Finding Bryce by Debra Parmley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a quick easy read. Draws you in quick. I do wish there was more detail and character development. In the beginning there is an explanation of everyone but it pretty much stops there. I really like the play in the beginning between the main characters. Not a whole lot of intimate scenes.
Finding Bryce by Debra Parmley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a okay short story. I did not love it just because I felt there multiple spots where either too much information was given or not enough. The story line is cute and has a bit of suspense. The characters are good as the SEAL’s hold up to being their bossy protective selves. There were characters mentioned that did nothing or were never seen in the book. This just leads to cluttering up the story. In my opinion there is also an issue with what person this story was told at times. This leads to confusion fir the reader.
Like I said above this is an okay story. In my opinion with some cleaning up it could be more. The storyline itself is a nice idea which is what led me to picking this up.
Soliloquy by Janet Fogg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a beautifully written historical romance. The author does an amazing job of making the historical elements of the story come alive. The romance is so beautiful and so intense that as a reader you feel every single emotion and you really understand the danger and how hard things were at that time this story was set.
I love the time travel element too. How our lead character gets transported back in time but love and music still grows and blossoms no matter the time period.
Erin is gifted a box with figures off her grandmother. She doesn’t know what it means until 1 breaks and she finds herself transported in Time to France when it is being invaded my Germany.
Now Erin’s life is in danger and she needs to use her gift of music to save herself and help other people escape. When a British pilot turns up she risks her own life to save him which proves their love has transcended through time and space.
It’s a heartwarming, captivating read which will keep you turning pages until the end. You won’t be able to put this book down.
Soliloquy by Janet Fogg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Captivating- is the first word that comes to mind when I first began this book. Janet Fogg has beautifully told the love story of Erin and Arick. Erin, a concert pianist and composer yearns to be with her love, Arick, a British pilot; while living in fear of Arick being discovered as they are in Occupied France during World War II.
The pages come alive and I felt as if I had travelled through time to witness their love story first hand. With each turn of the page, I wanted to know more, and when I finished, I yearned for more. I would give this book 10 stars and would definitely recommend this book!
Soliloquy by Janet Fogg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When Erin is given a box of figurines gifted to her by her late grandmother she is transported back in time to Nazi-held France. Erin incredibly enough finds herself living the life of a pre-deceased ancestor whom she was named after. She helps to protect members of the Resistance by performing and composing music for an influential German Officer. When Erin rescues a downed British pilot, she puts her life farther in danger by protecting him and evading his capture. She finds herself attracted to the pilot Arick and cannot understand why she recalls him from a former life. However, this attraction could become deadly as they are both running out of time to save their lives.
This was a beautifully crafted masterpiece that transports the reader back in time. The main character Erin is strong, courageous and an extraordinarily talented pianist and composer. She must be brave and do as the German officer wants to save her friends, herself, and Arick from being put to death. The scenes were rich and vivid allowing the reader to feel as though they are there experiencing the moments the characters are as the story unfolds. You can hear the music as Erin plays the piano. You can see the Gypsy girl swirling around and smell the smoke in the air. You can feel the sense of impending danger and cannot help but continue to read and see how the story ends. This book is a beautiful story of love that transcends both time and place. I highly recommend!
Hot for Teacher – Shakespeare Made Us Fall in Love by Felicia Carparelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book was well written. Juliet is divorced grandmother who loves her family and teaches at night. She has a new student names Jim who is a widowed father of grown twin boys and is about 10 years younger then his attractive teacher. There’s an instant attraction on both parts but, Juliet has a wall up around her heart which is hard to break through. Jim is persistent if nothing else and breaks down her walls.
I believe Juliet needs a strong man in her life to stand up for her and keep her safe. She’s good at keeping herself safe until she is nearly kidnapped by someone she trusts. Thankfully Jim wasn’t far behind and was able to rescue her. I enjoyed reading this book but, I felt it might be missing something and that’s why I gave it 4 stars
review by @xchellex
Yesterday’s Over by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
OMG! What a twist! What an ending. You will think you have this figured out before the end but you could be wrong. I know I was-ish.
Trudy is a hard working, caring ME for the county of Philadelphia. When a row house blows up due to a gas leak, old bones are discovered. Tudy wants to help bring closure to the families of the bones. Her journey leads her to anthropologist Ben. Ben is the opposite of Trudy in almost every way. Ben gets involved with Trudy to help her uncover who the bones are.
Someone out there doesn’t want the identity of the bones discovered. And they are willing to kill to keep their secret. When the danger for Trudy and Ben increases, so does the tension in their possible new relationship. Will they survive the case? Will their relationship?
You will stay glued to the pages as they go flying by to find out not only who the killer is but if Trudy and Ben survive. Love this series. Another great addition.
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Yesterday’s Over (Philly Heat Series Book 3) by Becky Flade – Review by
Soliloquy by Janet Fogg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing story! Swept into the musician’s emotions, I vividly recalled how I felt when playing my flute with an orchestra. I think that time travel is my favorite genre of books to read. World War Two is my favorite historical setting for books. I was in hog heaven! I couldn’t put this book down, and read the entirety in one sitting. Clear your calendar- once you start reading this tale, you, too, will be unable to do anything else until you are finished reading it.
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¸.•*´) PREORDER (´*•.¸¸.•*´)
He’s a convicted felon out on parole for a crime he didn’t commit. She’s the girl who put her life on hold while he was away. Can the two pick up right where they left off?
He never should’ve gone on that beer run. If he’d stayed at the party, kissing Robyn by the bonfire, his life would’ve turned out totally different. But actions have consequences, the slam of the judge’s gavel echoing the death knell of his freedom.
Now he’s back in his hometown, starting his life over at his family’s Christmas tree farm and winery.
Running into Robyn wasn’t part of the plan.
She leaves him pining and reckless to see her again. But things permanently changed after that night so many years ago. Or so he thought.
With Robyn, he feels understood, wanted, and strong—things he hasn’t felt in a long time. When she’s in his arms, he’s tempted to trust again. To love again. To fly free again.
But deep down, he’s petrified.
Will the love they share be enough to overcome the past? Or will his second chance at happily ever after implode, confining him to a life sentence—alone?
Finding Bryce by Debra Parmley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Fantastic and quick read. This was a hard book to put down once you’ve started it. I enjoyed that the book touched on some fundamental issues other books don’t.
This book follows the story of Tanner “Diesel” Taylor and Joyce Pippalousa Smith. Diesel is a navy seal and travels often. In a job that involves a lot of travel, there is only time for quick relationships. Diesel is not looking for anything serious when he meets a mysterious woman one night. While Pippa is a homebody with a past that’s hard to forget. A life looking over your shoulder is never fun.
What happens when these two meet? A case of two worlds colliding. What happens when one of them has secrets and the biggest being their name? One night of passion can lead to many consequences. What happens when the past you are hiding from finds you?
Read this amazing book to find out what happens with these two. Also, to find out what Pippa’s secret past holds.
Hot for Teacher – Shakespeare Made Us Fall in Love by Felicia Carparelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Juliet is a divorcee, mother, grandma, and college professor. Jim is a widow, ex-marine, father, and business owner. When Jim becomes a student in Juliet’s class, she finds him very attractive (and infuriating). However, her past has forced her to build a wall around her heart. Jim is determined to break that wall down with some old-fashioned woo-ing and a flirting. But, when Juliet’s past comes back, will she throw the walls back up? Or does she see the future that Jim is trying to show her?
Jim and Juliet’s story was enjoyable to read. There were quite a few tropes happening in this book: age gap, teacher-student, and second-chance at love…just to name a few. There were a lot of humorous moments and I found Jim to be determined while Juliet is quite stubborn. There were times when the story was a bit slow…but I pushed through and found the story to be enjoyable. Being a Romeo and Juliet lover…I liked how it was intertwined throughout the story.
Revenge Honeymoon by K.J. Gillenwater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What does one do when left at the altar?
Well according to Emily, take Ruby on a Revenge Honeymoon!
Revenge Honeymoon is a romance of a different color. It’s sad but fun. The author wrote a playful story where getting over a horrible situation turns out better than expected!
Ruby, the jilted bride.
Emily, the maid of honor who has a plan to make it right.
And off they go. On the Honeymoon Ruby should’ve been on with her new husband. However things get interesting since it’s a cruise full of newlyweds. Reality the cruise line knows the deal, but to everyone else around them they are a newly wed lesbian couple to hide Ruby’s embarrassment.
One photo session later, they’ve made a new friend and one that could rock Emily’s boat. Which she is at war with herself about. On one hand she can’t take her eyes off of handsome Max. On the other hand, this trip is about Ruby not her. Which all starts to unravel the minute Emily has had a little too much wine. She can’t shut up! They have to keep changing their story to keep Ruby’s real reality under wraps.
What happens when Max becomes the enemy?
What did he do?
To answer those questions it’s time to join the author on the cruise of a lifetime. Well at least for Emily and Max. For Ruby it changes the trajectory of her life. The way the author wrote and depicted that throughout kept me hooked. The character development was phenomenal. Especially for Ruby she grew leaps and bounds and it was wonderful to see.
To reiterate a wonderfully fun read! Check it out!
Soliloquy by Janet Fogg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I haven’t read many books that have been based in historical times. I normally stick to supernatural, mystery, romance, and children’s (mom of two) books. But I am glad that I gave this one a chance! Erin has a passion for music. She’s a concert pianist and composer, but now she’s been slammed back in time to when Nazi held France! WWII is not where she thought she’d be at this point in her life!! She’s so confused with memories that aren’t hers and of course war time! She must keep up the ruse that she belongs there, while she figures out what the heck happened. And how to get back!! She slowly learns that she’s performing for not only her life, but the lives off all those who live with her. No pressure there!! She’s protecting them by writing music for a nasty German officer. She sees the consequences of creating wonderful music during war time when the German officer asks for more and more. She can’t keep up her lies for long. As Erin tries to hide a British pilot named Arick and help him evade capture and certain death, she can’t help the feeling that she knows this man from another life. And her future life! It’s like her soul knows his. As confusing as it is, she comes to grips with never seeing him again and sending him off with the resistance, but she is betrayed and they are caught. She’s caught in WWII writing music to stay alive, but the darkness’s of war are closing in on her to quick! Time is running out and she still doesn’t know how to get back to her own time!! The German officer is deadly. He also holds all power. He can send them off to a work camp or just kill them outright for anything he wants. As an enemy pilot, Arick can be shot and killed in an instant without another glance. Will she save Arick? Will Erin protect the members of the house? Will they find out she doesn’t belong? Or will they think that she’s gone crazy?! She has to figure out what to do quick, before it’s to late! You have to give this one a chance! You won’t be disappointed. If you love the jumping through time and the suspense of the story unfolding you will love this one. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read other books like this one now!! Thanks for a great read!
Reviewed by @jaimie0459
Devlin by Angela K. Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I have read from this author and she has a new fan. I love a good slow burn story but this one exceeded all my expectations. I was hooked on this story right from the beginning. You can’t help but to fall for these characters. I could not stop reading this book until it was the end. I can’t wait to see what this author writes about next.
Devlin Hughes is a businessman that always gets what he wants. He has been waiting for this amazing promotion and it is finally here. Devlin is so excited that it is finally his turn and the only rule is not to date any co-workers. He knows he has this in the bag until he finds out that Evelyn is now free. Devlin knows he can’t get into a relationship but he could have some fun. He was not expecting to fall for this girl. Will Devlin be able to get the job he has been waiting for and the girl or will he have to choose?
Review by @heatherbass
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This was an intriguing listen. Marcy who owns her own business has recently developed an uncontrollable rage that starts to effect her life. This leads to issues with her boyfriend Brad and befriending Liam a vigilanty. The story has a weird plot that at times didn’t make sense and was hard to follow but ultimately all made sense in the end. I did find myself getting frustrated with Marcy by allowing such toxic men to be part and control so much of her life. The ending was a surprise albeit a little off the wall; maybe book two in the series will help things make more sense.
Hot for Teacher – Shakespeare Made Us Fall in Love by Felicia Carparelli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
Hot for Teacher is a second chance romance. Is it Felicia’s take on a modern-day Romeo and Juliet retelling? You will just have to read it to find out. The characters are a little older than the norm (which I like to see) and the female lead is 10 years older than the man. I like that age is not a factor. I liked that the characters have real life experience with relationships and know what they want. The characters are sweet and likable.
The story is told in dual POV, which I love and there was some good old-fashioned wooing and humour to help the story along. I would have liked just a few more of the key elements for a great romance. The premise of the story was good, but I wanted just a little more as it was a little slow going at times.
What do you find when you take a class on Shakespeare?
Reviewed by @jennadb
Hot for Teacher – Shakespeare Made Us Fall in Love by Felicia Carparelli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Jim & Juliet. He’s an ex-marine with no college experience. She’s a college teacher. They are both older, have grown children and are moving on in life. I loved the second-chance romance. The flirtiness between them was awesome. Nothing like firting around Romeo and Juliet. My favorite part was him calling her to ask for dating advice. The story is classic. The characters were well-developed. They were not drawn up as being old, stodgy people. Humor, fun and an entertaining story for all. The writing is contemporary and keeps you interested and quite entertained. I loved this. It’s a new author to me and I hope to read more from her.
Revenge Honeymoon by K.J. Gillenwater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a fun read! Emily and Max are such fun and quirky characters who you fall for straight away. Emily convinces her best friend Ruby to go on the cruise she had booked for her honeymoon after Ruby is left at the altar. They meet Max, a fill in cruise photographer and the fun begins. I loved how the author had the male character show an insecure side as well as Emily. I also thought Emily’s knack for getting lost in her thoughts and spacing out from time to time was super cute. All the characters were completely relatable and this wonderful, talented author weaved a funny, creative story for us all to enjoy.
Elemental Fire by E.G. Manetti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I would deem this as a Paranormal Romance, though with its interesting realm / world building and different species it could also fit nicely in the fantasy realm of books.
EG Manetti is a new author for me, but I guarantee this will not be the last book I read from them. The character development and world / realm building were really well done which grabbed my attention and pulled me into the book’s pages.
Our heroine Sin is unique in that she can see through the glamors of people from different realms. She has turned this gift into several job opportunities, her most recent thwarting an art heist. It’s here that she meets our hero, Rad who tells her this was no ordinary heist.
Rad has power, money, knowledge, and unfortunately danger in his life, so he thinks the beautiful Sin could be just the stress relief good time he needs. It isn’t til later that he realizes the total control he thought he has in his area isn’t all it’s supposed to be, in part due to Sin herself.
Without giving too much away I’ll say this is a really intriguing read that includes tons such as: romance, adventure, different realms, unique characters, mysteries along with suspense, and of course magic just to name a few. There were definitely a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, which is always pleasant to have in a book. Also did I mention the chemistry and sizzle between the main characters? I really can’t wait to read more about Rad and Sin.
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BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE ♡~ღ~~
Jim Sanders – ex-marine, widower and construction company owner is looking for a little culture. Juliet West – English professor, divorcee, yoga and gardening hobbyist is skeptical that love at first sight is real. The sparks certainly fly during and after class, but will Juliet allow Jim to be her real-life Romeo?
Felicia Carparelli is a Chicago writer and teacher. She loves romances, new and old. She has been published in Coping with Cancer, Cure Today, Chicken Soup, the Chicago Sun-Times, New York Times, Flexx Magazine and Humor Beats Cancer.
She loves Jane Austen. She lives on the river with her Chin-Pin, Presley, two parakeets and pictures of her family everywhere. She is thrilled to be part of the 5 Prince family.
Elemental Fire by E.G. Manetti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Holy smokes! Pun slightly intended. I mean, the title should have been indication enough that this book would be, in slang terms that match my GenZ self- absolutely FIRE. It’s an absolute perfect mix of my favorite genre and one of my other favorite genres- Modern fantasy mixed with a great mystery. It’s almost like Shadowhunters, but more adult. It’s a fantastic read, a bit of a longer book, but it is amazing. I’ll for sure be looking forward to the rest of the series and I’ll be on the watch for more of her books. I can’t recommend this to enough people!! Run, don’t walk to get this book!
The Final Bite by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a good read! It was very paced, and as a short story it packed a lot of punch. The characters were loveable and it fid end with an HEA. I enjoyed the fast pace of this book, but at the same time it almost felt a little too rushed to me. I wish I could have explored with the characters more and gotten to know them a little better. Overall though this was a fantastic and quick read, and I would love to read more in the future!
Elemental Fire by E.G. Manetti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sin Marston is a young human woman with unusual talents, she can see through an individuals glamour and this is one of the things the Hidden use to keep their identities hidden from humans, this talent of Sin’s is especially helpful in the security industry and that is why Sin is known as one of the best in the business, her latest case is the theft of artefacts from an exhibition which is moving around the USA and she is determined to find the culprit here in Boston. Radzik Cray is a fire elemental who has travelled the realms of the Hidden, as well as Terra where the humans live, he is a powerful and high ranking Hidden with a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders as a Warden of the Elder Council, one of which is controlling what passes through the veil, a transitory passage between Terra and the Hidden realms and this is not as easy as it sounds.
Ever since the veil treaty came into force in 2010, magical visitors had to gain permission to travel between the realms, but there are some who don’t get that and that is where the Human Protection Society come into play, they enforce the rules around Terrran and non Terran interactions and the repercussions of breaking these rules. This is where Sin comes in as she can use her talents and expertise in security and business to aid in the understanding and sometimes enforcement of these visitors so that they can have a positive experience, but also to warn them of what could happen if this is not the case.
As usual, Sin is successful in foiling the heist and captures the Hidden and takes them to the authorities, however, when she meets Radzik and finds out why the heists were happening, it puts a new spin on what she thought she knew and this includes him, there is a definite attraction between the two and her curiosity gets the better of her, so she learns even more about the Hidden world and the fire elemental who heats her blood up as well. As they grow closer, Radzik realises that his job is not as in control as he thought and that he is finding that things are getting past his attention which shouldn’t be, but why is it happening and how does Sin tie into it all? This is a fantasy adventure full of magic, beings from other realms and a bit of romance to keep it interesting as danger lies around every corner and thing are not as they seem, in this story which will keep you looking for all the hidden excitement throughout.
Reviewed by @roxsannel
The Rom Com Movie Club – Book One by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Rom Com Movie Club is the first book in The Rom Com Movie Club series. Lisa and her friends have had their Rom Com Movie nights since their younger days, and now in their 30s, they want to meet their romantic matches. Lisa had a rough childhood and finds it hard to trust anyone. Ryan has moved back home and has been burned in the romance department.
I really enjoyed this fun read. The story is lighthearted and filled with romantic tension. I enjoyed the characters, and the friendship Lisa and her friends shared. I also enjoyed the relationship that grew between Lisa and Ryan. The story was true to the rom com title.
I look forward to seeing who is featured in the next book in the series.
The Rom Com Movie Club – Book One by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love this book so much! Huge page turner for me and I couldn’t put it down. I’ve been in a reading slump and this was the book to pull me out of it! 😍😍 The connection Lisa has with her group of friends is absolutely AMAZING. The way they’re always looking out for each other and being their for one another is simply heart warming. Lisa had a rough child hood growing up. She didn’t have the family a lot of kids have. She was in and out of foster homes. Until one day as an adult, she met this group of 3 girls and they were inseparable ever since. You don’t see friendships as great as theirs and I adored every page I read. Then Lisa meets Ryan and it’s love at first sight! Lisa doesn’t think she deserves love and she thinks everyone is going to leave her, but Ryan makes it a point to make her BELIEVE she deserves everything good in life. It’s a really good book and I can’t wait for the second book to come out!!! I’ll be counting down the days. Highly recommend everyone to read this if you love a good rom com 😉
Degrees of Innocence by Via Mari
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A wonderful story Katrina who is a design consult who end up falling for Chase, a very wealthy and powerful man. Chase is overprotective and overbearing and Katrina deals with trauma from her mothers past. Their story includes sexual exploration, secrets, and suspense. It definitely has a 50 shades feel to it so keep that in mind when reading. The story and erotica is definitely not new and the writing isn’t perfect which is the only reason I didn’t rate it higher but I would still recommend this book to someone to looking for a nice quick enjoyable read
The Rom Com Movie Club – Book One by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book. Just the title of this book pulled me in, but let me tell you it was more than I hoped. There was a cute meet, misunderstandings, friends, family, and insta-love. Lisa and Ryan are perfect. The whole cast of characters is just wonderful. The only thing that I am upset about is that I have to wait a month before the next one comes out. If you love Rom Coms this book is for you.
The Rom Com Movie Club – Book One by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
As a movie buff I really found this book interesting and unique. I have read several books by this author and I was very excited to start a new one. I mean honestly though who doesn’t love a good Rom com. Needless to say I was not disappointed. Once again our author gives us amazing well developed characters, and a fascinating plot that leaves me wanting more. The characters are very relatable and realistic, and the story as a whole is so amazing that you almost feel like your in the story. So whether your looking for a new story to try it your like me and love a good rom com then make sure you run and pick up this one today.
The Rom Com Movie Club – Book One by Bernadette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Rom Com Movie Club (The Rom Com Movie Club Book 1) by Bernadette Marie. This is such a fun rom com. Lisa, Mindy, Terry and Ruby have been friends for a long time, Mindy Terry and Ruby met in college and they met Lisa working at a restaurant. They created the Rom Com Movie Club and they have sleep overs that remind them of their teenage years. They paint each others nails, watch romantic comedies, eat yummy food and do face masks. Lisa has had a rough time growing up and never had a family like these girls. She would do anything for them. Tina is getting married and Lisa meets Ryan, Tina’s future brother in law. There is an instant attraction between them and they are smitten with each other. Tina informs Lisa she is not ok in any way with them dating. While Tina is being a bit of a bridezilla Ryan says he’s not going by what she says. He wants to pursue a realtionship with Lisa so they start dating. Will Lisa ruin the relationship due to her fantasies of all these rom com’s that no one can live up to? Read this awesome romance to find out!
Soliloquy by Janet Fogg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I started this book I expected a typical historical romance story. What I actually got was something much more complex. I loved how intricate and vivid it seemed to be. I really got caught up in Erin and the journey she goes through. I felt the connection between her and Arick.
This is a new author to me and I really enjoyed her style of writing. There was so much more to this book than I expected. I thought the author did a great job of portraying the era and everything that comes with it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.