Blog Tour Review: The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne

The Sea Glass Cottage by RaeAnne Thayne
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Published: March 2020
 

Olivia Harper is doing well for herself. She has a job she is really good at and she has even started her own company, helping small companies with their social media. When a traumatic event changes her life in Seattle, it's at the same time she gets a call to return home to California to help her mother. Olivia left Cape Sanctuary and didn't want to return. But it seems now, she doesn't have a choice, she has to go back and face the demons she left behind and confront the past that is before her. As she is there taking care of her mother and trying to figure out why her niece now hates her, lots of secrets come to the surface. Will Olivia be able to make it through her short time in Cape Sanctuary and return to her home in Seattle?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book.

After losing her father and her sister, Olivia's mother didn't have much time and energy left for Olivia. Especially after having to take over the family business and raise her granddaughter, Juliet was happy that Olivia was able to take care of herself and did so well in school. But often she regretted how she handled herself during those times, though she was doing the best she could.

This was the second book that I have read by RaeAnny Thayne. I would describe it as a romance with a dramatic flair to go with it. With secrets and lies hiding in the corners, you never know what is going to happen next. Toward the end, the book got to be a bit predictable, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story as a whole.


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Review: Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: 2018

Georgina Shaw has everything going for her in her life in Seattle. She's in a top position at work and she is engaged to one of the wealthiest men in the city. So why is she being arrested for the murder of her best friend, Angela Wong, 14 years earlier? Geo(as she likes to be called) didn't murder her friend, but she was there when it all happened and kept this secret for this long. There are so many secrets from that night, that need to come to the surface, but one Geo will keep hidden for as long as she can.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Geo is sentenced to 5 years in prison for her actions on the night her friend was killed. After she is released, more murders similar to what happened with her friend that night begin to happen. Geo's friend who was also friends with Angela, Kaiser Brody is now a police officer and is working on this case. But is it too much for him considering his feelings for Geo in the past. He believes, Calvin is responsible for these murders since he's escaped from prison, but there is something different about these that has everyone stumped.

I was on the edge of my seat while reading this book. It's impossible to read this story and not become fully engrossed. Geo is really the kind of girl that you would probably be friends with. She is pretty down to earth and knows how to get what she wants. My heart went out to her during the whole book, I wanted to jump in and try to save her. But the ending will have you thinking to yourself, "What the hell just happened?" I recommend this to anyone who likes a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat.



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Review: Always by Sarah Jio

Always by Sarah Jio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kailey Cain is a reporter for the Herald in Seattle. She is engaged to Ryan Winston who is just about the perfect guy. One night while as they are leaving a restaurant after having a nice dinner, she gives her leftovers to a homeless man who looks strangely familiar. Soon she discovers the homeless man is Cade McAllister her estranged ex-boyfriend, but he doesn't recognize her as easily. What happened to him over the past ten years? Kailey is determined to find out, but at what cost.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine books for the opportunity to read and review this book Always, was a quick read that I found hard to put down. I had to know what was going to happen next. It captivated me from the beginning and held my attention throughout. This is not your typical love story and some of the story was a bit predictable, but I thought there was going to be a villain in the story. What would you do if your boyfriend seemed to just vanish off the face of the earth and then ten years later, here he is, homeless and very unclear of exactly who he is and how he got to be in this position. Would you risk your current relationship to save this other person who had no one else that could help him?

What a difficult decision forKailey to have to make. Everyone in her life is very supportive of the idea of her helping Cade including her fiancee, Ryan. But how much is going to be able to take and understand before it all becomes too much. You can feel for everyone involved in this situation, that it's messy and nearly impossible to figure out. But love always conquers all right and the love for the right man will shine through and guide Kailey to the right decision.

This is a great romantic book for all.

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Review: Maya's Notebook by Isabel Allende

Maya's Notebook by Isabel Allende
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maya Vidal may only be 20 years old, but she has been through a lot in that short time. Sent to live in a remote village in Chile after battling great challenges in her life, Maya uses her notebook to write about and learn from those challenges. The mistakes from her past will help her to hopefully lead a more productive and promising future.

Told from Maya's point of view, we are transported all over the world. Most of the book takes place in Chiloe, Chile, but you will also spend time in Berkeley, California, in Oregon, in Las Vegas and other countries throughout the world. Taken back and forth in time from Maya's present to the events of her past that brought her to Chile in the first place. This book is full of strong family ties that help Maya to keep her head on somewhat straight.

Overall this was a great story, but it took way too long to read. Full of great details it makes you feel as though you are in the setting of the book.
Favorite quote from the book: "...there's no fuel for the bonfires of despair."

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