a bit taller, she attended The University of Cumbria, confusingly located in Lancaster, UK.

She studied Drama as her major, but needed to take a minor. In a spectacularly on-brand move, she left it to the last minute to look into things, and creative writing seemed the easiest choice (hahaha!)

Eventually, she realized drama was not for her, but loved creative writing. She went on to study creative writing at a postgraduate level and just never stopped setting herself homework.

Marie now lives in Virginia, USA, with her husband, Jacob, her dog, Alfie, Jacob’s dog, Belle, and Merlin the bearded dragon. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found playing the same three video games on a loop (*cough* Dragon Age)

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Review of “The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington” (The Swooning Virgins Society #2) by Anna Bradley

January 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ 2 Comments

Bradley, Anna. The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington. New York: Lyrical Press, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-1516110384 | $15.95 USD | 282 pages | Regency Romance

Blurb

As the women of the Clifford Charity School for Wayward Girls fearlessly bring corrupt aristocrats to justice, they put their lives—and their hearts—on the line . . .

Going undercover as a governess is a first for Cecilia Gilchrist. But once she’s installed in Darlington Castle, discovering whether the mysterious marquess murdered his wife proves more daunting than she imagined. Dashing widower Gideon Rhys, Marquess of Darlington, is clearly harboring secrets—but is it possible a cold-blooded killer lurks behind his devastating gaze? Trailing his every move only brings her closer to him. But if her heart misleads her, she could pay with her life . . .

He never should have let her into his world, but now that Cecilia has infiltrated his home, his senses, and his heart, Gideon will do anything to keep her safe from the darkness that has robbed him of everything. Yet keeping her close only makes it more challenging. For the more Gideon falls for Cecilia, the greater the danger to her .

In the series

#1 The Virgin Who Ruined Lord Gray

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Virgin Who Vindicated Lord Darlington is the second in Anna Bradley’s Swooning Virgins Society series, although it can be read as a stand-alone.

Like the first, there is a strong mystery element to the plot, although I believe this time it is more prominent. There are questions around Lord Darlington’s past actions and what happened to his wife, especially given his display of guilt and grief. And as things unfold, there are some twists and turns that made for a compelling read.

While I don’t typically love a broody hero, I enjoyed seeing Gideon’s story unfold. Beneath the surface, he is a very loving person and the way his past impacted him was well conveyed. Cecilia is a bit out of her depth in the situation requested of her, given her soft hearted nature, but she turns out to be exactly what the situation—and Gideon—need, and she grows more confident in herself as a result.

I enjoyed this book with its balance of dark Gothic suspense and the sweet romance blooming in the midst of it. If you like Gothic historical romance, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Author Bio

Anna Bradley is an award-winning author of steamy Regency Historical Romances. Anna lives with her husband and two children in Portland, OR, where people are delightfully weird and love to read.

Readers can get in touch with Anna via her webpage at http://www.annabradley.net, or, for all things romance (and an occasional “hot hero” pic!) please visit Anna on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/annabradley472.

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Review of “Enemies to Lovers: A Steamy Romance Anthology Vol 1 (Romancing the Tropes #3) by Rebel Carter, Marie Lipscomb, Lauren Connolly, A. Perveen, Natalia Andrews, Inga Gardner, and Emily Hemenway

January 28, 2021January 31, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ 1 Comment

Carter, Rebel, et. al. Enemies to Lovers: A Steamy Romance Anthology Vol 1. London: Violet Gaze Press, 2021.

ASIN: B08R3YR7TT | $3.99 USD | 357 pages | Contemporary Romance

In the series

#1 Only One Bed: A Steamy Romance Anthology Vol 1

#2 Only One Bed: A Steamy Romance Anthology Vol 2

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own.

It’s been said a trope is never tired, as it can always be executed in fun, different ways. Up-and-coming indie publisher Violet Gaze Press and their contributing authors have proven this twice with their two Only One Bed anthologies (a trope I have…complex…feelings about), and now will do so again with a new trope with Enemies to Lovers. Given that is a trope I also have mixed feelings based both on execution and external factors, in addition to the general feelings about anthologies often being uneven, the fact that I liked some more than others is not shocking.

Rebel Carter is quickly becoming an author I really need to make time to read more of, as her “Sugar and Spice” is the obvious standout of this collection. As I’ve stated many times, food porn is always a way to ensnare me as a reader. And while short stories are at a bit of a disadvantage for pacing, I felt the sense of growth in the relationship that I needed to believe in it.

Marie Lipscomb’s “Works of Friction” is another that appeals to my id, pairing a stuffy librarian with an unapologetic erotica writer, and while dynamics like this could easily go wrong, Lipscomb finds common ground between the two, and more importantly, there are no unchallenged sneers at romance and erotica. It does feel a tad rushed by the end, and I did find some of the style choices questionable, like writing in third person dual, yet feeling the need to signal every POV change with a distracting header.

Lauren Connolly’s f/f contribution, “Cul-de-Sac Cupid,” is quite sweet, and I really liked seeing how the relationship between two people could evolve over the course of time.

With “Loathe to Love” by A. Perveen, while the romance didn’t excite me a ton, I liked the cultural context, with it being set in Pakistan. In fact it’s something to be said of the entire collection that each has a very distinct setting to reflect each author’s background and the Violet Gaze Press mission of highlighting diverse voices.

The last three stories were all right, but didn’t hold my attention massively; and it’s more of a preference thing than anything else. I will note that the usage of first person in Inga Gardner’s “The Flip” felt super disconcerting, as I could swear I didn’t know whose head I was meant to be in for ages, making the first sex scene super awkward for me.

This anthology is fairly enjoyable and there absolutely is something for everyone to enjoy. If you love enemies to lovers or diverse romance, you won’t want to miss this!

About Violet Gaze Press

B. Borshell developed high expectations after learning everything she knows about sex and men from romance novels. She doesn’t think this is such a bad thing. Married to her own Mr. Darcy and an expat in the United Kingdom, she enjoys being active in Romancelandia, reading, watching Forensic Files, and helping other author’s dreams come true. If she can’t be found walking on the white cliffs of Dover and pretending to be Elizabeth Bennet, she is likely buried under a pile of her numerous children wanting a moments peace.

Violet Gaze Press was born out of the desire to see Romancelandia flooded with diverse, sexy, romance. When readers ask “Help, where can I find characters like me?” the answer should always be “Where do I start?”

We are a small indie publisher, with a passion for romance novels and the community that has sprung up around it. Entrenched in it, we were dismayed to see readers struggling to find recommendations for romance that encompassed all the beautiful variations of relationships and the people who enter into them.

We want to bring books into the world that people have been yearning to read; books that foster a sense of being seen and that make people feel loved and lovable.

At Violet Gaze Press we believe that all love is valid, that all people deserve to see themselves represented in romance novels, and we strive to make that a reality

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Review of “A Wedding One Christmas” (One Day to Forever #1) by Therese Beharrie

January 28, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Beharrie, Therese. A Wedding One Christmas. 2018. Toronto, Ontario: Carina Press, 2020.

ISBN-13: 978-1335284822 | $8.99 USD | 283 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

Of all the weddings in all the world, Angie Roux had to be mistaken for a bridesmaid in this one.

Caledon, South Africa, is supposed to be just a stop on the way to Christmas in Cape Town, part of Angie’s long-avoided homecoming. She never expected to star in a bizarre comedy of errors, but here she is, convincing a handsome stranger to be her fake boyfriend for the day.

Ezra Johnson, the handsome stranger in question, turns out to be a pleasant distraction from both the wedding and thoughts of her first family Christmas without her father. And he seems to loathe weddings just as much as she does. He’s the perfect temporary companion.

But a lot can happen in twenty-four hours. Including a connection so strong it tempts them both into thinking of something more permanent…

Review

4 stars

I read Therese Beharrie’s more recent Harlequin Christmas book before Christmas and enjoyed it, and decided to order the paperback of A Wedding One Christmas as a post-Christmas gift for myself, since I got the other two on sale (by coincidence, as of this writing, this book is now on sale in ebook). My interest was piqued that the book was set in South Africa (and Therese Beharrie lives there as well), and I had not read a book explicitly set there or any other real African country as opposed to a fictional country or one set in a fantasy world. While the setting isn’t the “star” of the story as can sometimes happen, I enjoyed getting a “feel” for the place as I soaked in the story.

The trajectory of this book is one you don’t often see, with it taking place in a single day, and while it doesn’t always work, I think it worked very well here. Ezra and Angie are engaging characters who are both well-fleshed out, and work well together. They have such a realistic path to love, with the book really delving into their emotions and skipping a lot of the unnecessary drama a lot of books have. It does feel a bit slow paced as a result and I can see how some might see this as a negative, but I found it refreshing.

I am a bit disappointed by the cover, since Harlequin (especially Carina) usually has done so well representing characters of color in recent years. However, I got the impression from context clues that Ezra was Black, and I believe I’m not the only one, yet the guy on the cover is white. I know it’s often out of the author’s hands, but it really does suck, given the existing track record.

I enjoyed this sweet holiday romance and how it sets itself apart from others within the subgenre in a few significant ways. If you’re looking for a sweet read to take you away for a bit, I think you’ll enjoy this one.

Author Bio

Being an author has always been Therese’s dream. But it was only when the corporate world loomed during her final year at university that she realised how soon she wanted that dream to become a reality. So she got serious about her writing, and now writes books she wants to see in the world featuring people who look like her for a living. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband and dogs in Cape Town, South Africa. She admits that this is a perfect life, and is grateful for it.

You can find her on Twitter and Facebook.

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Review of “Killer Content” (A Brooklyn Murder Mystery #1) by Olivia Blacke

January 27, 2021 ~ courtneytonokawa ~ Leave a comment

Blacke, Olivia. Killer Content. New York: Berkley Prime Crime, 2021.

ISBN-13: 978-0593197882 | $16.00 USD | 288 pages | Cozy Mystery

Blurb

It’s murder most viral in this debut mystery by Olivia Blacke.

Bayou transplant Odessa Dean has a lot to learn about life in Brooklyn. So far she’s scored a rent free apartment in one of the nicest neighborhoods around by cat-sitting, and has a new job working at Untapped Books & Café. Hand-selling books and craft beers is easy for Odessa, but making new friends and learning how to ride the subway? Well, that might take her a little extra time.

But things turn more sour than an IPA when the death of a fellow waitress goes viral, caught on camera in the background of a couple’s flash-mob proposal video. Nothing about Bethany’s death feels right to Odessa–neither her sudden departure mid-shift nor the clues that only Odessa seems to catch. As an up-and-coming YouTube star, Bethany had more than one viewer waiting for her to fall from grace.

Determined to prove there’s a killer on the loose, Odessa takes matters into her own hands. But can she pin down Bethany’s killer before they take Odessa offline for good?

Review

4 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Cozy mysteries are usually too…cozy and action-less, for me, but Killer Content piqued my interest and persuaded me to give the genre another shot. And once I reframed my mindset in terms of the branding of the “cozy,” I found I was able to enjoy what this one brought to the table.

One of the best parts is the setting…while I’ve read several books set in New York, I liked how this one generally felt like a no s change of pace, even keeping in mind it is a busy metropolitan area. The cute little Williamsburg apartment and charming bookstore/cafe are examples of settings that feel idyllic, and I loved the vibes I got from them.

And the fact that Odessa herself is new to the area makes it easy for a non-resident to resonate and soak it all in with her. Not only that, but there’s a charming recurring cast of characters that are absolutely delightful.

The mystery itself is engaging, and I was impressed with how it was still able to deal with a complex crime and the questions around it without delving too much into the shock value, as I feel like some other cozies I read pulled back too much and lost my interest as a result, to the point that I didn’t really miss the lack of intensity of a more standard mystery.

This is one of those books that, to my knowledge, appeals to all the familiar cozy mystery tropes, yet is still accessible for someone who isn’t so sure about the genre or its appeal yet.

Author Bio

Brooklyn Murder Mysteries author Olivia Blacke writes quirky, unconventional, character-driven cozy mysteries. After shuffling around the U.S.A. from Hawaii to Maine, she currently resides with her husband and their roly-poly rescue puggle, but is forever homesick for NYC. In addition to writing, disappearing into a good book, and spending way too much time on social media, she enjoys SCUBA diving, crocheting, collecting tattoos, and baking dog cookies.

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