REVIEW: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

OUR REVIEW: 

I saw Broken Country on a few 'best of' lists which intrigued me, but really it's that first line that got me. Set in a rural part of England, this novel follows the story of Beth, Frank, and Gabriel and how they were tangled up in one person's death. You know from the start that *someone* is murdered but who and why and by whom is only revealed in the last section of the novel. Leading up to that reveal, we get to know Beth and her family and how she got involved with both Frank and Gabriel and how it all ended so tragically. Without spoiling it, I'll say that while I understood why Beth made some of the choices she made, and I wanted to dislike her for it, I couldn't really hate her. I guess I'd call my reaction a disappointment, especially because I found Frank to be so wonderful.

Good read, though slow at times, I was ultimately glad I read it. 

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SYNOPSIS: 

“The farmer is dead. He is dead, and all anyone wants to know is who killed him.”

Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

 

REVIEW: Overruled by Lana Ferguson

OUR REVIEW:

I've been a fan of Lana Ferguson since The Nanny and so it's always a delight when she releases something new. In Overruled we get the hilarious enemies to lovers story of Dani and Ezra. Their beginning scenes set the foundation of their snarky banter and impossible to ignore chemistry and as the story progressed, those things remained, but a work conundrum persisted when they were once again pitted against each other in court. Once we learn more about Dani and Ezra's family backgrounds and why they are the way that they are, it becomes clear that what once may have been a casual thing, was better as a real relationship. Unfortunately, past hurts and current employment conflicts would make it seem like it couldn't happen, but of course, they were running straight into their happily ever after...it would just take them some time, effort, and hardship to get there. 

In addition to the general plot and romance of these two, I enjoyed getting to know these characters, especially Ezra. He's a prime example of snarky, bold exterior that hides his sensitive, vulnerable soft center. Dani, I enjoyed. I don't think I quite *got* her issue with her parents but I liked her tenaciousness and her focus. Her work besties? Hilarious and really rounded out the cast. 

Overall, a quick and fun romance. 

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SYNOPSIS:

Danica Pierce has one great love in her life: work. As one of the top divorce lawyers in Austin, Danica lets her caseload keep her warm at night and has no problem being married to her job, not when love only ends in hurt. When the biggest case of her career gives her a shot at making partner, it seems like nothing could possibly stand in her way...except for her infuriating secret: she's sleeping with the enemy.

Ezra Hart is known for charming his way in and out of a courtroom. In the matter of winning Danica Pierce's heart, however, he's been far less successful. With her verdict to keep things purely physical with no chance of appeal, Ezra struggles to show Danica he's more than the insufferable playboy she's pegged him to be--especially since they find themselves on opposing sides of Danica's most important case to date.

While Dani and Ezra battle it out in the courtroom, the real trial is the one happening between them. When Dani realizes that everything she knows of Ezra might be hearsay--and that she's not the only one with emotional baggage--she must choose between her fear of trusting again and the feelings blossoming between her and the man she thought was her worst enemy.

 

REVIEW: Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George

 

OUR REVIEW:

Eliza and the Duke couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I'd just finished watching a series, A Thousand Blows, that just so happened to be set in England and featured the birth of boxing as we know it, so my appetite for England, boxing, and romance was hearty and this novel fed it. 

I enjoyed Eliza and Simon-she's a mischievous American betrothed to a man she doesn't know or love, and Simon is a scruffy gentleman, living in affluence but brought up in poverty. Through their interactions, we learn about his secrets, she reveals some of her own, and as they get to know each other, and love each other, we know that something has to give to assure that they end up together. And as you know, in romance, something does give and we get that HEA we love to get. 

Harper St. George always gives a well researched historical romance that is entertaining, swoony, heartfelt and fun. I can't wait for the next installment in this series.  

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SYNOPSIS:

American heiress Eliza Dove was resigned to a polite marriage of convenience...until she spent one wicked night with the Duke.

All hopeless romantic Eliza Dove asked for was one night of adventure. One glorious evening of freedom to explore the dark corners of London with a mysterious stranger before a lifetime trapped in a quiet, respectable marriage of convenience. Except now she wants more. Now she wants him.

Simon Cavell is no gentleman. Known only as ‘the Duke,’ Whitechapel’s prize boxer is one fight away from achieving his goal: to safeguard his late sister’s only treasure and leave the streets for good. He cannot allow some pretty young heiress to spill his secrets, no matter how tempting she might be. In return for her silence, Simon will give Eliza a taste of the darkness…and hope he doesn’t lose his heart in the process.

But one night together could never be enough. And now Eliza has a new plan—an even more scandalous bargain that will either land the heiress her duke or ruin them both.

REVIEW: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

OUR REVIEW:

My daughter asked for this novel for Christmas and then one of my work friends read and enjoyed this novel, so when I saw it on my library's Libby App, I immediately requested it and can easily understand why it's on allllll of the lists for books. It follows multiple perspectives-which never get confusing or too entrenched, interesting backstories and interconnectedness, commentary on our class system, and a completely satisfying answer or answers to all of the questions. I found myself completely fascinated by what was happening and had big FEELINGS about various characters and plot points. This was the perfect end of the school year read for me. If you haven't read it yet, grab it for your next vacation read. 

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SYNOPSIS:
When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

 

NEW REVIEW: Wish You Were Here by Jess K Hardy

 

OUR REVIEW:

I adore this series. At first I enjoyed it because it featured older characters and that felt so good to read about couples closer to my age. I also enjoyed that Hardy writes about romances that tackle issues of addiction or health that you used to not see. In Wish You Were Here, we finally get to the bottom of what's going on with Davis and Kev. If you've been following the series, you know that these two are younger than the other featured characters in the series and that there was most definitely something going on between them and then ....something happened. And now? Well now they're going through it and trying to figure out if there's a snowball chance in hell that they can repair the damage done and somehow find a way forward. 

I really enjoyed both perspectives in this novel. Seeing and feeling what Kev was grappling with made his side of things so much clearer and heartbreaking, and understanding his struggle made it so easy to root for him. The same goes for Davis. Her hurt and determination and love for had you hoping that there was a way to get them back together.

Every novel in this series is my favorite novel and I'm not really ready for it to end, so I'm hoping there are more characters who need to find love in this series.

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SYNOPSIS:Davis Thompson had never been so happy or so in love as she was with Kevin Lowes. Until his relapse shattered their world. After finding him at his lowest, in a moment that will haunt her forever, she’s convinced he’d not only chosen drugs over her. But he’d chosen another woman too. Now she’s trying to rebuild her life, wanting desperately to move on and figure out who she is and what she wants without him. There’s only one problem: Kev is returning to Bluebird Basin.

After a brutal rebab stay, Kev is determined to recommit to his recovery and win back the only woman he’s ever loved. But when he realizes the depth of the pain he caused and the secrets Davis has kept to protect him from himself, he wonders if it’s too late. More broken than he’s ever been, Kev finds unexpected healing while working with a wild mustang whose invisible scars match his.

But Bluebird Basin is a small ski hill, and as Kev and Davis continually cross paths, old wounds reopen and sparks reignite. Davis doesn’t know if she can trust Kev again. And Kev must confront his darkest fears and deepest regrets if he wants to prove to her that a second chance with him is worth fighting for.

Wish You Were Here is book 3 in the Bluebird Basin Romance series but can be read as a standalone. Although reading the first two books is recommended.

REVIEW: The Catch by Amy Lea

Mini-Review:

I'm new to this series and have only read this book and while it a good read, it didn't hold my attention as much as I'd hoped it would. It was a little too farfetched and sometimes a little too slow for my liking. I did enjoy the commentary the novel had on social media and influencers and felt that that felt authentic. Overall, a solid 3 star read. 

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SYNOPSIS:A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.

In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”

After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.

Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?