emileereadsbooks's reviews
1119 reviews

I am always happy to revisit Oakley Island and will read anything Emma St Clair and Jenny Proctor out out so this novella was a no brainer for me. And once again these two marry ridiculous hijinks and endearing reality so well. They also are excellent at tension without malice. This is not enemies to lovers, so not that kind of tension, but the couple does have some payback to dish out and it felt very real to what I would experience around my family table. Justifiable and forgivable. 

Also this is set at Christmas but not overly Christmas-y. Don't limit your reading of it just to the holiday season. 

This whole series would make for excellent TV. Certain scenes especially popped off the page for me and I could imagine them on a screen. 

This is a closed door rom com novella that revisits a series, but it could be read as a standalone. 

Want to be whisked away to an English manor house to celebrate a Victorian Christmas? Than look no further because this book will transport and delight you. Ned is the most stoic of gentlemanly callers, but you are rooting for him and Sophie with all you have to let go and give in to their feelings. The tension, the pacing, the conflict are all so we'll excuses that the payoff is quite sweet. 

Written in small vignettes that she weaves together in a spider web of overlap and fascination, this book does really elevate the stories of the small and the mighty who made a difference in America to make her what she is today. I really enjoyed floating in and out of these stories and being inspired by these lives lived selflessly! Plus Sharon wrote and narrated this in such a congenial tone that the whole thing was a delight to take in. 

Thanks to Revell for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

What a fun holiday read. Full of holiday cheer, the real meaning of Christmas, and childlike exuberance, this romance will have you wanting to curl up with some hot chocolate and warm apple pie by the fire. Whitney and Daniel are so tender and sweet as they fall for one another. I loved how they immediately saw each other as no one else had seen them before. I love the instant connection (this is not insta love here). Plus the secondary characters Aretha (the meddling old lady), and Julia Mae (the intuitive and matter of fact child) added some good levity and insight into the plot.

I haven't read Liz Johnson before but I will definitely be seeking out more of her books and looking for the rest of the books in this series.

This was a fun read for the Christmas season. Light frothy holiday fun. But it didn't have anything that will stick with me.

Lots of food details, especially about specific cheese and wines. Even down to brands of wines and what it pairs well with. It got very old after a while. We don't need details of every single meal. More emotional details would have been much better. 

Plus, I wish the audiobook had different voices for the different characters. The perspectives of three women of all different ages, but with the same voice was a bit bland.

Overall a fun and yet unmemorable Christmas read. 

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's for the gifted title. All opinions are my own. 

In a season of not wanting to read many thrillers, TJ Newman is an exception to the rule! This one is another plane based thriller, but most of the action is from people on the ground. I think this is the hardest of all of Newman's thrillers to read as a parent. There are several parent and child pairs here that are tested and I was emotional more than once listening. 

Newman hits the right balance once again of tension, action, and human groundedness that define her books and will keep me as a loyal reader.

Content Warnings: Language, death, serious radiation sickness
 
Thanks to Hachette Audio for my audio copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

 

Spring 1914: Amos and Charlotte have dreamed of a life together since they were children. But, her role in society is forcing her into a loveless marriage with a future Earl. This love triangle is further complicated by the fact that both these men head off to war, but only one will return. 

Autumn 1940: Instead of living out their childhood dream of joint ownership of a bookshop, Amos and Charlotte own rival bookshops and do not interact. He is haunted by what he saw on the battlefield and the scars it left him with, and she is occupied with her daughter and upholding her husband's legacy. 

But as war swoops in and disrupts their lives, it causes them to lay aside their past and work together to face the enemy clawing at their door. 

_____

I have gotten to a place where I sometimes have to convince myself to read a historical fiction novel, and this one reminded me of why I still love this subset of the genre. It is filled with raw emotion, and the way the secrets are teased and unveiled throughout the novel were so masterful done, I was constantly intrigued and rooting for each of these lovely characters. 

Plus, in the hands of a non-Christian author this could have some very different plot points, but Cambron proves that good stories don't have to contend with the kind of content we want to consume. 

This was my first Cambron novel, but will not be my last! 

Content Note: Alcoholism, death, war, bombings

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the gifted book. All opinions are my own. 

What a fun middle grade locked room mystery! I loved the empty school setting and the feeling of the storm raging outside while an emotional storm was sweeping the halls. I may have picked out the culprit from the start, but it did not dampen my enjoyment of this middle grade delight. The cooking show element was well done and a great way to get explore who each of the characters were.

I will note, sometimes it was hard to ground myself in which girl's pov we were getting, even though there were two different narrators. Maybe it's because I was listening quickly, but it kept throwing me off. 

Content Note: attempted murder, bullying, loss of a parent (past), middle grade romantic interest, female/female romantic couple

Gracie Ruth Mitchell balances the mystery and romance genres so well here. They play so well off of each other. And Soren and Heidi’s chemistry is so fun. She is so quirky and he is dialed in. 

Plus a he falls first trope will give me butterflies every time. Yes please. 

Content Note: death, murder, attempted murder, infidelity 

This was my introduction to Gracie Ruth Mitchell and I’m so glad I started my fan girldom here. She can write chemistry that is palpable and has you rooting for the characters so fully. A murder mystery full of humor and heart, plus a love story that could be a book on it’s own, this book gets all the love because it is practically perfect. 

Content Note: murder, difficult childhood, food insecurity, foster care, sexual assault, death of loved ones, alcoholism