Review: The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton

The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton  

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Published: Jan. 2022

Charlotte and Sam met on a cruise ship where they were working and they were instantly drawn to each other. Sam had that effect on people. Soon he had Charlotte wrapped around his finger and brought into his world of a con artist. At first, Charlotte enjoyed the thrill, but soon she grew tired and was ready to settle down for something different. Sam, didn't have the same idea and they went their separate ways. 18 months later, Charlotte gets desperate messages from Sam that she's not sure how to interpret and then he disappears. Then she herself receives threatening messages. What is she to do, who is sending the messages? She continues on with her life, taking a job on a superyacht. Here the threats continue. Who on board is threatening her and will she be able to get away before it's too late? The story jumps from when Sam and Charlotte are together and the cons they pulled to the present when Charlotte is trying to find out who is behind the threats and what has happened to Sam.

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

 At first, this book was a little challenging to get into. I struggled to keep track of all the different characters that were introduced it seemed at the same time. A lot of supporting cast. Once I got into the story, it was easier to follow along and figure out what is happening. I really liked Charlotte. She was a good bad person. Even though she did some bad things in her life, deep down she had a kind heart and never wanted to truly hurt anyone. I was scared for her and didn't want anything bad to happen to her. The ending definitely had me on the edge of my seat determined to find out what was going to happen next.

I gave the book three stars because of the difficulties at the beginning. Overall it was a pretty good book.

EXCERPT

THEN

Eighteen Months Ago

Barbados

A TIP-OFF. THAT COULD BE THE ONLY EXPLANATION.

Dreaded realization filtered through the rows of passengers and crew in the cruise terminal via mutters about delays intermingled with curiosity and general resignation at the inevitable holdup. Sickening dread roiled deep in my gut. Surreptitiously, I glanced back at the queue snaking behind me. Still no sign of Sam. Where was he?

The person in front of me took a step forward, pushing his backpack with a foot. Reluctantly, I followed.

Sam had only darted back to the ship to pick up his watch, carelessly left beside the basin in his cabin. It should have taken him fifteen minutes—twenty max. He had insisted that I save our place in the line to save time. Our flight to freedom was less than four hours away.

I messaged him.

Where the hell are you? Hurry up! I am nearly at the front of the line.

Well, not quite, but it was true enough. 

No reply.

Indecision kept me rooted to the spot. Sam would be annoyed if I lost our place. It would break one of our rules about blending in. Then again, neither of us was thinking straight. Our nerves were frayed. We were both tense after a wakeful night dissecting what had gone wrong, each of us blaming the other. But he left me with no choice. We always disembarked together. We had each other’s backs. Rule number one.

I tried to calm my fears. The upheaval wasn’t necessarily anything to do with us. I was too quick to jump to worst-case scenarios, usually after my conscience had given me a good poke. Sam and I excelled at slipping beneath the radar, despite his popularity.

In the corner of the vast, high-ceilinged building, portable air-conditioning units blasted out woefully inadequate cool air. My heart pounded so hard it almost hurt. Sweat slid down my spine. I stepped out of line and walked back in the direction of the ship. James, head of the ship’s security team, was standing by the exit. Relief. He would know where Sam was.

Strangely, James didn’t acknowledge or return my greeting. His manner was uncharacteristically off. No, he said. I couldn’t go back on board.

“But Sam should have been back by now,” I said. “He only went for something he’d forgotten.”

James shrugged.

“Just wait for him in line. He’ll show up. There’s nowhere else for him to go. This is the only exit.”

“What’s going on?” I said, trying to cajole James into thawing his attitude.

I opted for a friendly, neutral tone. And why not? We were colleagues, after all. Friends, companions. Equals, really.

“There are searches, from time to time.”

“Not that I’ve ever seen,” I said. “I hope it doesn’t hold us up. What is it? Drugs? Weapons?”

I smiled, safe in the knowledge that I was carrying neither.

“Get back in the line,” said James. “Wait for Sam there.”

I had no choice. As I turned, I saw Sam up ahead. He must have joined a different line. His bag was already being searched. How the hell had we missed each other? Why hadn’t he called me? Why did he go through without me?

There was nothing I could do but rejoin the queue and watch. I couldn’t read the expression of the person searching his bag, but the body language appeared at ease. Jolly, even. Everything felt off, badly wrong. Fragments of our heated conversation last night started piecing together. Just wait until I get hold of Sam, I thought. I would kill him for breaking our rules and putting me through all this extra stress.

I watched as Sam exited into the outside world. I could imagine the sun brushing his face as he inhaled the warmth of the Caribbean air. I distracted myself by dissecting the type of people they were pulling over. Lone travelers. Fresh, bubbling red rage at Sam rose. I called him. Straight to voice mail.

I was now among the stragglers, recognizing some of the faces. God, this was torture. I fought the urge to push to the front, explain about Sam and ask to be whisked through so that I could catch up with him, find out what the hell he was playing at. Breathe, breathe, breathe, I repeated over and over in my mind. I can do this. It’s all about playing the game.

A calmness descended over me as I was beckoned forward. One step after another, a neutral expression on my face. I could see the sun through the glass doors. No sign of Sam in the crowds beyond. I focused on the large brandy or whiskey I was going to order on the flight. I thought about the type of movie I would watch, a comedy or something light and easy to absorb. Or maybe I wouldn’t bother with any distractions at all. I could use the time to think.

Half a yard, then another. The man in front was pulled over to my right, with a brusque wave. A harmless-looking elderly couple was also summoned. Not me. Not yet. I was so nearly there. Please, God. I know I’ve made mistakes. I know I’ve made bad choices, but just let me keep walking and I will make amends.

“Miss?”

Shit.

“Yes?”

“Can you come over this way, please, and place your bags on the table?”

I smiled. “Yes, of course.”

Everything turned numb, as though this was happening to someone else. Invincibility was Sam’s superpower, not mine.

Victimless. That is what Sam and I had always said about the people we befriended. Relax, I told myself. They won’t find anything. I’d triple-checked, hadn’t I?

My bag felt unusually heavy as I lifted it up. It was still covered in hotel, airline and cruise stickers. Funny, the inconsequential things I focused on. Sam often told me to scrape them off. “Bland and anonymous is always best. The smallest of details can offer up rich clues to the wrong people.” He would know.

“Open your bags, please.”

“Sure.”

My mouth was dry. I rotated the combination on my lock: one, eight, eight, my birth date and month, a small act of rebellion when it came to Sam’s insistence never to do the obvious. It clicked open. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to lift the lid, to display my personal belongings ready for public inspection. It was humiliating.

The officer lost patience and did it for me. Time slowed as he unzipped the bag. Nestling on top of my favorite red blouse was something that, although familiar, didn’t belong to me.

Blind panic.

“That’s not mine.” I reached to grab it, to remove the emerald necklace from its nest among my possessions. Someone had put it there.

“Stand back, please.”

I felt the fresh horror rise inside me as two other customs officers walked over and peered at the necklace.

“I said it’s not mine. Someone has been in my bag.”

Stony faces, bland expressions, dismissive words.

I tried again.

“You need to go through the CCTV, check who entered our cabin. Someone planted this.”

I looked from face to face.

Still nothing.

I should’ve kept quiet. They’d already decided that I was guilty. A thief. Someone without rights.

Anger replaced fear as my privacy was violated. My swimwear, toiletries, underwear, shoes, travel guides, my Spanish-language course books, my costume jewelry, my every-bloody-thing was removed and examined by careless rubber-gloved hands.

A glimmer of hope ignited when their search concluded. All they had found was something that was such an obvious plant. The necklace rested on the side of the counter, taunting me. Not for the first time either. Magpie-like, the moment I had first spotted the emerald-and-diamond choker with a teardrop pendant, I longed to own it. Green was most definitely the color of envy.

“Come with us, please.”

I was shown to an interview room. I could hear a baby crying outside. Alone, without my belongings, I had time to piece things together. Grim reality, like a blast of icy water. I had been sacrificed, thrown under the bus. Sam knew. He’d been tipped off. Instead of saving the two of us, he’d chosen to save himself. “For better, for worse” clearly no longer applied. It was a final act of cruelty. A brutal end, regardless of how rocky our marriage had been. All that mattered was himself.

       Time spooled and distorted. I sat, trying to appear nonchalant, yet as outraged as an innocent could be, robbed of her freedom. I felt watched. The heat stifled me. I wanted to plunge into a cold pool, swim below the surface, somehow wash away the dirty feelings that threatened to swallow me whole.

Anger took over as I sat there. I wasn’t taking the rap—no way. As two police officers walked into the room, I was prepared to embrace my inner canary. Whatever it took. But it became clear I wouldn’t need to sing that day.

I was free to go. It had all been a terrible mistake. Huge apologies. Strange, but true. My belongings—even the necklace—were returned.

Outside, despite the heat of the midday sun, I wanted to run. I had got away with it. I was free. Except… I wasn’t.

I didn’t like the person I had become—hadn’t for a long time. Something needed to change. Sam’s customary reassurances that “all would be well” had been my elixir. It smoothed away fears and doubts, the ones my conscience tried in vain to shove to the forefront of my mind during the darkest hours. The sudden and horrible unraveling of our gilded situation was the result of arrogance. His and mine.

But for now, I had to put myself first. I walked toward the shade and sat on a bench beneath a palm tree. I had less than two hours to catch my flight, but I could still make it. I sent Sam a message.

Call me. ASAP.

Nothing.

I hailed a cab to take me from the cruise terminal to the airport, deciding to make one detour to a friend’s house en route. I wanted to hide my pot of gold somewhere safe.

As we drew into the airport, fear took hold again. What if I was making a mistake? In a daze, I checked in. The airline staff wouldn’t tell me if Sam had checked in too. I called him again even though I knew, deep down, that there wouldn’t be an answer. As I placed my bag down to go through the X-ray machine, I heard my phone beep. I had to wait more painful minutes while my bag passed through the checks before I could snatch up my phone and read it. Sam!

One word.

Sorry.

What the hell was he doing?

Sam’s empty plane seat taunted me all the way to London as I planned the things I was going to say and do when I next saw him. Because I would see him again. He wasn’t the only piece of unfinished business, because there was someone else I needed to track down too. The real owner of the necklace and the catalyst behind our downfall and the death of our marriage. 

Excerpted from The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton, Copyright © 2022 by Karen Hamilton. Published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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Review: The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak

The Bookstore on the Beach by Brenda Novak
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Published: April 2021

Three generations of women joined together for a life-changing summer.
Mary, the grandmother, who has deep secrets from her past she would like to remain there.
Autumn, the mother, is unsure whether to move on with life even though her husband has been missing for over a year.
Taylor, the daughter, has a secret of her own, and a new friend she isn't sure she wants to be just friends with.

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was swept up in all the drama this book had to offer. A missing husband, teenage pregnancy, and 35-year-old secrets. I fell in love with the characters and was rooting for their success. I knew how it was going to end, but I was hoping that would not be the case. I was disappointed with the ending which is why it got 3.5 stars instead of 4.

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Review: This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith

This Close To Okay by Leesa Cross-Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: February 2021

When Tallie sees Ernest on the bridge, about to jump, she knows she has to stop him. She is a therapist after all. She wonders why he is there and what has brought him to this point in his life. She isn't frightened by him but has a desperate need to help. Ernest asks for a sign not to jump, and here comes Tallie, taking him in and caring about what is going on with him. Tallie decides and Ernest agrees to go back to her house for just the weekend. After the weekend, they can each go back to living their lives. Little do they know that the short time they will spend together will change them both forever.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't get enough of these characters and I didn't want this story to end. I had so many emotions throughout this whole book and by the end, I was very disappointed. I will be honest, I didn't like the ending. I wanted more from these characters and I didn't get the outcome I wanted from the story I read.

Have you ever met someone and had an instant connection? You feel like you can talk to them about almost anything and they won't judge you for it but will be supportive or critical as necessary. This is what happened with Tallie and Ernest, they didn't do small talk and got to the serious questions. The only problem is that each of them is hiding something, as we all do when we first meet someone. But the secrets they are keeping could destroy the weekend in one swift blow.

Will this encounter last just the weekend, or the rest of their lives?

This book had a lot of music associated with it, so I made a playlist click here to listen.  

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Review: Adulting by Liz Talley

Adulting by Liz Talley
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Published: February 2021

Chase London is an actress who has messed her life up. Drinking and drugs have almost destroyed her career. She has one last chance to get her life together and get this movie role. Olivia Han is the person who is going to be the one to do this for her. But will Chase accept the help and be able to get herself on the right path?

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

At first, I didn't think I was going to like this book. I wasn't drawn to a book about an entitled actress who wouldn't accept the help she didn't have to pay for. As the story went on and we got to know the characters better, I started to like the story better. Both of the women have issues in their pasts that have turned them into the women that they are today.

Throughout the book, you learn to like both Olivia and Chase. A book with a bit of romance and family secrets. There are a few trigger warnings that aren't dominating the story for rape, drug overdose and sexual child abuse.

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Review: Float Plan by Trish Doller

Float Plan by Trish Doller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Published: March 2021

When Anna's calendar tells her right before Thanksgiving that it's time to set sail, she's not sure if she should take this trip or not. She was supposed to be taking this sail through the Caribbean with her fiance Ben. But ten months ago, Ben committed suicide and now Anna is unsure about everything in her life. She decides to set sail in memory of Ben but soon recognizes that this trip is too much to do alone. With the help of Keane, she navigates through the Caribbean and through the emotions clogging her heart.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Sailing through the Caribbean sounds like a dream come true for sure. I personally have never been to the Caribbean, but I would love to go. It sucks in the manner in which Anna has to go about it, but it seems like it could be a wonderful journey. I'm not sure what I would do if I lost someone and had to go on a trip that was planned for two.

For the first part of the trip, Anna tries to make it through on her own. Then she realizes that the trip is really better suited for at least two people. When Anna gets to Bimini, she hires a one-man crew to help her out. Keane is missing a part of his right leg, but that doesn't hinder him from getting the job done and teaching Anna the ways of the sea.

As they travel through the Caribbean, meeting new people and making new friends, they find out that spending so much time in close quarters could lead to other things. But will Anna be able to let go of Ben to see if there could be a future with Keane, or will this just be a trip through the Caribbean, and then they will each go their own way.

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Review: Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Published: August 2018

**Trigger Warning for Domestic Abuse**

From the moment they met, Iris and August, they were drawn to each other. But Iris has a boyfriend and dreams of her own and August is about to enter the NBA draft. Iris goes on to live her life with her boyfriend as life throws her a curveball she wasn't expecting. But that life comes with consequences she didn't expect. August is forever thinking about Iris no matter what happens in his life, including a devastating injury. Will these two ever find the happiness they seek in each other or just enjoy the few sporadic moments they have together?

This is my first Kennedy Ryan book. It had me hooked from the start.

I've never been a person too infatuated with athletes, but if I met one like August West, I might change my mind. Iris is a determined young woman who knows exactly what she wants to do with her future. But when life doesn't go the way she plans, she has to put her dreams on hold. They say good things come to those who wait and August is willing to wait for Iris as long as he needs to. The only problem is if she is willing to do the same?

This book will grab you by the heart and twist it. You will go through a slue of emotions while reading or listening to this book.

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Review: Unforgotten by Garrett Leigh

Unforgotten by Garrett Leigh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Published: February 2021

The last thing Billy wants to do is return to Rushmere. Even though his brother lives there with his girlfriend, he still doesn't feel like there is anything there for him. One pleasant memory is on his mind though, the night he kissed Gus Amour. He has never felt the same since. Now he's about to be roommates with Gus. Will they stay that way or will Billy run like he usually does?

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

Male on male romance is not my thing. There were some parts of this book that I truly didn't understand. But with that aside, overall this was a very interesting love story. Billy and Gus had a moment together that neither of them has been able to forget. But their situation is complicated. Their siblings are in love with each other and have been most of their lives. Even ten years apart couldn't separate that love.

Billy is a runner and Gus is a serial "dater". Can they both put their egos and scared feelings aside to see what they could truly be?

While overall, I enjoyed the book and the story, I think this will be my first and last male/male romance.

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EXCERPT

It had been years since I’d last seen Billy Daley, but since Luke had given up pretending his brother didn’t exist, and had rekindled with his long-lost true love—again, my sister—Billy had come up in conversation a lot. I wondered if he still had the same hair: scruffy, soft, and just long enough to hang over his collar. I—

“Where is he now?” Mia snapped.

“He didn’t say, and he sounded off his nut.”

“Don’t make assumptions. He’s been sober every time you’ve seen him since the accident.”

“I’ve seen him twice.”

“Whose fault is that?”

I winced and averted my gaze as Luke let out a heavy sigh. God, why were families so complicated? The Daleys made mine look like the Waltons, and we’d been reunited for less than a year.

A year that had changed my life for the better. Mia was a royal pain even when she was trying to be nice, but despite the years we’d spent hurting and apart, I couldn’t imagine her not being more than a phone call away, or turning her back if I was the one down on my luck.

Saying all that, Luke was right: him and Billy would murder each other in the first ten minutes of cohabitation. With their ma decamped to Spain, if Billy wanted to come home to Rushmere, there was only one option. “He can stay here.”

Mia and Luke swivelled their collective attention to me, eyes wide, as if they’d forgotten I was there, in my own kitchen. Nice. I pushed my cereal bowl away and wiped my mouth. “I have a spare room, remember? Not doing anything with it now you two are shacked up at Luke’s place, so…”

They were still staring. I switched between them. Comprehension was starting to dawn in Mia’s gaze, but Luke was looking at me like I was an alien.

“But…” He scrubbed a hand through his hair and darted a glance at Mia.

Oh lord, this was going to be funny. The bloke was the coolest I’d ever known, and surprisingly open-minded given his military background and the fact that he spoke about three whole sentences a day, but I didn’t need him to speak to know what was making him squirm, and I couldn’t contain my amusement.

A laugh bubbled out of me. “Jesus, man. Please tell me you’re not still hung up on what I told you over the summer? It really wasn’t a big deal.”

Luke slow blinked. “You hooked up with my brother. How is that not a big deal?”

“Please,” I scoffed. “It wasn’t a hook-up, it didn’t get that far. And we were both bladdered. He’s probably forgotten about it.”

“You didn’t.”

“Yeah, but I’m not your brother, am I? Besides, it was years ago. I don’t even know why I told you. And in case you’ve forgotten, you’ve been hooking up with my sister my entire life and I’ve never complained.”

Luke said nothing, his standard MO.

I let him be and looked at Mia.

She shrugged. “I think it’s a good idea, if Billy’s up for it. Gus is boring as hell, and better than that, he’s never home, so you won’t have to worry about a repeat performance.”

“As if I’m worried about that.” Luke’s frown deepened. “I’m more concerned that Billy will fuck up Gus’s life like he has his own. My brother is a shitshow of chaos.”

“So am I,” Mia countered. “And you both deal with that just fine.”

“Yeah, but—” Luke caught himself before the conversation strayed into a zone I was definitely not comfortable playing in. These days, dude was my BFF whether he’d admit it or not, but I wasn’t down with bearing witness to whatever dirty words had been about to come out of his mouth to my sister.

To distract myself from the smouldering smirk he sent her way instead, I let my mind drift to his brother. With his dirty blond hair and chiselled jaw, Luke had long been the hottest dude in town, if the graffiti on lampposts and toilet doors was to be believed. But for me, it had always been Billy. He was darker than Luke, in more ways than one. Wild. More hooligan than lovable rogue.

Even if I never saw him again, I’d remember his kiss forever.

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Review: If You Must Know by Jamie Beck

If You Must Know by Jamie Beck

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Published: June 2020

Here is another book from 2020 I read, but didn't get around to reviewing.  This is a great mother/daughter contemporary story.  

The Turner women have reached a point in their lives where they really need each other. Sisters Amanda and Erin have never gotten along. Erin and their mom were always contentious and since the death of their father, they have all been a little lost. When Amanda finds out her husband is leaving her while she is pregnant, she will have to lean on her family in order to make it through.

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

I really enjoy books that deal with sisters and mothers. This book did not disappoint. It kept me invested from the very beginning. The moral of the story is that even though we may not always like our family, we love them and know that they will always be there for us when we need them.

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Review: Forgiven by Garrett Leigh

Forgiven by Garrett Leigh

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Published: Jan. 2021

Mia has just returned to her hometown of Rushmere to open her own flower shop. She'll be living with her brother Gus. Little does she know, Luke, the man who broke her heart 10 years ago is also back in town. Her brother works for him. Will they be able to rekindle their romance, or will the pain of heartbreak be too much to overcome.

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

We all have that one lover who broke our hearts without an explanation. What would you do if you saw them again? Would old sparks reignite or would the pain remain? For Mia and Luke, they were both broken hearted and confused by the other's actions. Luke fled to the Navy, and Mia to France. Unfortunately, being apart didn't make the hurt go away. No one they dated or married could compare either.

I like second chance romances, but this one just missed the mark for me. I'm not sure if it was because of the repetition or what. Mia and Luke would see each other around town and with just a look there was an attitude issue. Neither one of them can say what is on their mind and admit how much they have feelings for each other now and how much they loved each other in the past.

This is the first book in a series and the first book I have read by this author. The next book in the series, Unforgotten will be released next month (Feb.2021).

EXCERPT

Mia Amour. Her name had haunted me so much my bunkmate had once found me sleep-scrawling it on our cabin wall. He thought it had meant something—that I was writing a message from another dimension in a language he didn’t understand—but the reality had been far more simple: even on the other side of the world, I couldn’t get her out of my head.

Somehow, though, over time, I’d forgotten what her eyes did to me. How they could root me to the spot with a single glance and empty my mind of anything but her. Mia. I counted my heartbeats as they thundered in my ears. One, two, three, four. And then she tore her stormy blue gaze away from mine and walked out of the chip shop.

I reached for the empty space she left behind, and my faculties slowly returned to me as her footsteps echoed in my shell-shocked brain. As drawn to her as I’d always been, I drifted after her, but when I got outside, she was gone.

A thousand emotions warred in my gut, but the age-old frustration was so familiar I felt sick. Fucking Mia Amour. Deep down, I’d always hated her as much as I’d loved her, because there was no one else on earth who could make my heart pound like she did, my palms sweat, and my fingers tremble.

Cursing, I hauled myself back into the van. Gus followed a moment later, an open bag of chips in each hand. “Where’d you get to? It was your turn to buy tea.”

I tossed him a crumpled-up fiver. “Why didn’t you tell me your sister was in town?”

“Oh fuck.” Gus held out a bag of chips, then set it on the dashboard when I made no move to claim it. “Are we really doing this?”

I gave him a flat look.

He sighed. “Fuck’s sake. Why would I tell you? You two aren’t exactly friends, and you haven’t been a couple since I was fourteen and nicking Mayfair Lights from her school bag.”

Shit, had it been that long? Why was it that just a glimpse of her face could set me back a decade? The weight in my chest increased and I started the van, gunning the rickety diesel engine with a roar. “Either way, a fucking heads-up would’ve been nice.”

“But why, though?” Gus pointed a chip at me. “You want her number so you can catch up on old times?”

I wondered if he’d actually give it to me. Then pictured myself calling Mia and her reaction to hearing my voice for the first time in ten long years.

A legit shudder passed through me. I was done torturing myself for putting my family first, for giving up my entire life to keep a roof over my mum’s head, but that didn’t make the obvious anger in Mia’s eyes easier to bear. Her temper had fascinated seventeen-year-old me—sometimes I’d wound her up on purpose, just to revel in her flushed skin and sharp tongue—but I didn’t have the stones to take it now. My Mia angst tolerance was at an all-time complacent low.

“Luke?”

I spared Gus another glare. “What?”

“Can I eat your chips?”

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Review: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: Oct. 2016 (audiobook)

It's coming out season in 1813 London. Daphne Bridgerton is the diamond of the season, her dance card is quite full with all the men wanting a moment of her time. But Ms. Bridgerton is quite picky with her suitors. When the Duke of Hastings finds her fighting one of those suitors off, they devise a plan that could help them both out for this season. He will not have to persued by eligible maidens and their mothers, and she will get to hold out for the perfect person to choose as a husband.

I've heard so much talk about this series on Netflix, I had to see what it was all about. I decided to listen to the first book in the series before I binged the show. I'm not sure if the show will follow the series, or if this is just a one and done season like a few other shows.

I can say both the book and the series held my interest. I usually do not enjoy period pieces, but this story felt like it could be reworked for any time period. I look forward to reading about the other Bridgerton children and finding out how they make their way in this world.


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Review: Loving Donovan by Bernice McFadden

Loving Donovan by Bernice L. McFadden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars.

Published: May 2015

Campbell and Donovan were meant to be together. It took them nearly half of their lives to find each other, and when they do the connection is immediate. But they both have been on their own for so long, will they be able to navigate a relationship? Their romance is not conventional and that has a lot to do with their pasts. The story is told from both of their perspectives, starting when they are young children. We see how the events of their youth, affect their future.

Thanks to @melantedreader on Instagram for this recommendation. She is doing a buddy read of this on Instagram so check it out. 

I love a good love story and this is one for the books. The love between Campbell and Donovan is not simple and easy, even though it should be. They each have their own issues to work through, and for Donovan that proves to be more difficult. They each get in their own way of finding and keeping love in their lives. Will they be able to get out of their own ways in order to make the relationship work?

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Review: Custom Built by Chantal Fernando

Custom Built by Chantal Fernando
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Published: November 2020

 

 Bronte lost her mom at a young age, so it’s just her and her dad and her uncle Neville. When Bronte suddenly loses her job she must find something new. Her uncle suggests she starts to work at a local motorcycle shop, Fast & Fury. Bronte doesn’t know anything about motorcycles, but she is a fast learner, it also doesn’t hurt that the manager of the place, Crow, is drop-dead gorgeous. When there is an unexpected death in her family, Bronte will question everything she has known about her life. Will she be able to get her life together to find out what is going on or will she lose her family and friends?

Thanks to Harlequin/Carina Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was sucked into this book from the very beginning. This book made me laugh, it made me cry and it kept my attention the entire time. I couldn’t put it down until I knew exactly what was going on. This is the first book in the series and I can’t wait to find out what is going to happen next. So much went on in this story that I can’t even imagine what else there could be.

What would you do if you found out that your family had a secret life you knew nothing about? An uncle with a secret daughter, a father with a secret business. When all of the secrets come out, no one is safe from danger. With her life and her job on the line, Bronte must do all she can to survive. In the meantime she makes new friends and new loves, but will they be with her until the end?

This is the first book I’ve read by Chantal Fernando, but it will not be the last. 

EXCERPT:

Stepping inside the warehouse is like a whole other world. There’s beautifully done graffiti on the walls, and the workspace shows off brand-new, sparkling bikes. The main room leads into a wide spacious garage, and it has a cool, urban vibe. There’s music playing over the speakers, and it doesn’t look like they have spared any expense with the interior design. In the middle, there’s a reception area with a large, expensive-looking wooden desk and a little staircase leading to another level, one with bikes in various states of being rebuilt. It’s a pretty awesome space.

“Hello?” I call out when I see no one around. Apparently they really do need staff. I’m assuming I’m supposed to be meeting Crow, but I have no idea what to expect right now.

A door opens from behind the reception area, and a tall, muscular blond man walks out. He’s very handsome. He’s covered in tattoos and looks good even bowing shirt with a white top underneath. I wonder if this is his usual look.

Even with the shirt, he screams bad boy.

The bright pattern isn’t fooling anybody.

Blue eyes lock on me. “Bronte Pierce?”

“That’s me,” I say, shaking his hand as he offers it. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Crow, and I’m in charge here. We have two mechanics coming in and out to help Cam put together the bikes. But it’s a small group since we only do custom pieces.”

So this is who messaged me yesterday.

“So are you Abbie’s partner?” I ask, since Uncle Neville said he owned the place. If he is, she has done very, very well for herself.

He gives me a confused look, then laughs. I don’t want to admit what the sound of his laugh does to me; it’s deep and all consuming. Great, now I’m having weird feelings about my cousin’s partner and I haven’t even met my cousin yet. Way to build a relationship. Oh yeah, and he’s my boss.

Snap out of it, Bronte. You’re here to work, and that’s it.

Once he’s done laughing, he still has a smirk on his face. I’m not going to lie; it kind of annoys me. “No, Temper is Abbie’s partner. Don’t let him hear you ask me that.”

“But you said you’re in charge. I was told Abbie’s partner owns the place.”

His smirk is gone and now he just looks annoyed. 

“Yes, Temper technically owns it, but I am in charge here. Is that going to be a problem?”

Shit. Great, first I was attracted to the boss, and now I’m pissing him off. “Nope. Not a problem. Sorry, I just found out about Abbie, so I’m playing catch-up. You’re in charge. Got it.”

And apparently not a topic I will bring up again.

He looks at me skeptically but gives me a brief nod. “We basically need someone to man the reception, answer phones, order parts and stay on top of all the bookkeeping. Sound manageable?”

I decide that honesty is the best policy. “I have done some admin work before, but I don’t know anything about bikes or ordering parts. But I’m a quick learner and I’m sure I can pick it up.” I give him my best I-am-confident look.

I hope he buys it.

It’s the truth, though. I’ve done work more complicated than this, and I’m eager to learn and be the best at whatever job I am doing. I’m someone who takes pride in her work, and I know that I’m going to be an asset to his team.

“Abbie said you were a private investigator?”

“I was an assistant to one, yes.” I nod.

“Huh. I would have guessed a librarian,” he comments, making my eyes widen. I mean, I was only just thinking the same thing based on how I dressed today, but it’s rude of him to mention that, especially after only just meeting me. “I hope you’re able to handle the job, and don’t expect any special treatment just because you’re Abbie’s long-lost cousin.”

My jaw drops. His comment really gets to me, even though I don’t want to let him see that. “I don’t expect any special treatment.”

“That’s good, but not true, because special treatment got you this job in the first place,” he replies casually, as if his words aren’t hitting every damn nerve.

I should have known that this job was going to come with a catch, and it looks like I’ve found it. An annoying, smart-ass boss.

Copyright © 2020 by Chantal Fernando

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Title: Custom Built

Author: Chantal Fernando

*new* Series: Fast & Fury, #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Imprint: Carina Press 

On Sale: November 24, 2020

Format: Mass Market Paperback (ebook and audio also available)

About Chantal Fernando

Chantal Fernando is the New York Times bestselling author of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club series, the Cursed Raven Motorcycle Club series, and the Maybe series, along with several other novels. She lives in Western Australia, where she is working on her next book.

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