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ebrings01's reviews
245 reviews
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick was my first read from her, and I really enjoyed this book, it’s one of those books I won’t stop thinking about. It is set back in the 1960s and follows a group of housewives that are living in this new “planned community”. They started this book club and their first book they planned to read was The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. Margaret, Viv, Bitsy and Charolette meet and bond over afternoon cocktails and their books. These four women created a sisterhood from this bookclub, their friendship feels authentic and following their stories made me sit back and think just how lucky women are now compared to the 1960s. These ladies would discuss all the controversies of their first read, this book was so groundbreaking for women in that generation. It helped them see that they were more than just housewives while their husbands worked and they stayed home and were homemakers and mothers. The book highlights alot of historical events taking place during this time including the civil rights movement. It was really eye opening to see just how few things were able to do, I know how many more rights women have due to this time of our history. I loved that this wasnt like other historical fiction books, it was more real and raw. I was appalled reading that before 1974 a women wasn’t able to have their own bank account without their husbands signature. I fell in love with these women and I so wish I was part of a book club like theirs. I will not stop recommending this book to every single female I know. This is one of those books that you won’t forget. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook.
* Historical Fiction
* Women’s fiction
* Women’s rights during the Civil Rights Movement
* Literary Fiction
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus and Marie Bostwick for allowing me access to this advance copy of this audiobook.
* Historical Fiction
* Women’s fiction
* Women’s rights during the Civil Rights Movement
* Literary Fiction
Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus and Marie Bostwick for allowing me access to this advance copy of this audiobook.
No Comfort for the Dead by R.P. O'Donnell
I can’t believe this is R.P. O’Donnell first published book because it was such a beautifully written book, it was so detailed and that really helps paint a picture while reading. I listened to this on audiobook and I absolutely loved the narrator and their Irish accent. Emma, a former police officer now turned librarian lives in a small quaint town of Castlefreke, a village of West Cork Ireland. I love a good murder mystery and this had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. One thing I did not like was that they smoked in the library, yes different countries have different rules but come on your gonna stain all the books with nicotine and ruin the amazing smell that books give off. R.P. O’Donnell does such an amazing job introducing all the characters and setting the scene. I can totally see this being a start of a series because of all the characters that were introduced. This book gives me vibes from classic mystery books, a mystery that isn’t to gruesome and has a lot of character building.
Tropes:
* Murder Mystery
* Sherlock Holmes
* Cozy Mystery
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this Advance Listening Copy. I wrote this review voluntarily and all words are my own.
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I can’t believe this is R.P. O’Donnell first published book because it was such a beautifully written book, it was so detailed and that really helps paint a picture while reading. I listened to this on audiobook and I absolutely loved the narrator and their Irish accent. Emma, a former police officer now turned librarian lives in a small quaint town of Castlefreke, a village of West Cork Ireland. I love a good murder mystery and this had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. One thing I did not like was that they smoked in the library, yes different countries have different rules but come on your gonna stain all the books with nicotine and ruin the amazing smell that books give off. R.P. O’Donnell does such an amazing job introducing all the characters and setting the scene. I can totally see this being a start of a series because of all the characters that were introduced. This book gives me vibes from classic mystery books, a mystery that isn’t to gruesome and has a lot of character building.
Tropes:
* Murder Mystery
* Sherlock Holmes
* Cozy Mystery
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this Advance Listening Copy. I wrote this review voluntarily and all words are my own.
The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A little background on this book.
This is my first Melissa Ferguson book. This was a heartwarming, cozy read about Bryony who is an aspiring author and literary agent Jack who she was so excited to meet at first. Bryony a ESL teacher, working to try to save her grandmothers legacy, The Bridge a center that helps immigrants learn the English language. As part of her plan to save The Bridge she wrote a book and attends a book conference in hopes that she can find an agent to help her get the book published. That’s where Jack Sterling comes in, but Bryony blew hr pitch and Jack being one of the toughest literary agents didn’t want to take on her book because of the length. He may not have wanted her book but he had interest in something else in her. Jack gave her a proposition, he wanted her to become a ghost writer for Amelia Benedict. Bryony might not have been signed for her book but her ghost writing for Amelia, but she did make her become a best selling author and household name, and millions of copies sold worldwide.
I finished this book so fast, I couldn’t put it down. I listened on audiobook and I really enjoyed the narrator. I loved the dramatic beginning of the book, where Bryony meets Jack at the conference. But I do feel that Bryony needs to grow a little more of a backbone because Amelia who she ghost writes for is a horrible nasty woman. She cranks out so many books for her, but Bryony still wants her book published. Jack and Bryony started getting closer until they go on a book tour with Amelia on her bus. Things got tough, and Bryony and Jack fight and their friendship or relationship whichever you want to call it. Shortly after Jack pulls a low blow by sending Bryony a lawsuit for breach of contract, but it was all a rouse. The twist at the end of this book was honestly my favorite part. Jack gets Bryony to go to a talk show Amelia is supposed to talk on, but it really wasn’t for Amelia it was all a surprise and coming out as a ghost writer and author of her own book. Jack melted my heart with this stunt, the amount of work that went into getting her to the show along with former and current immigrants that she taught. The fact at the end she gets a partnership with the talk show to help save her grandmothers legacy of The Bridge.
Tropes:
- Strangers to Lovers
- Chicklit
- Slow Burn
- Agent x Author
- Workplace Romance
- Forced Proximity
- Closed Door Romance
- Tension Fueled Romance
- Ghost Writer
Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing and Thomass Nelson Fiction for the ALC(Advance Listening Copy) in exchange for my honest unbiased review.
Shoot Your Shot by Lexi LaFleur Brown
I follow Lexi on TikTok and that’s how I learned about this book. I then found it on NetGalley as a ALC(advance listening copy) so thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio so much for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this book before its released on March 11, 2025.
Sports romances can be hard, and as a first time author I think Lexi Lafleur Brown did a good job. I enjoyed the somewhat cross over of her personal life to the book as she played hockey and her husband is a NHL player. Lexi did a amazing job with the writing aspects of all things hockey, I mean she has a lot of first hand experience with it to know the in’s and outs of the sport. Lexi does a really great job with her character development, and in ways breaking the mold of that typical image of a hockey romance.
Lucy Ross, a bisexual aspiring tattoo artist working for a awful jerk of a boss. Lucy meets Jaylen Jones(JJ),a black male hockey player. They meet at a local bar on the last night of JJ’s NHL hockey contract, due to a decline in him that ultimately lead to his contract ending. JJ is spending his last night in Seattle at a bar, with Lucy. His agent calls him as he’s getting ready to get on a plane to offer a last minute roster spot on Seattles NHL team. After spending the night with Lucy and then receiving that call he becomes extremely superstitious, and doesn’t want to loose his good luck charm which he thinks is Lucy. Lucy, who says she’s never had luck in her life is very skeptical of JJ believe she is his good luck charm.
JJ and Lucy come to an agreement, an agreement that benefits them both. Lucy becomes JJ’s lucky charm and JJ helps Lucy build her tattoo portfolio. The agreement means they end up spending more and more time together, and it begins to heat up in the romance department for them.
This book was so bingeable I finished it in less than a day. Lexi tackles a lot of serious topics in this book, doing it in a seamless and extemely thoughtful manner. She tackles mental health, race, LGBTQIAP+, the way she portrays JJ’s battles with anxiety and depression really stuck with me. So often do we forget that professional athletes are people to and battle the same things as your average person.
Read this if you like:
Dual POV
Spice
Seattle Washington
NHL players
Black professional sports players
Black cat x golden retriever
Aspiring tattoo artist
Where the man falls first
One night stand
Friends to lovers
Hockey
Romance
Sports romance
LGBTQIAP+
Mental health representation
Thank you again to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio and to Lexi LaFluer Brown for the change to listen to this ALC.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Sports romances can be hard, and as a first time author I think Lexi Lafleur Brown did a good job. I enjoyed the somewhat cross over of her personal life to the book as she played hockey and her husband is a NHL player. Lexi did a amazing job with the writing aspects of all things hockey, I mean she has a lot of first hand experience with it to know the in’s and outs of the sport. Lexi does a really great job with her character development, and in ways breaking the mold of that typical image of a hockey romance.
Lucy Ross, a bisexual aspiring tattoo artist working for a awful jerk of a boss. Lucy meets Jaylen Jones(JJ),a black male hockey player. They meet at a local bar on the last night of JJ’s NHL hockey contract, due to a decline in him that ultimately lead to his contract ending. JJ is spending his last night in Seattle at a bar, with Lucy. His agent calls him as he’s getting ready to get on a plane to offer a last minute roster spot on Seattles NHL team. After spending the night with Lucy and then receiving that call he becomes extremely superstitious, and doesn’t want to loose his good luck charm which he thinks is Lucy. Lucy, who says she’s never had luck in her life is very skeptical of JJ believe she is his good luck charm.
JJ and Lucy come to an agreement, an agreement that benefits them both. Lucy becomes JJ’s lucky charm and JJ helps Lucy build her tattoo portfolio. The agreement means they end up spending more and more time together, and it begins to heat up in the romance department for them.
This book was so bingeable I finished it in less than a day. Lexi tackles a lot of serious topics in this book, doing it in a seamless and extemely thoughtful manner. She tackles mental health, race, LGBTQIAP+, the way she portrays JJ’s battles with anxiety and depression really stuck with me. So often do we forget that professional athletes are people to and battle the same things as your average person.
Read this if you like:
Dual POV
Spice
Seattle Washington
NHL players
Black professional sports players
Black cat x golden retriever
Aspiring tattoo artist
Where the man falls first
One night stand
Friends to lovers
Hockey
Romance
Sports romance
LGBTQIAP+
Mental health representation
Thank you again to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio and to Lexi LaFluer Brown for the change to listen to this ALC.
I Would Die for You A Novel by Sandie Jones
This comes out March 25, 2025!
WOW, this was a wild ride of a book. This was face paced, gripping, edge of your seat the whole time you are listening leaving you breathless, heart racing listen. This is a perfect mix of wild psychological thriller and mentally unstable characters. At first the dual timelines had me confused, but I picked up on that really fast. This is a case of celebrity fandom gone wrong, with obsessive groupies and fans that makes me think twice about how I idolize certain celebrities.
Brief backstory:
So we start out in 2011 with Nicole and her ex-Army husband Brad and their daughter Hannah who is 9, in Coronado California. Cue Zoe, a young writer who wants to talk to Nicole about the downfall of Secret Oktober, a 80s British band. Zoe is digging into the lead singer Ben Edwards, and as soon as Nicole hears that name she freaks out and kicks Zoe out of her house.
Here we get to the worst part, Nicole and Brads Daughter is missing from her school. She finds out that Hannah was taken from her school by her aunt. Brad doesnt have a sister so shes starting to panic more because who has her child. Hannah has been kidnapped, but by who, does this have ties to Nicole's past?
The next timeline in the book is set in London 1986, Nicole is singing at open mic nights and is a bartender. Nicole left h0me because of her overbearing father, leaving behind her mother who has cancer and her 16 year old sister Cassie. Cassie since Nicole left home had fallen into a dangerous crowd with her new friend Amelia, a groupie always looking for her next thrill. Amelia became obsessed with Secret Oktober's member Michael, while Cassie was obsessed with Ben Edwards. Nicole meets Ben leading to the chaos that goes onto happen in 2011.
What exactly happened in 1986? Why was the band torn apart? What happened leading to the death, and who did it? Will this come back to haunt Nicole's life in 2011? Get ready to be on the edge of your seat while reading or listening to this book.
Read this if you like:
Psychological Thrillers
Celebrity Fandom gone wrong
Mystery
Dual Timeline
Secrets
Deadly Obsession
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the ALC(advance listening copy)
I wrote this review voluntarily
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
WOW, this was a wild ride of a book. This was face paced, gripping, edge of your seat the whole time you are listening leaving you breathless, heart racing listen. This is a perfect mix of wild psychological thriller and mentally unstable characters. At first the dual timelines had me confused, but I picked up on that really fast. This is a case of celebrity fandom gone wrong, with obsessive groupies and fans that makes me think twice about how I idolize certain celebrities.
Brief backstory:
So we start out in 2011 with Nicole and her ex-Army husband Brad and their daughter Hannah who is 9, in Coronado California. Cue Zoe, a young writer who wants to talk to Nicole about the downfall of Secret Oktober, a 80s British band. Zoe is digging into the lead singer Ben Edwards, and as soon as Nicole hears that name she freaks out and kicks Zoe out of her house.
Here we get to the worst part, Nicole and Brads Daughter is missing from her school. She finds out that Hannah was taken from her school by her aunt. Brad doesnt have a sister so shes starting to panic more because who has her child. Hannah has been kidnapped, but by who, does this have ties to Nicole's past?
The next timeline in the book is set in London 1986, Nicole is singing at open mic nights and is a bartender. Nicole left h0me because of her overbearing father, leaving behind her mother who has cancer and her 16 year old sister Cassie. Cassie since Nicole left home had fallen into a dangerous crowd with her new friend Amelia, a groupie always looking for her next thrill. Amelia became obsessed with Secret Oktober's member Michael, while Cassie was obsessed with Ben Edwards. Nicole meets Ben leading to the chaos that goes onto happen in 2011.
What exactly happened in 1986? Why was the band torn apart? What happened leading to the death, and who did it? Will this come back to haunt Nicole's life in 2011? Get ready to be on the edge of your seat while reading or listening to this book.
Read this if you like:
Psychological Thrillers
Celebrity Fandom gone wrong
Mystery
Dual Timeline
Secrets
Deadly Obsession
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the ALC(advance listening copy)
I wrote this review voluntarily
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Here we go again picking up where we left off from the last book. All the same characters Finlay, Vero, Javi, Nick and the extermely annoying old lady neighbor Mrs. Haggerty. Finlay just submitted her latest book, and she thought she would get time off, or get to know Nick her new hot cop boyfriend. But here we go again with Finlay getting involved in another hot mess of a predicament, when a dead body is found in Mrs. Haggerty's backyard. Finlay and Vero get dragged into the drama when Mrs. Haggerty is cleared rather quick as a suspect. But problem is, Mrs. Haggerty doesn't have anywhere to go right n0w because her electric and water are shut off and remains a active crime scene. Mrs. Haggerty ends up on Finlays door for a place to stay, despite Finlay and Vero's protests. Mrs Haggerty becomes a pesky guest, always asking for rides to book club and the grocery store. Althought Finlay and Mrs Haggerty do not always see eye to eye they do make things work and the old lady keeps alot of things shes seen in her neighbor hood watch quiet.
I love this series so much, they are always fun to listen to and Elle Cosimano grabs you in early on of every book and keeps you on the edge of your chair. However I dont like being left on a cliff hanger at the end of every single one of the books in this series. As always Angela Dawe the narrator is amazing.
Read this series if you like:
Mystery
Humor
Romantic subplot
Small town Secrets
Neighborhood Watch Secrets
Amateur Sleuth
Old Lady with a secret
Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and a production Minotaur Books
I reviewed this voluntarily
I love this series so much, they are always fun to listen to and Elle Cosimano grabs you in early on of every book and keeps you on the edge of your chair. However I dont like being left on a cliff hanger at the end of every single one of the books in this series. As always Angela Dawe the narrator is amazing.
Read this series if you like:
Mystery
Humor
Romantic subplot
Small town Secrets
Neighborhood Watch Secrets
Amateur Sleuth
Old Lady with a secret
Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and a production Minotaur Books
I reviewed this voluntarily
Get Lost with You by Sophie Sullivan
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The small town vibes of everyone knowing everyone. The second chance romance where secret crushes of childhood friends who both returned home to Smile reunite and sparks fly. Jilly and her daughter Ollie came back to Smile so that they live and work at Jillys brothers resort, Get Lost Ranch. Jilly moved back after a messy ugly divorce and Levi was just looking for a new beginning and to rekindle the relationship with his father after a health scare. Jilly and Levi run into each other at the ranch and thats when sparks start flying. Levi who left behind his career as a chef in New York City, and takes a job as chef at the resort.
Jilly has to fight her attraction to Levi. Levi came back to Smile to try to mend a relationship with his father. Levi realizes really quick that he wants Jilly and Ollie in his life. Jilly just coming from a messy divorce and is reluctant because of being so hurt in her former marriage. As the resort gets busier they have to work closer together and Levi falls more for Jilly as everyday goes on.
I loved this book it put a smile on my face the whole time I was listening to it. It was on of those audiobooks I listened to in a little over a day. I loved the connection and relationship that Jilly and Levi build and how much Ollie loves having Levi as part of her life.
This is the second book in this series by Sophie Sullivan, but i do think you can read this as a standalone, you just get more knowledge on all dynamics of the Get Lost Ranch.
Read this if you like:
Dual POV
Small town Romance
Second chance Romance
Single Parent
New Beginnings
Brother's best friend
Childhood friends turned Lovers
Thank you RBmedia for the ALC (advance listener copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily
Jilly has to fight her attraction to Levi. Levi came back to Smile to try to mend a relationship with his father. Levi realizes really quick that he wants Jilly and Ollie in his life. Jilly just coming from a messy divorce and is reluctant because of being so hurt in her former marriage. As the resort gets busier they have to work closer together and Levi falls more for Jilly as everyday goes on.
I loved this book it put a smile on my face the whole time I was listening to it. It was on of those audiobooks I listened to in a little over a day. I loved the connection and relationship that Jilly and Levi build and how much Ollie loves having Levi as part of her life.
This is the second book in this series by Sophie Sullivan, but i do think you can read this as a standalone, you just get more knowledge on all dynamics of the Get Lost Ranch.
Read this if you like:
Dual POV
Small town Romance
Second chance Romance
Single Parent
New Beginnings
Brother's best friend
Childhood friends turned Lovers
Thank you RBmedia for the ALC (advance listener copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily
Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan
I could not get enough of this book. I listened on audio and could not stop listening once I started it. The storyline kept me captivated the whole time. Presley and Beckett relationship was so sweet and organic. I related a lot to Presley in the point of she was recently single and taking this leap of faith to do other things she normally wouldn’t do like going to the Get Lost Lodge, even though she bought the trip when she was with her jerk of an ex boyfriend. She ends up in this adorable little cabin, at first she was in another cabin but the ac stopped working, so Beck told her she could stay in his place and he would stay somewhere else till the ac was fixed in her original room. As most females are, she was nervous to sleep in the cabin alone so Beck stayed on the couch so she felt more comfortable. Slowly the chemistry started growing between them, and it was off the charts. I loved how the lodge was such a family affair for all that work there. Becks family bond is contagious, and makes the story so much sweeter.
I loved Presleys growth in her time of self discovery. She went somewhere that had a whole bunch of activities she hated but slowly learned to like them a bit. She embraced these new experiences, also acknowledging that there are things that she won’t like in life and that’s totally normal for people to feel that way.
I was so sad when Presley left the island and Beck didn’t say goodbye. I know her heart hurt leaving a place where she felt so welcome and actually part of a family and group of people. But oh man, Beck’s way to win her back was the cutest and sweetest thing ever, especially calling down to the desk at the hotel she works at asking for a box of bandaids and had requested her to be his personal concierge. My heart was so happy when they rekindled their love, because their chemistry is so strong.
This was one of those feel good books, one that makes your heart beat and you fall in love with the characters too. The cozy setting of this book is so good.
If you love cozy, opposites attract, big family vibes, where you find a family bond, small town, the forced proximity of the main characters, self discovery, romance. If you like any of these tropes this book is for you!
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I could not get enough of this book. I listened on audio and could not stop listening once I started it. The storyline kept me captivated the whole time. Presley and Beckett relationship was so sweet and organic. I related a lot to Presley in the point of she was recently single and taking this leap of faith to do other things she normally wouldn’t do like going to the Get Lost Lodge, even though she bought the trip when she was with her jerk of an ex boyfriend. She ends up in this adorable little cabin, at first she was in another cabin but the ac stopped working, so Beck told her she could stay in his place and he would stay somewhere else till the ac was fixed in her original room. As most females are, she was nervous to sleep in the cabin alone so Beck stayed on the couch so she felt more comfortable. Slowly the chemistry started growing between them, and it was off the charts. I loved how the lodge was such a family affair for all that work there. Becks family bond is contagious, and makes the story so much sweeter.
I loved Presleys growth in her time of self discovery. She went somewhere that had a whole bunch of activities she hated but slowly learned to like them a bit. She embraced these new experiences, also acknowledging that there are things that she won’t like in life and that’s totally normal for people to feel that way.
I was so sad when Presley left the island and Beck didn’t say goodbye. I know her heart hurt leaving a place where she felt so welcome and actually part of a family and group of people. But oh man, Beck’s way to win her back was the cutest and sweetest thing ever, especially calling down to the desk at the hotel she works at asking for a box of bandaids and had requested her to be his personal concierge. My heart was so happy when they rekindled their love, because their chemistry is so strong.
This was one of those feel good books, one that makes your heart beat and you fall in love with the characters too. The cozy setting of this book is so good.
If you love cozy, opposites attract, big family vibes, where you find a family bond, small town, the forced proximity of the main characters, self discovery, romance. If you like any of these tropes this book is for you!
The Women by Kristin Hannah
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Kristin Hannah does it again. This was so beautifully written, and so informative. I never really grasped what women in Vietnam went through and the lack of help after the war they received because everyone thought it was just men who fought. While they may not have fought they saw so much more than anyone could have thought. They were still front line. The way that she wrote this made me really feel the emotions of the hospital staff in Vietnam. I can’t rave enough about her writing.