Thanks so much to the author, Andrews McMeel, and NetGalley for the complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.
TW (from the book) : “This book contains sensitive material relating to: child abuse, toxic relationships, sexual assault, eating disorders, mental illness, self-harm, sexism, suicide, trauma, & possibly more. Remember to practice self-care before, during, and after reading.”
Amanda Lovelace’s collections are never easy to read, for obvious reasons based on the content (I mean, just look at all of the trigger warnings listed above and in the beginning of the book). But her books always mean the world to me as a read them, and they tend to stick with me for longer than a lot of the other books that I read, specifically collections of poetry.
Similar to Break Your Glass Slippers (the first collection in Lovelace’s You Are Your Own Fairy Tale series) and her Women Are Some Kind of Magic series, this book looks really deep into how women are treated. While a lot of her collections are about a woman treating herself well, and not letting others treat her poorly, Shine Your Icy Crown also shines a special light at how women treat each other. The competition that just about all women find themselves in with each other, whether they want to be competing with each other or not.
I have read all of the collections that this author has written, and I always feel like each one means more to me than the last, and that I can revisit each of them when I need them. They are all difficult reads, but at the same time they are so inspiring, and really damn liberating.
Overall I would absolutely recommend this collection to any of my friends, but even more so to all of my female friends. While there are some really intense triggers that are involved in these stories, if you are able to safely read these collections then I think you will be able to get something meaningful out of it. I think the perfect way to read this collection would be either right before or during an active form of self care. If that is reading it in bed, listening to your favorite album, cuddling your pet, or reading it in a relaxing bubble bath.
Additional Collections from Amanda Lovelace:
You Are Your Own Fairy Tale series
Break Your Glass Slippers (check out my review here!)
All opinions are entirely my own. All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.
Listen to me discuss this book more in depth on the new episode of The Same Page Podcast, which is being released today – 01/15/2021! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music by searching The Same Page.
TW: murder, wrongful death, description of torture, hunting, tense scenes
Okay. So we all know that this is one of the biggest series on the bookish side of the internet, which puts a lot of hype around these books. Hype can be good because it can get you to go out of your comfort zone and read something that maybe you wouldn’t normally pick up. But hype can also build up expectations that mean if the book doesn’t meet or exceed them then it will feel like a let down. So considering this book was already a genre that I don’t read very often, I was nervous to pick this book up in case it didn’t live up to the hype with me.
That being said, even though it isn’t a genre that I read very often, this book absolutely lived up to the hype for me. I would even say that this book made me want to read more fantasy! And honestly now I’m mad at my TBR that I may not have time to read the rest of this series in the next couple of months.
Maas does a beautiful job of building the world for this story. One thing that I always used to struggle with in regards to the large, sweeping fantasies, was understanding the other world that it may have taken place in, or feeling invested in the lives of non-human background characters. But I didn’t find myself having either of those problems with this book. Characters were introduced in a way that helped me to instantly understand who/what they were and how they fit into the world of the story.
As far as the main characters, I thought that they were all really interesting in the way that they were written. None of them were written in ways that made them seem like “perfect people,” which I always really appreciate in my characters, but they were all still characters that I felt like I could easily sympathize with. Feyre, the female lead, was exactly the strong, badass lady that I look for in my books. I just love a lady who can come to her own rescue, and the rescue of others when needed. I also really enjoyed her sister Nesta more than I had expected to at the beginning, and I am excited to get to hear more of her story in the later books in the series.
Overall, I really loved this book. It lived up to all of the hype for me, which was a wonderfully pleasant surprise. I think that the perfect way to read this book would be inside but with all of the windows open, letting in lots of beautiful sunlight, and ideally overlooking a spring garden. Is that too weirdly specific?
I mean it when I say I’m upset with the other books that I have to read in the next month or two, because I am wishing I could just sit down and read the rest of these books before the newest book comes out next month. If you need me at any point in the next few months, I will be locked inside trying to binge read this series. Only disturb if you bring wine.
Additional Stories in the ACOTAR series:
A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2)
A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3)
A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOTAR #3.1)
A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4) (Pub: February 2021)
All opinions are entirely my own. All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.
This was such a fun, fast, and sometimes borderline silly read! This had been on my TBR list since it first came out, but for any number of reasons it kept getting pushed to the bottom of the list, and kept getting put off to the next month, and then the next month, and then the next. But I finally read it in August for a book club discussion, and I am so glad that I did! There were so many parts that I fully laughed out loud as I was reading, and I can’t wait to dive in to the sequel and get more Holly Banks in my life!
Holly Banks is such a funny character to me. She was equal parts a relatable, realistic and caricature. Which, I know, is a crazy way to describe someone, and it sounds like those two things would cancel each other out. But if you’ve read it, I think you’ll know what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t, I guess you have to trust me. But either way, she was so much fun, and I really enjoyed reading her story and getting to peak into her mind.
I will also say that at moments the story itself did tip-toe the line between realistic and silly. One moment she could be sitting and talking to another PTA mom in a security office, and the next she’s chasing that other mom around the school yard and spitting pieces of cookies at her. But those moments were very fun to me, and felt like the author was letting herself and the book have fun, and maybe not taking themselves too seriously, which I really enjoyed. It felt like in a movie or TV show when it jumps into a dream sequence and we get to see that character finally give another character a piece of their mind, or they punch someone in the face and then it turns out it was all in their mind. While these weren’t dream sequences in the same way, because these slightly wild things were actually happening in the case of Holly Banks, but it had that same feeling to it. And I found those scenes just so funny!
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to friends and other readers. It was a fairly light (with a few exceptions) and fun read, and it is a really quick read as well. I flew through this book! I would say that the perfect way to read this book is with a very, very large glass of wine, and with no My Little Ponies in sight!
Hello friends – happy Tuesday! And welcome to my first weekly (hopefully) post of the new releases that I was lucky enough to get an early copy of, and have either already read or are upcoming on my #TBR.
These books could be gifted from the publisher through sites like NetGalley or Edelweiss+, they could be electronic copies gifted directly to me from the publisher or the author, an early audiobook copy through the publisher or Libro.fm, or even a physical copy that has been sent to me from the author or publisher. I am so thankful for all of the reading opportunities that I am given through these various sources, and I am excited to start sharing these new releases!
In these weekly posts I will include a 20% review if I am currently reading the book, as well as a link to my full review if I have already finished the book. And if I have not yet started the book by the time this is posted, I will leave those spots blank and edit the post to add them in later!
The Lost Manuscript
Author: Cathy Bonidan; Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Day: January 12, 2021
Thanks so much to the St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of this #CurrentRead of mine!
Description from Goodreads:
The Lost Manuscript is a charming epistolary novel about the love of books and magical ability they have to bring people together.
Sometimes a book has the power to change your life…
When Anne-Lise Briard books a room at the Beau Rivage Hotel for her vacation on the Brittany coast, she has no idea this trip will start her on the path to unearthing a mystery. In search of something to read, she opens up her bedside table drawer in her hotel room, and inside she finds an abandoned manuscript. Halfway through the pages, an address is written. She sends pages to the address, in hopes of potentially hearing a response from the unknown author. But not before she reads the story and falls in love with it. The response, which she receives a few days later, astonishes her…
Not only does the author write back, but he confesses that he lost the manuscript 30 years prior on a flight to Montreal. And then he reveals something even more shocking—that he was not the author of the second half of the book.
Anne-Lise can’t rest until she discovers who this second mystery author is, and in doing so tracks down every person who has held this manuscript in their hands. Through the letters exchanged by the people whose lives the manuscript has touched, she discovers long-lost love stories and intimate secrets. Romances blossom and new friends are made. Everyone’s lives are made better by this book—and isn’t that the point of reading? And finally, with a plot twist you don’t see coming, she uncovers the astonishing identity of the author who finished the story.
20% Review:
I am only a few chapters in to this book, but it is already so sweet! So far the story is being told entirely through letters and written correspondence, which I think just adds such a heartfelt glow to a story. And I love the idea that it is the story of these people becoming friends based off of this book that just happens to pass through their hands at various points in their lives. Who hasn’t ever found a book in a secondhand shop and wanted it to lead them to their new best friend, right?
Check out my full review here:
(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)
Gone to the Woods
Author: Gary Paulsen; Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Publication Day: January 12, 2021
Thanks so much to Macmillan for inviting me to read this book through NetGalley.
Description from Goodreads:
A middle grade memoir, giving readers a new perspective on the origins of Gary Paulsen’s famed survival stories.
His name is synonymous with high-stakes wilderness survival stories. Now, author Gary Paulsen portrays a series of life-altering moments from his turbulent childhood as his own original survival story. If not for his summer escape from a shockingly neglectful Chicago upbringing to a North Woods homestead at age five, there never would have been a Hatchet. Without the encouragement of the librarian who handed him his first book at age thirteen, he may never have become a reader. And without his desperate teenage enlistment in the Army, he would not have discovered his true calling as a storyteller.
20% Review:
(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)
Check out my full review here:
(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)
The Listening Path
Author: Julia Cameron; Publisher: MacMillan Audio
Audiobook Narrated by: Eliza Foss & Julia Cameron
Publication Day: January 12, 2021
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio and Libro.fm for the complimentary advanced audio copy of this book!
Description from Goodreads:
A 6-week Artist’s Way Program from legendary author Julia Cameron
The newest book from beloved author Julia Cameron, The Listening Path is a transformational journey to deeper, more profound listening and creativity. Over six weeks, readers will be given the tools to become better listeners—to their environment, the people around them, and themselves. The reward for learning to truly listen is immense. As we learn to listen, our attention is heightened and we gain healing, insight, clarity. But above all, listening creates connections and ignites a creativity that will resonate through every aspect of our lives.
Julia Cameron is the author of the explosively successful book The Artist’s Way, which has transformed the creative lives of millions of readers since it was first published. Incorporating tools from The Artist’s Way, The Listening Path offers a new method of creative and personal transformation.
Each week, readers will be challenged to expand their ability to listen in a new way, beginning by listening to their environment and culminating in learning to listen to silence. These weekly practices open up a new world of connection and fulfillment. In a culture of bustle and constant sound, The Listening Path is a deeply necessary reminder of the power of truly hearing.
20% Review:
(This will be added at a later date, once I start listening to this book!)
Check out my full review here:
(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)
Murder on the Menu
Author: Fiona Leitch; Publisher: One More Chapter (HarperCollins UK)
Publication Day: January 15, 2021
Thanks so much to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the gifted electronic copy of this book!
Description from Goodreads:
The first book in a NEW cosy mystery series! Still spinning from the hustle and bustle of city life, Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker is glad to be back in the Cornish village she calls home. Having quit the Met Police in search of something less dangerous, the change of pace means she can finally start her dream catering company and raise her daughter, Daisy, somewhere safer.
But there’s nothing like having your first job back at home to be catering an ex-boyfriend’s wedding to remind you of just how small your village is. And when the bride, Cheryl, vanishes Jodie is drawn into the investigation, realising that life in the countryside might not be as quaint as she remembers…
With a missing bride on their hands, there is murder and mayhem around every corner but surely saving the day will be a piece of cake for this not-so-amateur sleuth?
The first book in the Murder on the Menu cosy mystery series. Can be read as a standalone. A humorous cosy mystery with a British female sleuth in a small village. Includes one of Jodie’s Tried and Tested Recipes! Written in British English. Mild profanity and peril.
20% Review:
(This will be added at a later date, once I start reading this book!)
Check out my full review here:
(This will be added at a later date, once I have finished this book!)
Thanks so much to the author, Edelweiss+, and Berkley for the complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.
Let’s just be honest, I absolutely LOVE the original Little Women. So when I first went into this book I wasn’t sure if I was going to love it because I love the original material that was the inspiration, or if I was going to hate it because it didn’t live up to the original material. I am very pleased to announce that, with the exception of a few insignificant details (come on. Trey? Why? Teddy is not an old fashioned enough name or nickname that it needed to be changed to Trey.), I really loved how the story was handled both with what was kept the same and what was changed.
This book takes the idea of the original characters and puts them into a modern day world. Some of the situations from the original novel are represented in this story through a more modern take (example being Jo being a blogger as an outlet for her writing, rather than working to sell her short stories), as have the characters to a certain extent in order to make them feel like they really belong in this modern life, and other portions of the original story that are not included in this story. This book isn’t the original book in a different time, it looks at these women (yes, Beth included) as modern day adult women, and seeing what that might be like. I really, really, really loved the choice to do that, rather than just telling a new version of the same exact story.
I was immediately drawn into this book, and I loved the reading experience of this book right from the word “go.” I would describe this book as a modern retelling, but also as a family drama with some sweet moments of laughter. And it is filled with real issues and very lovable yet imperfect characters, and you can really tell how much all of these characters care about each other. This book is told from alternating points of view, switching between Meg and Jo, and both voices were so different that even if it hadn’t told me at the beginning of each chapter, I believe I would have been able to tell who’s voice I was hearing. I love character driven novels, and I love hearing multiple of those characters’ voices in a novel, and so it is a really big deal to be able to differentiate between the various narrators. Another thing that I will say is that it was very easy for me to see different parts of myself in each of the sisters, including Beth and Amy who we don’t hear from as much in this novel. I think that there are bits and pieces of each of these characters that any reader can relate to.
I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends, and already have on several occasions. I think that this would be a great read both for people who are fans of Little Women and are looking for a rather cozy, easy retelling to read, as well as for people who haven’t read the original (I know a lot of readers who didn’t read it as a kid and now find it intimidating as an adult) who may be looking for an easier or more accessible way to jump in to the characters and story. I will definitely be rereading this book at some point in my future, and I honestly can not wait until the second book comes out so that I can get more into the heads of Beth and Amy!
Thanks so much to the author and Valentine PR for the complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog
Book Description from Goodreads:
From the international bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes Forever Wild, a novella that continues the story of Calla’s journey to the Alaskan wild and a life she never imagined for herself. The holiday season is upon Calla and Jonah, and with the mistletoe and gingerbread comes plenty of family drama. Jonah is bracing himself for two weeks with a stepfather he loathes, and while Calla is looking forward to her mother and Simon’s arrival, she dreads the continued pressure to set a date for their wedding … in Toronto. Add in one bullheaded neighbor’s unintentional meddling and another cantankerous neighbor’s own family strife, and Christmas in Trapper’s Crossing will be anything but simple.
Review: (5 Stars)
TW : lost children
Oh. My. Gosh. You guys, this book was everything that I was hoping for. I fell completely in love with Calla and Jonah in The Simple Wild and I just keep needing more and more of their story, so I was so excited when I got the chance to read this third installment early. And okay, sure, I wish it was a full novel instead of a novella, but that’s just me being selfish and not wanting the story to end! So that’s a good thing, right?
Let’s start with the basics – this is a novella showing Calla and Jonah hosting their families for their first Christmas together in their Alaskan home.
And a very important note – this isn’t something that you would want to try to read as a standalone. There is so much about the characters and their relationships that you don’t get in this story that, while you may be able to read it on its own, you wouldn’t probably understand all of the scenes and interactions without that background information. But, the good news is, that that means you get to read The Simple Wild and Wild at Heart for the first time! And honestly, now I am just jealous of the journey that you get to go on experiencing the story and characters for the first time.
Anyway, where were we?
There isn’t a ton of new information for me to gush about with this new bit of the story that a) wouldn’t be heavy with spoilers either for this one or Wild at Heart, and b) I haven’t already said in my reviews for the previous two novels.
So let’s just say this. These books, and therefore the characters, have been really important to me over the past couple of years, so every time a new part of their story is released I have this overwhelming excitement, but also there’s always a small part of me that is worried maybe it won’t live up to the last one, or to the story that I have been building for them in my head. And especially with this novella taking place over Christmas, which is my very favorite and most magical time of the year. Honestly, just ask my husband – I go CRAZY for Christmas season.
But even with that small part of me that was worried, as soon as I started reading it I knew that it was going to be everything I could have wanted. There was nothing that I would have changed about Forever Wild (except for maybe making it a full length novel, but again that’s just me being selfish). I loved getting to follow the same characters that I’ve fallen so in love with on their first official holiday, and the stress and excitement of hosting the families. I’ve been there – it’s really fun, but boy oh boy is it stressful. And getting to see the next stage in their love story as well felt so heartwarming.
Overall I would definitely, highly recommend this book to my friends and fellow readers. This book had me laughing and crying and just feeling lots of feelings, and I think it was the absolute perfect read for me to start off the official holiday season with. But I will say again, no matter how enticing the synopsis and this review make it seem, you have to read the other two first if you haven’t already! Just trust me on this one. And I would say that the perfect way to read this book would be on a comfy couch next to the Christmas tree, under a cozy blanket, and with a glass of wine. Roaring fire and a foot rub from your love optional, but highly recommended.
Meet Kathleen:
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.
All opinions are entirely my own. All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.
TW : handicap resulting from injury
If you follow my Instagram or my blog, or look through my read/reviewed books on goodreads, then y’all already know that I love me some K. A. Tucker. And so I was really excited to read this book as soon as it came out. Somehow it got pushed farther and farther down my ever growing TBR list, and I didn’t end up reading it until just over a year after it was published. So I had plenty of time to build this one way up in my head prior to reading it. But even with all of the build up, in my opinion, this one lived up to the hype.
This second chance romance alternates each chapter between two times in the female lead’s life – between a sassy and carefree 16 year old Piper at camp Wawa, and present day Piper Calloway, the badass 29 year old VP at her dad’s multibillion-dollar real estate development firm. And in both of these timelines, we get to watch her fall in love with the handsome and passionate guy-from-the-other-side-of-the-tracks, Kyle Miller.
I loved getting to read both of these timelines! A lot of the time for second chance romance stories that is all you get – stories. You hear about the past through the lead’s memories, or through them telling another character about it, but you don’t get to actually see it happen. And while the past was still told from Piper’s perspective, I found that I was more engaged with hers and Kyle’s story because I was able to actually read about their first summer together as it happened, and as if it was happening in the present tense, rather than just getting a passing “Kyle and I dated in Summer of 2006 and then he ghosted me,” you know? So while I will say that overall I found the present day chapters with adult Piper more enjoyable to read, I think I enjoyed them more because the Wawa chapters were there. If that makes sense.
Now let’s talk about characters. Obviously our leads here are Piper and Kyle, and I really loved getting to read about both of them! This was the kind of book that when it was over I truly missed the characters and wanted to know more about them and what happened after it was over. But I will say that Piper’s two best friends that she is living with in present day, and that also went to Camp Wawa with she and Kyle, completely stole the show for me! Honestly, I loved them so much and I wanted to be friends with them too. A secondary character-best friend to the lead that takes constant advice from and often references her psychic? Yes please. Sign me up for about three more books about these friends.
Overall I would definitely recommend this book to friends and readers! I thought it was so much fun to read, it was a great mix of steamy and sweet, and it had the dose of heart that I love in my stories. I stayed up past my bedtime reading this one because by the time I was a few chapters from the ending, I needed to know what was going to happen next! I think that the best way to read this book is in the middle of the summer when you’re looking for a fun and slightly light summer read. Maybe in the afternoon under a tree with an iced tea, or maybe a bit later in the evening next to a bonfire with a glass of wine.
Thanks so much to the author, Libro.fm, and William Morrow Books (Harper Audio) for the complimentary advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.
TW : death, murder, suicide, self-harm, revenge, drowning, kidnapping, hazing, abortion, infidelity, “boys will be boys” mindset
I have always been a big fan of Agatha Christie, and this book gave me so many Agatha Christie vibes! It was a really interesting mystery with a weird mix between a slow-burn of a story but still a fast-paced novel that I just didn’t want to put down.
One thing that I really loved about this story was all of the different points of view that we got. This is one of those murder mysteries where just about everyone that you meet could have had some sort of motive. And yes, at times that can seem pretty coincidental like “oh, you had a problem with this person that would be enough for a motive? Wow, so do I! How crazy is that?” But it’s a wedding, so it makes sense that all of the people there would be connected in one way or another, right? So the setting made that a bit easier to get past for me. It made it really fun and thrilling to listen to because even once you found out who the victim was (oh yeah, worth noting that for the first 2/3 of the book they’re just referring to a body, and you don’t find out who it is until much later) there were so many different ways that the story could go that I wanted to keep listening to find out what would happen next.
So let’s talk audio books. This book was PHENOMENAL on audio! Books with tons of different POVs like this one can sometimes be really hard to follow (seriously though, there were so many, you got the bride, the bridesmaid, the best man, the wedding planner, a guest, and I think another one or two) particularly on audio, but this one was done in such a smart way. There were different voice actors/narrators cast for each character’s point of view, and so even if you didn’t remember exactly which voice was the bride and which voice was the bridesmaid, I found it really easy to keep track of which voice was telling which part of the story. And the entire cast did so well, the different voices and the inflections, everything was just really well done. As much as I’m sure this book is a good physical read, I would almost recommend the audio book over the print copy, just to really throw yourself into the middle of the mystery with this amazing cast.
Overall I would highly recommend this book. Sure there were a few parts that were a little bit slower for me, but for the most part I thought it was just a really well written visit to the old days of the classic whodunnit thrillers. And seriously, listen to this one on audio. You absolutely will not regret it. I think the perfect way to listen to this book would be on a stormy winter/autumn night next to a roaring fire place, hearing the rain outside against your windows. It feels absolutely worthy of “a dark and stormy night.”
Thanks so much to the author, NetGalley, Libro.fm, and MacMillan Audio for the complimentary advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog
TW : loss of a family member, cancer, grief/mourning, infadelity
This book was so much fun to listen to! Think of The Holiday, but a young woman switching places with her Grandmother. What could possibly go wrong? It turns out, nothing! It’s just a good time for everyone. The audiobook itself was immensely enjoyable, as well, since there were two lovely narrators – a young woman playing Leena and an age-appropriate woman playing her Grandmother Eileen. I loved this, because I always find it silly when there are twenty-something year old actors or voice-actors playing roles of grandparents, when there are so many lovely and age-appropriate men and women that could do the roles just as easily! Plus, you can’t go wrong with both actress’s adorable accents! Everyone loves an English accent, right? It’s not just me?
Getting into the characters, I really loved both of these women. The story is told in alternating chapters between each of their points of view, so we get to see the adventures that each of them go on during their swap, and I loved both of their storylines! Although, I have to say, listening to Eileen while she is on the hunt for a man, online dating, and having sordid sexual affairs, was really fun in my opinion. You don’t very often get to hear about women above about 40 falling in love at all, let alone having any sort of sexual relationship, so I thought it was very different and enjoyable as a story here. Both of these women are sassy, and stubborn, and have a matching quick tongue that they are not afraid to use! I must say, though, I think Eileen was my favorite of the characters. I want to be her when I grow up. Seriously, you go Eileen! Although, elderly and eccentric Letitia may be a close second for me!
I will also say that I really loved the more serious, almost underlying, storyline involving both of them as well as Leena’s mother/Eileen’s daughter Marian mourning the loss of Leena’s sister Carla. They all three of them feel the loss in very different ways, and deal with the grief in very different ways as well, and it was really sweet watching how their relationships with each other grew as they learned how they could slowly work through their grief together.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. And would really recommend the audiobook to those wanting to read it! I would say that this book is perfect for a relaxing Sunday morning with a cup of coffee and a puzzle or a coloring book or something else that may seem equally silly but will be nice and relaxing while you listen!
Thanks so much to the author, Sophie Sinclair, for the complimentary advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and participation in this blog tour. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on Goodreads.
Book Description from Goodreads:
Lindsey Love’s career as a food critic is suddenly taking off when she’s approached by Food and Travel to take her show to Europe. What could be more fun than to travel with her best friend Patrick, eat amazing food, and see the sights? What she doesn’t bargain for is the surly, egotistical producer with the icy glare, dimples, and a penchant for questioning her every move.
Nick Elliot, ex-Navy SEAL turned producer, finds himself suddenly thrown into a project he doesn’t want to take on. Producing a snotty food critic’s show over in Europe is not at the top of his agenda. She’s stubborn, sassy, and he finds himself inextricably drawn to her.
When things go awry abroad, Nick has to make the decision to save his own future or give up everything to protect Lindsey.
Review: (5 Stars)
TW : mild violence, explosions
You guys, this was SUCH a cute read! A whole lot of contemporary romance with just a sprinkling of suspense just sprinkled on top for flavor. I have Coffee Girl from this author, and I’ve been so excited to read it but somehow it keeps getting pushed down towards the end of my TBR (can anyone explain how that keeps happening without my knowledge? Very frustrating). I think reading Lindsey Love Loves gave me just enough of a taste of Sophie Sinclair that now I have to finally get around to Coffee Girl as well, while I wait around for the next LLL story!
Let’s talk about the characters. Y’all know how much I love a character driven novel, and in that regard this one did not disappoint. There were a few really fun secondary and background characters that I would really love to invite to a party (I think that Nick’s sisters and I would get along just fine), but I’m going to focus on Lindsey Love, our female lead. She was so sweet, and so much fun to read about! Along with character driven novels, and a good glass of wine at the end of the night, I also LOVE to eat. All food. And so I always enjoy foodie characters, like this super sassy food vlogger/TV personality. She is so feisty, and just slightly clumsy and embarrassing, so you know that I got plenty of that banter between she and Nick that I just eat up in a contemporary romance.
I found her to for the most part be really relatable (although now I’m sad I can’t just travel the world and eat delicious food), and her inner dialogue was just really funny. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times and having to explain myself to my poor husband. Wow, what a good sport that guy is. Also named Nick. Maybe not a coincidence? Nah, it’s probably a coincidence.
I will say some parts of the story, once the suspense starting dipping it’s toe into the story, is pretty unbelievable and wild seeming. But who picks up this type of contemporary romance to feel like they are reading real life stories? Not me, so it didn’t bug me too much. But I will say that the very first chapter is a preview chapter of events that happen later on in the story, and so that bit of the suspense comes at you right from the word go, which you might not be prepared for just from reading the description. But hey, it’s all fun, and for the most part it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book! As you can tell from the above paragraphs my word for this book is “fun.” A fun, simple read, with fun, sassy characters – and honestly I ate it up as fast and easily as Lindsey gobbles up a piece of chocolate cake! I didn’t want to put this one down, and I would definitely recommend it to my friends who are looking for a sassy and fast-paced contemporary. I think that the perfect way to read this book would be sitting outside on the deck with a glass of a deep, beautiful red wine, and a very large piece of that chocolate cake! Okay, so maybe this book just really made me want chocolate cake. But hey, I think Lovie would approve.
Tackling TBR 