Rosie Goodwin - Our Sweet Violet

As the much doted-on daughter of the local doctor Violet Stroud had a comfortable, happy childhood - despite a distinct lack of love from her cold-hearted mother. But when her father unexpectedly dies, Violet's life is turned upside down. As secrets about the family come to light, Violet finds herself homeless and with no one to turn to apart from Edie, the family's gentle and loving housekeeper.
Violet and Edie set out on their own to run a café by the docks and life, while humble, starts to settle down. Perhaps, Violet may find happiness again and even . . . love? But when Violet's brother, Oliver, comes back on the scene, chaos follows at every turn, and while walking home alone one night, something unthinkable happens. With her contented existence and her chance at true love under threat, Violet must summon all the strength she has to put her life back together. Will she ever find the peace that she so desperately desires?

Comment: I was given this book for my birthday but until then I confess I had never heard of the author, which might seem strange since she is certainly prolific.

In this story we meet Violet, a sweet natured girl, whose live changes after the death of her beloved father. Her mother Anne has never been caring towards her, only for Oliver, her brother. To make things worse, their house was actually rented and they have to leave, which means her mother sends her away, without any place to stay. Thankfully, she has Edie, their cook, who promises to help and they even find a way to start their own business which suits them both well. Violet also meets people who cheer her up but she keeps worried for her brother, whom she idolizes although he has never been a good person. But when her life has yet another change, Oliver comes back and the unthinkable happens. Will there be any happy end for Violet?

To be fair, this book has a good enough base, extremely predictable yes, but with talent and ingeniousness any good writer could develop it in any way/genre. My problem with it is that I simply disliked the author's style and found it to be almost juvenile.

I do feel bad about this, after all it was a gift and I never want to have to tell those who give me books that I didn't like them,even knowing it's not their fault (it works both ways; I love to give books and sometimes they might not suit the person as I imagined, obviously) but this one really failed. I mean, it's clearly an easy book to read, it has some interesting scenes and situations but it's written in a very simplistic way and the characters are extremely under developed.

I think that the author probably had many ideas and decided to use them all. Reading some comments on this book and of others by her, it seems many readers who didn't give the books high grades mentioned how repetitive and similar the plots are, or at least the themes. I suppose I can see how that might happen but then the story feels very superficial and filled with cliches. This makes the reading experience feel less good and for my personal taste, things didn't work out.

Violet is a sweet girl of 16 or 17, I can't be certain, when the story begins and she never stops being this young and sheltered, in any of her interactions with others, even when hardship and disappointment happen. Yes, she is sweet but lacks sense and is incredibly TSTL, nothing makes her see what's in front of her and I admit I often lost patience with her and skipped some passages. All characters are only readable at a superficial level, which means I never felt the emotional investment to really care, and even the villains were characterized very thinly, making some of their actions seem trivial.

Then, there's the plot. Many terrible things happen to Violet and then many good ones too, a very ridiculous mix that for me had poor results. Violet is sent away from her home, then her cook happens to help her. They start a business but them gangs threaten to break stuff if they don't pay. Violet meets a good man but then thinks he is engaged. They need help when things go well but then the help starts being ill. Then her horrid brother starts manipulating her to give him money., then several other things that only cause her worry. Then this and that, but thankfully Violet has an aunt, never mentioned before but who leaves her a house and an inheritance, then.... and so on and on...

I mean, lots of things, so many situations are over the top, unrealistic, unnecessary, and in the middle of all this, Violet goes on as a sweet, silly, naive girl. When the very worst happens, instead of finally giving her a change of attitude, it only serves to add more drama. But at least this is not the type of drama that affects the reader in an impossible way, since the writing is so shallow it never leaves an emotional impression, but it is a pity. For an historical, the ideas are there, but... I really didn't find this interesting. I've finished because it was a gift, but I would not wish to read anything else by the author.

Grade: 4/10

Chelsea Field - The Killer of Oz

Izzy, her boyfriend, and her holiday-crashing neighbor, Etta, are off to the driest, flattest, and most infertile inhabited continent on earth—where even the cutest of creatures might try to kill you.
But that’s only the beginning of their problems…
A Taste Society courier goes missing.
And twenty-six hours after Izzy lands in Australia, a crocodile is found dead. With a human corpse inside.
Not quite the start to her relaxing holiday she’d been hoping for.
Etta, on the other hand, is ecstatic. Relaxing was never part of her itinerary.
Meanwhile, Izzy’s boyfriend, Connor, is developing a new sympathy for fish out of water. Between trying to win over Izzy’s country-folk parents, preventing Etta from shooting anything, and being enlisted to smuggle a goat into a posh hotel, his day job hunting down criminals has never seemed more appealing.
Then a series of accidents threatens to add Izzy to the body count. Is Australia really that dangerous? Or does someone want Izzy to swim with the fishes crocodiles?

Comment: This is the sixth and final book in this series by Chelsea Field,whose installments I've been reading since late 2022. On one hand, this was a light series,easy to read at any time and for that I feel sad to see it end, on the other even with the assumption this is light, more could have been done to make it stronger.

In this final book, Izzy, Connor and Etta travel to Australia to meet Izzy's parents. What was supposed to be a quiet and simple trip so that Izzy could see her parents after so long and for Connor to meet them at last, of course turns into a mission. One of the Australian tasters is found dead and they find out she was part of an apparent smuggling ring, which means Connor and Izzy decide to investigate, while dealing with the shenanigans around her family reunion. It turns out that the smuggling is connecting to "the grey nomads", older folks who travel by caravan and such all through Australia, and one of them just happens to be someone from Izzy's mother's past. This proves to be a handy excuse to get to know them, but will it be easy to accept what they find?

For me, this story worked out in general, it's pretty much the same vibe and feel of the other books, but if I were to pick apart each detail, I cannot say this will be remembered by me as a favorite. I think that, in part, I feel this because it's the last book and it didn't finish in a premeditated manner,for I think the author had all intention of writing more and, apparently, she decided not due to personal issues. There is a bonus note at the author's website wrapping up some loose threads of the series, which validates this impression.

It is a pity that the series wasn't finished properly, on the page, but things are as they are and I hope the author can return to publishing one day. In regards to this book, is was clearly intended to be continued, considering the end. I mean, things end up well enough for this specific plot, but one or two things are left up in the air, and one more at least would have probably concluded whatever was necessary, but this is what was possible. I cannot say I disliked the end, and I have now read the bonus note, but it's not the same, no.

Anyway, in this book the adventure of searching for clues about the poor taster's death and the recovery of something she was carrying with her, which the grey nomads want to retrieve was the drive behind most of the plot segments, and some scenes were as funny and silly as we've seen in previous installments. I think the Australian references were interesting too and despite the snake and crocodile inclusions I still feel I'd not mind a travel to that country. I think there were enough elements to catch our interest here, but I will confess some elements felt unnecessary.

For instance, I know that Etta's character is meant to be extraordinary and out of the box, but her presence here felt a little too much. I also expected more scenes with Izzy's family and hoped for some cute/bonding scenes between them and Connor. I also assumed we would have more links to the poison tasting, after all having the other taster dying seemed to be the only real reference to it, but all these things were only dealt with superficially. The grey nomads inclusion was interesting, from a cultural and social POV, it also added funny scenes here and there, but it didn't have to be enough.

Izzy remains a very likable heroine, with enough emotional thoughts and feelings to make her somehow vulnerable, but often she sees herself in very odd situations. I do like the quirky aspect of the series for the most part, but I do wish some of the most serious issues the characters face, namely Izzy's, would have had a bit more passion into how they would be used. Sometimes the silly things do go on for a bit too long. 

The case is solved, of course, and the explanation isn't as simple as I imagined, which was an unexpected element, and there were enough things in the whole plot that made the story line captivating. I think the fact the main characters had to be in motion made some things a bit inconvenient and rather pointless, such as "wasting" (let's say) the family reunion, and the presence of Izzy's best friend Lily, whose character was adrift among everything else.

I still had a good time reading this novel, though. It is what it promises and it was light entertainment and many situations made it worth it despite the details I feel weren't as thrilling. I do feel a little sad this is over...

Grade: 7/10

N.R. Walker - Tallowwood

Sydney Detective August Shaw has spent the last decade of work solving cold cases. Since the death of his boyfriend eight years ago, August works alone, lives alone, is alone--and that's exactly how he likes it. His work is his entire life, and he's convinced a string of unsolved cold-case suicides are linked to what could be Australia's worst ever serial killer. Problem is, no one believes him.
Senior Constable Jacob Porter loves his life in the small town of Tallowwood in the middle of the rainforests in northern New South Wales. He runs summer camps for the local Indigenous kids, plays rugby with his mates, has a close family, and he's the local LGBTQIA+ Liaison and the Indigenous Liaison Officer.
When human remains are found in the camping grounds at Tallowwood Reserve, Jake's new case turns out to be linked to August's cold cases, and Jake agrees they're not suicides at all. With Jacob now firmly in August's corner, they face one hurdle after another. Even when more remains are found, they can't seem to gain ground.
But when the body of a fellow police officer turns up under the same MO, it can't be ignored anymore. August and Jake must trace the untraceable before the killer takes his next victim or before he stops one of them, permanently.

Comment: I had seen this book being recommended by several readers and I enjoyed the books by the author I have read already, thus choosing to try this one as well wasn't difficult at all.

Human remains are discovered in Tallowwood, a quiet place in the northern part of New South Wales and the similarity to other cases makes senior constable Jacob Porter to call detective August Shaw, responsible for investigating those cases. It does seem the cases might be connected but doing all that is necessary is complicated since not many people believe August when he says the murders are the work of a serial killer. As the investigation develops, with sudden new little things becoming obvious, August and Jacob become close and despite the difference in their personalities and ages, they do form a bond... but is there room for romance when a killer ants up his tally?

I've found this book to be engrossing and captivating to read. It has a murder investigation which is vibrant and interesting without too much graphic details and goring scenes, which makes it bearable to go through, and includes a cute romance between two people who might pose for the definition of "opposites attract", and this did please me a lot.

August is a 41 year old detective who has lived through a terrible loss, especially hard since it was linked to the cases he is investigating. He is now a loner, only dedicated to his work but still determined to catch the killer who has been murdering gay men for years. The fact he is gay too makes it even more important for he feels it's his duty in a way, to try to help others he empathizes with and he wants to give closure to the family members still waiting for news. He is likable and competent but he was a little too aloof, this is true. I liked him, though, and his dynamics with Jacob helped to give him perspective.

Jacob is bubbly, sweet and competent, is 29 and dedicated his time to many things, loves his job and his family and the rain forests around Tallowwood. He is very different from August but as keen to find the killer, not only for the same reasons as Augusts' but also because he wants to give back serenity and peace to the place and he believes in the spiritual beliefs of his Aboriginal ancestors. I liked him a lot, I loved the fact he went though prejudice of course,but this didn't bring him down and his confident personality makes him a very approachable and humble person to want to see succeeding.

Their romance is sweet and develops slowly, with some cute yearning scenes, a lot of consideration for what they are doing but always a certain notion there can be something special about the other. Their age difference isn't much of a deal except for some light teasing, and I was convinced their personalities would adjust fine to one another. I still think the story would have gained from a more obvious romance development (no, I don't mean sex scenes), mostly to counterbalance the sadder aspects of the police investigation, but the focus was not on romance alone.

The murder investigation and the details we get to learn while they investigate, the method the killer uses to incapacitate the victims were very well planned, the psychology of why this happened to begin with, all sounded well planned by the author and gave me food for thought. 

Along with the descriptions of that Australian region, the references to some cultural elements and the characters dynamics, all made for a great reading experience. A bit more romance (for me, it would have been a plus) and a bit more explanation of a few details would have made this even better, but I was very happy with the result. Will read more by the author, of course.

Grade: 8/10

Georgina North - Painting the Duke

There is nothing so important as putting space between herself and him—and nothing so hard.
Vivienne Emory runs in the first circles of London society, but there’s no telling how the ton would react if they knew she made a living as an oil painter. Her desire to follow her dreams means she must protect her secret—and her independence—at all costs.
When the Duke of Hazelhurst returns to the vibrant London social scene after years abroad, his presence and chequered past set tongues wagging. His mother is desperate for him to take a wife, but he faces a daunting challenge—winning the heart of a woman who doesn’t want anyone, especially him.
An impulsive decision by the duke forces Vivienne into a web of pretence and sparks an electrifying engagement between them. What begins as a ruse swiftly intensifies, and the line between what’s real and what’s pretend becomes harder and harder to discern.
Can Vivienne guard her secret and herself from the man determined to steal her heart? And when the truth unravels, will the duke’s own deceit destroy any hope of a future with the woman he loves?

Comment: I got interested in this book after seeing a positive recommendation at a site I usually check. The premise felt interesting and I'm glad to say it was a rewarding read.

Vivienne Emory is staying with her uncle and aunt during the season but, at 24, she is practically on the shelf, which is something she is relieved for, since it minimizes the chances of her having more offers. Vivienne is an artist and she very well knows women don't have many rights and even less so while married if their husbands deem it so, and she doesn't want to let go of her work. Her close family is proud of her achievements and she knows she is lucky but a husband might not think the same... which is why she is determined to stay away from the duke of Hazelhurst, even if he is a man she can't say no to as easily. 

The duke has returned from abroad and his mother wants him to finally marry but he seems to only have eyes for Vivienne, which is why he accepts a bet to win her hand, even if he regrets it later. But will Vivienne want to be him as much he wants to be with her?

This was a very satisfying historical romance. The setting and the plot might not always feel as traditional as a few other authors make it seem, but I think the environment of the regency and the social aspects were very well accomplished.

The plot is centered on the romance between the duke and Vivienne but the real core here is on women's rights and then, female artists. We still live in a society where things done by men and women tend to be seen differently, no matter their rights, so how much more frustrating is to think that the rights that do exist haven't been in practice for long. Vivienne is an artist, she has found a way to have her work accepted and exhibited but she knows everything would change if people knew she was female.

While she hides this part of herself, she is lucky to have family who not only supports her passion but admires her for it, and she is also lucky to be in a financial position which allows her to refuse marriage proposals which could put her in jeopardy, which means we do have some interesting exchange of ideas regarding this and art, and how the two can work together. I really liked her conversations with the duke about these themes and how this helped to reinforce their developing bond.

The duke is a man of honor, we get that from the start, so his acceptance of a bet regarding Vivienne is an obvious mistake to add drama at some point. This was used in an interesting way, however, because she learns about this at a later period and when she is already thinking about sharing her true feelings about her art, and this means that, to me, the bet wasn't as much a device as it would if the plot had developed differently. Still, is allowed for him to ask her forgiveness, and that includes romantic scenes, so all is kind of well at the end.

I liked the romance between them, full of longing and a slow burn falling in love, with them more dedicated to each other's feelings and personality and not physical aspects. Of course, when they finally get together, it is as passionate and as romantic as I hoped for. I liked who these characters were individually, but I liked them even more while they were interactions and together, so... romance accomplished.

When the story is ending, a certain situation happens, which is cute and romantic too, but very unlikely. I mean, it didn't ruin the book for me, but it was a little too far from the vibe we had throughout the book, and this felt a bit jarring to me. I also wasn't a fan of some secondary characters and how they were made to be antagonists without need. In the beginning there were also a few scenes I didn't feel much interest for, but for the most part, this story did work very well. 

I'm definitely curious in reading more by this author and it seems there is another book in this world, featuring secondary characters who will be a couple. I will try it at some point, hoping it is as charming as this one was.

Grade: 8/10

Elle Kennedy - The Deal

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she's carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice... even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.
All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

Comment: This book had been in the virtual pile for years but it kept being left behind. This month I've decided it was finally time to get it out of the TBR list.

College life at Briar is being very rewarding for Hannah Wells,even if it includes some people she needs to endure like her duet partner, and all the people partying which reminds her of things she prefers to let go of. Thankfully, she has her friends and now a crush on Justin Kohl, although she is unsure on how to approach him. Things change when hockey player Garrett Graham, whose grade on their latest test has put his game attendance in jeopardy, asks her to tutor him, in exchange to help her socially, so she can get Kohl's attention. She wishes she could be better than this, but for a week, she says yes. Of course, spending time with Garrett helps her in a way she didn't think a jock could actually do...

This new adult story was published ten years ago and several people I knew had read it and liked it. I can only suppose that was why I've added it to my list. Plus, other similar books I read (by Sarina Bowen, for instance) and that I enjoyed convinced me this might be a good try, even though, just like with general YA, it is a genre I no longer gravitate towards, unless it includes a specific theme or situation I'm interested in seeing developed.

I don't mean to say YA or NA stories aren't good, only that the dynamics often frustrate me because if it's a romance, usually the characters are immature or act like it, and it's difficult to believe in a HEA. If it's not a romance, sometimes I like it better, but the age is always on the back of my mind and I simply prefer more adult characters. This said, I did like reading The Deal for the most part, and the writing felt fluid and easy, with interesting situations and behaviors here and there to make the plot more appealing to me. It is a pity, however, that certain expectations on what a college experience might be were met...

I'm referring to the apparent partying vibe that almost everyone shares in this college, the incredible amount of drinking going around and, of course, the promiscuity which seems to be taken for granted and even desired for these students, especially f they are popular or in the sporting teams. I can only assume it is a way of life for students everywhere, with an obvious focus on students in the US, as we seen in books and movies so often. I don't really care for this, but it was portrayed and it was a key element in this plot, so it is not possible to avoid it. I'm glad the main characters were more intriguing than they appeared, but this element was not one I cared for at all.

Garret seems to be the cliched jock, but he is more attentive and clever than he looks, which I liked, because if he had been as immature as he seemed at first throughout the whole book, this would have been quite the disappointment. He had some interesting layers but since the book was focused on the romance with Hannah, this part of his character was not developed as much as it could, I think. nevertheless, I liked Garrett and I could almost see his assurance as something positive and not as arrogance.

Hannah is, to me, the clear protagonist. She is a likable person, she is smart and dedicated and a talented singer. She is happy enough at Briar, but her heart is with her parents, stuck in a place that only brings them unhappiness because of something she feels guilty for. I think some of her thoughts regarding this were quite on point, valid and I think this proved how mature she actually was, but life experiences and trials do that for us, of course. She has quite the layered personality 'd say, so the whole think with Garret at first because of the other guy, even with her explanation for it, felt annoying to me.

Still, their romance developed in a good way, considering all the issues and their age. most situations were believable, if not truly interesting for me. There is a rather serious issue related to Hannah, which should certainly merit a lot more pages than the ones we have about it, but I wasn't too fond of how it was also a sort of prop for the strengthening of their intimacy and connection. Also, closer to the end, there is a ridiculous conflict, which I thought Hannah would be too clever to fall for, but she does and it's not that such a thing could not exist in a real life situation, but it's so obviously a tactic that I felt disappointed they didn't ignore it. 

Thus, with some predictable elements and a lack of genuine interest in the situations these characters live in while at college, reading this book was certainly a good experience, but, ultimately, a forgettable one for me, personally. I can appreciate the elements I liked the most but this book was only average for me.

Grade: 6/10

Anthony Horowitz - Marble Hall Murders

Editor Susan Ryeland has left her Greek island, her hotel, and her Greek boyfriend Andreas in search of a new life back in England.
Freelancing for Causton Books, she’s working on the manuscript of a novel, Pund’s Last Case, by a young author named Eliot Crace, a continuation of the popular Alan Conway series. Susan is surprised to learn that Eliot is the grandson of legendary children’s author Marian Crace, who died some fifteen years ago—murdered, Elliot insists, by poison.
As Susan begins to read the manuscript’s opening chapters, the skeptical editor is relieved to find that Pund’s Last Case is actually very good. Set in the South of France, it revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, who, though mortally ill, is poisoned—perhaps by a member of her own family. But who did it? And why?
The deeper Susan reads, the more it becomes clear that the clues leading to the truth of Marian Crace’s death are hidden within this Atticus Pund mystery.
While Eliot’s accusation becomes more plausible, his behavior grows increasingly erratic.. Then he is suddenly killed in a hit-and-run accident, and Susan finds herself under police scrutiny as a suspect in his killing.
Three mysterious deaths. Multiple motives and possible murderers. If Susan doesn’t solve the mystery of Pund’s Last Case, she may well be the next victim.

Comment: This is the third - and apparently last - installment in the Susan Ryeland books, and we can thank actress Leslie Manville (from the adapted TV series) for it, since she expressed her wish to do one more season to author Anthony Horowitz. 

When this story begins, Susan is about to leave Greece definitively for her life there no longer makes sense to her. She expects that once back in England, she can find a way to go back to her work as an editor, something which has been tremendously affected since the events in the first book. Coincidentally, her current boss asks her to edit a continuation on the Atticus Pund novels, with a new author doing it, Eliot Crace, who comes from a famous family but his previous books didn't go well. Still, Susan is glad that the chapters she is given seem very alike the original author's work and she believes this can work. The problem is that Eliot isn't always reliable and the more she reads, the more it seems that, like Alan Conway, Eliot Crace is also hiding secrets in his novel...

I really love this type of novel, in which we have a story within a story. As we follow Eliot Crace's novel, it's also a means to understand the "real life" plot about Susan and those she interacts with while she does her job and investigates. This worked out very well for me in the first book, even better in the second and here, despite the cleverness of Horowitz' planning, I will have to say I wasn't as greatly wowed.

To be fair, my issue isn't with the mysteries, both the one in the fictional novel and the one involving Susan. I think my general appreciation of this novel was just a little bit lower because of the tone. I feel the tone in this book was darker and less hopeful as the others somehow made me feel. I can understand this, clearly this is aimed to be the last book - which makes sense plot and character-wise - and with that we need to deal with some finite situations and expectations. But some passages, some scenes were still a little too sad, too disheartening for me, mostly related to Susan's life while she does this job.

With this I don't mean things don't end up in suitable way; in fact, the end is pretty much a tidy bow on the series and the adventures of these characters, but some situations were quite distressing at times. I saw that some readers have been disappointed and some even think this book is pointless, but I still think it was a great story to read. I was taken by the mysteries and the complexity of what was happening and the process of it all, although one of the murderers seemed easy to guess (psychologically, I mean, not that I guessed the clues), while the other was more surprising to me.

As it had happened with the other books in the trilogy, we get to follow the two story lines in sometimes alternated parts, and they have many points in common, so we get to have an idea about what the other story might include just by reading one first. Anthony Horowitz is a very clever planner, in the sense that so many things are intricate and connect in ways we would never imagine, so the final work reads as if it's a simple mystery but it surely means countless hours planning and creating everything...I do like the wit and the depth that goes into these stories.

This time I kind of liked the real life plot a little bit better, even counting with the bleaker moments, than the fictional story within. I say this because with the other two books, the fictional historical plots featured situations I was more impressed by, which the contemporary setting didn't do as much, but in this third book the opposite happened. Perhaps due to the content and the expectation about this being Atticus Pund last case. The development felt a bit erratic.

For me, this story worked out quite well. The characters were consistent and layered and I had a great time trying to analyze their actions and what could be a clue or not. I hope the author can think about other series with these elements because the juxtaposition of two plots with connecting elements was one of the book's best features. 

Grade: 8/10

Lucy Score - Things We Never Got Over

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon. Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.
Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.
Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.
There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.
At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Comment: This is the first book in the Knockemouth trilogy by Lucy Score. Several of my friends have read and enjoyed these books and since I have liked two other titles by the author myself, I decided to give this a try as well.

Naomi has just arrived on Knockemouth, a small town on Virginia, when she realizes her meeting with twin sister Tina will not happen. Worse, everyone she talks with believes she is Tina and is rude to her. To make matters even worse, Tina steals her car and her money and leaves her with her 12 year old daughter, Waylay. Luckily, or not, Knox Morgan is there to give her a reluctant hand, for he too doesn't like Tina. However, Naomi certainly isn't Tina and as time goes by, the more she establishes herself, mostly to pay bills and to start giving her niece some stability, the more people warm up to her. Knox, as well, starts feeling something, but he is a happy bachelor, will he accept that Naomi means more to him than he wants to admit?

This being my third attempt at a story by this author, the formula and style are pretty much obvious and that means that while this is extremely enjoyable and easy to read, it also has one or two elements I wish the author could do different. I also think the book could have a few less pages.

Naomi has left her groom at the altar and helping Tina is a very good excuse to make that decision, something we understand better closer to the end of the novel. At first, Naomi seems to be a bit aloof, but as the story develops, we get to see she is shy and takes some time to feel comfortable with others. She is a genuinely nice person, somehow always trying to compensate for her twin sister's failings.I liked Naomi and her personality but I wish the negative feelings she had could have been explored differently.

Knox is one of those alpha type heroes, although we learn about his softer side here and there. I liked the fact he wanted to keep his privacy, considering what he has done for the town and how, but I also liked how in tune he feels with his place in the community. His feelings for Naomi were easy to read for the most part but, again, due to the writing style, his actions and behavior wasn't always easy to appreciate, even though he is, at heart, a good man.

The romance is very sweet, despite them claiming to not like one another for a while, and the antagonism in certain situations. I would not say this is exactly slow burn, but the way the plot moves along makes it seem so. Of course, they are way more compatible than thy wished, and their love story has all the usual ingredients, including a ridiculous conflict close to the end of the story, which I suppose the author did for drama and to highlight how committed they actually were, but which to me felt unnecessary.

I'd say my issues with this novel, now that I'm used to the writing, is how some cliches are used and the tone of the story. This is a romance, more on the lighter side, even if includes some serious issues and their discussion, and I did like it, but I confess it annoyed me a little how often the characters are sarcastic or meant to be funny or that they drink so much all the time, or that have so may conversations about their sex lives and many other pointless issues when there is a lot more to develop instead. I think this happens because the story is meant to be hilarious and light, but these characters didn't need this to happen so often.

In fact, this would distract me from the story sometimes, how comedy-like some scenes were when there was other serious issues to deal with, and then for that to happen, more pages are added. I get it, it's the author's style, but here, somehow, I could do without. It can also be said that all this combined with the fact the protagonist are 36 (Naomi) and 40-something (Knox) makes them look very immature sometimes.

Despite this, I still had a mostly good time reading and I liked the interactions with other characters enough to want to read the other books. I hope the same dynamics work better with them, of course!

Grade: 7/10

Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz - Golden

Silence isn’t just the absence of noise. It’s a presence that brings us energy, clarity, and deeper connection. Justin Zorn and Leigh Marz take us on an unlikely journey—from the West Wing of the White House to San Quentin’s death row; from Ivy League brain research laboratories to underground psychedelic circles; from the temperate rainforests of Olympic National Park to the main stage at a heavy metal festival—to explore the meaning of silence and the art of finding it in any situation. 

Golden reveals how to go beyond the ordinary rules and tools of mindfulness. It’s a field guide for navigating the noise of the modern world—not just the noise in our ears but also on our screens and in our heads. 

Drawing on lessons from neuroscience, business, spirituality, politics, and the arts, Marz and Zorn explore why auditory, informational, and internal silence is essential for physical health, mental clarity, ecological sustainability, and vibrant community. With vital lessons for individuals, families, workplaces, and whole societies, Golden is an engaging and unexpected rethinking of the meaning of quiet. 

Marz and Zorn make the bold and convincing argument that we can repair our world by reclaiming the presence of silence in our lives.

Comment: I brought this book by impulse from the library. The theme seemed intriguing and I decided, why not?

In this nonfiction, the authors were determined to study the need for silence, especially in such a society where everything is rushed and loud and often people don't have time to stop and enjoy their own time or the need for quietness. In a few chapters they offer advice, suggestions and an analysis of how people can heal, rest, ground themselves by having quiet or silent moments.

I really won't prolong this post for long because I didn't particularly enjoy reading this book. When I picked it up and turned the pages very quickly, a few words caught my eye, namely some names and I imagined the book would be looking at the way silence can help people to get balanced or achieve some kind of peace and the authors would use real cases, situations they saw or guided in their workshops or even cases of people who could relate how being in a silent environment or something like that helped them. Well,not really, it turned out.

This book is divided into several chapters where the authors address their ideas and brainstorming, and they do name several people who used silence in some healing or positive way. This is great, but everything is rather clinical and quick, and the people mentioned don't really share a personal vision of their own paths, they are only named and referenced when it suits the type of information the authors want to convey. I mean, fine, but this was not what I imagined the book would be about. 

Therefore, this read like many other academic-type of texts, where it's all about the idea and the repeated notions of limiting people's access to distractions and technology, which often are the main causes of "too much noise". I get the idea of this book, and I think the authors did a good job organizing the text and the information included, but I was bored. I simply didn't think this was enlightening enough to really absorb the message and more often than not, I was eager to see the end of the book.

This said, I also think the book could have been edited and summarized in some sections. Some things were repeated in different sections and the examples used to illustrate an idea were often as random or as superficial as the idea itself. There is also a lot of stuff about other subjects (which, yes, can have an impact in how people react to what is around them and the lack of time to be in silence simply thinking) and the reader seems to be expected to agree with that POV, which I can accept, but this made the reading experience a rather "preachy" task.

This book didn't win me over, the content wasn't as entertaining or as relevant to me as I imagined. I think the whole book could be summarized into an essay, for instance, and that would have been enough for me.

Grade: 4/10

Tessa Dare - The Wallflower Wager

They call him the Duke of Ruin.
To an undaunted wallflower, he's just the beast next door.
Wealthy and ruthless, Gabriel Duke clawed his way from the lowliest slums to the pinnacle of high society—and now he wants to get even.
Loyal and passionate, Lady Penelope Campion never met a lost or wounded creature she wouldn’t take into her home and her heart.
When her imposing—and attractive—new neighbor demands she clear out the rescued animals, Penny sets him a challenge. She will part with her precious charges, if he can find them loving homes.
Done, Gabriel says. How hard can it be to find homes for a few kittens?
And a two-legged dog.
And a foul-mouthed parrot.
And a goat, an otter, a hedgehog . . .
Easier said than done, for a cold-blooded bastard who wouldn’t know a loving home from a workhouse. Soon he’s covered in cat hair, knee-deep in adorable, and bewitched by a shyly pretty spinster who defies his every attempt to resist. Now she’s set her mind and heart on saving him.
Not if he ruins her first.

Comment: This is the third story in the Girl Meets Duke series by author Tessa Dare. Although I didn't remember much from the previous books, a lot came to mind as I was reading this one...

Lady Penelope Campion is devoted to her animals, and she is content living alone with them, but the house next door finally has a new occupant and although he feels the house will be even even easier to sell with the daughter of an earl next door, the animals aren't exactly the best feature...

Penny is warned the duke of ruin, as Gabriel Duke is called, is dangerous and ruthless but she can't simply let her animals be taken from her and she agrees she will not mind them to go if he finds them a happy new home. Gabriel believes this will too easy, but he wasn't counting on enjoying every moment he spends with Penny and all the arguments they have over what can be considered a "loving" home...

The books by this author are fluffy, sweet and easy to read. All extremely anachronistic, ore fantasy than historical, but they are certainly enjoyable and entertaining. As it happened to the previous installments, here we have again an unlikely pair but things work out beautifully between them.

The real appeal of these novels for me is the character interaction. Penny and Gabriel get themselves in ridiculous situations but the base for all this is a sweet and meaningful relationship. It's a bit exaggerated of course, but it's nice to read between the lines and see them having key conversations for the growth of their bond, even if it seems silly. Well, it is silly but sometimes serious things are debated as if it's silly, and I think the author is very competent in making this happen.

The plot is not very imaginative, but the animals make for a very fun-like vibe and provide incredibly funny and cute scenes. I think some situations were more a caricature than a really appreciative moment, but like I said, between the writing and the vibe, this doesn't come across as childish nor badly done. Sure, I'd change and/or add some other things, but thinking about the bigger picture, this was well accomplished and made for an entertaining novel.

Penny is a sweet woman, whose cheery personality and disposition hides one or two disappointments and a much more serious issue than seemed at first. When she finally reveals her big secret to Gabriel, it is made to seem a bit superficial but it's actually quite devastating and I think this is where the usual cute atmosphere the books convey kind of misses something. I mean, of course, this would never be a dramatic story but the situation required other developments and part of me believes this aspect was only a way t make Penny more... layered.

Gabriel is another one of those heroes who pretends to be mean and heartless and, of course, hides a much more emotional depth than what he wants himself. He has a sad past, overlooked at the workhouse and has made himself a rich man, not caring about the lives of the rich he ruins in the process. Obviously, his actions seem easy to understand, considering his background, but he isn't truly a bad man, even though we are led to believe Penny brought the best in him...

I won't say much about the romance, for it it's very unlikely and unfit for an historical setting, but it's cute and romantic and they fall in love while dealing with opposed ideas and backgrounds. Reading about them was more on the sweet, fairy tale side than in a real romance one but it managed to hit all the necessary notes and fit the goal intended for such a sweet and light historical novel. 

This book was released in 2019, the fourth and last one, apparently, will come out next year. I surely hope it is everything the hints we were given in this book are meant to be.

Grade: 7/10

Cara Hunter - Close to Home

Someone took Daisy Mason.
Someone YOU KNOW.
Twists galore, a gripping race against time, and police characters you'll love - if you were addicted to Broadchurch and Line of Duty, then CLOSE TO HOME is for you.
How can a child go missing without a trace?
Last night, 8-year-old Daisy Mason disappeared from her parents' summer party. No one in the quiet suburban street saw anything - or at least that's what they're saying.
DI Adam Fawley is trying to keep an open mind. But he knows that nine times out of ten, it's someone the victim knew.
That means someone is lying.
And that Daisy's time is running out...

Comment: I brought this book by impulse from the library. I knew some people I know had read and liked it, but I had no expectation about it before starting.

The Masons are having a small party in their backyard and it's hours before they realize Daisy, their 8 year old, is missing. The police starts an investigation and the parents appeal on TV but the more time passes by, everyone knows Daisy's chances are fewer and fewer. However, as the police starts connecting the dots, some weird details start to come to light. Are the parents telling the whole truth? Did someone see something they didn't tell? Was Daisy in danger before this party begun? And what is the Masons other child, Leo, hiding? Time does not wait for Daisy, but is the truth closer to home than anyone would believe?

I liked reading this novel. It was an easy, fluid read and the story grabbed me completely. I had never tried anything by this author but now I feel compelled to read the next story in this series, for it seems this is the first book in a series featuring the main police detective, Adam Fawley.

The plot is quite simple, young Daisy is missing and all of those who were at the party claim they had seen her running around with the other kids, but as the police investigates, we realize it wasn't like this after all. Of course, everyone is a suspect, and I did have my own theory but I never imagined the actual road this plot takes towards the end. I will say the author was quite imaginative, even though there is one detail that I felt was a bit hard to accept. Not that it cannot be so, but it isn't easy to accept it from a social POV.

Of course, the first people to be investigated are the parents, as any crime series viewer can attest, the closer family members are always somehow suspects. At first, some behavior seemed to suggest a certain status and personality, but it turns out these people have secrets and as we unravel them, they are revealed to be very different people from what they seemed, and I usually like these kinds of plots if the evolution/development is well established, has a recognizable pattern. I like it when there's some depth and psychological justification for the characters to act a certain way.

The police members were also captivating to follow, and not only because they seemed to interested in following protocol and in doing things properly. I also liked the hints at their individual personalities and backgrounds. One or two seem to have their quirks and/or secretive past which I assume will be handy as the series progress, but they seemed genuinely good people, without any weird or dark secrets that make them too distant or aloof to be likable. I hope things continue on this course in the next book.

I will share I never picture the actual resolution for this novel. This isn't the most complex investigation I've read about nor is this one of those intricate plots with lots of twists and elaborated webs of elements that we are supposed to be wowed. I liked it that the police investigated things in a believable manner and reached their conclusions in a way I think made sense, but this did happen as the secrets come to light, one by one. Still, the end was not what I imagined, and it made one or two scenes feel very differently, when I went back to re-read. Very clever without it being too brainy.

All things considered, this was an interesting read, with a lot of elements to keep it interesting until the end. I will read the next book for certain.

Grade: 8/10

Alison Cochrun - The Charm Offensive

Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.
Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.
As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.

Comment: I had seen positive reviews on this book and decided to try it myself. Finally, I got the opportunity to start it.

Since he was a little boy that Dev Deshpande has enjoyed the reality show Ever After and as an adult he is overjoyed to be part of it. In this new season, all seems to be set for one more fairy tale, but the new protagonist isn't quite what the producers had in mind... 

Charlie Winshaw only accepted to be in this to clear his public image but he is shy and unsure and feels out of his depth in the silly situations he sees himself in while trying to interact with all these women. His handler, Dev, seems charismatic and fun and he is a tremendous help, even if it means he is having weird thoughts about him...

As these two learn about one another while dealing with such an exhausting environment, will they realize who they are at heart seems to be so easily complemented by the other?

I thought this would be one more silly rom-com, especially since it's set around the idea of a reality show, very similar to The Bachelor, which I have never seen to be honest, but contemporary media and similar shows have been enough exposure to know pretty much all about it. The cover also seems to suggest fun and cute vibes, but this story turned out to be way more romantic than I imagined, and it also featured a lot more serious themes than what it seemed at first.

The plot is full of ridiculous things but what else can one expect from a reality show based story, in which is as silly to see the characters "act" and it is to imagine the real and serious work behind the scenes. I can imagine that these shows are rather fake to most viewers but they still have a big audience ratings, and there is something about making these shows feel special that can also feel captivating. I think the author did a good job setting up the story as part of a reality show and the usual ideas around it.

Of course, things come alive due to the main characters. Both Dev and Charlie are interesting guys and while they present a certain personality, there is depth to them and to who they are inside. It's interesting that both face some psychological issues and that contributes to their individual behavior, while still maintaining them as a cute couple. Clearly, the author wanted to highlight the awareness of mental illnesses and the need for therapy if people need it, and in that regard, this story did feel to be set on a stronger goal, showcasing Dev's and Charlie's struggle to be who others expect of them.

The romance has many funny moments and even more serious ones. To my personal taste, I think the balance was well done and there was the exact amount of information and angst between them, although, to be fair, there is a slight conflict close to the end, I suppose page count demands or something, because I felt the way things happened was a little unnecessary. Nevertheless, the guys were cute together and my favorite part of the story was probably the dynamics and scenes between them.

There was drama, as one had to expect, and the time it took for them to deal with their issues seemed to last a bit longer than what I think the plot merited, but the overall result is one of interesting conversations, heartfelt sharing and a constant reinforcement that therapy should be something people can use to help themselves. I think there were many positive messages here, and that helped me appreciate the novel more. Plus, it also had some funny scenes. I will look for something else by the author in the future.

Grade: 8/10