Review & Giveaway: Must Love Cowboys by Carly Bloom

Must Love Cowboys (Once Upon a Time in Texas #3) by Carly Bloom

Publication Date: April 27th 2021 by Forever

Pages: 657 (with bonus first novel included)

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Alice Martin, Big Verde’s librarian, needs a date for a co-worker’s wedding. While she’s a capable, smart woman, she’s not very experienced in the romance department, so when Beau Montgomery asks for help with his dyslexia Alice barters her help for a date to the wedding. Tutoring sessions quickly become magical dates, and the chemistry between them was off the charts! Carly Bloom writes some hot stuff! But I also loved the friendship and connection Beau and Alice developed as they fell hard for each other.

Alice the smart, but maybe a little socially clueless librarian has a big heart and is funny as hell, even when she doesn’t mean to be! I adored her! Beau was a sweetheart too, dealing with insecurities because of his dyslexia he felt inferior, and I was so happy Alice was there to straighten him out on that account. Alice had her own insecurities, feeling awkward and unattractive at times, and Beau was happy to show her just how desirable she was to him.

I enjoyed catching up with the past couples and characters. Book club never fails to make me laugh! Miss Mills, the old church lady claiming she skips over the dirty parts, as she waves her devotional to cool herself down: priceless! Claire, Maggie, and Bubba made me giggle, too!

I’ve been loving Carly Bloom’s Once Upon a Time in Texas series! Seriously, soooo good! Sizzling romance, laugh-out-loud moments, a romance with real depth and emotion. I’ve especially been looking forward to Alice’s book, and it didn’t disappoint! I really hope the series continues! 

4.5 Stars

Book description:

In this charming, sexy romance, a bookish beauty needs a fake boyfriend and finds a handsome cowboy who is just the man for the job.

Beau Montgomery is living his best life . . . until he's left in charge of Rancho Cañada Verde. With his dyslexia, he'd choose a saddle over spreadsheets any day. His best hope is to ask the town librarian for tutoring. Only he's had a crush on the book-loving beauty since his junior high days—and despite being a smooth talker, he can't help getting tongue-tied every time they meet.

Alice Martin doesn't regret putting her career above personal relationships—but when Beau comes to her for help, Alice decides to see what she's been missing. She'll improve Beau's reading skills if the handsome cowboy teaches her how to flirt and agrees to be her date to an upcoming wedding. But when the town's gossip mill gets going, they're forced into a fake romance to keep their deal a secret. Soon Alice is seeing Beau in a whole new way . . . can she turn their imaginary story into a real-life happy-ever-after?

Includes the bonus novel Big Bad Cowboy!

The lovely people of Forever are sponsoring a giveaway of Must Love Cowboys by Carly Bloom! Two winners! The giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. Good luck!

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Sunday Post #118

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

Had a really busy week at work and home with finalizing details on our kitchen revamp.  I've also tried to be more consistent with exercise, which left little time for reading and blogging.  

It was really cloudy this morning but the sun came out for my run. Everything is still green and pretty.

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Must Love Cowboys was a total win! Love the whole series. My review will be up this week. I've enjoyed the Lady Darby series, but this installment wasn't my favorite. Still a good listen.

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Loved Repeat by Kylie Scott so I was happy that we're getting another story in the same world again narrated by Andi Arndt! The story is only available as an audio book right now, but it's included if you have an Audible membership. The e-copy releases July 13th.

I started an Instagram for Waves and I'm still learning and experimenting. I just figured out how to embed the post below, but I'd love to make it smaller. Not sure how to do that yet. Any tips?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @wavesoffiction

Watched:

My husband changed internet providers several months back and HBO Max was part of the deal. I didn't figure this out until he was watching The Flight Attendant (not a fan) last weekend.  Anyhow, there's a lot I want to try now, but I watched an episode of Mare of Eastown which was really good and an episode of The Nevers which I really liked as well. Will probably watch more of The Nevers tonight and the new episode of Mare tomorrow night as only one episode comes out each Sunday. 

How was your week?

Review: The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert

 

The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert

Publication Date: April 20th 2021 by Berkley

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Sabrina is back at home after losing her job, a place that heightens her anxiety as it holds both bad memories and ghosts who try to appeal to her for help. For the most part over the years Sabrina has avoided talking to the ghosts, except for one, and had sent them onto her mother for assistance. However, there are things she does love about home: her family and Molly, a fun-loving ghost from the 1930’s, who stuck by her growing up. Another bright spot to her return is Ray, the new owner of The Otter Club. While Sabrina doesn’t want to start anything when she plans on leaving as soon as she can find another job, she can’t help the attraction she feels to Ray as they are thrown together over and over.

Sabrina struggled with crippling anxiety throughout the story which made run-ins with her childhood nemesis, Erika, and her ex-boyfriend disheartening and I eagerly awaited payback for all they put Sabrina through. Although, I do think just being a horrible person is payment in itself, and Erika was definitely that.

Ray was such a sweetheart and a breath of fresh air! I loved that he recognized he’d have to be patient with Sabrina to eventually win her heart completely. They shared fun, lighthearted moments together, and that along with the bits of humor balanced some of the heavier aspects of the story. I also enjoyed getting to the bottom of the mystery behind Molly the ghost sticking around for so many years.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Jobless and forced home to Wisconsin, journalist Sabrina Monroe can tolerate reunions with frenemies and kisses from old boyfriends, but not the literal ghosts that greet her in this heartwarming tale of the power of love and connection from acclaimed author Amy E. Reichert.

For Sabrina Monroe, moving back home to the Wisconsin Dells–the self-described Waterpark Capital of the World–means returning to the Monroe family curse: the women in her family can see spirits who come to them for help with unfinished business. But Sabrina’s always redirected the needy spirits to her mom, who’s much better suited for the job. The one exception has always been Molly, a bubbly rom-com loving ghost, who stuck by Sabrina’s side all through her lonely childhood.

Her personal life starts looking up when Ray, the new local restaurateur, invites Sabrina to his supper club, where he flirts with her over his famous Brandy Old-Fashioneds. He’s charming and handsome, but Sabrina tells herself she doesn’t have time for romance–she needs to focus on finding a job. Except the longer she’s in the Dells, the harder it is to resist her feelings for Ray. Who can turn down a cute guy with a fondness for rescue dogs and an obsession with perfecting his fried cheese curds recipe?

When the Dells starts to feel like home for the first time and with Ray in her corner, Sabrina begins to realize that she can make a difference and help others wherever she is.

Sunday Post #117 Late edition...

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

Just got back from Northern California. We left Wednesday night after work and drove six hours! Was super tired, but I was glad to get the drive out of the way to enjoy a long weekend up in Foresthill, California. I had never been to Foresthill, but the town was cute and just a little ways from Auburn. The weather was gorgeous and I took my grandkids to the local park two days in a row, which was awesome and just across the street from our rental.  Also went on two hikes.

Now I'm back at home, unpacked and doing laundry. 

One of the views in Foresthill

The park in Foresthill.

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

We finished Every Last Fear on our way home and it was a bit tragic, but a really good twisty mystery! Finally got to See No Evil after several years of it being on my TBR. It finally came out on audio so it was easier to squeeze it in. I ended up skimming When a Cowboy Loves a Woman. The author's writing isn't for me. Loved The Kindred Spirits Supper Club. Wild Sign was a re-read by audio and it was even better the second time around.

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

After enjoying Changing the Rules  I got a copy of A Thin Disguise, the next in the series. The Invisible Husband of Frick Island sounded interesting. Colleen Oakley is a new-to-me-author so I hope it works out. I just downloaded the audio of Fear No Evil after finishing book two of the series. It sounds like a nail biter! 

Watched:

Obviously, my grandkids were in charge of the TV. That being said, this is a really cute series, especially if you like historical westerns and horses! 

How was your week?

Review & Giveaway: Changing the Rules by Catherine Bybee

Changing the Rules (Richter #1) by Catherine Bybee

Publication Date: March 23th 2021 by Montlake

Pages: 335

Rating: ★★★★

Source: Publisher

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Cooper and Claire work for the same security agency, but Cooper left the States six years ago to work for the European branch when he couldn’t get over his attraction to her.  With Claire just eighteen at the time, and Cooper six (?) years older, his attraction didn’t seem appropriate. Now he’s back and they’re both assigned to go undercover and investigate the disappearances of high school girls in a suspected trafficking ring.  Claire poses as a high school senior and Cooper as a coach.

Soon Cooper realizes the attraction he felt for Claire has only intensified, but this time there’s nothing holding him back. Could Claire feel the same about him?

Changing the Rules was easy to get into and entertaining all the way through. At first Claire’s reaction to finding out why Cooper left originally was so juvenile I had to roll my eyes, but she got called out on her ridiculousness quickly and thankfully snapped out of it. I appreciated that the drama came more from the mystery of the case and the dangerous situation Claire and Cooper are in than from their romance. Being undercover does limit the time they can spend together, but that just amped up the sexual tension between them, and I enjoyed every minute!

Richter is a spinoff from Catherine Bybee’s First Wives series, mainly the last book, Say It Again. Sasha and AJ together and both working for MacBain Security System as well, and it was a treat “seeing” them together. Sasha’s still a fun badass character! I look forward to the next book, A Thin Disguise, which features Olivia, a character I don’t remember from the previous series, but her role in this story has me intrigued. 

4 Stars

The lovely people at Montlake have generously provided A Paperback Copy of Changing the Rules to giveaway to one lucky reader! The giveaway is open to US Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

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About the book:

As an employee of MacBain Security and Solutions, Claire Kelly can certainly hold her own. Armed with an impressive set of covert skills, she’s more than prepared to tackle any job that comes her way…except one involving Cooper Lockman.

Cooper and Claire used to work together before his feelings for her sent him packing to Europe for six long years. But now he’s back and determined to ignore the still-smoldering heat that lingers between them.

Their current mission: go undercover together at a California high school to root out the mastermind behind a prostitution ring targeting young girls. The closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, however, the deadlier their task becomes. As Claire and Cooper risk their lives to bring down their target, will their hearts be the final casualties?

Audio Review: The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

 

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

Publication Date: April 13th 2021 by St.Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 8 hrs 19 min

Narrators: Barrie Kreinik

Source: Publisher & Libro.fm

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Libro.fm | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Good Sister introduces us to Fern and Rose, twin sisters who could not be more different. Each had a POV, with Rose’s including the present and a sad recounting of her take on the past growing up with a single mother. Fern’s was very different. It became obvious early on she is on the spectrum in some way, and her quirky outlook was refreshing and endearing! She had me laughing out loud so many times! I loved her from the very start. However, Rose’s diary chapters were very different, serious, and it soon became apparent something wasn’t quite right with the entire situation.

 Rose longs for a baby and apparently can’t have one so when Fern finds this out, she determines to help her sister out by having one for her. She’s presented with a candidate for her endeavor almost immediately when she meets “Wally”. However, her plans for her sister get forgotten as she experiences life with Wally and starts to fall for him. Seeing Fern and Wally fall for each other was a treat and sometimes quite hilarious!

Rose and Fern are close with Rose constantly looking out for Fern and Fern relying on Rose for guidance, but as I said as the story progresses a sinister edge starts to emerge, and the tension slowly builds into a nail-biting crescendo!

I could not put this story down and ended up reading/listening to it in one day, because I had to know what was going to happen and I needed answers!  The story was riveting, and I was on the edge of my seat! The Good Sister had a little bit of everything I love: romance, humor, mystery and danger. I will definitely be looking for more by Salley Hepworth!

The narration was fantastic! Barrie Kreinik had such a lovely accent, and I especially loved her performance of Fern. So matter of fact, which was exactly Fern’s personality, but her performance of Rose and the male voices were wonderful, too.

 4.5 Stars

About the book:

There's only been one time that Rose couldn't stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Fern Castle works in her local library. She has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. And she avoids crowds, bright lights and loud noises as much as possible. Fern has a carefully structured life and disrupting her routine can be ... dangerous.

When Rose discovers that she cannot fall pregnant, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything Rose has done for her. Fern can have a baby for Rose. She just needs to find a father. Simple.

Fern's mission will shake the foundations of the life she has carefully built for herself and stir up dark secrets from the past, in this quirky, rich and shocking story of unexpected love.

Sunday Post #116

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

The hubby and I are on a long weekend away on the Central Coast of California. We needed a getaway after spending last weekend babysitting. It's been sunny and beautiful, if a little on the cold side. We've been wine tasting, hiking (see picture below) and just enjoying the beautiful scenery. We'll be on our way home tomorrow (Sunday) and listening to the second half of Wild Sign. 

Ragged Point just south of Big Sur, California

So I've been going back and forth about starting an Instagram for Waves of Fiction, and I've finally caved and decided to go for it. If you're interested click HERE for my profile.  I have my very first post up and would love a follow (I'll follow back!). I'd appreciate any advice for posts. I really have no idea what I'm doing here. If I'm featuring a book that I review on the blog what kind of details to I include? Book description, release date, status updates? 

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Changing the Rules was entertaining, The Good Sister was fantastic, and you just can't get much better than Patricia Briggs!

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

Every Waking Hour is a library lend, Ellery Hathaway #4 and I can't wait! I was sent an email featuring The Love Hypothesis. Had me at "Grump + Sunshine"! 

Watched:

More British Castles. The history is fascinating!

How was your week? 

My Favorite Non-Review Books for March 2021

As a blogger sometimes writing reviews can feel like a chore so it seems I rarely write reviews for non-review books anymore. I feel bad about that, because it's not that I didn't enjoy them less than the books I review here, just that I don't have the time or energy to write a review for each and every book I read. I thought it would be nice to list my favorite non-review books each month to bring more attention to them.

Looking back on the month of March I didn't read many non-review books, but I think I'll have quite a few for April.

Here are my March 2021 favorites:

I'm continuing on my read-along of the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh hosted by Anne @Books of My Heart. Clay and Talin's romance was a second chance one, and can be read as a standalone. There's a continuing story ARC for the series. The secrets and manipulations of the Psy Counsel its players, the enmity between them, and the Changelings. It's getting more and more interesting!

Loving my re-read of Alpha & Omega! We just finished the audio of the next, Burn Bright, on Sunday. We'll be starting Wild Sign on Thursday on our trip out to the Central California Coast. It'll be a re-read for me, but the first time through for my hubby. 

What about you? What were some of your favorite non-review books for March?

Sunday Post #115

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week.

A very busy week indeed! The hubby and I came up north on Wednesday to watch our grandchildren (5 and 2 yrs old) for a long weekend. It was our daughter's anniversary.  Lots of activity with hardly a minute to spare.  We went to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito today (Saturday-see picture below) and had a fun time. It's located right below the Golden Gate Bridge on the Marin County side and is such a beautiful location!

I did manage to get a hike in  while the 5 year old was at Kindergarten and my hubby watched the 2 year old:

Read:

Two audios and an ARC. All three were a hit for me. 

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

Went a little crazy with the ARC downloads but a couple aren't out for a while so it gives me some time to read. I love the cover for Someone to Cherish, Murder Most Fair and The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels.

Watched:

How was your week?