Sunday Post #138

 

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.

My husband finished the backsplash last week, so I finally I have my before and after photos of my kitchen remodel! There are a few things we still need to do like the overhead light. We'll remove the dated plastic cover over fluorescents and replace with can lightening and the side of the bar will get some wood trim accents, but mostly it's done and I love it!

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

We also replaced our windows and sliding glass door, an improvement we didn't plan on doing, but made such a big difference!

Now, onto books!

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

All three were big wins. Both The Santa Suit and Rancher's Christmas Storm were novella length and quick reads. Beneath Devil's Bridge was hard to put down!

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

I'm eager for both!

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How was your week?

Review: The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

 

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

Publication Date: September 28th 2021 by St. Martin's Press

Pages: 224

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

After her divorce, Ivy Perkins wanted a fresh start and so she buys Four Roses Farm from an online listing, sight unseen. When she arrives, the farmhouse is a bit more neglected than the pictures led on, so Ivy’s got her work cut out for her. Thankfully, she’s got the help of the ruggedly handsome real-estate agent, Ezra. At first it seems like Ivy isn’t all that grateful for the help and not particularly excited to carry on the Christmas traditions of the original family. However, while cleaning out the clutter Ivy finds a Santa Suit with an old letter tucked into the pocket, setting her on a mission that will change her life.  

I couldn’t blame Ivy for her feelings after getting her history. After being hurt by the two people she loved most in the world it would be hard to trust again. Plus, Christmastime had been a painful time of year for her, but all that starts to change as she accepts help and makes friends. Ezra was a sweetheart, showing up and helping even when Ivy was a bit prickly at first. Underneath that guardedness was a heart of gold and I loved how her mission made it impossible to keep to herself. Instead, Ivy got tangled up with others in the little town, a happy side-effect. Of course, she got more than a bit tangled up with Ezra, too, and I was all for it!

I just loved the idea of an old farmhouse: original wood trim and floors, fireplaces, built-ins, and a wrap-around porch. Four Roses Farm sounded so lovely, albeit a little neglected, and I’d move there in a heartbeat!

The Santa Suit was a charming novella full of winter/holiday ambiance: old-fashioned Christmas lights, fragrant pine tree, steaming hot cocoa, playing in the snow, and a heartwarming romance! There seemed to be a little meant-to-be magic involved, a couple of twists, and I loved how everything came together at the end! 

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

From Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of Hello, Summer, comes a novella celebrating the magic of Christmas and second chances in The Santa Suit.

When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.

Review: Rancher's Christmas Storm by Maisey Yates

 

Rancher's Christmas Storm by Maisey Yates

Publication Date: September 28th 2021 by Harlequin Desire

Pages: 224

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads | Audible

My Thoughts:

Honey Cooper has had a crush on Jericho forever, but he’s never treated her like anything but a bratty younger sister. He’s frustrating and arrogant and they do nothing but lock horns. Now Jericho’s gone and bought the family winery out from her.  Honey’s angry and hurt with both her father and Jericho. Her father didn’t even consult her and that smarts, so she’s moving on with a new job and in her personal life. She’s packed and ready to go, but a snowstorm throws a wrench into her plans, stranding her with Jericho in an off-the-grid cabin. Let the fun begin!

Jericho has always noticed Honey, but she’s off limits being the little sister of his best friends and her father, a man who’s treated him like a son. They took him in as family when his mother died. Although, he’s never had brotherly feelings for Honey. It’s a shock that she’s leaving and has plans to carry on with another man. It brings out a strong jealous, possessive streak and the sparks fly!

I just love a forced proximity situation! Being snowed in a winter wonderland sounded dreamy to me. It’s especially useful when a character is being pig-headed and won’t acknowledge what’s right in front of him. Thankfully, Jericho’s stupidity didn’t last for long. Being stuck with Honey brought all his feelings for her to the surface, impossible to ignore. Rancher’s Christmas Storm was a fun combination of unrequited love, enemies-to-lovers, nudged along by a stuck-together-snowed-in situation, and I enjoyed every minute!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Trapped together by a holiday blizzard, a rancher and his rival give in to the heat…in this Gold Valley Vineyards novel by New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates.

All he wants for Christmas is the one woman he can’t touch…

Rancher Jericho Smith has known Honey Cooper since they were kids—and she’s always been under his skin in ways he doesn’t want to acknowledge. She’s his best friends’ sister…and there’s the not-so-small matter of the inheritance he bought out from under her. Keeping his hands to himself is the smart thing to do.

But then a snowstorm traps them in a rustic mountain retreat with nothing but a fire and each other to keep warm. Now the storm inside has only just begun!

Audio Review: Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

 

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

Publication Date: September 28th 2021 by Berkley &  Dreamscape Media, LLC

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 9 hrs 19 min

Narrator: Cynthia Farrell

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Vanessa Adams’ car is abandoned by the side of the road; her purse, car keys, and wallet left inside. She’s nowhere to be seen, but there’s blood…

Homicide Detective Brandon Reynolds is called in to investigate, and he’s got a bad feeling. One of the clues left in the car is attorney Leigh Larson’s card and so he tracks her down eager to find some answers.

Leigh, an attorney specializing in cases of sexual harassment, revenge porn, stalkers, and more, had one meeting with Vanessa, but she left an impression. Leigh suspected there was more to her story than Vanessa told her and starts looking into it more closely after Brandon questions her about the case. Brandon is less than thrilled with Leigh’s involvement, but as they’re working toward the same goal: finding Vanessa, they form a reluctant partnership.  

Last Seen Alone was an addictive read! From page one I was sucked into the mystery of Vanessa’s disappearance, following the trail of clues, and interviewing the suspects. Brandon doesn’t completely trust Leigh’s motives at first and doesn’t want her in danger. But as they investigate, they get to know each other, crossing paths as they get down to the bottom of the story, albeit at different angles.

There’s a definite immediate attraction that neither Brandon nor Leigh welcomes, but it’s irresistible anyhow. Even though they were a bit adversarial at first, they had chemistry!  I loved getting to know these two and what made them tick. There was more of a back story for Leigh, the reason she was so passionate fighting for her clients, and I really admired her. The dirtbags she went after deserved some reckoning! I’m sad to say that some of the situations are very true-to-life.

With Last Seen Alone, Laura Griffin combined mystery, police procedural and romance in just the right amounts making for a captivating read!

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to the audio version of Last Seen Alone. Cynthia Farrell is a new-to-me narrator, and it took a bit to get used to her matter-of-fact reading style, but the more I listened, the more I settled in and enjoyed.  I listened at my 1.5x normal speed.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career—to the exclusion of everything else—until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

Sunday Post #137

 

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.

This past week has been busy at work and we drove up to our daughter's after work on Wednesday night. I got two days of running in up here which I was happy about. It's been hot during the day, even hotter than at my house one day, but it's been cooling off at night and the leaves are starting to change color already! Fall is my favorite time of year! 

We're packing up right now and should be on our way home shortly. I meant to have my "after" photos of my kitchen up, but we didn't get the grout finished in time. Next week hopefully.

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link

Wild Invitation was a collection of Psy-Changeling short stories. I enjoyed some more than others, but overall good. Enjoyed Last Seen Alone more than I thought I would and I'll have my review up this week. The Love Hypothesis was sooo good! 5-star read all the way!

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

I'm excited for all these books! I'm starting the audio for Barbarian's Lady on my way home, as soon as I close this laptop. 

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I'll have to re-read this one for sure!

Watched:

Nothing new. 

How was your week?

Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

 

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Publication Date: September 14th 2021 by Berkley

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I loved The Love Hypothesis so much! The story opens up with Olive in the most awkward of situations, planting a kiss on the first guy to come along and the fun begins!

Olive doesn’t want to be the reason her best friend doesn’t date her ex, Jeremy. It’s not like she really felt much for him, but Ahn holds herself back because of the girlfriend code. Olive lies to Ahn by saying she’s already moved on and a fake romance is born with the most hated professor in the department: Adam Carlsen. He’s got a reputation of being unapproachable, intimidating, and a straight-up ass, yet he’s anything but with Olive.  Adam has his own reasons for wanting a fake romance, and they agree to keep up the pretense. Of course, they draw closer, and Olive is surprised at his thoughtfulness, how much fun she has with him. They click in a profound way, and she finds herself falling for this moody, broody guy. Is she setting herself up for heartbreak? Olive doesn’t imagine he could feel the same.

The Love Hypothesis had me cracking up with all the awkward situations, rooting for Olive as she digs herself in deeper. It was obvious to me that Adam had it bad for Olive, but of course she’s more than a little obtuse picking up on the clues, and there were many. They had oodles of chemistry and were playfully antagonistic, their relationship was just so much fun! I just wanted to just smoosh these two together! But trust…, they get their time together and it is worth the delay!

I had such a huge smile on my face while reading! The Love Hypothesis was a phenomenal debut! Multi-layered characters, clever, fun dialogue, and romance full of giddiness and longing. Definite re-read material!

 5 Stars

Book Description:

As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships--but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Sunday Post #136

 

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.

This last week was less hectic than the one before. The week after Labor Day was a week from hell at work and then I went up to my daughter's over the weekend. I always want to see the kiddies, but it's always full of activity and not usually restful. So yes, I welcomed the calmer week. 

We're almost done with the kitchen. My husband is doing the backsplash himself after trying and failing to set up a tile guy several times.  It's the last thing we need to do and be done, and it's turning out really nice! I'm fortunate to have married a very handy man! I should be able to post pictures next Sunday! 

Read:

Click on cover for Goodreads link:

Two weeks worth of reading here and three of them were audio books. I just didn't have a lot of energy to do anything after getting home from work the previous week. Loved Kiss of Snow so much! It's my favorite of the Psy-Changeling (the original) series so far! Neanderthal Seeks Human was so funny! My husband and I loved it! We listened to the audio on our drive back and forth up north. Murder Most Fair was an excellent installment another series stand out. I wished I loved Second Chance at Sunflower Ranch more, but not every book from a favorite author is going to be a win. The Heart Principle was very different from the two previous books, and I think that affected reactions. . I did enjoy it, but it was a difficult read at times and I felt Quan (like many readers) was shortchanged. 

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

Both are collections of novellas. I borrowed the Psy-Changeling one and hope to start it today or tomorrow and I was excited to get approval for the Jill Shalvis book since requesting has been hit and miss for me. 

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Was happy to get this unexpected bookmail! I guess I should've listed this above with the Received. I discovered that Elaine Murphy is a pen name for Julianna Keys and I loved her romances in the past, so I'm excited to see what she does with a thriller!

Watched:

Nothing you haven't seen me list here before: Chicago Med and 48-Hours. 

How was your week?