Tag Archives: Beth O’Leary

Swept Away by Beth O’Leary – a Review

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Swept Away by Beth O’Leary – a Review

 

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Description:
What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend’s daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.

 

 

Review:

Swept Away by Beth O’Leary is a wonderful exciting, intense & romantic novel. Zeke and Lexi meet one night at the bar, and they end up at his house boat for a one-night stand. In the morning, when they wake up, they discover that the boat was not tied up and they have drifted out to sea. Thus, begins eight days lost at sea, with no phone signal, little food, storms & unable to handle the boat.

As the story continues, they have no power in steering the houseboat, hoping someone will come to their rescue. With each passing day (they end up with 8 days), they learned to limit the food, drinks; Zeke and Lexi faced so many life and death experiences at sea. Being alone leaves them exposed with angst; strengths, weaknesses, fears, issues, storms, accidents, that they end up discussing each day. Will they survive?

I really loved both Zeke and Lexi, as they were wonderful and amazing characters.  The chemistry between escalates along the way, as they were very compelling and complex characters; whom we couldn’t help but root for them.  After the 8th day, they were finally rescued, with family and friends waiting for their arrival. 

The final twist close to the end, was a total surprise; with Lexi learning something from Penny, causing her to ignore Zeke. However, Penny will reveal the truths about the past, and all well be well.  Zeke and Lexi will eventually have their happy ending.

Swept Away was an exciting, romantic, intense, adventurous, thrilling and addictive story. Both Zeke and Lexi made a wonderful endearing couple. Swept Away was so very well written by Beth O’Leary.  It was also a great epilogue. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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The Wake Up Call by Beth O’Leary – Review & Giveaway

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The Wake Up Call by Beth O’Leary – Review & Giveaway

 

 

 

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Description:
Two hotel receptionists–and arch-rivals–find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.

It’s the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel’s front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through.

The hotel won’t stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest’s lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel–and their jobs.

As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there’s more at stake here than the hotel’s future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?

 

 

Review:

The Wake Up Call by Beth O’Leary is a sweet enemies to lovers stand-alone romantic novel.  It is Christmas season, at Forest Manor Hotel, with worry that the hotel is struggling.  Izzy Jenkins and Lucas Da Silva share the responsibilities at the front desk, with both having major difference between them.   Izzy is very outgoing, friendly, optimistic and always helping people; while Lucas is serious, stubborn and brooding, not to mention he dislikes all of Izzy’s ideas. Izzy loves everyone, but hates Lucas.  Seems last Christmas, she sent Lucas a card confessing her true feelings for him suggesting that they meet under the mistletoe, and sees him kissing someone else, which will turn out to be a major miscommunication, and why she hates him.

With the hotel possibly closing after the new year, everyone is trying to find ways to pay off the debts and keep Forest Manor Hotel open; management wants Izzy and Lucas to work together to help find ways to increase finances. Izzy discovers in the hotel ‘lost and found’ many wedding rings left behind over the years, and she decides try and attempt to find the real owners; Lucas did not like the idea, thought just to sell them, but in a short period, he begins to work alongside of Izzy, with a bet who will return the most. 

They begin to work closely together, and in a short period the chemistry between them escalates; though Izzy is determined to not get hurt, and Lucas knows he has fallen in love with her. This was a true enemy to lover’s story line, with the first half filled with rivalry and dislike; but everything begins to change in the second half, with lots of witty banter.  Lucas is determined to prove to Izzy about his true feelings, being caring, patient and sweetness when together.  I loved the last half, as the chemistry between them was sizzling, and I hoped they would stay together.  I also loved all the secondary characters in this story, with Mrs. SB (owner of hotel), Mandy, Arjun, Ollie, Barty, Mr. Townsend; wasn’t crazy about Louis.  

The Wake Up Call was a fun, sweet story, enemy to lover’s, great secondary characters, and so much fun with the amazing stories on those who came to reclaim their rings; though I did feel early on was a bit slow.  The Wake Up Call was so very well written by Beth O’Leary.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 


BERKLEY ROMANCE is graciously offering a paper copy of THE WAKE UP CALL to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.    

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging in, please refresh the page at the top of your computer

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

4. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

6. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

7. Follow Beth O’Leary  on Facebook.

8. Giveaway is open to USA only.

9. Giveaway runs from September 30 to October 3, 2023

 

 

 

 

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The No-Show by Beth O’Leary – Review & Giveaway

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The No-Show by Beth O’Leary – Review & Giveaway

 

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth.

These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: They’ve all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up–Valentine’s Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they’ve all been stood up by the same man.

Once they’ve each forgiven him for standing them up, they let him back into their lives and are in serious danger of falling in love with a man who seems to have not just one or two but three women on the go….

Is there more to him than meets the eye? And will they each untangle the truth before they all get their hearts broken?

 

 

 

Review:

The No Show by Beth O’Leary is a standalone novel.  The story revolves around three women, who end up being stood up on Valentine’s Day by the same man, Joseph Carter.  At the start, we get to meet each of the three ladies.  

Siobhan, is a beautiful woman, who was a workaholic, she started seeing Joseph, and when he doesn’t show up for their breakfast meeting, she walks away unhappy, as she had a bad past relationship previously.

Miranda, is a tree surgeon, and just started her new job climbing trees, and working closely with men who were hunks; she did look forward to meeting Carter for lunch, and he did not show up.  Miranda, despite her wanting to be with Carter, finds herself attracted to one of her coworkers.

Jane, used to work at Joseph’s work place, and remained friends with him, even though she left the job due a past drama.  Jane was very shy, a book reader, who loved to talk to Joseph about the books she reads; when she needs to attend an engagement party on Valentine’s day, she asks Joseph to be her fake date, and he doesn’t show up.  

They all forgive him for standing them up, and continue to date him.  We learn more about Joseph Carter, as we see him dating each of the women, coming across not only handsome, but a bit of a nerd; he also seems to express how he cares for each of them.  At first, I did not like Joseph, as he seemed to be a jerk, and a cheating womanizer. We get to appreciate all three women, their lives, and see how much they care about Joseph.

What follows is some surprising twists that we did not see coming, and as we begin to understand more, as the pieces fall into place.  To tell too much more will spoil it for you.  But Joseph will turn out to be a very nice person, who also must learn to deal with life and what happens.  I did enjoy the book, especially the last third of the story line that blew me away.  The No Show was well written by Beth O’Leary.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

BERKLEY ROMANCE is graciously offering a paper copy of THE NO-SHOW to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.    

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging in, please refresh the page at the top of your computer

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

4. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

5. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

6. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

7. Follow Beth O’Leary  on Facebook.

8. Giveaway is open to USA only.

9. Giveaway runs from April 13 – 17, 2022

 

 

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