Thursday, March 28, 2024

Books from the Backlog - And Only to Deceive


Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!


Goodreads:  And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander

Blurb: For Emily, accepting the proposal of Philip, the Viscount Ashton, was an easy way to escape her overbearing mother, who was set on a grand society match. So when Emily's dashing husband died on safari soon after their wedding, she felt little grief. After all, she barely knew him. Now, nearly two years later, she discovers that Philip was a far different man from the one she had married so cavalierly. His journals reveal him to have been a gentleman scholar and antiquities collector who, to her surprise, was deeply in love with his wife. Emily becomes fascinated with this new image of her dead husband and she immerses herself in all things ancient and begins to study Greek.

Emily's intellectual pursuits and her desire to learn more about Philip take her to the quiet corridors of the British Museum, one of her husband's favorite places. There, amid priceless ancient statues, she uncovers a dark, dangerous secret involving stolen artifacts from the Greco-Roman galleries. And to complicate matters, she's juggling two very prominent and wealthy suitors, one of whose intentions may go beyond the marrying kind. As she sets out to solve the crime, her search leads to more surprises about Philip and causes her to question the role in Victorian society to which she, as a woman, is relegated.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I've been buying multiple books in this series and have yet to read even the first book.  I need to read it before I buy any more books!

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Overdue Reviews -The Pleasures of Passion + The Beekeeper's Daughter

 

Goodreads:  The Pleasures of Passion by Sabrina Jeffries

Blurb:  When Niall Lindsey, the Earl of Margrave, is forced to flee after killing a man in a duel, he expects his secret love, Brilliana Trevor, to go with him, or at the very least wait for him. To his shock, she does neither and sends him off with no promise for the future. Seven years and one pardon later, Niall returns to England disillusioned and cynical. And being blackmailed by the government into working with his former love to help catch a counterfeiter connected to her father doesn’t improve his mood any. But as his role as Brilliana’s fake fiancĂ© brings his long-buried feelings to the surface once again, he wonders who is more dangerous—the counterfeiter or the woman rapidly stealing his heart.

Forced to marry another man after Niall was exiled, the now widowed Brilliana wants nothing to do with the reckless rogue who she believes abandoned her to a dreary, loveless life. So having to rely on him to save her father is the last thing she wants, much less trusts him with....But as their scheme strips away the lies and secrets of their shared past, can she let go of the old hurt and put her pride aside? Or will the pleasures of their renewed passion finally enable them both to rediscover love?

My Thoughts:  I have mixed feelings about this book.  I enjoy second chance romances typically and I really liked the way Bri and Niall communicated.  There was some hesitation that made sense but for the most part they were able to talk and listen to each other.  I really liked Bri.  She's been through some really tough times and has come through it all with resilience.  I was not as fond of Niall.  His reasons for getting involved in the duel and for leaving England are honorable and even his loss of faith in Brilliana makes sense.  That said his attitude was a bit too imperious at times and I just never fully connected with him.  As well, I didn't love how fast the physical aspect of their relationship developed and how much it seemed to control Bri especially.  Overall, while I didn't love this one I did enjoy it and will read more from this author in the future though she won't be an auto-buy for me.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)


Goodreads:  The Beekeeper's Daughter by Santa Montefiore

Blurb: Dorset, 1933: Grace Hamblin is growing up on a beautiful rural estate. The only child of the beekeeper, she knows her place and her future - until her father dies unexpectedly and leaves her bereft and alone. Alone, that is, except for the man she loves, whom she knows she can never have.

Massachusetts, 1973: Grace's beautiful, impetuous daughter Trixie Valentine is in love. Jasper is wild and romantic, a singer in a band on the brink of stardom. Then tragedy strikes and he must return to his home in England, promising to come back to Trixie one day, if only she will wait for him…

Weighed down by memories, unaware of the secrets that bind them, both mother and daughter are searching for lost love. To find what they are longing for they must confront the past, and unravel the lies told long ago…

My Thoughts:  This author has a gift for making her settings and characters come to life. I felt like I could see the gardens in Dorset and then coastal Massachusetts and I could see Grace with her bees and Trixie listening to music on the beach.  The story grabbed my attention and kept me pulled in though at times I didn't really like any of the characters.  There are definitely several plotlines involving affairs which is a fingernails on a chalkboard plotline for me but I enjoyed the author's writing style so much that I was able to get past it.  This is an author that I would definitely read more from.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Ten Series on My Radar

 I do love a good series and there are so many I want to read so I kind of keep a running list of series that are on my radar.  That way when I finish one up or get caught up on one I have another one to add to the list!


1.  The Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto - A stand alone book by this author was in my top ten favorites for 2023 so I really want to try this series. It sounds like chaos mixed with mystery.

2.  Molly Murphy by Rhys Bowen - I really enjoy other books by Bowen but for some reason have never read this historical mystery series set around Irish immigrant, Molly Murphy.

3.  The Hathaways by Lisa Kleypas - I read this historical romance series ages ago but I've really been wanting to reread it lately.

4.  An American in Paris by Colleen Cambridge - This mystery series about a woman connected to Julia Childs sounds like a lot of fun.

5.  Krewe of Hunters by Heather Graham - I love all the books in the series that I've read but there are so many that I've missed that I want to read.


6.  Charles Lennox Mysteries by Charles Finch - I read the first book forever ago and even though I really enjoyed it I haven't continued with the series.

7.  Sunrise Cove by Jill Shalvis - I took an unintended break from Shalvis' books and I really want to read all the books in this series so I can get to know Sunrise Cove.

8.  Noodle Shop Mysteries by Vivien Chien - I read and loved the first book last year and am now a bit afraid this series is going to get lost in the shuffle.

9.  Vera Stanhope by Ann Cleeves  - So many people love this series and this author and I have yet to read any of her books.  I really need to try to get to know Vera.

10. Lady Emily Mysteries by Tasha Alexander - This series is heading into dangerous territory where I am collecting the books but haven't read any of the series.  I do this regularly and there have been several times when I don't end up liking the books.  I need to start the series so I can decide if I need to stop collecting the books or not!

Have you read any of these series?  What are some of your favorite series?

Monday, March 25, 2024

The Other Side of Disappearing - Romance Review

Goodreads: The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

Rating: Just Okay (2 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Hairstylist Jess Greene has spent the last decade raising her younger half-sister, Tegan—and keeping a shocking secret. Ever since their reckless mother ran off with a boyfriend she’d known only a few months, Jess has been aware that he’s the same accomplished con man who was the subject of a wildly popular podcast, The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore.

Now thirty-one, Jess didn’t bargain on Tegan eventually piecing together the connection for herself. But Tegan plans to do exactly what Jess has always feared—leave their safe, stable home to search for their mother—and she’ll be accompanied by the prying podcast host and her watchful, handsome producer, Adam Hawkins. Unwilling to let the sister she’s spent so much of her life protecting go it alone, Jess reluctantly joins them.

Together, the four make their way across the country, unraveling the mystery of where the couple disappeared to and why. But soon Jess is discovering other things too. Like a renewed sense of vulnerability and curiosity, and a willingness to expand beyond the walls she’s so carefully built. And in Adam, she finds an unexpected connection she didn’t even know was missing, if only she can let go and let him in . . .

Genre: Romance - Contemporary    

Why I Picked This Book:  Podcasts and family secrets are always plotlines that appeal to me.

My Impression: Oh I wanted to love this one - and there was quite a bit I liked.  I really liked the podcast angle and the investigation into Jess and Teagan's mother's whereabouts.  I thought Adam was a total sweetheart and liked how he dealt with everyone involved in the story.  He's intelligent and thoughtful though often gets dismissed because of his size.  Tegan is definitely a typical teenager - overly confident and super vulnerable at the same time.  I liked the writing style.  The author is fantastic at creating a world and complicated situations.  

But, unfortunately, there was quite a bit I didn't like.  Jess was difficult to warm up to.  Given her history I completely understand her reserve but her need to control everything and her single mindedness was frustrating and I felt like it took too long to see any cracks in her defenses.  As well, I felt like there was a lot of repetitiveness.  I liked the fact that the author alternated between Jess's and Adam's POVs as this gives the reader insight for both the subject and the investigator but the mutual longing and Adam worrying about Jess and Jess being angry got a bit much after awhile.  

It did resolve nicely and I did enjoy being along for the investigative ride but this wasn't a book I looked forward to picking up.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Probably.  I did enjoy the writing for the most part so if the blurb caught my eye I'd probably give it a try.   

Would I Recommend this Book? If you've had good luck with this author before or have more patience with a prickly main character than I do I would definitely give this book a try.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Sunday, March 24, 2024

This Week in Reading - March 24


It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:


Death Behind Every Door by Heather Graham - I really enjoyed last years Blackbird Files Trilogy which is essentially the Krewe of Hunters series goes international.  This one has ties to H.H. Holmes and looks like creepy fun.  (Publisher)

Between a Flock and a Hard Place by Donna Andrews - This is the next book in one of my favorite series so of course I couldn't resist! (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  Murder, She Wrote: Murder Backstage by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran and Peril in Paperback by Kate Carlisle

Listening:  Charms and Chocolate Chips by Bailey Cates

This week I finally finished Homecoming by Kate Morton.  I really enjoyed it but it's been a long time since I read anything that hefty!  I'm going to go for a smaller page count for awhile but it was a good reminder to mix in some chunky books now and again.

J and I have been watching Drive to Survive on Netflix and I've become absolutely fascinated with Formula 1.  There's a lot to watch so it's interferering with my reading a bit!

Have a great week and happy reading!

Saturday, March 23, 2024

A Deadly Affair - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads: A Deadly Affair by Agatha Christie

Rating: Loved It! (5 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  Love can propel us to our greatest heights . . . and darkest depths. In this new collection of Agatha Christie short stories, witness the dark side of love—crimes of passion, games of the heart, and deadly affairs. This pulse-pounding compendium features beloved detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, master of charades Parker Pyne, the enigmatic Harley Quin, and the adventurous Tommy and Tuppence, all on the ready to solve a tantalizing mystery.

In “The Face of Helen,” a night at the Royal Opera could reach a deadly crescendo for a woman caught in a dicey love triangle; “Finessing the King” delivers a curious ad in the personals that could mask sinister intentions; who’s in danger of getting stung in “Wasp’s Nest” depends on rounding up suspects and solving a murder—before it even happens; and more tales that make for essential reading that Christie fans old and new will simply love to death.

Genre:  Mystery - Classic 

Why I Picked This Book:  It's an Agatha Christie short story collection - I couldn't resist!  

My Impression: Even though I have all of these stories in other collections I couldn't resist picking this one up.  This is a collection of short stories all focused on romantic relationships.  Several of these involve Christie's main detectives - Marple and Poirot - and others involve her lesser known detectives who are no less entertaining - Mr. Sattherwaite and Mr. Parker Pyne as well as Tommy and Tuppence.  There are also a few stand alones.  

This is a good mix of stories involving different types of mysteries and Christie's writing experiments.  In addition to the usual murder mysteries some stories involve an paranormal element or studies in human nature.  All make for good reading - especially if you're new to Christie and don't already have these stories on your shelves in other collections.  My very favorite thing in this book was a personal essay at the end where Christie talked about two youthful suiters.  It was a fun peek at the personal life of one of my personal authors.

This was a great book to read while reading a few heavier books.  I could take a short story break with a Christie story when I had had just a bit too much heaviness and it was perfect.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  I am basically continuously rereading Agatha Christie's books.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you love Christie or if you want to read more of her this is a great collection.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Friday, March 22, 2024

Friday Fives - Five Books Set in Ireland on My TBR


I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. Ireland is one of my favorite places to have as a book setting so here are five books on my TBR set in Ireland.


1.  Tara Road by Maeve Binchy - I can't have a list about books set in Ireland without including something by Maeve Binchy!


2.  No Strangers Here by Carlene O'Connor - This series looks really interesting and the blurb for the first book really caught my eye.


3.  The Guest List by Lucy Foley - I've read a few books by this author and have enjoyed them for the most part and this one looks good.


4.  The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods - This book with touches of book related magic sounds like one I will either really love or really not so I need to try it!


5.  The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy - Libraries and Ireland and characters finding themselves make this sound like the perfect book for me.

What books set in Ireland do you have on your TBR?