Tag: book-reviews

🎧 Audio book Review: The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

It’s safe to say that I added this book to my TBR as soon as I saw it was published. I practically grew up with Gilmore Girls—Rory and I are only a year apart in the show, and as a fellow bookworm, I strongly identified with her. (Not so much watching the show as an adult, but that’s another story/rant.) Having already devoured Lauren Graham’s book a few years ago, I was excited to see a side of the show from the perspective of the iconic Emily Gilmore. To say I didn’t fully appreciate who Kelly Bishop was and what she meant to the world of theater and performing arts is an understatement. Also, how did I forget she was Baby’s mom?! I thought it was pretty cool that she was actually supposed to have a small role in Dirty Dancing, but when she got there, the actress they hired to play Marjorie Houseman was let go and she was offered the role.

When you’re attached to a character, especially one from a show or movie that has been so defining in your life, it’s hard to see them as anything else. I was particularly eager to get to the part of the book where Kelly discusses Gilmore Girls. However, I soon realized that she had lived an incredibly rich and fascinating life long before the show, which was just as compelling to read about. Kelly is upfront and brutally honest, admitting to mistakes and experiences that Emily would never have dreamed of.

When we finally reached the portion of the book dedicated to Gilmore Girls—what I consider to be the “meaty” part—it was heartwarming to hear how she talks about Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham. It’s clear that although they were a TV family, they remain a real family to her. Her description of the kindness shown to her by Ed Herman’s wife in his final days brought tears to my eyes. I was also delighted to find out that some of my favorite Emily Gilmore scenes, such as when she tears down Shira Huntsberger and has a meltdown over Trix’s funeral arrangements, are also Kelly’s favorites.

This book is a must-read for all Gilmore Girls fans. I’m truly blown away by the life this amazing woman has lived. I grappled with whether to get the audio book or a hard copy and ended up choosing the audio book. It felt like Emily Gilmore was reading to me the entire time, and it was incredibly relaxing to listen to. I will eventually get a physical copy as a shelf trophy—it’s just too good not to. Kelly Bishop is an incredible lady, and I’m so glad she decided to share her life with us. Some of the things Kelly did in her life are so un-Emily-like that I couldn’t help but laugh, imagining how Emily would react if she knew just how scandalous the actress playing her really was!

On sale now, you can grab your physical copy here or the digital copy here!

Book Review: The Temporary Wife by Catharina Maura

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🌶🌶🌶🌶/5

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Oh hey bookworms, are you back and ready for more of the craziness that is the Windsor Family? Because our favorite family is back with oh so much more drama. You thought marrying your fiance’s little sister was bad? Well, our friend Luca here is about to marry his secretary!

Luca runs the financial end of Windsor Enterprises and Val is his girl Friday, his secretary that was assigned to him by his grandma 8 years ago. Things get turned on end when Grandma Anne announces that it’s Luca’s turn to get married to someone who is completely wrong for him.

If you haven’t yet picked up the first book The Wrong Bride, I highly recommend doing so before diving into this one. You can read my review here. While each book in the series can stand alone, the story lines and character arcs make much more sense when read in order. Plus, if you’ve read any of the author’s other series, you’ll enjoy spotting the familiar faces that make cameos throughout the books.

The Temporary Wife picks up shortly after the events of the first book, with a bit of overlap to set the stage. Luca has had his secretary, Valentina, by his side for eight years, and their bond has only grown stronger over time. However, with his older brother Ares now married Luca’s own situation becomes more complicated. The Windsors’ formidable matriarch, Grandma Anne, traditionally arranges all the family marriages. After allowing Ares to get engaged for love and dealing with the consequences, she’s determined to take control again. Even though Luca and Valentina are clearly perfect for each other, Grandma Anne has already chosen someone else for him. The story unfolds as Luca and Valentina attempt to navigate the challenges of going against Grandma Anne’s iron will. Specifically by getting married. Luca appears to believe that if he’s already married Grandma Anne can’t marry him off to someone else.

I won’t give away too much because this story is best experienced without spoilers. But trust me when I say it’s absolutely phenomenal. The characters, especially Valentina, are compelling, and the chemistry between her and Luca is electric. Valentina’s strength and resilience make her a standout character, and the way the author brings their relationship to life is truly exceptional.

The author’s writing shines throughout the series, creating a world of powerful men—billionaires who run Windsor Enterprises, a conglomerate with vast interests across media, real estate, and tech development. Then there are the women who bring them to their knees. With five brothers and one sister, the series promises six books, each focusing on a different sibling. Luca and Valentina’s story was the one I was most eager to read because their dynamic just feels so right. We caught glimpses of them in The Wrong Bride, and it’s clear that Grandma Anne knew exactly what she was doing when she placed Valentina in Luca’s orbit eight years ago, despite her lack of experience and status as a college dropout. As the story develops, we discover that Valentina’s ties to the Windsors go far deeper than just her position as Luca’s secretary.

As always, read it for yourself and tell me what you think!

RED HOT READ ALERT: this book is sexy sexy. Don’t be fooled by the pretty cover this book is a scorcher.

BONUS: All the books are in Kindle Unlimited!

One sale now, you can grab your copy here.

And don’t forget to check out the rest of The Windsor Series, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Stay tuned for reviews!

Book One: The Wrong Bride: Ares and Raven’s Story

Book Three: The Unwanted Marriage: Dion and Faye’s Story

Book Four: The Broken Vows: Zane and Celeste’s Story

Book Five: The Secret Fiancée: Lexington and Raya’s Story

Book Six: The Devious Husband: Sierra and Xavier’s Story

Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

🌶️🌶️/5

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💖2nd chance

💖High School Sweethearts

💖Enemies to Lovers

💖Opposites Attract

💖Grumpy vs Sunshine

💖Long Distance

Just Some Stupid Love Story was a quick read that I really enjoyed. It’s perfect for the beach or if you need something funny and sexy to read.

Grumpy vs. Sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, and usually, it’s the guy who is grumpy and unavailable. I absolutely love when it’s flipped around!

Meet Molly – she’s emotionally unavailable, with a host of problems she’s working through, including anxiety, depression, and some really deep dad issues. (Her dad sucks.) In a delightful twist, she writes rom-com screenplays and is very successful at it.

Meet Seth – an eternal optimist in search of true love. He’s loyal, funny, and just a tiny bit over the top. All he wants is a family of his own. He’s a divorce lawyer who tries his best to help his clients and their families get through a horrible moment in their lives without causing chaos.

The book spans from when Molly and Seth meet up again at their 15th high school reunion in November 2018 through their 20th in 2023. This is quite a time span for one novel, but I feel it was well done and not rushed. I enjoyed the email and text exchanges we got to read. It’s challenging when the characters are apart for a significant portion of the book, as they are here. But between their correspondence, chance encounters, and planned meetings, it was handled very well.

If you’re a fan of Katherine Center, Abby Jimenez, or Ali Hazelwood, I think you’ll love Katelyn Doyle too. The writing is quick, funny, and flows so well. I also really like dual POV in my romance books, so I was happy we got to bounce between both Molly and Seth. There’s also a great cast of side characters that we get to know and love.

The author Katelyn Doyle writes historical romances under the name Scarlett Peckham, but this is her Rom-Com debut. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

A huge thank you to the author, the publisher Flatiron 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.

You’ll Never Find Me by Allison Brennan

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

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So, the month of June has been one big romance rabbit hole for me. I needed a nice police procedural to mix things up. Lucky for me, Allison Brennan just released the first book in what looks to be an exciting new series.

Margo Angelhardt is a private investigator in the middle of a family spat with her mom and siblings, who own Angelhardt Investigations. Margo has split from them and is running her own operation. She’s hired by Brittany to prove that her husband, Logan, is having an affair. Margo tracks Logan to his meetup with Jennifer, where she encounters her siblings Jack and Tess, who are running surveillance on Jennifer for stealing company secrets. Things get sticky when Margo and Angelhardt Investigations are forced to work together for the sake of their clients. Throw in the fact that Margo has a psycho cop looking for her (she has a side hustle helping abused spouses get out of bad situations) and that nothing is what it seems, and you have a classic Allison Brennan mystery.

The book is told in multiple POVs, primarily from Margo, Tess, and Jack. We also get the POVs of Peter Carillo (the cop), The Thief, and Theo Washington (a side character who works for Margo), to name a few.

I love this book for so many reasons. First off, Allison Brennan is a story-crafting goddess. I know that when I’m looking for a good police procedural whodunit cop PI book, I won’t be disappointed if I pick one of hers. I am also a huge fan of series. I don’t like getting attached to characters and then never hearing from them again. This book perfectly sets up the series. Margo’s dad is in jail for murder, and his refusal to fight the charges is what causes the Angelhardt family split in the first place. Our book ends with Margo coming back into the family fold and setting up the rest of the series.

On sale now, you can grab your copy here

As always, I encourage you to read this book and form your own opinions, just as I have. Thank you to the author Allison Brennan, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book.

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5

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GUP is back and he’s abroad! Patrick, Maisie, and Grant are bouncing around Europe as their dad prepares to remarry.

Set five years after the events of The Guncle, Patrick is trying to teach the kids about love as they struggle to accept their dad’s new soon-to-be wife.

The Guncle Abroad is chock-full of everything that I loved about the first book and more. The Guncle Rules are back, along with Guncle Love Languages.

Once again, I laughed, I teared up, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

The Guncle Abroad captures the essence of what it means to be a family, with all its imperfections and beauty.

Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and the publisher Putnam Books for giving me this opportunity to read an ARC copy, especially because I loved The Guncle so much.

The Guncle is out now and you can grab your copy here.