Audio Book Review: Meet Cute by Helena Hunting

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Published: April 2019
 

On the first day of law school, Kailyn runs, literally, into her crush, Daxton Hughes. They spend the next few years trying to one up each other for the best in class. There was always a bit of tension between them that never went anywhere, but by the end of law school, Kailyn was no longer crushing on Daxton. Now five years after law school has ended, they are both working for successful law firms. Daxton doesn't even recognize Kailyn when he and his parents walk into her office to do a trust for his younger sister. Seeing him stirs up all kinds of emotions in Kailyn she's not sure how to respond to. When a few months later, Daxton's parents die in a tragic car accident and Kailyn become curator for his sister, they will start spending more and more time together and their feelings for each other are definitely going to change.


Helena Hunting is becoming on of my favorite romance authors. This book wasn't quite as good as the others I have read, but I enjoyed it all the same. I had picked up the book at the library a few weeks ago. My son had a class at the library and I thought it was only an hour long and had planned to spend that hour browsing the library bookstore, which I did. Then I found out the class was 2 hours long and I was there with nothing but my phone which I really don't like to read on. So I picked this up and read for an hour while I waited. I really got invested in the story, but then didn't pick it back up since I had other books I was already reading. When it became available on audio, I quickly picked it up.

What I liked about the book is the story as a whole. It's a cute romance book that will leave you with a smile on your face. A lot of the plot is predictable, but it reminded me of a Hallmark or Lifetime movie that you would watch.

What would you do if your arch enemy walked into your office, and his face was on your desk? You see Daxton Hughes was a child TV star of Kailyn's favorite show. And she has t-shirts, mugs and posters with his face all over them. Then the theme song to his show starts to play and then ... you seem like an obsessed fan girl instead of the competent lawyer you are. But Kailyn isn't ashamed of her fan girl title and it's one of the things Daxton grows to love about her. When he is forced to raise his 13 year old sister following their parents death, it's Kailyn that helps them both through the tough time, since it was something she had also experienced in her past.

Another enjoyable book.

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Review: A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell

A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: July 2019
 

Caroline Stark has been married to her husband, Jason, for 20 years. They have one daughter, Hannah, who is a freshman in college. When Caroline's husband brings his mistress to their housewarming party, Caroline is beside herself. In order to get back at Jason, she decides to have a one-night stand with a local bartender, Aidan, who also just happens to be the stranger who likes to stand on the beach and stare at her house for hours. But the events that follow that one night are far more than Caroline bargained for. Even stranger her story and Aidan's story seem completely different. Who is telling the truth? And who will you believe?

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

This book drew me in from the very beginning and didn't let me go until the end. Being a woman I truly felt bad for Caroline and the situation she was in. I think I would lose it, if I found out my husband was having an affair. I don't know if I would go out looking for vindication by doing the same deed.

From the start, I didn't like Aidan, he seemed like one of those guys you say hi to in passing and the next thing you know, he's everywhere you turn. He really creeped me out.

I loved this book and I couldn't put it down. I didn't see the twists and turns coming and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Michele Campbell writes books that leave your mind spinning. Pick this one up as soon as you can.

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Review: The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me by Olivia Hinebaugh

The Birds, the Bees, and You and Me by Olivia Hinebaugh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Published: 2019

Lacey Burke is a senior in high school. She plays the viola and is in a band with her best friends Theo and Evita. When her high school takes an abstinence approach to sex education, it's too much for her to handle. She feels her classmates should be educated about options they have when it comes to their sexual health. But Lacey is a virgin and even though she has never had sex herself, her mother has always been open with her about sex. Lacey soon becomes the resident expert on the subject at her high school, but not everyone is so happy about that.

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

When I saw this book I had to read it. As a person who was also taught that abstinence was the only way, I would have liked to have a friend like Lacey Burke in my life. Someone who I could talk to without judgement about what was going on in my sex life. I think that if I did, I might have made different choices in my life.

Lacey really enjoys being in a band with her best friends Theo and Evita who also used to date. When their senior seminar class starts to discuss sex education, she has a different idea of what should be taught and she enlists their help in order to do so. Holding office hours in the girls bathroom during lunch and handing out condoms to classmates, Lacey is determined to make sure everyone in their school can be comfortable talking about sex and not stigmatizing it. When her actions get her in trouble with the administration and may jeopardize her future, her friends and family rally behind her to get things changed in their school.

This is a great YA book that I think most teens will enjoy and get a lot of information from it as well.

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Review: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: Jan. 8, 2019

When Jessica Farris decides to sneak her way into a psychological study, she thinks the extra money will be good to help out her family and her own struggling finances. Dr. Shields seems like a caring doctor who while going through the study seems to be helping Jess with her own issues. But she's in for more than she bargained for. When the Q&A portion of the study is over, Dr. Shields sends Jess on different tasks throughout the city some of which turn out to be dangerous. Will she be able to get herself out of this situation before it takes a turn she can't undo?

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

I have been looking forward to this book ever since I found out it was coming out at the end of last summer. Now it is finally here for everyone to enjoy.

This book is unlike any other book I have ever read. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end. Just when you think you know what is going to happen, there is a twist and you're like What the ... ?

Jess Farris is a makeup artist in New York City. She has a few close friends, but she works just to live and to help her parents pay for her sister's medical bills. Jess could be any young woman in America. Trying to find her place in the world. When an opportunity presents itself, to earn a few extra dollars, who wouldn't jump on that? While reading this book, I could really feel myself in the characters shoes. I don't know that I would have been brave enough to do some of the things that Jess did, but trying unconventional things to earn money I can totally see myself doing.

What a great way to start 2019 with this amazing book. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I did. I can't wait to discuss it with you. My first book and first 5 star. I hope the rest of my reading year goes as great as this first book does.

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Review: Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li

Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars
Published:  2018


The Han's own The Duck House restaurant in Rockville, Maryland. The Duck House is a Chinese restaurant that has been a staple in the community for decades. Most of the employees have worked there since the beginning. Jimmy Han is not happy running his father's restaurant, though. He's ready to step out on his own.   So when a fire destroys The Duck House, he sees this as a perfect opportunity to go through with his plan. But, will the cause of the fire, prevent Jimmy from doing what he wants to do?

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

I was really interested to read this book since it is based where I currently live. Books that are local to my area, always have me intrigued before even opening them up. But this one fell flat for me. I didn't really care what happened. There really wasn't too much excitement in the book beyond the fire. I did finish the book because I had to see if there was going to be something more that was going to happen. Unfortunately, it never did.

The basis of this book was the people in the relationship.  Although there were several main characters, I can't say that I really got to know any of these characters in a way that made me want to know more about them.  All of the characters are seriously flawed and they don't contribute much to the overall book.  I wanted to enjoy this book, but I couldn't find anything to keep me connected.

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Review: The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen

The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: 2018

What would you do if you found out your husband had an affair? Would you try to end the marriage, or work it out? What if sex was not a part of the affair, would that make a difference? These are the questions that Josie has after she finds out that her husband, Frank, has been having an affair for the past seven weeks. Should she stay or go? He's so great with the kids, but what about her? This book takes you on Josie's journey from her discovery of the affair, to her final decision on whether to stay with her husband or get a divorce.

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

I'm not sure what I would do if infidelity was a question in my marriage. I think, we can all say what we would do, but until we are faced with that situation, I don't think we fully understand how we would feel. Love is a tricky thing and when you find it with someone, it can be devastating when they break that love apart.

When Josie finds out about Frank's affair, her world is turned upside down. She has to find out the answer to all of her questions. She doesn't know if she will ever be able to trust Frank again or how she is going to live without him, as well. This is the man who is the father of her children and the man she has shared a bed with for so many years. But how could he betray her like this? They both decide to go to counseling. But Josie has conditions that Frank must agree to before she will even entertain the fact of sharing just her time with him. Will he agree or will they just end up going their separate ways.

This book is good for any married woman to read and may help you if this is a situation that you may be going through in your life.

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Review: Vengeance by Zane

Vengeance by Zane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Wicket is a world famous performer. She dazzles crowds wherever she goes and she's sold more albums than most artists. She is known to her friends, which are very few as Ladonna Sterling and even fewer know her as Caprice Tatum. When Caprice was 15 years old, she was brutally attacked by the people she trusted. Having been cut as a young girl by her mother her life hadn't been the easiest, but she never thought anything like that would happen. Now as she approaches her fortieth birthday she hopes to get vengeance against those who wronged her.

It has been a while since I've read one of Zane's books. I used to read her books a lot when I was in my early twenties. This book took quite a different turn that I wasn't expecting. There is always sex involved in her books, but this one was not the same.

Wicket has a lot of issues that have stemmed from her childhood. She has never gotten the kind of therapy necessary for the type of trauma she has experienced in her life. Now she has issues with intimacy and finds it difficult to connect with people in general. Sure her fame as a little to do with it, but trust is not something that comes easily.

The book started out slowly for me. But once Wicket made her big move, it started to pick up. This young lady had been through a lot of hardship in her life. Without those things, she may not have made it this far in her life, but no one should have to go through all of that to find happiness. Zane always made me look at events in my life to know that things can be much worse and for a lot of people out there they are.

Zane had a new book released earlier this year that I can't wait to read Three-Piece Meal: A Novel

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Review: The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

JUST RELEASED!!

Cass is on her way home from an after work party in a storm. Her husband warned her about taking the shortcut as it could be very dangerous especially during a storm. When she sees a woman parked on the side of the road, she has to stop. But when the woman doesn't signal for her to help, Cass continues on the way home. The next day, she discovers that the woman has actually been murdered and this causes her to go into panic mode. When she finds out that she actually knows the woman, Cass is riddled with guilt. We follow Cass's story from July and the time of the murder to October when the murderer is caught. Cass's life takes a traumatic turn during these months and the story is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book and all the cool bookmail that came with it.

After reading Behind Closed Doors, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Cass is a character who you want to smack upside the head. I can understand being upset about the death of someone you know, but the extreme she takes it to, can be a bit ridiculous. Cass is also having a lot of trouble remembering things. She thinks she may have early onset dementia like her mother, but then there is a change that makes her question everything that has happened the past few months.

There are times when I feel sorry for Cass and all the torment she went through. Even though most of it she brought upon herself. I would like to see what happens next for her in life. You never know who you can trust. They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but maybe it's the ones closest to us that we have to watch the most.

I recommend this book to anyone who is up for twists and turns.  Enter for your chance to win one of 25 copies of the audio CD of this book from Goodreads.

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Review--15th Affair by James Patterson

15th Affair by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lindsay Boxer is trying to solve the case of four murders at the Four Seasons. There are just a few things that are getting in her way. First, the only witness is gone and unidentifiable, next a plane crash is causing her case to be put on the back burner and third, and most disturbing is the fact that her husband seems to be somehow involved with all of the above.

Another great Women's Murder Club novel. This one had me on the edge of my seat from the very start. Many twists and I was unsure where it was going to take me. Having been with these characters for so many years, they become like friends that you don't want to see anything happen to I really felt an emotional connection to Lindsay in this book with the trust issues she had going on with her husband. I believe it's something we as women have questions about at least in the back of our mind. We want to trust our spouse's unconditionally, but sometimes that trust can be hard.

I can't wait to see what book 16 has in store for Lindsay.



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