Book Review / Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

 

In his first work of nonfiction since The Innocent Man, #1 bestselling author John Grisham and Centurion Ministries Founder Jim McCloskey share ten harrowing true stories of wrongful convictions. Impeccably researched and grippingly told, Framed offers an inside look at the injustice faced by the victims of the United States criminal justice system.

A fundamental principle of our legal system is a presumption of innocence, but once someone has been found guilty there is very little room to prove doubt. Framed shares ten true stories of men who were innocent but found guilty and forced to sacrifice friends, families, wives, and decades of their lives to prison while the guilty parties remained free. In each of the stories, John Grisham and Jim McCloskey recount the dramatic hard-fought battles for exoneration. They take a close look at what leads to wrongful convictions in the first place, and the racism, misconduct, flawed testimony, and the corrupt court system that can make them so hard to reverse.

Told with page-turning suspense as only John Grisham can deliver, Framed is the story of overcoming adversity when the battle already seems lost, and the deck is stacked against you.

Published:  15th October 2024 

Publisher:   Doubleday

Goodreads :  Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this book ...    This book was such an eye opener for me.  Living in England, I don't tend to hear a lot about stories like this in the news despite the fact that it probably does happen here also.  There are some truly heartbreaking stories in this book that I just couldn't believe even though its true.  What made this book even more interesting was the fact that you had two different perspectives, both authors.  One from the side of an author who used to practice law and one from the founder of an organisation that is dedicated to the vindication of the wrongly convicted.   

Would I recommend?  Absolutely.  This is such an important read even for those who live outside of the US.  

Series Review / The Empyrean (Fourth Wing) Series (Books 1, 2 and 3) by Rebecca Yarros

 

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die

Published:  Book 1 (2nd May 2023), Book 2 (7th November 2023) and Book 3 (21st January 2025 

Publisher:  Red Tower Books / Platkus

Goodreads :  Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Books 1, 2 and 3, The Empyrean

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story so far ..  I adore this series so far!  It may be better to list here what I didn't like about this story because it wouldn't be a long list.  The writing was easy to read and follow.  The story was addicting, for me, right from the first page.  There are characters that I both like and dislike (sometimes both for the same character).  If I had to pick one thing that I liked the most about this series so far it would have to be the history of the world and certain characters.  I am not going to spoil it for those who either haven't started the series or have not read all of the books yet but there are certain characters where its obvious that there's a lot more history to be discovered.  That's not mentioning the world they are living in which I feel like there's so much more we don't know about yet.  I can't wait for the next book, but I fear I may be in for a bit of wait....

Would I recommend?  Absolutely!  Not too complicated and so much fun to read.  Book 3 read a lot slower than the first two books but feels to me to be more of a book in the series that is laying down the ground work for the next books.  

Book Review / The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins

 

What if the key to happiness, success, and love was as simple as two words?

If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words—Let Them—will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands—and this book will show you exactly how to do it.

In her latest groundbreaking book, The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins—New York Times bestselling author and one of the world's most respected experts on motivation, confidence, and mindset—teaches you how to stop wasting energy on what you can't control and start focusing on what truly YOU. Your happiness. Your goals. Your life.

Using the same no-nonsense, science-backed approach that's made The Mel Robbins Podcast a global sensation, Robbins explains why The Let Them Theory is already loved by millions and how you can apply it in eight key areas of your life to make the biggest impact. Within a few pages, you'll realize how much energy and time you've been wasting trying to control the wrong things—at work, in relationships, and in pursuing your goals—and how this is keeping you from the happiness and success you deserve.

Written as an easy-to-understand guide, Robbins shares relatable stories from her own life, highlights key takeaways, relevant research and introduces you to world-renowned experts in psychology, neuroscience, relationships, happiness, and ancient wisdom who champion The Let Them Theory every step of the way.

Learn how

Stop wasting energy on things you can't control Stop comparing yourself to other peopleBreak free from fear and self-doubtRelease the grip of people's expectationsBuild the best friendships of your lifeCreate the love you deservePursue what truly matters to you with confidenceBuild resilience against everyday stressors and distractionsDefine your own path to success, joy, and fulfillment. . . and so much more.

The Let Them Theory will forever change the way you think about relationships, control, and personal power. Whether you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter, or simply create more happiness in your life and relationships, this book gives you the mindset and tools to unlock your full potential.

Published:  24th December 2024

Publisher:  Hay House 

Goodreads : Click to open

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this ...  Mel Robbins is a person who I have been introduced to fairly recently and discovering her ideas and work has been very interesting.    This book was a very useful reminder on how to deal with situations like this on a day to day basis.  

What I wasn't fond of with this ...  Although not necessarily a negative, but this is not a new theory and is one that I have come across before.

Would I recommend?  If this concept is new to you I would recommend giving it a go as a introduction to this concept.  

Book Review / The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens.

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

Published:  26th February 2019

Publisher:  Bloomsbury

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 1, The Roots of Chaos

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW 

What I loved about this story...  Wow, what a story.  I already adore this author's writing so I was very excited to start reading this (despite this being on my TBR since it came out in 2019 - whoops!).  It was probably because it is a chunkier of a book at 845 pages long and the text is not very large.  Yes, this took me a while to read both because of its length and the fact that the story was very dense I needed to take my time reading this rather than trying to read it at a quick or even normal pace for me but I enjoyed every minute of reading it.  

Would I recommend?  Absolutely, for those who likes a very dense fantasy style story that you can get stuck into and you'll be a while in you should pick this up.  I will be planning to continue this series but I think I am going to wait until its completed and start back from the beginning again so that I can binge and spend a considerable amount of time in this world.  I can't wait!

Book Review / Burn the Negative by Josh Winning

 

In this incendiary mash-up of horror and suspense, a notorious slasher film is remade…and the curse that haunted it is reawakened.

Arriving in L.A. to visit the set of a new streaming horror series, journalist Laura Warren witnesses a man jumping from a bridge, landing right behind her car. Here we go, she thinks. It’s started. Because the series she’s reporting on is a remake of a ’90s horror flick. A cursed ’90s horror flick, which she starred in as a child—and has been running from her whole life.

In The Guesthouse, Laura played the little girl with the terrifying gift to tell people how the Needle Man would kill them. When eight of the cast and crew died in ways that eerily mirrored the movie’s on-screen deaths, the film became a cult classic—and ruined her life. Leaving it behind, Laura changed her name and her accent, dyed her hair, and moved across the Atlantic. But some scripts don’t want to stay buried.

Now, as the body count rises again, Laura finds herself on the run with her aspiring actress sister and a jaded psychic, hoping to end the curse once and for all—and to stay out of the Needle Man’s lethal reach.

Published:  11th July 2023  

Publisher:  Penguin

Goodreads : Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...   This story was so much fun for me to read.  Following Laura as she visits LA, obviously with a past that we need to know more about, we see her tryign to investigate a new reboot of a 90s horror movie which she starred in as a child.  What I loved the most was finding out more and more about what happened in the last to Laura and why it matters in the present day story.  I found that the more fascinating part of this story...

What I didn't like about this story...  This story was a little predictable for me so I would have loved to have had some more twists and turns that took me by surprise.  

Would I recommend?  Absolutely.  This book was fun to read with a very interesting back story that kept me intrigued.  I also very much enjoyed this author's style of writing and shall definitely be picking up more books by this person in the future.  

Book Review / A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson

 

A newlywed librarian begins to suspect the man she married might be a murderer—in this spectacularly twisty and deviously clever novel by Peter Swanson, New York Times bestselling author of The Kind Worth Killing and Eight Perfect Murders.

Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she’d likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her job as an archival librarian, constantly surrounded by thought-provoking ideas and the books she loved. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured divorcee with a job that took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger.

A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern—five unsolved cases of murdered women.

Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . . but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.

Published:  11th June 2024

Publisher:  Harper

Goodreads : Click Here - opens in new window

Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 3, Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

 

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this novel, but I'll try!  Firstly, and more importantly, I have to mention that yes this is book 3 in a series but no you don't have to read the stories before it to read this one and make it make sense.  Yes, I would recommend reading the first two books as you would get a better experience all round, but you don't have to if you don't want to. 

This story took me down so many twists and turns I really wasn't sure where it was going to end up, and I really enjoyed the ride.  This story really tested me in my belief of how I feel about characters and whether my instincts are actually right.  

This is such a fun and unnerving thriller that kept me guessing until nearly the end!  Would highly recommend...

Book Review / The Sapphire Widow by Dinah Jefferies

 

A sweeping, breath-taking story of love and betrayal from the Number One Sunday Times bestselling author of The Tea Planter's Wife.

Ceylon, 1935. Louisa Reeve, the daughter of a successful British gem trader, and her husband Elliot, a charming, thrill-seeking businessman, seem like the couple who have it all. Except what they long for more than anything: a child.

While Louisa struggles with miscarriages, Elliot is increasingly absent, spending much of his time at a nearby cinnamon plantation, overlooking the Indian ocean. After his sudden death, Louisa is left alone to solve the mystery he left behind. Revisiting the plantation at Cinnamon Hills, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn towards the owner Leo, a rugged outdoors man with a chequered past. The plantation casts a spell, but all is not as it seems. And when Elliot's shocking betrayal is revealed, Louisa has only Leo to turn to...

Published:  22nd February 2018

Publisher:  Viking

Goodreads :  Click here - opens in new window

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...

I always look forward to reading a story by this author as I know the story is going to be beautiful.  The descriptions of the scenery alone just makes you feel like you are right there where the story takes place, like this one which is in Sri Lanka.  I can't say whether the descriptions are acurate because I've never visited but it felt real.  Along with that, I liked the mystery of Louisa's husband, Elliot.  Who was he and what secrets did he have?  

What I wasn't fond of with this story...

This was a very slow read for me but this may be my fault as I was interested in the story for the mystery of Louisa's husband and it just took a long while to get to the point.  I also found that the character of Louisa could have been portrayed better, for example I felt like she could have had more depth to her and given more strength than she had given that she has already travelled away from the home country that she knows and her family, to live with her husband in a new country.  I felt that she could have been a stronger character than I experienced when reading the story.   That said, I did enjoy the story for what it is but this would have been a 5 star read if written slightly differently, for me.  

Book Review / The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

 

The first rule of book club: You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

Published:  5th November 2019

Publisher:  Berkley

Goodreads : Link here - opens in new window

Series or Stand-Alone:  Book 1, Bromance Book Club 

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...

Now this was a really fun story to read.  I had seen this about a lot back when it first came out in 2019 and had always meant to get around to it and never had until now.  I wanted to pick up something that looked fun (I was right!) but something that wasn't being hyped right now.  What I liked the most was the fact that the main character, and a lot of the supporting characters, were male.  I am sure that there are lots of stories like this but I have usually picked up stories like this where there's always a female as the main character.  Being a woman, I can't comment on whether it was an acurate portrayal of men and how they think but it seemed pretty real to me.  I liked the fact that it felt like there was a genuine men's friend group helping each other, or having fun.  

What I wasn't fond of with this story...

Honestly, there wasn't anything specific that I didn't like about this story but it was one of those books that I had fun with, but don't feel the 'pull' to pick up the other books in this series.  That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the writing and would pick up something else by this author but maybe not in this series.

Would I recommend this...

Yes, this was so much fun to read and is a great 'beach' read, or at any time of year you feel like it!

Book Review / Rage by Richard Bachman [aka Stephen King]

 

At 9:05 a.m. in Room 16 of Placerville High School Mrs Underwood realised that she had to go back to the basics in Algebra. The exam results had not been good.

At 9:50 the change-of-class bell rang. But in Room 16 Algebra was already long over. For Mrs Underwood, over for ever. She lay dead on the floor, shot through the head, her eyes still wide open, her blood already dark and congealed as a fly settled hungrily on her bare neck. Mr Vance was dead as well. The bullet had caught him full in the throat as he came through the door.

The kids were still there, not hurt but not going anywhere. The boy with the gun, sitting so casually on the edge of the teacher's desk, had decided that. He watched and waited as outside the police circled and conferred. School had been evacuated. Except for Room 16 where the kids still had a lot to learn.

The end of the first lesson. Time for a second, a third. A whole timetable of terror stretching ahead of them...

Published:  6th September 1977

Publisher:  Signet

Goodreads : Link Here - Opens in new window

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW

What I liked about this story...

As disturbing of a story this is, I couldn't put it down.  Following Charlie Decker, and the rest of the class including the teacher, as he plunges deeper and deeper into his 'rage'.  I would have to say that if you wanted to read a story that takes you complete out of your comfort zone and makes you so uncomfortable that you want to put the book in another room, or out of the house, this is one of those!  

What I wasn't fond of with this story...

This is not necessarily a complete negative but this story was very uncomfortable to read, which I guess is the point of this plot, but didn't make for an easy read considering the topic also.  

 

Trilogy Review / The Atlas Six, The Atlas Paradox and The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake

 

The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation.

Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications.

When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will.

Most of them.

Published:  2020 (Book 1), 2022 (Book 2) and 2024 (Book 3)

Publisher:  Tor

Goodreads :  Link to Goodreads Page

Series or Stand-Alone:  Trilogy - Books 1, 2 and 3

Source:  Bought

MY REVIEW 

What I loved about this trilogy...

For me, this trilogy was a lot of fun to read.  I particularly enjoyed following each of the characters to learn, as they learn, what they are capable of, how they are going to use it and how they interact with the other characters.  The writing in this story was also beautiful to follow.  I was immediately drawn in and didn't want to stop reading.  

What I wasn't fond of in this trilogy...

I would have loved a few more surprises.  Yes, there were a few twists and turns but most of them I had already guessed at by the time I got to that point.  That's not to say that I didn't enjoy the ride the story took, but would have loved to have been surprised by some things.   I would have also loved to have learned more about the history of some or all of the characters than we did...

Would I recommend this trilogy...

Absolutely, yes.  If you are a fan of dark academia style stories, in particular stories like Babel, this might be right up your street.  

Book Review / Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

 

If you knew your future, would you try to fight fate?

Aside from a delay, there will be no problems. The flight will be smooth, it will land safely. Everyone who gets on the plane will get off. But almost all of them will be forever changed.

Because on this ordinary, short, domestic flight, something extraordinary happens. People learn how and when they are going to die. For some, their death is far in the future—age 103!—and they laugh. But for six passengers, their predicted deaths are not far away at all.

How do they know this? There were ostensibly more interesting people on the flight (the bride and groom, the jittery, possibly famous woman, the giant Hemsworth-esque guy who looks like an off-duty superhero, the frazzled, gorgeous flight attendant) but none would become as famous as “The Death Lady.”

Not a single passenger or crew member will later recall noticing her board the plane. She wasn’t exceptionally old or young, rude or polite. She wasn’t drunk or nervous or pregnant. Her appearance and demeanor were unremarkable. But what she did on that flight was truly remarkable.

A few months later, one passenger dies exactly as she predicted. Then two more passengers die, again, as she said they would. Soon no one is thinking this is simply an entertaining story at a cocktail party.

If you were told you only had a certain amount of time left to live, would you do things differently? Would you try to dodge your destiny?

Liane Moriarty’s Here One Moment is a brilliantly constructed tale that looks at free will and destiny, grief and love, and the endless struggle to maintain certainty and control in an uncertain world. A modern-day Jane Austen who humorously skewers social mores while spinning a web of mystery, Moriarty asks profound questions in her newest I-can’t-wait-to-find-out-what-happens novel.

2 STARS

For more information, check out the Goodreads link below:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208516656-here-one-moment

MY REVIEW

Liane Moriarty is an author I have been wanting to pick up for literally years now.  This story intrigued me so much I just had to get on with it and pick it up.  Now, this review makes me kind of sad really and is more of a reflection on my reading tastes rather than the actual book. 

I really didn't have a good time reading this and I think the main reason for this is the multiple character perspective aspect.  There are a lot of characters in this story and a lot of perspectives and views to follow.  I really struggled to follow and care for any of the characters, no matter what they do. 

Also, the story for me dragged.  It took god knows how many pages at the start (probably too long) sitting on the plane for the introduction.

I am glad I picked this up and gave it a change but I am going to mark this as a not for me type of book.

Waiting on Wednesday / Trial by Fire by Danielle Steel

 

Waiting on Wednesday was a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog that I really enjoyed blogging about in the post, so I thought I would bring it back!  Below is this week's pick!

 

 

 

 In this inspiring novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, the life of a Parisian woman changes in a heartbeat when she’s trapped by wildfires in Napa Valley.Born to a French mother and American father, graceful Dahlia de Beaumont has been sole owner and CEO of the venerable family perfume business based in Paris since her early twenties, following the death of her parents. For twenty-five years, after losing her young skier husband in an avalanche, her life has centered on running Lambert Perfumes and being a devoted single mother to her four now-adult indecisive Charles, volatile Alexa, kind-hearted business visionary Delphine, and dreamy artist Emma. Now fifty-six, she has an “arrangement” with a married French man but has been questioning that relationship.Dahlia comes to San Francisco on a routine business trip to check on her stores in the States. But shortly after her arrival, brush fires ignite in Napa Valley. Watching the sweeping devastation on the news, Dahlia is moved to help. But doing so will bring unforeseen consequences that endanger not only her life, but her entire future. Forced to remain in San Francisco in the aftermath, she will make unexpected connections while also fighting to protect all she has worked for. What Dahlia learns will provide a new perspective of her life, forever changing what really matters to her and what comes next for her journey.With this uplifting novel, Danielle Steel beautifully dramatizes how life’s unforeseen challenges can sow the seeds for growth and a fresh chance at love—if one is willing to take the risk.

 

Expected Publication:  19th November 2024

Publisher:   Delacorte

Goodreads Link:   Click Here

Series or Stand Alone:   Stand Alone

Waiting on Wednesday / The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Waiting on Wednesday was a weekly memo that is hosted by Breaking the Spine Blog that I really enjoyed blogging about in the post, so I thought I would bring it back!  Below is this week's pick!

 

 

 When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate—along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish—pass to her adopted son, Camden.

But to everyone’s surprise, Cam wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.

Ten years later, Camden is a McTavish in name only, but a summons in the wake of his uncle’s death brings him and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but coming home reminds Cam why he was so quick to leave in the first place.

Jules, however, has other ideas, and the more she learns about Cam’s estranged family—and the twisted secrets they keep—the more determined she is for her husband to claim everything Ruby once intended for him to have.

But Ruby’s plans were always more complicated than they appeared. As Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will—and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.

 

 

Expected Publication for this Edition:  5th November 2024

Publisher:   St Martin's Griffin

Goodreads Link:   Click Here

Series or Stand Alone:   Stand Alone

Genres:   Mystery and Thriller 

Book Review / Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

 

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

Published:  2nd April 2024

Publisher:  Platkus

Goodreads :   Click Here

Series or Stand-Alone:  Stand-Alone

Source:  Bought

Genres:     Contemporary Romance

Pages:  432 pages, Paperback

MY REVIEW

What I loved about this story...  I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this novel.  This is the first story I have picked up from this author and it certainly won't be the last.  I found the writing style easy to read, which is what I was after with a contemporary romance.  I really wanted Justin to win in this book, and of course also Emma.  The fact that you have an unlikeable character in her mother and seeing her story play out as well along side was entertaining to say the least.   Read this in one sitting and don't regret it.  Would read it over and over again for sure!

Would I recommend... Absolutely.  Read it now!