Tag: family conflict

REVIEW: The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier

REVIEW: The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Mercy Carr and her Malinois, Elvis, should be consumed with wedding festivities instead of reporting a dead body. But when the spa director at her grandmother’s destination wedding goes missing, Mercy says she’ll check things out. She gets more than she bargained for.

Pretty soon, it’s a toss up over which situation is more troublesome – the pre-wedding antics of the wedding party or the trail of violence that is centered around the resort. But Mercy and Elvis – and Troy and Sugar Bear – are on the case!

Review

This was outstanding!! Mercy and Troy are in a good relationship place in this one, and it sets a lovely tone for the whole book. The dogs are in excellent form here, as always. And the mystery is truly top notch. I even started taking notes, trying to put all the pieces together for myself. (Ended up about 50/50 on my guessing.)

I have enjoyed the Mercy and Elvis mysteries since book one, A Borrowing of Bones. For me, this is the best of the series (so far). In fact, I can say for certain that this will be one of my favorite books of 2022 when the year is done. This book has everything I love – great characters, brilliant plotting, and a quest that propels the characters and the reader forward. I read this start to finish in one day and enjoyed it all. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++*

♥♥♥♥♥+++* = Best of the best

REVIEW: The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

REVIEW: The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Forever in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

At the end of a successful 15 year reunion, London agrees to have a drink with Drew Sullivan, her high school nemesis. And the drink leads to a few more. Which leads to her spending the night. It was an amazing night, but what was she thinking?!

But when she finds out Drew is in town for work – and that work involves the possible sale of the hospital where she works – her animosity toward him reaches supernova levels.

But she can’t deny that they have chemistry. And she needs to blow off a lot of steam. So while she wants nothing to do with him at the hospital, she’s willing to meet him for a hookup now and again. And again. He’ll be leaving town soon enough, and she’ll be glad to be rid of him when the time comes.

Review

This was a fun, sexy story. A few surprises and a couple with great chemistry made this a nice wrap up to The Boyfriend Project series.

The set up of the hookup plan leads to a chunk of the book devoted to the physical relationship between Drew and London, especially in the early parts of the story. The author makes some creative choices in how she describes their encounters to keep them from falling into something repetitive. Then, as the story develops, extra layers are added to the relationship. While the personal growth Drew and London are working on felt like a lot smaller of a part of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed their journeys, both independently and as they helped each other along the way.

Fans of the series should absolutely pick up this third and final book of the series that launched when London and her new friends were first catfished. Readers who love a steamy “enemies” to lovers story should give this a try as well. I don’t know that you have to read these in order, although it does help to know about the inciting incident that led the women to become friends. (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great!

REVIEW: To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters

REVIEW: To Marry and to Meddle by Martha Waters

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Lady Emily fears her father’s debts will keep her single – or tie her to a terrible husband – no matter how pristine she has been able to keep her reputation. So when Lord Belfry suggests they marry, it seems like a great solution for Emily. He will take care of her father’s problems and rescue her from a dismal future. In turn, the theatre owner hopes Emily’s class and reputation will help him establish a more suitable clientele for his business.

Once Emily has a taste of freedom from her disapproving parents and from her hyper-vigilance over her own behavior, she’s not sure she wants to stay quiet any more. But Julian can’t see what Emily could bring to his business – or his life – other than their initial agreement.

Review

This is book 3 in the Regency Vows series after To Have and to Hoax and To Love and to Loathe. I LOVED this book. It was truly a perfect fit for me. It’s romantic and funny. There’s just enough conflict to move the story and characters along but not so much as to be painful or stressful to read.

I loved Emily and Julian – separately and together. The premise completely worked for me – a touch of fake relationship, but different enough to feel fresh. And the transformation of Emily over time felt believable as well as fun to watch.

Fans of this series should not miss this. But newcomers can start here, too. I still have not read book one (the premise doesn’t click for me). But while there are references to the earlier books, they are general enough that the reader knows there is history there, but not in such a way to leave the reader feeling like they are missing something important.

This is the sort of book I would read again – comfort reading at its best! Sweet, endearing, funny, sarcastic, and romantic. Check it out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan

REVIEW: Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sarah Anderson is trying to hold it all together. She’s running the company she started with her husband while also being their top coder. She’s raising her two young sons alone after the death of her husband. The juggling of everything is leaving her exhausted.

And then she gets the letter from the lawyer.

Sarah’s mother-in-law has always assumed and believed the worst about Sarah. And now she’s threatening legal action to take Sarah’s boys away. So reluctantly, she agrees to a six-week visitation with her late husband’s family. Yes, their verbal abuse and hatefulness is hard to take. But she can endure it for six weeks to show her willingness to compromise.

Luke Thompson, the good-looking rancher next door to Sarah’s mother-in-law is the lawyer who sent the letter. And he’s guarded when it comes to Sarah, ready to see this awful person his neighbor has described. But Sarah is nothing like he expected. How does her mother-in-law see something so different? What is he missing in the story of this family? Who is really telling the truth?

 

Review

I picked this up because I was intrigued by the story. I also ADORED the author’s earlier book, The Me I Used to Be. I thought this would be something similar, and I couldn’t wait to dig in.

I enjoyed this sweet story of steadfast integrity and character in the face of cruelty and anger. Sarah is almost too good to be true.

While I enjoyed the story and the characters, the big climax with Sarah’s family happened mid-book. And unlike The Me I Used to Be, there was no other mystery to carry the rest of the story to the end. I spent the second half of this book waiting for a BIG new conflict or disaster to come, but it never did. The almost-too-perfect-to-be-believable character continued to be saint-like in response to the garbage her late husband had pulled and the fall out she faced through the end of the book.

I felt like the lack of a new challenge or conflict as well as Sarah’s perfection took some of the joy out of the reading experience for me. It was 100+ pages of resolution and happily ever after, which can be nice at times, but isn’t always satisfying. I mistrust books where there’s no challenge or mission – and this one only had a challenge for about half of the story.

These days, though, there is a place for reading an escape story where there’s not a ton of conflict and there’s a whole lot of happily-ever-after. If you are looking for a book like that, give this one a try!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

REVIEW: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Millie Price’s star is on the rise. She’s worked her butt off to get into a theater pre-college program. But her dad is reluctant to let her go. And his resistance seems to have something to do with Millie’s mother.

Millie doesn’t know who her mother is, but she stumbles on her father’s LiveJournal from college. Reading through the entries around the time she would have been conceived, Millie finds some names of women who could be her mother. She’s sure if she can find the woman – who was also into musical theater – she could get her mother’s help to convince her dad to let her go.

But Millie’s plan to check out each of these women hits a snag when she ends up competing with her high school nemesis, Oliver, for an internship she doesn’t even want. But as it’s a chance to work with one of the potential moms, she sticks with it while getting to know the other women on her list. But Millie has no way of knowing how this search for her mom and her quest to attend this theater program is going to change everything.

Review

Emma Lord is the author of the fantastic Tweet Cute and You Have a Match, and after this third delightful story, she’s a must-read author for me.

I loved this! Millie is such a great character. She has a big personality, and sometimes the dramatic theater types can be abrasive to read. But that was never the case here. While she’s abrasive to Oliver, that’s part of the fun of the story, but I loved her (and Oliver) from the start.

Millie’s quest for her big theater program and for finding her mom opens up SO many great threads for this story – with the internship, with Oliver, with her family and friends, and with the new people she meets along the way. But none of those external pieces overshadows the internal work Millie does which is equally great.

Fans of Emma Lord’s previous books should absolutely pick this up – the character work here is excellent! And the romantic bits and the humor is icing on the cake. RomCom fans and musical theater lovers – you’re going to want to read this one too! (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: Elfie Unperfect by Kristin Mahoney

REVIEW: Elfie Unperfect by Kristin Mahoney

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. But since I had already purchased the book when I was approved for the ARC, I am reviewing my published copy. Still, all opinions are my own.]

Summary

Elfie was convinced transferring to Hampshire Academy was the solution to everything. She was certain the kids there would be more school-focused and rule-conscious like she was. She was certain this would be the place where she “thrived” and would make friends.

Instead, she was expelled. On the first day.

Now she has to go back to Cottonwood Elementary – with the kids who have never understood her, and the cousin who is good at all the things Elfie isn’t, like sports and making friends. But as Elfie returns to Cottonwood for 5th grade, a lot of things in her life are changing. It’s going to make for an unforgettable year.

Review

This was lovely! While I enjoyed the premise, I bought this one because I adored one of the author’s previous books, Annie’s Life in Lists. Once I knew she had written this, it became a must-read for me. And I was not disappointed.

I thoroughly enjoyed Elfie. She’s endearing and sympathetic. I was cheering for her from the start. I enjoyed tracking her whole journey through the book.

One of the things I especially appreciated is that a lot of the difficulties Elfie is working through aren’t wrapped up in the end. There’s no tidy ending wrapped in a bow. And that’s great. Rarely are life’s challenges wrapped up perfectly in a couple months. But in that time, Elfie has changed and grown. And that’s what is most important, and most enjoyable, about the book.

My fellow fans of Annie’s Life in Lists should give this one a try. The format is more straightforward (the structure of Annie is a big part of what makes it special), but the story and characters are just as enjoyable. (TW: cancer, chemotherapy, divorce)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki

REVIEW: I Am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Mandy marches to the beat of her own drum – something that can be hard to do in high school. It’s even harder to do when you live in a spotlight like she does. Mandy’s mother is Starfire, one of the Titans. A superhero. Mandy wants to get through school, maybe go out with a girl like her current crush, and get far away from her mother’s shadow. But Mandy’s peers, the press, and Starfire’s family won’t let her fade into the background.

Review

There are elements of this graphic novel that reflect typical superhero stories – secrets, powers, and battles with evil-doers.

There are also elements that are typical of a coming-of-age story. Mandy feels like the opposite of her mother – and often misunderstood. She wants to be indifferent to it – to the ways people use her for her famous connections – but she’s not. She still feels hurt.

I enjoyed the story. It wasn’t all I was hoping for, though. There were no real surprises. I thought Mandy’s angst was well-conveyed. The budding romance feels more like another arena for conflict rather than a substantial plot thread on its own.

DC fans and Titans fans might enjoy this take on the Titans and the daughter of Starfire. YA fans may enjoy this for the identity and coming-of-age pieces and the exploration of the mother-daughter relationship. I’m not convinced the story does any of those things especially well, and maybe that’s the issue. Maybe it was trying to be too many things, and they all were too shallow for a truly great story. (Language, LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥ = Good/Solid/Fine

REVIEW: A Fiancée's Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman

REVIEW: A Fiancée’s Guide to First Wives and Murder by Dianne Freeman

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Frances is already in mixed moods. She’s happy to send her mother away for a few days’ break while she visits Paris. But her mother is taking Frances’ daughter, Rose, and she will be missed. But it turns out for the best when an inspector arrives with a French woman who insists she is married to Frances’ fiancé, George.

Irena Teskey is the illegitimate cousin of the Grand Duke of Russia. She was detained when she tried to get the man’s attention by throwing a rock at him. She insists someone is threatening her, but her stories circle around and go nowhere. She seems wholly unbelievable. But George is called on by the prince himself to check out her story.

George insists the dramatic Irena is prone to extremes, but he is definitely not married to her. Yet he is required to look into her claims while she stays with Frances. Unfortunately, a murder makes it quite clear that Irena was not imagining that she was in danger.

Review

Another fun Countess of Harleigh mystery! I love Frances and George together – as a couple and also as investigators. It’s not often in cozies that the love interest/law enforcement character encourages the sleuth. I think it’s especially unusual for this time period. But it’s refreshing, and I enjoy that aspect of this series.

The case here was stressful. Irena’s claims caused a lot of trouble for Frances and George. And her penchant for drama was getting on my nerves. I enjoyed the ending which caught me by surprise in all the best ways.

Fans and series readers should not miss this one. If you’re not familiar with the series, I think you *could* start here but maybe shouldn’t. There’s some history between Frances and one of the characters that gives their relationship some extra nuance that newcomers might miss. But I don’t think you HAVE to know that history to enjoy the main characters and the mystery here. As I was reading this, it brought to mind the Rosalind Thorne series – fans of those books should check these out, too.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker

REVIEW: Deadly Delights by Laura Jensen Walker

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Lester Morris – aka “Lester the Molester” – is notorious for his lecherous behavior. Sexist comments, inappropriate touching, innuendo and more. In fact, he grabbed Teddie’s butt while he was serving as a judge for the local baking off. She smacked him with her rolling pin and told him off.

So it’s really no surprise that Teddie is the prime suspect, at least to Lester’s widow, when Lester is later found dead. But Lester harassed a LOT of women who were sick of his behavior. Maybe one of them – or a husband or father – finally had enough of Lester’s antics.

Teddie and her friends are determined to clear her name – again. The last murder almost cost her her publishing deal. She’s not willing to risk that again.

Review

This was fun! I enjoy the crew in Lake Potawatomi, and it’s always fun to head back to my childhood home region, even if only in fiction. The mystery here is pretty straightforward, but the solution was twisty. My guess for the culprit was wrong, but I enjoyed watching the full resolution play out.

If you aren’t familiar with Laura Jensen Walker’s work, I highly recommend anything she writes. You can read my review of Murder Most Sweet, the first book in the Bookish Baker Mystery series, here. You can also read my review of the first book in her Faith Chapel Mystery series, Hope, Faith, and a Corpse, here. Be sure to check out her whole backlist, too – I’ve read several of her older books, and I loved them. (TW: sexual harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

 

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sonali is stressed as the new semester starts at school. She is in a drama class she’s not sure about, her best friend seems enamored with a new friend, and the tension between her parents at home seems to be rising. If she lived in the Bollywood films she loves, everyone would sing their feelings – from her best friend Zara’s excitement about all things drama to her brother’s frequent tears and her parent’s anger. But Sonali swore off feelings – and sharing them – years ago.

As a younger kid, Sonali had made a project all about her parent’s arguments and how it made her feel. But rather than changing anything at home, she was laughed at and yelled at. She learned quickly to keep everything she thought and felt to herself.

But when her parents announce their separation, everything changes for Sonali. First, she wakes up in a bedroom that is a cross between her regular room and what you might find in a Bollywood film. Then she has a soundtrack wherever she goes. And everyone says this is perfectly normal. Before she knows it, Sonali is breaking into song and dance routines while she watches her whole world shift into something out of her favorite movies. And she’s not sure how she’s going to get back to her own reality.

Review

This is a clever kids story along the lines of a Groundhog Day or Freaky Friday adaptation where the main character is in an alternate world and has to dig deep to unravel the mysteries that are keeping them from returning to their normal world. I love that sort of story, and this is a great twist on that idea. While I am not well-versed in Bollywood, the author does a great job of describing Sonali’s alternate world for readers with less context.

As an adult, it was easy to see the solution to Sonali’s problem. I’m curious to see if the intended audience catches on as quickly or if they have to walk the journey with Sonali. Either way, there’s a ton of rich emotional storytelling here that would make this great for a read-aloud or a discussion group. This is a beautiful way to engage kids in the concepts of emotional expression and health.

Kids who love Bollywood as well as those who enjoy musical theater and drama will find a lot to love here. But any kid who has struggled with emotional regulation and expression, family conflict, divorce, or grief/loss may also see themselves reflected in this story. Be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might-re-read.