Category: 4 Stars

People to Follow By: Olivia Worley

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️/5

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People to Follow is Olivia Worley’s debut novel, is yet another retelling/reimagining of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. These seem to be particularly popular lately, and I don’t hate it since it’s one of my favorite Christie works. It shares a similar tone with Lucy Foley’s The Guest List but is distinctly tailored for a younger audience. This became apparent to me about halfway through. It’s technically considered a YA Thriller, but I would consider it more of a mystery than a thriller.

The characters in People to Follow are an intriguing mix; none are particularly likable, each harboring both annoying traits and deep-seated secrets. These secrets are the threads that bind them together and lead them to an isolated island for a three-week retreat. What starts as a period of relaxation quickly turns sinister when a storm leaves them stranded, and the murder of one among them sparks a tense whodunit.

10 young influencers are invited to a private Caribbean Island for 3 weeks of relaxing and unplugging, all to be filmed of course for a new reality show titled IRL. Each of the characters is facing some sort of personal crisis, mostly revolving around their dive in popularity. A “storm” strands the production crew, and the emergency takes the PA off island. She leaves a cell phone for emergencies, and each influencer has a watch. Turns out the cell phone goes missing, and the watches only get messages from “The Sponsor”, and they can’t send any outgoing messages. When one of their number ends up dead, the remaining 9 come to the logical conclusion that one of them is a murderer.

The story is told from alternating points of view between 4 of the main characters. Max, an aspiring documentary YouTuber who has had trouble catching a new story since his smashing expose. He’s here trying to catch a story on The Bounce House, a famous TikTok trio who have also been invited to the island. Kira, a fitness influencer who was a former reality star of a popular dance show. She finds her old nemesis from the dance show, a member of The Bounce House is also on the island. Logan is a former member of The Bounce House who has recently been kicked out/left. Who knows, but the internet is awash with rumors and conjecture. She isn’t happy to see her former friends. Then there is Elody. She’s the most annoying of the bunch, but she has the most distinct voice of all the characters. She has no apparent ties to the other influencers but seems to be there as the life of the party. When in doubt, she finds a way to make it fun/interesting. I found myself enjoying her chapters the most as the book unfolded.

I managed to guess the murderer’s identity mid-way, but the specific character revelation was a surprise. Particularly interesting was the plot involving Max’s secret, which led to a predictable yet intriguing revelation of the perpetrator’s identity and their accomplice. Despite some predictability, the book’s ending was engaging, with a well-executed plot twist.

This book is literally begging to be made into a movie.  It was an absolutely solid debut from Worley. While the ‘closed-room mystery’ theme might seem overdone, Worley’s take is great.

Thank you to Olivia Worley, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy of the book.

People to Follow is on sale now, you can grab your copy here.

Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️/5

🌶🌶/5

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OMG, with my love of witchy cozy’s/romcoms, how have I not read any books by @mollyharperauth before?! This book was the ideal segue from the non-fiction I’ve been reading lately and just in time for Fall/Halloween. I’m not one for scary tales, so the witchy romances all over the shelves this season are right up my alley.

Riley receives a summons to Starfall Point by her late mother’s hitherto unknown sister, Nora. Her arrival on the island is far from grand, leading to her first encounter with the town librarian, Edison Held. Soon, she finds herself amidst chaos, eclectic ghosts, and a buzzing nanna grape-vine gossip network, while falling in love and finding her coven.

I adored this book! The magical world-building is phenomenal, the characters compelling, and the writing brims with wit and sharpness. I also appreciate the twist with Edison as a small-town librarian escaping his past, a part typically reserved for female leads. The paranormal mystery threads through well-devised plots, even if it leads to a somewhat foreseeable twist. My only quibble is that Edison and Riley’s relationship isn’t as fleshed out as Riley’s ties with the coven, lending the narrative a slightly rushed tone.

Nonetheless, it’s an amazing concoction of magic, cozy romance with a dash of spice, and paranormal mystery. I’m already devouring Caroline’s story (the 2nd book) and can hardly wait for Alice’s. Looks like I’ll be binging on Molly Harper’s backlog for the remainder of the weekend 😉.

Bonus – it’s available as an Audible original included for audible members. You can get your copy here. Or if you prefer the kindle version: here.

Tropes hit: Enemies to lovers, small town romance, found family, long lost relative, opposites attract.

The Exchange By: John Grisham

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️/5

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Abby and Mitch are back, and the stakes are higher than ever. The Exchange picks up 15 years after the ending of The Firm. Mitch and Abby, out of hiding, are enjoying life in NYC: Mitch works for a high-end international law firm, and Abby edits cookbooks.

Once again, the McDeere family finds themselves in the thick of a nefarious plot, but this time, the bad guys zero in on Abby. As Mitch frequently reminds her, “They picked you.” The book takes readers back to Memphis for a spell, bouncing us around the world from London to Italy, Morocco, and beyond, with a cameo of a familiar but not so friendly face from Mitch’s previous life.

While some might argue that the pace of The Firm was on the slower side, the opposite could be said for The Exchange. I found The Exchange to be extremely fast-paced. If I had one criticism, it would be that the ending kind of snuck up on me and felt rushed. Overall, this was a solid legal thriller, and the international aspect added a good spin. It’s a quick read that you won’t want to put down.

Grisham is one of my all-time favorite, auto-buy authors. This book most certainly lived up to its predecessors.

One sale now, you can grab your copy here.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

🌶/5

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One of the joys of reading is stumbling upon a story that surprises you, takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions, and leaves you with a lingering sense of satisfaction. ‘Hello Stranger’ by Katherine Center does exactly that, weaving a tale rich with humour, character development, and a unique take on romance.

Center takes us on a journey with Sadie Montgomery, an aspiring artist who quite literally does not see what’s coming. After a monumental achievement of making it to the finals in the North American Portrait Society competition, life throws her a curveball in the form of face blindness. Every face Sadie encounters is a jumbled puzzle, a foreign language that she struggles to comprehend.

However, Center doesn’t let this situation define Sadie. Our protagonist battles not only her newfound condition but also familial tensions and the demands of her artistic career. And of course, let’s not forget her loyal canine companion, Peanut, adding another layer of heart to this story.

At the heart of ‘Hello Stranger’ is a comedy of errors fueled by mistaken identities. It’s a testament to Center’s writing prowess that she weaves these plot elements together seamlessly, producing a story that keeps the reader intrigued.

One of the key strengths of ‘Hello Stranger’ is its colorful cast of characters. Sadie is undeniably engaging, and her duality of being sunshiney and stubborn makes her relatable. The men in her life are equally compelling and nuanced, further enhancing the narrative.

The secondary characters too, like the best friend Sue, although a tad insensitive at times, brings in her own share of humor and conflict. Sadie’s parents and her step-sister Piper are portrayed as caricatures, yet they serve the purpose of furthering Sadie’s journey and personal growth. Notably, the transformation of Sadie’s father and stepmother is satisfying, while Piper’s fate provides a sense of poetic justice. Even if we a glimpse of why she’s such an asshat, I hope her cat eats her.

I do love how Joe calls Sadie on her preconceived notions. Like with “Busty McGee”, who ends up being the exact opposite of Sadie’s made up persona for her. Joe ends up challenging Sadie (and us, the readers) to reevaluate our quick judgments.

Now, I won’t pretend that ‘Hello Stranger’ is perfect. For a romance novel, it does fall a little short on the spice scale. Readers expecting steamy romance might find themselves yearning for more. Yet, Center’s focus on character development and plot progression gives the novel its own unique charm.

Despite the occasional stumble, ‘Hello Stranger’ is a triumph of character-focused storytelling. Katherine Center has created a heartwarming, hilarious tale that embraces the complexity of human relationships and the myriad ways of seeing the world. As Sadie learns, sometimes what we find when we’re not looking can be the most surprising thing of all.

As always, I encourage you to read for yourself and see how you like it for yourself!

As always thank you to the author, the publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for sending me this amazing book for my review. It’s on sale now and you can pick up your copy by clicking here

Potential spoiler- stop now if you haven’t read the book yet….

Still here? I am not unconvinced that this chick has not had some kind of face blindness or issue recognizing people her whole life. I don’t know how you can think that there are two different barista‘s a.k.a. Hazel one and Hazel two based on someone putting their hair up. End of rant.

Tropes hit: Enemies to Lovers, Slow burn, sweet romance, strangers, mistaken identity

A Tasty Dish by Kelly Cain

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️/5

🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

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The story of the Everheart Brothers of Texas continues in the second installment of Kelly Cain’s three-part series, “A Tasty Dish.” Kasi, an ambitious movie producer is striving to create a name for herself in an industry where her father’s reputation looms large. Much like Declan and his siblings, Casey finds herself overshadowed by her film producer father, who has blackballed her latest project in an effort to force her back into the family business.

Determined to make her movie her way, Kasi teams up with Declan, and together they navigate a path filled with obstacles, twists, turns and the ever-present Flynn Everheart. As they face their share of trials and tribulations, their relationship deepens, and the heat between them intensifies. Kasi is all work and some play, and really isn’t looking for anything serious. Meanwhile, Declan is all in with all the feels. In contrast to the first book, the author has turned up the spiciness in “A Tasty Dish,” adding a full pepper to the mix. This book is full of family drama, fun BFF’s, laughs and spice. Both Kasi and Declan have major daddy issues. Kasi’s kind of cause her to be a jerk at times. She tends to speak first and think later. It happens more than once. She also has gut reactions that aren’t always mature (who blocks their business partner for a week??) and get her into trouble. This wouldn’t be such an issue if she had some redeeming qualities, but I found her almost unlikeable at the beginning and only towards the end did I kind of feel like she could be a good person.

One notable improvement in this sequel is the relocation of the food recipes to the end of the book, allowing readers to enjoy them without interruption from the main story. While the pacing of this book picked up considerable compared to the first book, there are still mini cliffhangers, which drive me bananas. Once again, the absence of the male protagonist’s point of view is once again felt, leaving readers longing for more insights into Declan’s thoughts and feelings. I would have really liked it, particularly in this book. Declan’s relationship with Flynn is so complicated and important to who he is, it would have been beneficial to his character to have a bigger voice.

All in all, A Tasty Dish is a delectable blend of romance and ambition and I cannot wait to read what’s in store for Weston in Book Three. I gave it a 3.5 star overall rating, bumped up to a 4 because there are no 1/2 star emojis.

Read my review of An Acquired Taste, Book One in The Everheart Brothers of Texas Series.

Click herefor your copy of A Tasty Dish and herefor your copy of An Acquired Taste.

Tropes hit: Relationship Vs Fling, Friends with Benefits, Workplace Romance

Thank you to NetGalley, Kelly Cain and Dreamscape Media for the ALC copy of this audiobook.

The Woman in The Library By Sulari Gentill

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/𝟓

OK, so I put this book off for awhile for no particular reason other than having too many books and too little time. But I read this book just after The Club, a closed door mystery so to speak since all the possible suspects are together on an island. So here in The Woman in The Library, we have an open door mystery, as the author puts it.

The book follows writer Winifred, aka “Freddie,” who attempts to work on her manuscript in the Boston Public Library. She becomes intrigued by the three people at her table and gives them nicknames in her work. After a scream and the discovery of a murdered woman, the group bonds and secrets come spilling out.

The novel has an interesting structure, with each chapter ending with the author Hannah’s correspondence with a fan/beta reader named Leo. Hannah is based in Australia and Leo in Boston, where the novel is set.

I found this book to be fantastic, and I rate it 4 out of 5 stars. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because the ending felt a little rushed and unclear, and the characters were a bit underdeveloped. Otherwise, it was a solid whodunnit and a quick read for me.

Now, for the most part, I like to post spoiler free reviews. I’ll admit, depending on the book I’m reading, I’m ok with some spoilers, and not with others. For example, I read a spoiler for the Darynda Jones Charley Davidson series, and I had to walk away from the series. Which is a real shame since she’s one of my favorite writers and I really liked what I had read of the series. So since then, I’m overly cautious about which ones I read, and what I consider to be a spoiler. If you’ve gotten this far and don’t want a spoiler, or you want to read blind, I’ll leave you here. This book was fantastic. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because I hate unclear endings and the ending to this book felt a little rushed and muddled. Also, the characters we a little under developed, but otherwise, a solid whodunnit. It was a quick read for me, I finished it in a day. So if you aren’t down for spoilers, see you next time. If you’ve already read the book or don’t care if I give some stuff away, keep reading/scroll down.

Still here?

In the final part of the book, there’s a lot of confusion about what happens in the elevator. Cain isn’t a murderer, and Freddie and Marigold aren’t dead. The perpetrator is behind bars, and the weirdo from Boston is locked up. But then, which Leo is in the elevator? Is something going to happen to Freddie and Marigold? Has he had something to do with all of this?

The last letter from Letter Leo ends with him telling Hannah he’ll be there if she needs him, and the book ends with creepy neighbor Leo in the elevator telling Freddie “I thought you might need me…”

I. Am. So. Confused. And intrigued. So I guess the author accomplished her goal, because I couldn’t put this book down, and I’m still thinking about it. I’ve read some other reviews that suggest that the author could have done a better job clarifying the ending, but I’m pretty sure she was vague on purpose.

The Club By Ellery Lloyd

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/𝟓

A gripping book where ambition, secrets, and glamour collide in an elite celebrity members’ club. In a similar vein to Lucy Foley’s The Guest List and Sandie Jones The Guilt Trip. This book is set in a remote location where all the characters are trapped together.

The owner of Island Home, Ned is throwing the massive party for the elite of the elite. The book cycles through the different perspectives of the island staff as they prepare to pull off the opening of the latest club.

Interspersed with the dueling perspectives from each of the characters, there are articles from Vanity Fair detailing the events of the party and the events leading up to it.

The Club by is a tantalizing and suspenseful read that transports you into the world of elite celebrity clubs, where glamour and secrets intertwine. Lloyd’s vivid descriptions and well-drawn characters make it easy to become immersed in the story as we follow the protagonist on her dangerous quest to expose the truth. The plot is filled with twists and turns, keeping readers on their toes. You’re constantly questioning who is lying, who can be trusted, and what really happened.

If the book has a “flaw”, the pacing can be a bit slow but the author’s ability to create tension and build anticipation more than compensates for any lulls. This is a solid 4-star read that provides a glimpse into the exclusive world of fame, while reminding us that appearances can be deceiving and not everything is as it seems.

Reminiscent of a classic murder mystery or whodunnit, I enjoyed this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper and the Authors for the ARC copy of this book.

The Missing Piece: By John Lescroart

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

The perfect cop drama for a snowy day, this book was a one day read for me. I didn’t realize it was number 19 in a series, so i wish i had the time to go back and read the whole series prior to this review, but there was no time for that. Luckily this book could be read as a standalone, for the most part. I do feel like i didn’t connect with the characters, but i’m assuming that is because their reader relationship has been built up over the last 18 books. I will be putting the rest of this series on my TBR list.

The Missing Piece was a well written legal drama, perfect for fans of James Patterson and John Grisham. I loved the multiple POV and the twist at the end was good and unexpected. There were a few story lines going at once in the beginning, but once everything was established, it flowed very well.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher, Atria Books for the ARC copy of this book

Hook Line And Sinker By: Tessa Bailey

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️/5

🌶🌶🌶🌶/5

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Hook Line and Sinker is the 2nd book in The Bellinger Sister series by Tessa Bailey. I’m assuming that it is also the last book in the series since there are only two sisters. This book takes place right as the last one ends. I would recommend reading It Happened One Summer (you can read my review here) prior to reading this book, as Hannah and Fox’s dynamic is really started here.

Hannah and Fox have been texting non-stop since she left Wesport 6 months ago. Hannah is working as a production assistant to her director crush, and convinces him that Wesport will be the perfect place to film. With Piper’s guest room full, Hannah ends up staying with Fox, and the two spend the whole time trying not to bang.

This was a slow burn romance that could have used a Red Bull. It was frustratingly slow at times, which is why I knocked a star off. Overall a cute, feel good and happy romance. I liked it MUCH better than It Happened One Summer, and i find Hannah much less insufferable that I did Piper.

Tropes hit: Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Forced Proximity.

RED HOT READ ALERT: this book is sexy sexy. Don’t be fooled by the cutesy cover, it has major blush potential.

One sale now, you can grab your copy here.

A big hank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC copy of this book.

The Recovery Agent: By Janet Evanovich

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

JE is one of my all time favorite authors, and Stephanie Plum is one of my favorite characters. Her other series, also phenomenal. So when I got the chance to read an early copy of the first book of her new series, I will admit, I did a fan girl dance around my living room.

This series reacquaints us with Gabriella Rose, who we met in another book already. It also introduces her ex husband Rafer, assistant Marcella, and a wonderful supporting cast of characters. It takes us on a river rapid ride through jungles and cities alike. A quick, funny and satisfying read, I cannot wait to read more from this series.

I will note, it’s hard not to make comparisons. Maybe because we first met Gabs in a Stephanie Plum book, but she’s the exact opposite of Steph. Literally, on every sense of the word. The same can be said for Rafer (still bad ass) but so much more laid back than Ranger, and for Marcella, who seems to be everything Lula is not (competent, organized, dependable). Both women manage to step in 💩 frequently, but luckily Gabs has bullets in her gun and knows how to use it!

Thank you to the author @janetevanovich @netgalley and @atriabooks for the advanced copy of this book!