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Traveling this or that!🏢 Hotel or Airbnb?⛺️ Camping or cabin?✈️ Fly or road trip?🍹 Relax or sightsee?🥨 Salty or sweet tr...
22/01/2024

Traveling this or that!

🏢 Hotel or Airbnb?
⛺️ Camping or cabin?
✈️ Fly or road trip?
🍹 Relax or sightsee?
🥨 Salty or sweet trip snacks?

The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary was a charming enemies to lovers romance (can you call that trope charming? 🤔) that takes place at a quaint hotel in England.

I had no idea that this was a holiday romance until I saw it on someone’s holiday roundup! I already had it on my tbr (without reading the synopsis!) because I’ve read and loved all of O’Leary’s other books but I bumped it up to read in December after seeing that post.

I ended up grabbing a physical copy of this at the library to go along with the audio so I could keep reading on a road trip. This audiobook was gorgeous to listen to! Lino Facioli narrates and his Brazilian accent brought oh-so-dreamy Lucas to life.

This didn’t end up being my favorite O’Leary book to date but I still really enjoyed it. Izzy is a fiery, optimistic main character in spite of the knocks life has thrown at her. The shenanigans at the hotel, the cast of guests staying over the holidays, and the slow burn build up made for a great book!

Auto-buy author!It’s 5 Star Friday and I’ve got a great book to share from one of my favorite authors! Olivia Dade has n...
19/01/2024

Auto-buy author!

It’s 5 Star Friday and I’ve got a great book to share from one of my favorite authors! Olivia Dade has never failed me and I’m adding her latest, At First Spite, to my list of 5 star books she’s written.

At First Spite is a snort-out-loud, enemies to lovers romcom. It had me grinning from the first chapter! I started this one on a recent trip and picked it up every time I had a few minutes to read.

Dade writes the most beautifully inclusive novels and this one is no different. I loved the mental health rep and the way the main character’s obstacles were so compassionately written.

In spite of (ha!) the emotional and hard scenes that appear throughout Dade’s books, I’ve never thought of them as sad. They’re funny and quirky and I always finish the book with a smile on my face.

If you’ve read Dade’s books before, this is sure to be a win. If you haven’t, this is a great one to start with. It pubs on February 13th!

What are you looking forward to this weekend? We have 3 sick kids at home so it’ll be a very low key weekend for us. Lots of movies and takeout and relaxing!

Thank you for the arc!

Do you like to cook or bake?I don’t love cooking but I do like to bake. My top kitchen skills are following directions a...
19/01/2024

Do you like to cook or bake?

I don’t love cooking but I do like to bake. My top kitchen skills are following directions and measuring ingredients really well. 😆

After reading Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden, I was feeling very inspired to get into the kitchen! It’s filled with mouthwatering descriptions of fancy french dishes, delicious sweets, and my favorite type of meals - ones using ingredients locally sourced in the Pacific Northwest!

This book had bits of romance and magical realism but its true heart is Georgia May’s journey. Georgia is struggling on both personal and professional levels. To try and sort things out, she heads to reunite with the one person who might have all the answers - her mother, who abandoned her nearly 30 years before.

I really enjoyed the ways Georgia and her mom connected over food, gardening, and their magical gifts. This is the second book I’ve picked up this month about mothers and daughters and the legacy of families, and I can’t get enough of these complex, special relationships.

On the romance side, I appreciated that Linden gave us Cole’s POV for a few chapters, to get a deeper understanding of his life and the choices he made. I wasn’t expecting to have his voice in the story and it really added to the book!

This takes place in Paris and the San Juan Islands, in Washington state - two places I’ve visited! I love learning about new places (both real and imagined!) but there’s something so fun about picking up a book and recognizing names and places.

This was my first book by and I adored it! I can’t wait to pick up her backlist. Thank you Rachel for the beautiful 4 leaf clover charm and the Paris stickers. I’ll think of your lovely book whenever I wear the charm!

Thank you to and for the book and for the audio so I could continue reading when I was on the go!

Are you a fan of epilogues?I definitely am! If I’m reading a romance, it’s one of my favorite parts of the book. It alwa...
18/01/2024

Are you a fan of epilogues?

I definitely am! If I’m reading a romance, it’s one of my favorite parts of the book. It always feels like catching up with the characters one last time before saying goodbye.

Denise William’s epilogue in Technically Yours was my favorite part of the book and had me tearing up - another thing I love in my romances. 🥹🥹 Whether a book ends in a HEA or HFN (happy ever after and happy for now, for those of you new to the acronyms!), if a book has me crying happy tears, it’s a win. 😆

I’ve enjoyed every book by Williams that I’ve read but they’re never quite 5 stars, for reasons that are all totally personal preference. I don’t love books that are mostly character driven and I struggle with books that have a lot of flashback scenes, and this one in particular had a lot.

This was a solid 4 stars and I know a lot of romance readers will love this one! The characters are diverse and I loved the women in STEM representation. The romance is sweet, a little steamy, and the story is filled with meaningful moments.

What was your last HEA read?

Thank you for the chance to listen to the audiobook early (this one came out in December)!

✨ My favorite book of the year! ✨It’s 5 Star Friday and I have a must-read book to tell you about! Wild and Distant Seas...
12/01/2024

✨ My favorite book of the year! ✨

It’s 5 Star Friday and I have a must-read book to tell you about! Wild and Distant Seas is an absolutely breathtaking, all-the-stars read that I have a feeling I’ll be shouting about for quite some time.

I was initially interested in Wild and Distant Seas because it’s written by local author Tara Karr Roberts, and I’m always eager to support hometown authors. I knew I’d enjoy it based on the synopsis, but I was *completely* swept away by the story! (And I’ll be trying very hard not to use any other ocean puns in this review 😆) Congrats on your beautiful debut!!

This historical fiction uses a minor Moby Dick character as a launching point, but after the first few chapters the book is very much its own. The story is told from the POVs of 4 women, following mothers and daughters through 4 generations. Each of the women possess a special power, lending the book a lovely bit of magical realism.

Whenever I read a book that covers years and crosses oceans, I want to use words like “epic” and “sweeping.” But I feel like those descriptions make a book seem daunting and this book isn’t at all. The writing is beautiful but very accessible. It reminded me a lot of another favorite, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

I think this is a book anyone would love, even if historical fiction and magical realism aren’t genres you normally gravitate towards. With its themes of family, community, hope, loss, love, and strength against all odds, there’s something for everyone.

Highly recommend you grab this book‼️

➡️ Swipe to see the second photo, where I overexposed the light so you could see the gold details. 🥰 Thank you .w.norton for sending me this beautiful finished copy!

So in love with this series! 💕💕After reading a string of clean romances I needed a spicier take on a holiday romance so ...
11/01/2024

So in love with this series! 💕💕

After reading a string of clean romances I needed a spicier take on a holiday romance so I grabbed the audio of A Holly Jolly Ever After by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy.

And it IS spicy but damn, it also really brings the feels. I think I cried as much as I laughed and swooned. The relationships and the growth and other events and the respect and the talks and the goddamn patio scene and EPILOGUE and yeah, there were a lot of tears. It’s SO good! ❤️

As for the spice, it’s a wide open door, with some fun, sexy scenes and references to a whole lot of other sexual preferences. It’s wildly inclusive and has you covered for both the “window” and “mirror” aspects of seeing others and yourself in books.

I’ve loved both of the books in this series and highly recommend you start with A Merry Little Meet Cute when you start reading holiday books in 10 months. 😆 They’re sexy and fun and they also have a ton of emotional depth with keen observations on life and relationships. Reading these books is like going to therapy (but also, please see a real therapist too!) with the way they get me to reflect.

I can’t recommend them enough and I can’t wait for the next book from this duo! (Please let there be a 3rd book or a new series! 🙏🏻🙏🏻)

Do you have any favorite author duos, either as co-authors or writing under one pen name?

What’s the weather like where you live?We’re finally getting some real snow this week! Which I don’t mind at all, but I’...
09/01/2024

What’s the weather like where you live?

We’re finally getting some real snow this week! Which I don’t mind at all, but I’m really not down with the 45 mph wind gusts today and the negative temps forecasted later this week. 🥶🥶

Snowed In for Christmas by Jacqueline Snowe was the first holiday read I bought myself last year. I knew nothing about it before I saw it on the shelf at the bookstore, but I was pulled in by the cute cover. Front-facing books at stores are totally my kryptonite. 😆

This forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine romance was as cute as its cover! Becca and Harrison had a bit of an enemies to lovers vibe too which made for some fun tension when they were snowed in together.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the commentary on the stereotypes about women and their jobs, and how assumptions are made based on hobbies and interests. Moral of the story: skip the judgy crap and get to know someone!

This isn’t exactly a sports romance, but it’s sports romance-adjacent. Harrison is a football coach and it’s part of his story, and there’s a bit of a side story with one of his players, but it doesn’t go as deep into the football details as some others I’ve read.

I saw this author has some other sportsy-romances on Kindle Unlimited so I’ll definitely be checking those out. I love finding new-to-me authors that have a backlist I can jump right into!

Are you still reading holiday books?I’m not reading any more, but I still have some reviews to write!The Christmas Wish ...
06/01/2024

Are you still reading holiday books?

I’m not reading any more, but I still have some reviews to write!

The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk was a cute Christmas romance and a quick read. Gwen is stuck in a repeating-Christmas-day loop and needs to figure out a way out - perhaps with the help of her cute childhood crush?!

I usually enjoy books and movies that have repeating days, but they can also be frustrating because it often feels like the main character isn’t learning the “lessons” fast enough and the story starts to drag a little. I felt that way a little bit with this book and I went back and forth on my feelings about the main character (I was definitely mentally shaking her a few times!), but overall I enjoyed the story.

One of my favorite parts of this book was Gwen’s family. I feel like Kelk always writes family relationships really well, with just enough extra drama to keep things interesting but not confusing.

You won’t find much seriousness in this book, but you will get a great holiday read, filled with funny characters, some light life lessons, and of course, romance!

What was your first book of the new year? I’ve read two books and they were both 5 stars! I can’t wait to share my reviews with you next week!

So grateful for the bookish community!Happy New Year’s Eve! Are you doing anything to celebrate? My sister is getting ma...
31/12/2023

So grateful for the bookish community!

Happy New Year’s Eve! Are you doing anything to celebrate? My sister is getting married today so we’ll be in full wedding celebration mode!! 💍🎊🍾

As the year comes to a close I just want to say again how very thankful I am for this community. It gives me a place to nerd out and talk about books and also share stories about life and my kiddos. You’re all the best!! 💖

One new bookish joy this holiday season was joining in .amber’s card exchange. I received the sweetest holiday cards and bookish goodies from so many new friends!!

Thank you so much Becca Josephine .read.it.and.eat Morgan Breann Shalimar .shali_bkshelf Kaitlin Jenna Andi and Anita for the sweet notes and fun extras!

I’m so excited about all my new stickers and bookmarks! These cards and surprises brightened my whole month. Can’t wait to do it again next year!

I hope you each have the best NYE, doing what you love! Whether it’s festivities until midnight or in bed by 9 pm! 😆

Book friends are the best friends!Earlier this month a group of the loveliest ladies did a Secret Santa gift exchange an...
28/12/2023

Book friends are the best friends!

Earlier this month a group of the loveliest ladies did a Secret Santa gift exchange and it was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season! It was my first year joining their amazing group and I got totally spoiled by ! 🥰

My present was filled with all the best bookish things! Bookmarks, a candle, socks, a holiday romance, and so much more! Swipe to see some of the goodies up close. 🤩

Thank you, Shaley, for making my day with this amazing package! And thank you to everyone in the group for being so welcoming and supportive! ❤️

Merry Christmas, friends!!I hope your day was filled with all the things you love most. ❤️ Hopefully a few books made th...
26/12/2023

Merry Christmas, friends!!

I hope your day was filled with all the things you love most. ❤️ Hopefully a few books made their way to your house!

🤩 A  new ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for your wishlist! 🤩As soon as I read the synopsis of Never Meant to Stay, this one jumped to t...
18/12/2023

🤩 A new ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for your wishlist! 🤩

As soon as I read the synopsis of Never Meant to Stay, this one jumped to the top of my tbr. And it didn’t disappoint! Easily 5 stars!

I just finished this joyful book by Trisha Das and I’ll be recommending it to everyone! The story revolves around one of my favorite elements in contemporary fiction - a big, boisterous, family. The characters were messy and complex yet the family loyalty and love shined through.

Samara is crashing with the Khanna family in Delhi after her diplomat dad is moved to Nigeria. Her big-hearted meddling in all of the family’s business was endearing and funny and made for a really good romcom.

The romance between Samara and Sharav blossomed from their forced proximity in Sharav’s family home, despite the stars really not being aligned for them. I enjoyed the realistic way their relationship was portrayed, with relatable, real-life hurdles. The slow-burn chemistry sizzled off the page as Samara and Sharav tried not to catch feelings because of reasons and I was flying through the chapters!

This book had the usual main two characters, but I feel like we got to know each supporting character almost as well. did a terrific job giving us enough detail to round out the story and making me feel like I was visiting the Khanna family myself. And each setting was described so beautifully! The garden and food descriptions had me wanting to find this fictional house in Delhi. 🤩

This is a must read, friends! It’s full of swoony, slow-burn romance, sweet friendships and found family, mouthwatering food descriptions, and lots of fun, over the top moments set during the Delhi winter wedding season. A total 5-star win!!

Thank you and Amazon Crossing for the gifted book!

How’s your December tbr looking?I’ve knocked out a ton of holiday books this month and I’m feeling really good about my ...
16/12/2023

How’s your December tbr looking?

I’ve knocked out a ton of holiday books this month and I’m feeling really good about my December reads.

This was my first holiday romance by Tessa Bailey and it delivered everything I’ve come to expect from her novels. Wreck the Halls was sweet, it was spicy, and it was so easy to sink into the story for a few enjoyable hours.

I thought the storyline was pretty unique, if maybe a *teensy* bit cheesy. But I can take a little cheese, especially around the holidays!

This book almost had a fated mates feel to it, even though it’s nowhere near a fantasy or sci fi novel. Is there a “meant to be” trope for contemporary romance?!

Sometimes the romance felt a little too insta love for me but overall the relationship between Melody and Beat was really sweet and endearing. And steamy of course! There was a nice bit of redemption and self forgiveness worked into the plot. And I mention that in this paragraph because it’s woven in with some of the intimate scenes, which I thought were well written.

This was a lovely afternoon escape from reality and I recommend it if you’re looking for a holiday binge read!

🎁 Wishlist Weekend! 🎁It feels like a great day to do a giveaway! 🎁 It’s Friday, there are only 10 days until Christmas, ...
15/12/2023

🎁 Wishlist Weekend! 🎁

It feels like a great day to do a giveaway! 🎁 It’s Friday, there are only 10 days until Christmas, and I’m feeling festive! I love this community so much and it’s the perfect time of year to say thank you for all the book recs, laughs, and friendship. ❤️

I want to give TWO of you a book off your wishlist (up to $15) and send you a $5 coffee card for your coffee shop of choice!

Here’s how to enter:

📚 Follow me (let’s stay friends!)
📚 Like and save this post
📚 Tag a friend or two in the comments

Extra entries:

☕️ Share this post, tag me, and come back and leave a 🎁 emoji in the comments
☕️ Tag as many more friends as you want - each comment is an entry!

Giveaway will run through Sunday night, 12/17. Must be willing to share wishlist and email address. Not affiliated with Instagram, Starbucks, or anyone else but myself. Beware of scammers! I’ll announce the winners on this post and in my stories.

Thank you for being here!! 🥰🥰

❄️ seasonal historical fiction recommendation! ❄️If you’re looking for a book that’s set during the holiday season but n...
12/12/2023

❄️ seasonal historical fiction recommendation! ❄️

If you’re looking for a book that’s set during the holiday season but not over the top Christmasy, give The Spectacular a try!

This historical fiction by Fiona Davis tells the story of Marion, who joins the Radio City Rockettes in 1956. Like all of Davis’ books, I was immediately pulling up google to find out what was actually based in truth. She does such a wonderful job of pulling me right into the story, eager for more details.

This one is told in dual timelines, but more time is spent in the past, which I enjoyed. The peek into 1956 New York was so fun!

This historical fiction has a bit of a historical mystery as well. It’s based on the true story of the NYC bombings and Marion plays a determined self-proclaimed detective. I really liked this mix of HF and almost-cozy-mystery vibes.

The Spectacular has a few scenes that will tug on your heartstrings so keep tissues nearby. Overall the book ends on an uplifting note and it’ll stick with me for a long time.

Have you ever been to NYC? Have you seen the Rockettes? I went to NYC for the first time last November with my sister and mom and we did go see the Rockettes! They were amazing! Swipe to see a few pictures. 💃🏻💃🏻

Thank you for sending me a beautiful finished copy of the book! I also was able to listen to part of the book on audio thanks to ! I’m so grateful for these generous publishing partners. 💕

🎄 Feel-good holiday read! 🎄Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey is one of my top holiday reads/audiobooks this season! This...
11/12/2023

🎄 Feel-good holiday read! 🎄

Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey is one of my top holiday reads/audiobooks this season! This was my first book by this author and I know I’ll be diving into her backlist because I enjoyed this one so much.

Faking Christmas was the perfect audiobook to listen to while I gift-shopped. The hilarious references to all of the holiday decor in Holly’s house had me laughing out loud as I wandered the aisles of Marshalls and Target. I’m also a sucker for cute decor with a themed quote on it! 🙋🏻‍♀️🎄

I really loved the fake dating/pretend marriage storyline, which never felt forced. Laurel and Max had great chemistry and I enjoyed the slow burn of their enemies to more relationship. The supporting characters, especially Gilbert, helped the main characters with their personal growth and important decisions and really just made the whole book so much better.

This is another closed door romance that will leave you with all the feel-good vibes of the holiday season. Highly recommend!

Thank you for the advanced listening copy of the book!

How’s your holiday shopping going? I’m mostly done but I plan to do some more browsing for fun little stocking stuffers!

✨ Cover Reveal Day! ✨Cover reveal days are always exciting but the excitement in our house for this particular cover has...
09/12/2023

✨ Cover Reveal Day! ✨

Cover reveal days are always exciting but the excitement in our house for this particular cover has been super high!

This is the 3rd book in my son’s absolute favorite series, The Islanders, by Mary Alice Monroe and Angela May. When I showed Parker the cover he immediately started jumping around, saying “buy it! Buy it! Buy it!” 🤣

I told him we couldn’t yet but it’ll be out next summer - June 18, 2024! He’ll be very impatiently waiting!

This series really speaks to Parker’s curiosity, his love of nature, and his constant hunt for the next adventure. We can’t wait to read Book 3!

Pre-order link in my stories!

Thanks to and for letting me join in on the cover reveal fun!

About The Book:

Jake Potter’s biggest dream finally comes true: he gets his very own boat! And it’s just in time for another summer of fun on Dewees Island with his best friends, Macon and Lovie.

But on their very first fishing trip, the engine dies, and the three friends find themselves adrift at sea. When a storm carries them to a small, uninhabited island far from Dewees, the kids must use every ounce of their strength, courage, and knowledge to survive as they wait for rescue. Will their friendship survive the ultimate test?

🎄🎧 Holiday Audiobook Rec! 🎧🎄It Happened One Christmas by Chantel Guertin was one of the first Christmas audiobooks I lis...
07/12/2023

🎄🎧 Holiday Audiobook Rec! 🎧🎄

It Happened One Christmas by Chantel Guertin was one of the first Christmas audiobooks I listened to this season and it set the perfect festive mood for the holidays!

This one is a spin on the classic holiday tale - city girl goes to a small town with a dream for her company. But in this case, there wasn’t anything malicious behind Zoey’s intentions in Chelsea, Quebec. But she did have a small town Mayor and Christmas tree farm owner to convince to be on her side! 😉

This was a really cute holiday romance, although not every scene was all gingerbread and snowflakes. Without spoiling too much, there were a few chapters where I was so nervous for the characters! I literally wanted all the warm beverages and blankets while listening to this one. 🥶

The audiobook narration by Amelia Sargisson was really terrific, and I loved the french accents of the townspeople. The whole listening experience was so cozy, just like the book itself. This is a fairly wholesome romance and it’s sure to bring a smile to the face of whoever is listening/reading, just like it did for me!

Thank you for the advanced copy and a chance to listen early!

🎄 Holiday Reads!🎄It’s my favorite month of the year! I love all the holidays and I love my birthday month but there’s so...
03/12/2023

🎄 Holiday Reads!🎄

It’s my favorite month of the year! I love all the holidays and I love my birthday month but there’s something just so magical about December!

Our calendar can be as busy and full as we want it with all of the local events happening, but we also leave plenty of time for holiday movie marathons, playing in the snow, and making cookies. ☃️

Featured here are some of my favorite holiday reads and a few that are on my tbr! I can’t resist snagging a couple new Christmas romances every year, even when I haven’t finished the ones I bought from the year before. (Book lover problems!)

Just for fun ➡️ I did a flatlay of some of my kids’ favorite holiday books too! 🤶 We’ve amassed quite the collection of Christmas picture books and this is only a small sampling. 😆 I’m not sad about it!

I know I’m going to need a romance genre palate cleanser in a few weeks, so tell me your favorite thriller or contemporary fiction set during the holiday season!

✨ Cover Reveal Day!! ✨I’ve been in a bit of a posting slump and recently took a 2 week break to recharge. So what’s the ...
30/11/2023

✨ Cover Reveal Day!! ✨

I’ve been in a bit of a posting slump and recently took a 2 week break to recharge. So what’s the one thing that’s guaranteed to pull me out of a booksta slump and make me excited to be back in this space?! A new Kristy Woodson Harvey book!!!

is gracing us with a new novel next year that I already want to shout about based on the cover and synopsis alone!

A Happier Life sounds like another one of her books where I’ll be wowed by her insightful observations about family, friendship, history, traditions, and the bonds that hold us together. Kristy writes her characters in a way that makes me feel like I’m making a new friend and I always think about them long after finishing a book.

Swipe over ➡️ to see the fabulous cover and read the book blurb! Safe to say I’m already so excited for this one and will be eagerly awaiting June 25th!

What other 2024 releases are already on your radar?

☃️ A new book for your child’s bookshelf! ☃️Joey T. and the Winter Holiday Worries is the latest in Sivan Hong’s Super F...
15/11/2023

☃️ A new book for your child’s bookshelf! ☃️

Joey T. and the Winter Holiday Worries is the latest in Sivan Hong’s Super Fun Day Series. This series is described as “motivational social stories that help neurodivergent children navigate and surmount challenges.” Each book tackles a different holiday or important day in a child’s life (such as the first day of school).

We’ve always used books in our family to help us have the hard conversations around worries, fears, and big feelings. Discovering Hong’s books has made me so happy because we now have more books in our “toolbox” to help us chat with our kids about the things that make them nervous or scared.

In addition to helping my own kids find ways to cope with changes, these books also help them understand what other children might be going through. My kids get very excited about the winter holidays and stories like this one help them see how others could feel differently.

This is an ideal read for both neurodiverse children (such as those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, etc.) and neurotypical kids who find alterations in routine challenging and sometimes feel overwhelmed, or who could benefit from understanding the perspective of others. (We could all benefit from this!)

As with Hong’s other books, this one has beautiful, vibrant illustrations (Hong is both author and illustrator!!) and a dyslexia-friendly font. I love how accessible the series is!

Thank you and for having me on the tour and sending me the book!

What’s been your favorite moment in November so far?For me, it was getting our heat and hot water back on yesterday!!! I...
14/11/2023

What’s been your favorite moment in November so far?

For me, it was getting our heat and hot water back on yesterday!!! If you were following my stories, you know that we were without heat and hot water for 4 ½ days. Following an accidental break in a main natural gas line, 37,000+ homes and businesses in my area were without gas. It was a weird and cold few days and we are forever grateful for the hundreds of utility workers who helped restore our towns!

In reading life, one of my recent favorites was You, Again by Kate Goldbeck. It had so many good early reviews from my friends with similar reading tastes that when I saw it as a BOTM choice in September, I immediately chose it!

This book feels complicated to review. I was completely sucked into the story and couldn’t put it down, but I also wasn’t in love with the characters. I wanted to root for them but it was so hard to watch them keep getting in their own way. 🫣 I was hoping for more personal growth rather than the band-aid solutions that popped up too quickly (to me) in the final chapters.

I also wanted more spice! 🫠 There are a ton of references to relationships and sexual encounters, but the actual steaminess of the book is fairly low. Ari and Josh have a very slow burn friends to lovers relationship and I found myself wishing the romance side would pick up a little faster.

All that being said, I truly enjoyed the way that Goldbeck wrote the male-female friendship and the way intimacy on a non-romantic level was portrayed. The messiness in all the characters was super relatable and the descriptive writing was flawless. It’s a heck of a debut!

If you enjoy character-driven novels and deep explorations of friendship and relationships, this book will absolutely be a win for you!

Interrupting your  ……to share a really cute Christmas book! If you would describe your favorite holiday movies and books...
10/11/2023

Interrupting your …

…to share a really cute Christmas book! If you would describe your favorite holiday movies and books as “warm and fuzzy” or “heartwarming,” The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Susan Wiggs needs to be on your holiday tbr!

Our main character Brenda is struggling to find the magic of Christmas, after multiple sad and disappointing events that happened around the holiday changed her outlook. When a cheerful colleague convinces her to take a roadtrip to deliver 12 feisty and cute rescue puppies to their new forever homes, there might be a few surprises in store that sway Brenda’s opinion.

The puppies are being delivered to a beautiful small town where the Christmas spirit is alive and well. The gorgeous, festive lakeside home, complete with a handsome single dad and a cute kid, was the perfect setting for this book. I was completely immersed in holiday cheer and rooting for Brenda to overcome her guilt and fears and find her HEA.

Wiggs’ latest is filled with the things that make Christmas meaningful: family, friends, and for some of us - a furry companion by your side!

Thank you for the arc and finished copy! 🤗🤗

My own rescue pup had to be in this photo, although he wasn’t thrilled about it. 😂 All 5 of our pets have been shelter rescues. Giving animals a second chance to live and be loved is such a joy for our family! ❤️

Do you have any pets? If not, do you wish you did? Or would you rather admire a cute animal from afar?

✨ Book Review + GIVEAWAY! ✨Happy pub day to Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal! This one immediately caught my interest and I...
07/11/2023

✨ Book Review + GIVEAWAY! ✨

Happy pub day to Barbacoa, Bomba, and Betrayal! This one immediately caught my interest and I picked it up to read as soon as it arrived. I hadn’t read a cozy mystery in a while and this was the perfect choice to get back into the genre.

Raquel V. Reyes wrote a book with twists and mysteries galore! In addition to the mystery fun, I also learned a heck of a lot about Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Reyes wove in facts about the culture, language, and food throughout the story, including a lot of detail about the Three Kings celebrations, which I knew little about beforehand.

The book has a lot of Spanish and spanglish in the dialogue, which I really enjoyed! It’s easy to understand if you’re not a Spanish speaker because of the clever way Reyes has her characters respond or confirm a detail in English.

The book is also diverse and inclusive, with LGBTQ characters and ones from multiple countries speaking multiple dialects. I went into this book with expectations of a fun whodunnit but got so much more from the story.

Now for the GIVEAWAY! generously sent me two copies so that I could share one with my followers to celebrate pub day! Thank you to the author and for these gifted books!

How to enter:

✨ Follow me, the author , , and
✨ Like and save this post
✨ Comment with your favorite food + tag two friends

For extra entries:

✨ Share this to your stories and come back and leave a 👑 in the comments
✨ Tag more friends! Two per comment = one entry

Giveaway will end on November 11th, 11:59 pm PST. Not affiliated with Instagram. Winner must be willing to share address so that I can mail the book. Thanks for entering!

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