Month: August 2021

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Her Deadly Touch (Regan)-BoT-Crime Thriller-Available Now

Josie Quinn is back for her 12th book, and she just keeps moving forward.

That’s something that I notice in series that have this kind of longevity. Does the main character stay static, or do they continue to grow as a real-life person would?

And let me just say that I think either is okay. For example, books like Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone are good. Kinsey is who she is – she doesn’t often have a personal arc, but it doesn’t matter; you know she is going to get the job done.

But if an author is going to create a realistic character and give them real-life problems to deal with, then they better show some growth and react to things like a normal person.

Josie Quinn definitely does that.

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Fresh off the trauma she suffered, she is immediately thrust into another creepy case. This time (as you can read in the blurb) someone is killing off members of a support group. What makes it especially poignant (and particularly eerie) is that the group was made up of parents whose children died in a horrible school bus crash.

As with past books, there are multiple characters to follow, but I never felt confused – well, at least not too much. I thought the author did a good job of keeping the families of the children straight, especially as it was revealed that they each seemed to be hiding something.

One aspect I really like about the books in this series is that they read like episodes from a favorite television crime show. There is enough detail that I can easily visualize the action, but everything moves along at a good pace and doesn’t get bogged down.

My standard for books is to not give plot points away unless they’re already covered by the blurb (and my feelings on that are well-known to anyone who has read my reviews). That’s especially true of crime novels.

Suffice to say that once again, the author weaves a credible case with believable turns and switches. It’s very true to real-life investigations.

As mentioned above, I like how Josie continues to develop, and the end (with no spoilers) indicates that will continue to progress in the future.

I look forward to reading about it.

Facebook: LisaReganCrimeAuthor 
Twitter: @Lisalregan
Website: https://lisaregan.com/
Instagram: lisareganauthor/

Author Bio:

Lisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.

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The Girl in the Striped Dress (Midwood)-BoT-Historical Fiction-Available Now

Just when I think that I have a handle on how treacherous and dehumanizing Nazi concentration camps were during WWII, I find another perspective in a historical fiction novel that shows me differently.

I now believe that there will never be an end to the depths of the inhumanity of those camps. The inmates were tortured in every sense of the word, and as the cunning of the German leaders is revealed, so is their utter lack of humanity.

In the case of this book, I learned that one of the cruelest forms of torture was psychological. And the author did an excellent job of detailing the methods without being overtly obvious about it.

As mentioned in the introduction, the plot is based on a true story (for the most part). The Kanada work detail was tasked with sorting the meager possessions of the people who came to the camp on the transports.

It was a cushy assignment by all reports, and the author describes the “benefits” of working in Kanada. However, even if on the surface other inmates felt that working there was preferable, it is difficult to imagine the psychological impact of such tasks.

In Helena, we get a sense of just how infuriating and sickening such assignments were. On the one hand, a woman got to live and even got a few perks out of it – certainly preferable to forced hard labor or death.

However, they were also expected to sort the clothing and belongings of people who were just like them – taken to the camps with the intention of extermination. So, can someone truly enjoy being alive while being constantly reminded that it could end in a second?

The psychological impact is huge: some women started to believe that they were special, and embraced their bits of freedom, forgetting their place. Others kept their heads down and were just thankful to be alive, even as they had to sort the personal items of dead people.

Talk about existential crises of the largest magnitude.

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The author writes thoughtfully about all of this but adds a twist that could have seemed hokey or contrived. An SS officer falling in love with an inmate working in Kanada detail? Preposterous!

But as I read the story of Helena and Franz, I realized that the author was using a familiar theme in WWII historical fiction (hope) and presenting it in a different manner.

To me, their story is an illustration that humanity does still exist even in the darkest of places and that the heart wants what it wants. I know that sounds trite, but if ever there was a situation where it applied this is it.

From the powerful descriptions of the Kanada detail to the odd (yet sometimes charming) courtship, I was totally taken in by Helena and Franz’s story. The interspersed chapters (set in 1947) were a good reminder of how complicated the immediate post-war years were.

Truthfully, you have to allow yourself to be immersed in this one. I can’t pinpoint specific events without giving away where the story leads. But it does present several aspects to consider, including the strength of survivor’s guilt, the complicated nature of the camp system, the psychology of the inmates and their oppressors, and many more.

But most importantly, I think it illustrates that people need to be looked at as individuals. Status, uniform, rank…none of those are what really make a person. Helena and Franz eventually realized that in each other – if more people had been like them, history would be different.

And so might our future.

Facebook: EllieMidwood/
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Author Bio

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, The Girl from Berlin.’ Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.

In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.

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Psych Thriller-The Family Across the Street-Available Now

Psych thriller is an interesting genre. There are so many different types that follow different patterns of thrill.

I am going to try to do my best to review this book, but I will be totally honest in that my review may not make much sense. There was so much going on, and the twist was so good, that I don’t dare describe too much, for fear of giving the plot away.

And if there is any book where you do NOT want to know what the twist is, this is it.

Have you ever seen the movie “The Sixth Sense?” And you know how there is a big reveal that you didn’t see coming – and if anybody had ruined that reveal it would have totally changed your perspective on the movie?

This is that sort of feeling but in book form.

Since I’m trying to not give away the plot, I’ll just tell you what works.

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The author successfully creates a delicate balance between the claustrophobic scenes of Katherine and the kids with the “outside” scenes from Logan and Gladys. There were times that I wanted to yell at Logan and Gladys, “Trust your instincts!”

I liked how the reader isn’t quite sure where Logan fits into the puzzle for quite a while. His detailed background was interesting, and it gave depth to his character.

In fact, I think he was the most complex character I have read in a long time. His past was pivotal in his decisions regarding the situation, and his hesitancy felt real and (unfortunately) legitimate. Sometimes it’s difficult to get past people’s first impressions.

Gladys was interesting, too. It was difficult to discern whether she was a bored old busybody who was trying to create something interesting for herself or if her feelings of something being off were legit as well.

As I mentioned, the author seamlessly switches between the points of view of the three aforementioned characters. When the POVs start to converge, and the reader sees the possible connections…that’s when it really became a page-turner.

Don’t get me wrong, it was solid up until then as well. It certainly drew me in and had me completely in the dark throughout the story.

The only thing that didn’t sit right with me, and this is a little nitpicky, is that I had a different idea about Katherine and the reveal made me rethink all of that…particularly her age. But in the end, I guess it didn’t matter too much. That was just one thing that stood out.

And speaking of the end, the author does a fantastic job of keeping the resolutions questionable right up until the last pages. I liked that a lot. Lastly, I also liked that this was a story that could be set in any town in any country. It was vague enough on details, but specific enough on events, that it was easy to place it.

All told, this is an extremely solid psych thriller and (dare I say) unputdownable story, that should definitely be on your TBR list.

Check out another psych thriller from this author:

Facebook: NicoleTrope/
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Twitter: @nicoletrope

Author Bio:

Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because, as her professor pointed out, ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’

She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree. In between raising three children, working for her husband and renovating houses, she has published six novels. She lives in Sydney, Australia.

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Legacy (Foster)-Book Review-Contemporary Romance-Available Now

Some authors write linear series where stories continue chronologically. Others write standalones, where there may be familiar characters who are loosely tied together, but you don’t necessarily need to read the books in order to get the full picture.

And then there is MA Foster.

She writes stories that are a web of connections. Characters from previous books pop up when you least expect, and backstories are rich in detail.

In short, she has created a complicated, real-world for her characters to inhabit. They live and breathe more than any author I have read recently. And the location of Heritage Bay feels familiar like I’ve taken a vacation there.

Everything is just that real.

In Legacy, we get Dylan and Katie. But it’s not as simple as “it’s their story.” The author doesn’t work that way. It does largely belong to Dylan, mainly because he is the family member who gets the focus this time. But each of their stories is full – Katie is not just a love interest. She has her own story as well.

This is where the author excels. Because again, it’s not necessarily linear. We get a lot of Dylan’s story, but we don’t know where Katie fits in until later in the book. By that point, you’ll be a full believer in fate.

I also like how Ms. Foster knows how to seamlessly move from emotion to scorching romance to accurate observations on life. She’s a consummate juggler. Even phrases such as “tomorrow is a gift, not a promise” that could seem trite seem absolutely natural coming from her characters. You believe them. You root for them. And by God, you feel for them.

Just when you think you have been hit with a helluva gut punch, she’s got another one ready for you. It’s not an over-exaggeration to say she knows how to get a reader in the feels…repeatedly. But again, that’s the strength of the characters and the world she has created. You get to know them personally.

Another point about the web of connections: this means that the reader gets to hear from characters whose stories have already been told – but from the current characters’ points of view.

For example, those who have read her past books know what has happened to Marcus. But he is here again as part of Dylan’s story. This method adds to the richness of the details and helps build that realism.

You’ll notice that I haven’t said much about Dylan and Katie’s story. I have my reasons, but first and foremost it’s because I firmly believe a reader needs to experience them on their own time and in their own way. If I tell you what happens to them, or how it happens that will ruin it.

You’ll just have to trust me that if you’ve read her past books (like Cougar and Baller) you’ll get more details on those characters as well. And if you thought that the characters in those books were complex…you haven’t met Dylan yet. Hold on.

It’s best to just let yourself move to Heritage Bay while you read and allow yourself to be immersed in the world MA Foster has created.

If you’re like me, you’ll be wishing they were real, and you could meet them.

She’s just that good.

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Historical Fiction-The Secret Diary-Available Now

When it comes to historical fiction novels, I love reading about new perspectives. Fortunately, I have been on a run of luck in that regard.

The historical, in this case, centers around four friends who worked as gunner girls in England during WWII. I learned a lot about their tasks and about the perspective of smaller towns during the war.

Books set in this period often center around major cities (Berlin, London, Paris), or in the smaller towns of France and Germany. Since a majority of the fighting was in and around the countries of those cities, it makes sense.

But it’s easy to forget that the war was much more widespread and even though there wasn’t actual land combat on a grand scale in England, there was a very real fear of German invasion.

I thought the author did a good job of relating the gunner girls’ lives. A simple diary entry followed by a detailed scene is an effective storytelling method. The chapters are an introduction followed by a tale.

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The diary is Nancy’s (which we know right away) and details her struggle with re-entering society after being de-mobbed. Once again, the author breaks fresh ground, because the difficulty women had after the war is often overlooked.

Come to think of it, that is a major theme of this book. England went to war as one country, but after the war, everything had changed. Societal expectations were the same, but different. And women who had responsibilities in the war were all of a sudden thrust back into traditional roles – but they knew they were capable of more.

I did feel like the “feminist” point of view verged on preachy a few times, but the author stayed just on the side of non-annoying. Nancy’s struggles felt real.

And in a strange way, they paralleled Lorna’s struggles as she tried to figure out her life without her husband. Both women were facing bold new worlds that they had to find their footing in. That was a nice connection between the two eras.

There’s a touch of mystery as well, as Lorna reads the diary and realizes that something must have happened to change the lives of the four gunner girls. I really enjoyed Lorna’s “sleuthing” as she tried to get more answers.

In fact, there is a great balance between the two eras. That’s not always the case. But this one had me eager to get back to each one as they alternated. They were separate stories but cleverly intertwined.

I would definitely recommend this book for a unique perspective on the roles of women in post-WWII England. There is a strong message that strength is in even the smallest things and moving forward is worth the struggle.

Additional Historical Fiction from this author: The Berlin Zookeeper

Facebook: @annastuartauthor
Twitter: @annastuartbooks.

Author Bio:
Anna Stuart lives in Derbyshire with her campervan-mad husband, two hungry teenagers and a slightly loopy dog. Having studied English literature at Cambridge university, she took an enjoyable temporary trip into the ‘real world’ as a factory planner, before returning to her first love and becoming an author. History has also always fascinated her. Anna loves the way that writing lets her ‘try on’ so many different lives, but her favourite part of the job is undoubtedly hearing from readers.

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Such a Good Wife (Nova Glass)-Blog Tour-Mystery Thriller-Available Now

I have read this author before, so I was predisposed to pick up this book, but I really wasn’t sure what to expect as I started reading. What I got was a cross between a family drama and a psych thriller with a little touch of mystery. It all worked together to make one page-turner of a read for most of the book.

With Mel, the author was successful in creating a character that many women could immediately sympathize with. I would venture to say that every mom, at one point or another, has lost their sense of self because they are so wrapped up in the rest of the family.

Mel was a well-developed character with motivations that made her sympathetic, even when she made choices that many women wouldn’t. It made for an interesting juxtaposition because I felt the reader could still disapprove of Mel’s actions while also relating to her. Strange, but effective.

The plot itself was thought out and detailed enough to keep a reader’s attention. There are a few twists, although not in the traditional sense that some people might expect, as well as some red herrings. I’m not sure if the author meant for them to be red herrings, though.

It seemed as if there was a point where the author gave up on subplots and decided to focus just on Mel and her situation. I was fine with that, but in retrospect, there was an awful lot of detail at the beginning that just seemed to be pushed away or ignored in the latter part of the book.

Other parts seemed to be used more as manipulation to move the plot rather than to be of great importance. For example, Mel’s son is on the spectrum. I thought the author did a good job of making him authentic – she either did her homework or has experience with people in the same situation.

But beyond him being a tenuous connection to another main character, there didn’t seem to be much purpose to him being written that way. I guess maybe to cement the fact that Mel had a lot of stress so that she was more sympathetic? The same could be said for Collin’s mother.

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In fact, now that I think about it, there were quite a few moments that seemed as if they meant more in the plot but didn’t pan out at all. The writing group, the reaction of Liz at one of the fake book club meetings, the mother’s moment of lucidity …unless I missed it, those all went nowhere. Likewise, the blackmail aspect seemed shaky – especially when other connections were made.

I do have an issue with the blurb as well. As I have mentioned before, I rarely read the full blurbs of books and if I do it’s only once. I prefer to come into a book without knowing much about it so I can discover it on my own. In this case, the blurb gives away what is arguably the biggest plot point.

I’m glad I didn’t read it before because I would have had a different perspective on the story, and I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much. I think there has to be a way to generate interest in the story without giving away the farm.

The opening chapter sets up a major plot point – but the blurb gives that away. So, if you’ve read the blurb, there is no mystery. At least until after it occurs and things start to happen to Mel. And because the surprise was ruined, the big reveal toward the end sort of fell flat for me.

Anyway, I guess it’s a teeny gripe, but I’m sure glad that I read the book without having read the blurb. Ultimately, this was a story about the lengths a woman may go to so she can feel whole, but also what she would do to protect her family. It’s an ongoing, inner battle that readers will probably be able to relate to, and the book is a good read because of it.

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Author Bio: 

Seraphina Nova Glass is a professor and playwright-in-residence at the University of Texas, Arlington, where she teaches film studies and playwriting. She holds an MFA in playwriting from Smith College, and she’s also a screenwriter and award-winning playwright. Seraphina has traveled the world using theatre and film as a teaching tool, living in South Africa, Guam and Kenya as a volunteer teacher, AIDS relief worker, and documentary filmmaker.

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Cozy Mystery-“Death at the Gates”-Available Now

This is the third cozy mystery featuring Pip and it firmly cements the series as one of my all-time favorites.

I can’t speak highly enough about these books (you can read my reviews of the first two here and here). There is so much cleverness and attention to detail that it’s difficult to know where to start.

I like how Pip is fallible. She is not necessarily the sharpest tool in the box, but she gets things done – sometimes in spite of herself. She also finds herself in the most amusing situations…again, mostly of her own doing.

An ill-planned event at the museum from the last book causes her to lose her job. Again. I like how the authors have established this pattern. Pip is always on to the next thing. This time she inserts herself into the middle of a school cheating scandal.

Anyone who pays attention to pop culture even a little will find it reminiscent of the college cheating scandal that rocked Hollywood a couple of years ago. It doesn’t exactly parallel but there are similarities.

Until a dead body pops up. Or rather, face down? And then Detective Pip really has a dilemma on her hands. As has been the case in the other books, Pip is more a beneficiary of luck rather than actual skill, although she does have a knack for talking to the right person at the right time and recognizing important things when necessary.

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Pip’s affinity for pop culture helps her along the way. However, she is woefully underprepared in some areas (her rabbit hole search for sports facts was particularly amusing). Flis also has an uncanny knowledge of pop culture. But hers often seems to be more luck of the draw due to her constant malapropisms.

Honestly, I think Flis is one of my favorite characters ever. I especially liked how her long-suffering husband has apparently figured out a way to get around her horrid attempts at new recipes

My absolute favorite part of these books, however, is the sheer intelligence of the authors. Their command of the language, wordplay, clever alliterations all make for a most enjoyable read. I almost feel like I have to read the books twice: once for the plot and a second time to just enjoy the love of words.

I hope Pip will be around for many books to come because I thoroughly enjoy reading about her escapades.  

Other cozy mystery reviews from this author:

FB: KatieGayleWriter
Twitter: @KatieGayleBooks

Author Bio:
Katie Gayle is the writing partnership of best-selling South African writers, Kate Sidley and Gail Schimmel. Kate and Gail have, between them, written over ten books of various genres, but with Katie Gayle, they both make their debut in the cozy mystery genre. Both Gail and Kate live in Johannesburg, with husbands, children, dogs and cats. Unlike their sleuth Epiphany Bloom, neither of them have ever stolen a cat from the vet.

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The Irish Nanny (Taylor)-BoT-Historical Fiction-Available Now

I had high hopes for this book, as it seemed that it would be a unique perspective on WWII on an Irish woman in London. While that is partially true, the larger story is much more than that.

In fact, and to be perfectly honest, the war actually serves as a minuscule backdrop to Rose’s story. It’s there only to provide a couple of plot points and not much else.

That doesn’t mean that the story itself is bad (it’s not). But if you’re looking for heroics in the face of war, or detailed scenes about London in wartime, this is not the place to find them.

I felt like this story was more of a lyrical retelling of a young girl’s journey – one that takes her from her small town in Ireland to places she never dreamed she would visit. If looked at through this lens, the book is highly successful.

I liked how the author used Polly and Rose as the differing opinions on their small town, and I especially liked the message that opportunity finds us when we least expect it. I can’t say more about Polly and Rose’s outcomes without giving the plot away, but it did follow in an orderly telling. The story is very linear.

There were parts of it that reminded me of one of my favorite movies, The Quiet Man. Sure, it might be mostly because of the setting, but I think it’s more that the story seemed like it could be retold in an Irish Pub. There was a quality that just made it float along easily, moving from one part to the next.

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I liked the characters. I thought that Rose was enjoyable, and the author really hit on how a young girl might have felt leaving home and going to a big city. I also liked Bridgy – she was a hoot, and Agnes was also interesting. I didn’t get much of a feel for the third sister. (I actually had to go back into the book to even remember her name – she didn’t figure highly in the story).

Where the story faltered for me was in the details. I never felt like I got a good enough answer for why Alice was the way she was. Raffi just seemed like an impertinent brat. David was a mystery. None of it seemed to jibe together very well. I particularly did not like the resolution for Alice and Raffi. It was contrived and answered no questions.

There were also places where the writing became tedious. I got very tired of reading “darling girl” or “dear child.” It was repetitive and frankly annoying. And don’t get me started on the scenes set in Brooklyn. I thought those were the most manipulative of all.

In fact, upon reflection, it kind of felt like this was Forrest Gump for the Irish nanny population. Rose is buffeted from one “event” to the next and just happens to be there for whatever occurs.

But I did like the messages of hope and resilience, as well as following the path that God may have laid out for you, even if you can’t figure out why that is the case. Rose certainly grew up (as did Polly). It was a sweet story.

Facebook: SandyTaylorAuthor/
Twitter: @SandyTaylorAuth 

Author Bio:

Sandy Taylor grew up on a council estate near Brighton. There were no books in the house, so Sandy’s love of the written word was nurtured in the little local library. Leaving school at fifteen, Sandy worked in a series of factories before landing a job at Butlins in Minehead. This career change led her to becoming a singer, a stand up comic and eventually a playwright and novelist.

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One Night Only (Walsh)-BoT-Romantic Comedy-Available Now

One of the things I look for when I read a romantic comedy is how easily I can cast and visualize a movie version of it in my head. If it’s easy to do, it’s a winner of a story. If I have difficulty, there may still be good parts, but it also may come up lacking.

I’m happy to say that One Night Only fell firmly in the former category. From the opening to closing scenes, I was taken by the characters and their trajectory. I knew right away that this was going to be a good one, and I hoped that the author would be able to sustain it.

Spoiler alert: It was really good all the way through!

I liked the whole setup. Even though I had an idea of what was going to happen in the early pages (I mean, it’s in the blurb and book description!), I still literally laughed out loud at how it all went down.

The wedding that made up the opening chapters was not only a great way to start the book and set the tone, but it was a lot of fun as well. Call it “My Big Fat Irish Wedding,” complete with obnoxious family members, unseasonal weather, and members of the wedding party who indulge in too much Guinness.

Honestly, what’s not to like about that.

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As to the two main characters, I got a better feeling for Declan than I did for Sarah, or so I thought. She was prickly (for her own reasons) and he was brooding and charming. Certainly, a perfect case of “opposites attract.”

Sometimes, in between the initial meet and the final kiss, the relationship flags and it can seem drawn out. That wasn’t the case here. The author put enough in about the characters’ personal lives that it stayed interesting.

As I have mentioned in past reviews, I like to take notes in the books as I read. It makes it easier to write reviews later on. A recurring note in this book was “real.” I used it to describe emotions, reactions, statements, situations…it just all came across as plausible life experiences.

I did think that some of Sarah’s reasoning was a little suspect, and there were times that she seemed inconsistent, but I think that might have been on purpose. She wasn’t always honest with herself, so it was natural that she would appear so to the reader as well.

I really liked the way Declan handled her. I expected a little bit more out of her job revelations, and wanted a better resolution to the Matthias situation, especially in light of what she found out. But (again) I understand why the author wrote it the way she did.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable book that made me laugh in all the right places and gave me those little swoops of “real love” recognition. For once, the tag of “hilarious romantic comedy” is 100% accurate. I’d highly recommend it as a light, fun, beachy read.

Oh, and as to the casting – I’m not totally sold on my decisions, but I could see Adam Weafer or Eoin Macken as Declan and Anna Kendrick or Hailee Steinfeld as Sarah. But what do I know? 😊

Twitter: @CatWalshWriter
Instagram: catwalshwriter/

Author Bio:

Catherine Walsh was born and raised in Ireland. She has a degree in Popular Literature and the only prize she ever won for writing was at the age of 14 in school (but she still cherishes it.) 

She lived in London for a few years where she worked in Publishing and the non-profit sector before returning to Dublin where she now lives between the mountains and the sea. When not writing she is trying and failing to not kill her houseplants.

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