First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips #BookReview #Romance

 

First Star I See Tonight

By Susan Elizabeth Phillips

A star quarterback and a feisty detective play for keeps in this sporty, sexy, sassy novel—a long-awaited new entry in the beloved, award-winning, New York Times bestselling author’s fan-favorite Chicago Stars football series.

Piper Dove is a woman with a dream—to become the best detective in the city of Chicago. First job? Trail former Chicago Stars quarterback, Cooper Graham. Problem? Graham’s spotted her, and he’s not happy.

Which is why a good detective needs to think on her feet. “The fact is . . . I’m your stalker. Not full-out barmy. Just . . . mildly unhinged.”

Piper soon finds herself working for Graham himself, although not as the bodyguard he refuses to admit he so desperately needs. Instead, he’s hired her to keep an eye on the employees at his exclusive new nightclub. But Coop’s life might be in danger, and Piper’s determined to protect him, whether he wants it or not. (Hint: Not!) If only she weren’t also dealing with a bevy of Middle Eastern princesses, a Pakistani servant girl yearning for freedom, a teenager who just wants of fit in, and an elderly neighbor demanding Piper find her very dead husband.

And then there’s Cooper Graham himself, a legendary sports hero who always gets what he wants—even if what he wants is a feisty detective hell bent on proving she’s as tough as he is.

From the bustling streets of Chicago to a windswept lighthouse on Lake Superior to the glistening waters of Biscayne Bay, two people who can’t stand to lose will test themselves and each other to discover what matters most.

This book is so much fun! It made me laugh. It made me swoon. It made me want to read every book this author has written!

This novel was one of those deeply satisfying reads. It really did tick all the boxes. I adored by Cooper and Piper. Both are determined not to fall for each other, but this is a romance book so you know they are not going to have a choice!!

I really enjoyed this novel and I will certainly be checking out more books in this series.

AMAZON

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris #HistoricalFiction #WW2

 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

By Heather Morris 

I tattooed a number on her arm. She tattooed her name on my heart.

In 1942, Lale Sokolov arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival - scratching numbers into his fellow victims' arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust.

Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale - a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer - it was love at first sight. And he was determined not only to survive himself, but to ensure this woman, Gita, did, too.

So begins one of the most life-affirming, courageous, unforgettable and human stories of the Holocaust: the love story of the tattooist of Auschwitz.

 Lale and Gita - what a heart-rendering romance. I am not a huge fan of reading stories set in Auschwitz, for the simple reason that I find myself an emotional wreck by the end of the book and left wondering how on earth anyone could treat a fellow human being so terribly. But a friend had read this book and recommended it to me. And I am so glad she did.

This novel is a masterful portrayal of a desperate time in history. This is one of those novels that will haunt you long after you have turned the last page.

AMAZON

To Ride with the Knight (Girls Who Dare Book 10) By Emma V Leech #BookReview #HistoricalRomance

 

To Ride with the Knight 

(Girls Who Dare Book 10) 

By Emma V Leech

A reckless beauty…

Lady Helena Adolphus is no stranger to scandal. Her brother may be a duke, but his black reputation once threatened her own chances of making a good match. Now returned to the bosom of the ton, Helena is feted and courted as much for her loveliness and wild green eyes as for her hefty dowry. Yet the eligible bachelors leave her cold and respectability is deadly dull. There is only one man who makes her pulse leap, and she knows she’d be a fool to pursue him.

A ruthless man…

Gabriel Knight understands desperation. Born into poverty and raised in a foundling home, Gabriel used every opportunity to claw his way out of the gutter. Now one of the wealthiest men in England, wicked Knight is dismayed to discover his success has not bought him happiness. Restless and bored, he blames his ennui on the pompous aristocrats he despises, those who still close doors in his face.

An imprudent affair …

Though Helena is aware of Gabriel’s animosity for the ton that shuns him, the sinful man tempts her beyond all reason. He is likely out to ruin her, and she knows it, but her stupid pride won’t let her back down from each confrontation. Before she knows what she’s doing, Helena has opened her mouth and dared him to do something scandalous.

As the heat of attraction flares hotter between them, the risk of getting burned only makes riding with the Knight ever more enticing.

Lady Helena Adolphus and Gabriel Knight are from two very different worlds, but when they meet sparks are sure to fly! This novel is so well written, it has an engaging feisty heroine and a very attractive, and ambitious man who has quite literally raised himself from the gutter.

I thought this book was quite simply brilliant from start to finish; it is the perfect novel for whiling away a couple of hours.

AMAZON

Regency Romance Author, Emma V Leech is the award-winning writer of five series with many more to come! The Last Man in London and Flaming June from the Rogues and Gentlemen series both appeared in the TOP 20 AMAZON UK Kindle Storyteller Awards 2018 "Romance Reads You Can't Miss" Listed from over 6000 entrants, plus To Follow her Heart and The Scent of Scandal in 2019.

Tattered Loyalties (Talon Pack Book 1) by Carrie Ann Ryan #ParanormalRomance

 

Tattered Loyalties 

(Talon Pack Book 1)

 By Carrie Ann Ryan

When the great war between the Redwoods and the Centrals occurred three decades ago, the Talon Pack risked their lives for the side of good. After tragedy struck, Gideon Brentwood became the Alpha of the Talons. But the Pack’s stability is threatened, and he’s forced to take a mate—only the one fate puts in his path is the woman he shouldn’t want.

Though the daughter of the Redwood Pack’s Beta, Brie Jamenson has known peace for most of her life. When she finds the man who could be her mate, she’s shocked to discover Gideon is the Alpha wolf of the Talon Pack. As a submissive, her strength lies in her heart, not her claws. But if her new Pack disagrees or disapproves of fate’s choice, the consequences could be fatal.

As the worlds Brie and Gideon have always known begin to shift, they must face their challenges together in order to help their Pack and seal their bond. But when the Pack is threatened from the inside, Gideon doesn’t know who he can trust and Brie’s life could be forfeit in the crossfire. It will take the strength of an Alpha and the courage of his mate to realize where true loyalties lie.

Where do I even begin? It had everything I want in a romance and then some. The chemistry between Gideon and Brie made their story really plausible and enjoyable to read about. And the cliff hanger only made me hunger for the next book.

This book has to be on your to-read list!

AMAZON

Daughter of Time (The After Cilmeri Series Book 1) by Sarah Woodbury #YoungAdult #TimeTravel

 

Daughter of Time 

(The After Cilmeri Series Book 1)

By Sarah Woodbury

A modern woman with a troubled past, Meg's life is in tatters when she slips through time and into medieval Wales ...

Only by working together can Meg and Llywelyn navigate the shifting allegiances that threaten the very existence of Wales--and create their own history that defies the laws of time.

Who doesn't like a good time-travel story?! Well, I do for one. This book was really engrossing and I soon lost myself amongst the pages of this seemingly magical tale.

This is a series that is certainly worthy of your attention and I can't wait to read Book 2!

AMAZON

Poetry Corner: Today's poem is by Ronald Duncan #Poetry #Horses

 

The Horse
By Ronald Duncan

“Where in this wide world can
man find nobility without pride,
friendship without envy or beauty
without vanity? Here, where
grace is laced with muscle and
strength by gentleness confined.

He serves without servility; he has
fought without enmity. There is
nothing so powerful, nothing less
violent, there is nothing so quick,
nothing more patient.

England’s past has been borne on
his back. All history is his
industry; we are his heirs, he
our inheritance.

Love Restored (Gallagher Brothers Book 1) by Carrie Ann Ryan #BookReview #Romance @CarrieAnnRyan

 

Love Restored 

(Gallagher Brothers Book 1)

 By Carrie Ann Ryan

In the first of a Montgomery Ink spin-off series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan, a broken man uncovers the truth of what it means to take a second chance with the most unexpected woman…

Graham Gallagher has seen it all. And when tragedy struck, lost it all. He’s been the backbone of his brothers, the one they all rely on in their lives and business. And when it comes to falling in love and creating a life, he knows what it’s like to have it all and watch it crumble. He’s done with looking for another person to warm his bed, but apparently he didn’t learn his lesson because the new piercer at Montgomery Ink tempts him like no other.

Blake Brennen may have been born a trust fund baby, but she’s created a whole new life for herself in the world of ink, piercings, and freedom. Only the ties she’d thought she’d cut long ago aren’t as severed as she’d believed. When she finds Graham constantly in her path, she knows from first glance that he’s the wrong kind of guy for her. Except that Blake excels at making the wrong choice and Graham might be the ultimate temptation for the bad girl she’d thought long buried.

This book...I absolutely loved it. I adored Graham Gallagher, simply because of the trauma that he has to work through. He is the typical alpha male with a secret. Likewise, I loved the depiction of Blake, her portrayal was fabulously realistic.

This is a wonderful book to read while sipping a warm cup of hot chocolate. Perfect!

AMAZON

Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Talon Pack, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She's the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn't stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over seventy-five novels and novellas with more in the works. When she's not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she's reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.

The Watchmaker's Daughter (Glass and Steele Book 1) by C.J. Archer #BookReview #HistoricalFantasy

 

The Watchmaker's Daughter

 (Glass and Steele Book 1)

 By C.J. Archer 

India Steele is desperate. Her father is dead, her fiancé took her inheritance, and no one will employ her, despite years working for her watchmaker father. Indeed, the other London watchmakers seem frightened of her. Alone, poor, and at the end of her tether, India takes employment with the only person who'll accept her - an enigmatic and mysterious man from America. A man who possesses a strange watch that rejuvenates him when he's ill.

Matthew Glass must find a particular watchmaker, but he won't tell India why any old one won't do. Nor will he tell her what he does back home, and how he can afford to stay in a house in one of London's best streets. So when she reads about an American outlaw known as the Dark Rider arriving in England, she suspects Mr. Glass is the fugitive. When danger comes to their door, she's certain of it. But if she notifies the authorities, she'll find herself unemployed and homeless again - and she will have betrayed the man who saved her life.

With a cast of quirky characters, an intriguing mystery, and a dash of romance, THE WATCHMAKER'S DAUGHTER is the start of a thrilling new historical fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Ministry of Curiosities, Freak House, and Emily Chambers Spirit Medium books.

This fast-paced story kept me on the edge of my seat. With its magical under-tone, fabulous historical backdrop and a intriguing mystery to solve, this novel promised much, and it delivered much.

There is a cast of very colourful and memorable characters in this novel, but I simply adored India. She is such a strong woman despite her many setbacks. I thought her depiction was very realistic in the telling. And the mysterious Mr Glass kept me guessing.

I thought this novel was fabulous, and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2.

AMAZON

Another Yesterday by Angela Christina Archer #BookReview #ContemporaryWomenFiction

 

Another Yesterday
 By Angela Christina

"You never get another yesterday . . ."

It's something my mother used to always say, and although I heard the words, I never really knew what they meant. At least not until my life had utterly fallen apart.

1966 ~ Nineteen, alone, and with a baby on her hip, Maggie flees from all she knows. Finding herself in Shadow Brook, a small town off the coast of Maine, Maggie begins to rebuild her life working at an inn, making new friends, and finding love again---something she never believed she ever have. Her only problem is a past she wishes to hide from and keeping secrets that could shatter her daughters world.

1996 ~ Rachel never wanted her mother's life, but after finding her husband in bed with another woman and her mother's untimely death, Rachel finds herself not only back in Shadow Brook, but facing the realization what she thought she never wanted was exactly what she was getting. When Rachel comes across a box of her mother's old journals in the attic, her whole world begins to unravel, and Rachel learns the truth her mother has hidden for thirty years.

Two lives. Two Stories. One fateful afternoon family secrets are uncovered from the past.

Another Yesterday is an emotionally compelling novel about a mother and daughter and the secrets that are kept. 

This beautiful novel is so heartrendingly realistic that I found myself reaching for the tissues on several occasions. This is certainly a captivating read and one that I could not put down. One more page became one more chapter, and I finished the novel at 2 in the morning. This is a novel that I was happy to forgo sleep to finish.

AMAZON 

The Royal Nanny: A Novel by Karen Harper #HistoricalFiction #BiographicalFiction

 

The Royal Nanny: A Novel
By Karen Harper 

Based on a seldom-told true story, this novel is perfect for everyone who is fascinated by Britain’s royal family—a behind the scenes look into the nurseries of little princes and the foibles of big princes.

April, 1897: A young nanny arrives at Sandringham, ancestral estate of the Duke and Duchess of York. She is excited, exhausted—and about to meet royalty. . . .

So begins the unforgettable story of Charlotte Bill, who would care for a generation of royals as their parents never could. Neither Charlotte—LaLa, as her charges dub her—nor anyone else can predict that eldest sons David and Bertie will each one day be king. LaLa knows only that these children, and the four who swiftly follow, need her steadfast loyalty and unconditional affection.

But the greatest impact on Charlotte’s life is made by a mere bud on the family tree: a misunderstood soul who will one day be known as the Lost Prince. Young Prince John needs all of Lala’s love—the kind of love his parents won’t…or can’t…show him.

From Britain’s old wealth to the glittering excesses of Tsarist Russia; from country cottages to royal yachts, and from nursery to ballroom, Charlotte Bill witnesses history. The Royal Nanny is a seamless blend of fact and fiction—an intensely intimate, yet epic tale spanning decades, continents, and divides that only love can cross.

This story is about the nanny for King George and Queen Mary’s children. This was a really interesting to read about the lives of children growing up in their royal families. The fact that these children are raised, not by the parents, but by those who are employed to take care of them was a real eye-opener. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to be a member of the Royal Family and not be hands-on with regards to raising your children.

 It was a very enjoyable and enlightening read. 

AMAZON

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, Book 5) by Cassandra Clare #BookReview #Paranormal #YoungAdult

 

City of Lost Souls 

(The Mortal Instruments, Book 5)

 By Cassandra Clare

What price is too high to pay, even for love? Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

NO, NO, NO - this novel broke my heart. I am so in love with Jace and Clary and to see them suffering once again...! 

I can’t describe how brilliant this series is. I can not get enough of it. I have become a dedicated fan - I even have a T-shirt that says so!! 

Looking Better in Black than the Widows of our Enemies since 1234.

ROFL - I love this series so much

Cassandra Clare is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Mortal Instruments series and the Infernal Devices trilogy, and coauthor of the Bane Chronicles with Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson. She also wrote The Shadowhunter's Codex with her husband, Joshua Lewis. Her books have more than 36 million copies in print worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Cassandra lives in western Massachusetts. Visit her at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about the world of the Shadowhunters at Shadowhunters.com.

Ryker (Kings of Korruption MC Book 1) by Geri Glenn #Romance

 

 Ryker 

(Kings of Korruption MC Book 1)

 By Geri Glenn 

A nurse on the run. A biker with a dark past. An unlikely match that will change their worlds forever.

Ryker Cole’s friend is dying, and his world is crumbling around him.

When shy and nervous nurse, Charlotte, walks into that hospital room, he is captivated by her sharp wit and kind smile. Their conversations soothe him, her presence keeping him steady, but Ryker knows she’s not for him. Women like Charlotte don’t belong in the world of the Kings of Korruption MC. It’s not safe.

Except, Charlotte’s already in danger. Her past has caught up with her, and this time, she may not survive.

If you like biker romances, then you are going to love this novel. I throughly enjoyed every minute of this book, although there was one character that I did not take to and that was our dear heroine’s sister. Charlotte, however, I adored, and her relationship with Ryker was very believable.

AMAZON

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, Book 3) by By Cassandra Clare #YoungAdult #Fantasy #Paranormal

 

City of Glass 

(The Mortal Instruments, Book 3)

 By Cassandra Clare

Amid the chaos of war, the Shadowhunters must decide to fight with the vampires, werewolves and other Downworlders – or against them. Meanwhile, Jace and Clary have their own decision to make: should they pursue the love they know is a mortal sin? This edition contains a map and a new foreword by Cassandra Clare. Read all the sensational books in The Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, The Bane Chronicles, The Dark Artifices, The Last Hours and The Shadowhunter’s Codex.

I love this series so much. I feel genuine excitement when I start each book. The writing is exquisite. The story is absolutely gripping, and I am falling more in love with the characters and the world that they inhibit.

This series really does deserve all the acclaim that is has been given. It is utterly brilliant.

Cassandra Clare is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Mortal Instruments series and the Infernal Devices trilogy, and coauthor of the Bane Chronicles with Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson. She also wrote The Shadowhunter's Codex with her husband, Joshua Lewis. Her books have more than 36 million copies in print worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Cassandra lives in western Massachusetts. Visit her at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about the world of the Shadowhunters at Shadowhunters.com.