Snowed in with a Scotsman by Amber Cooper | Review

Snowed in with a Scotsman by Amber Cooper (Butler Romance Series)
Genre(s): Romance
Release Date: September 23rd, 2024
Publisher: Malted Mouse Press
Pages: 310
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
Spice: Hot 🔥🔥🔥

Alicia had been a victim of revenge from a jilted ex-boyfriend who leaked her nude photos on the internet. She ran away to Scotland to escape the gossip world of Los Angeles. Alicia was trying to find herself, work through her feelings of shame and reclaim her passions for painting. Along the way she meets Jamie, a local Scotsman who is also trying by to find a way to save his family’s Whisky business and respect the wishes of his ailing father. The novel ends with redemption for both characters. Alicia is able to reclaim her body through her passion for painting. Jamie is able to see his worth as a man and as the future of his family’s business. 

This was one of my favourite romance novels read to date. I really enjoyed reading this cozy read with a little spice. The story had a great flow and the connection between the main characters, Alicia and Jamie, seemed believable and formed naturally. Their story was a perfect mix of lust turning into love and adoration. I was cheering for these two from the start.

P.S. That sauna scene was hot!!!! 🔥

Thank you to Hidden Gems and Malted Mouse Press for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion and review.  

I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl | Review

 Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion and review.  

I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl
Genre(s): Thriller
Release Date: September 17th, 2024
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Pages: 352
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: Sweet 🌶️

Plot Synopsis via GoodReads:

Roman Grady is the sole reporter for the local newspaper in a tiny Hudson Valley town - a town so small that every store opening and DUI is considered newsworthy. But when Roman's longtime girlfriend, Ashley, the mother of his four-year-old son, is found dead, he realizes he had no idea what was really going on in her life. And when he starts asking questions, he’s not prepared for the answers.

What was Ashley doing at the cliffside home of her troubled ex-girlfriend? How did no one in a house full of people see what happened to her? And why does it seem like everyone in town suddenly has something to hide? As Roman and his mother dig into Ashley’s last few months, the truths they uncover threaten to expose painful secrets. The kind of secrets that can get you killed.

A gripping thriller and a moving portrait of a family struggling through tragedy, I Dreamed of Falling showcases Julia Dahl's talent for using crime fiction to tell an immersive and unforgettable story. Dahl’s unflinching novel asks hard questions about love, regret, inequality, and the possibilities and the perils of forgiveness.

Review:

I listened to the audio version of this book. It was a slow burn and I almost didn’t finished a few times, but I’m glad I stuck with it. There were multiple plot lines interweaving that took some time to establish but the book became really interesting once the connections between them started to form. I listened to the audiobook on my way to work and I was looking forward to heading into work to find out what was going to happen next! 

The narrators did a fantastic job. I think their voices fit with what I envisioned the characters voices to be. The introduction of Ashley’s narrator was a nice surprise and I really enjoyed hearing the background details of her story. 

Finding Faith by Beth Sorenson | Review

 This book was provided by the publisher via HiddenGems in exchange for an honest review.

Finding Faith by Beth Sorenson
Genre(s): Romance
Release Date: October 8th, 2024
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 231
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice:  Sweet 🌶️ 

This story is about a woman, named Faith, who overcomes difficult things in order to grow into her full potential as head of her family’s legacy. Along the way she learns to trust her gut and lean into the love shared by her family. 

When she meets handsome Ben, she is swept off her feet and quickly falls for him. Although, he wants to protect her, his past comes to put him in check and drags Faith in along with him. The book was the perfect mix of a love story and a thriller. I look forward to reading the other novels in the series!

Mama’s Boy by Mike Avery | Review

 Thank you to NetGalley and Fearless Advocates Press for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Mama’s Boy by Mike Avery
Genre(s): Thriller
Release Date: September 11th, 2024
Publisher: Fearless Advocates Press
Pages: 298
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: No Spice 🚫

William James is a typical high school student; thinking about girls and the independence he will get once he graduates and goes to University. He takes school seriously and has goals for himself. He is the kid that you’d want your son or daughter to hang around with… until he is found standing over his dead father with a shot gun in his hand. 

William’s lawyer, Susan Sorella, is trying to defend her client in a case that becomes more and more complicated. Did William shoot his father? If not, then who did?

This was an excellent read! The story flowed. It had a lot of moving parts that aided in the complexity of the plot. The characters were believable and the legal elements were interesting and added to the depth of the plot and the investigation. 

The Home Owner’s Association by Miriam Veryheyden | Review

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarter Century Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 

The Home Owner’s Association by Miriam Veryheyden
Genre(s):
Release Date: September 10th, 2024
Publisher: Quarter Century Publishing
Pages: 273
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: No Spice 🚫

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Three women. Two crimes. One Homeowner’s Association. 

And a whole lot of secrets…

Holly Kent: president of the Homeowner’s Association, harasser of Valerie, all-around nuisance.
Valerie Park: nurse, widow, harassee of Holly.
Clementine Harrison: photographer, yoga teacher, free spirit, defender of harassed women.

After selling everything she owns and road tripping across Canada in a converted school bus named Matilda, Clementine moves next door to Valerie. 
Valerie is depressed, scared, and lonely. And even though she doesn’t know it, she’s also the victim of a crime.

Clementine befriends Valerie and helps her find her voice, her courage, and an independence she never knew she possessed. Together they embark on a mission to dethrone Holly Kent, the tyrant of their neighbourhood who polices everything her neighbours do. In the process they discover a few shocking secrets that make them question everything they thought they knew...

Review:

This is a book about redemption and bringing justice against someone who has committed a crime, but it is also a book about community and friendship. We all need a village. The friendship between Clementine and Valerie is so endearing. Their distinctly different personalities represent the ying and yang in all of us. Clementine encourages Valerie to embrace herself and become the woman she always wanted to be. I highly recommend this book.