Tag Archives: Humor

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood – a Review

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Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood – a Review

 

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Description:
STEMinist novellas featuring a trio of engineers and their loves in loathing—with a special bonus chapter!

Under One Roof
An environmental engineer discovers that scientists should never cohabitate when she finds herself stuck with the roommate from hell—a detestable big-oil lawyer who won’t leave the thermostat alone.

Stuck with You
A civil engineer and her nemesis take their rivalry—and love—to the next level when they get stuck in a New York elevator.

Below Zero
A NASA aerospace engineer’s frozen heart melts as she lies injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to undertake the dangerous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

 

Review:

Loathe to Love You by Ali Hazelwood are three novellas that are part of her STEMinist collection.  Since I have read each of the novellas separately, I will note the highlights of each short story.  There is a bonus chapter at the end, which I will detail more. Mara, Sadie and Hannah were best friends, with each being scientists in different fields.

Under One Roof
Mara is an environmental engineer, who learns that scientists should never cohabitate; especially when she finds herself with a roommate from hell.  They seemed to have great chemistry, but things fell apart quickly.  Did they finally get past the bad start?

Stuck With You
Sadie, our heroine, is a scientist, who works for a new firm producing safer products.  Within the same building, another firm is very successful, making things harder for Sadie and her boss. One evening Sadie, met Erik and it turned into a one-night stand, which she learns the following day that he is one of the founders of the other company.  Sadie feels that Erik betrayed her, when she finds out they took one of their customers away. What follows is a quick story line, with POV’s switching back and forth from the one-night stand and them trapped in the elevator.

 Below Zero
In Below Zero, Hannah is the lead. Hannah is an aerospace engineer for NASA, and she loves her job.  She met Ian, early on, discovering how hot he was; but all she wanted was sex, no dating, and Ian just stepped away; since he was interested in dating and getting to know Hannah. What follows is a quick story line, that was a bit funny, somewhat zany, and at times fun. 

 

Bonus Chapter
Mara and Liam are married, and when Liam gets home from work, he is thrilled to learn that Mara is pregnant.  He is surprised that she told Sadie and Hannah before telling him first.  Mara tries to explain that he was in court all day, and she couldn’t resist telling her best friends.  Liam wasn’t too happy to find out that their significant others (Erik & Ian) also knew about her pregnancy.

We get to see Sadie, who is married to Erik, argue with Erik’s brother, about keeping their cat.  Kind of funny.  Ian seeing how happy their friends are, pushes Hannah to marry him.  This bonus chapter was a quick and nice addition, allowing us to see how all three couples were doing.

Hazelwood is great at upping the heat level and the build-up.  I have enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s previous full novels, but was not into these novellas. These novellas were zany and fun, but Hazelwood’s full-length novels are so much better. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

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The Heretic Royal (Scarred Earth Saga 3) by G.A. Aiken – Reviews

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The Heretic Royal (Scarred Earth Saga 3) by G.A. Aiken – Dual Review

 

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Description:
Gods save the queen!

Ainsley Farmerson has always planned to break free of the family business—and the family drama. But what was once farming, smithworking, and bickering over the dinner table has turned into open warfare between sisters. Sides have been taken, lives are on the line, and Ainsley has no doubt which sister must be queen. She’ll do whatever is necessary to take down the soulless Beatrix. Even if that means joining forces with angry battle nuns, irritating monks, and overbearing centaurs.

Gruffyn of the Torn Moon Clan has no time for human beings. And yet . . . there is something about the uncontrollable princess that he can’t ignore. Maybe it’s the way her eldest sisters underestimate her. Or her bravery facing down dragons and mad queens from distant lands. Whatever the reason, Gruff is willing to fight by this human’s side. Not only for the entertainment value, but because she’s right. Beatrix must never be queen. So whatever he has to do, whoever he has to destroy, Gruff will battle beside Ainsley. Fast. Hard. And with absolutely no mercy

 

Barb’s Review:
The Heretic Royal by G. A. Aiken is the 3rd book in her The Scarred Earth Saga series. I am a big fan of G.A. Aiken (aka Shelly Laurenston), and as I have said before, I will read anything she writes; as she is one author who I look forward with high anticipation to read her books, which are fun, exciting, enjoyable and so much laughter along the way, with crazy and wonderful characters.

Ainsley is the third and good sister, with Queen Keeley and Gemma having had their story previously. Keely had become Queen of the Western Lands, with Gemma protecting her sister from the evil Beatrix (Queen of the East). Ainsley, who is excellent at shooting an arrow, steps up in this story.  Beatrix is the evil sister, who is determined to kill off all her sisters, as she continues to build her own kingdom.

Ainsley has always been the quiet sister, who likes to climb up to the trees to get away from the constant bickering between her sisters. Ainsley knows that she must join the fight against Beatrix, who must never be queen; even joining with centaurs, monks and to her surprise, Dragons

Gruffyn of the Torn Moon Clan is a Centaur, whom we met with his sister and brothers, in the previous book.  Gruffyn rarely talks, just likes to grunt, but finds himself being attached to Ainsley, even talking to her; as well as protecting her. I really enjoyed the slow built romance between Gruff and Ainsley, which was at times funny. 

Of course, this is G.A. Aiken, which means the entire story was suspenseful, action packed, but totally hilarious; especially with the return of the Dragons.  It was so great and hysterical to see all of them again; as these wonderful zany characters are so much fun. We did not miss any of the amazing dragons, and Annwyl from the start, played such a major role. I loved every minute of these wonderful, wild, insane and violent characters, who spent time working closely with Queen Keely, Gemma and Ainsley. 

What follows is a wild, exciting, non-stop action adventure filled with bloody battles, deaths, and our fantastic dragons. The entire book has so much humor with me constantly laughing from start to finish.  I loved that Aiken brought the Dragons back, and allowed us to revisit these insane wonderful characters, who are bloodthirsty, violent, fun and totally entertaining.

The Heretic Royal was a fun filled, exciting amazing ride, with fantastic characters that G.A. Aiken creates so well.  It blew my mind that the Dragons returned, giving us a wonderful trip down memory lane. If you enjoy Aiken/ Laurenston, you need to be reading this series.

_______

Sandy’s Reviews: THE HERETIC ROYAL is the third instalment in GA Aiken’s adult SCARRED EARTH SAGA fantasy series set in the author’s DRAGONKIN world. Although focusing on several characters, and intersecting plot lines, THE HERETIC ROYAL follows the building relationship between Ainsley Farmerson , and Gruffyn, centaur of the Torn Moon Clan. THE HERETIC ROYAL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

SOME BACKGROUND: Beatrix Smythe was prophesized to become queen, and her sister Keeley grew to protect her older sibling but Beatrix’ assent into power was driven by madness, and in the ensuing time everyone would come to fear the all powerful queen.

Told from several third person perspectives including Ainsley and Gruffyn aka Gruff THE HERETIC ROYAL is a flight into the fantastic as the author brings together our favorite dragons, their kin, the centaurs, and an assortment of undead horses, demon wolves, war monks and mythological gods.

With the appearance of Annwyl the Bloody, aka the Mad Queen, and a large assortment of squabbling dragons (Fearghus, Briac, Gwenvael, Gwenvael’s son Unnvar Reinholdt, and Morfyd, Bram, Ghleanna and Queen Rhiannon), Ainsley Farmerson and her sister Queen Keeley Smythe, knew all was not well with the world. Annwyl’s reputation has far surpassed all imaginable rumors but when Annwyl suspects one of the human queens is enslaving children and teaching them to kill, Keeley and Ainsley must come to an arrangement that proves to the Mad Queen that someone else is responsible for the annihilation of innocents. Meanwhile Ainsley has found herself with a guardian, so to speak, in the form of centaur Gruffyn of the Torn Moon Clan, a centaur who is willing to sacrifice himself to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love. As Beatrix’ armies advance on Queen Keeley’s territories and lands, the Dragons find themselves making an alliance with Keeley, in advance of the terror that is about to reign down.

THE HERETIC ROYAL has a large ensemble cast of fabulous and fantastic secondary and supporting characters many of whom we have met in previous story lines. There is humor, snark and sarcasm as per G.A. Aiken’s style of writing. Once again, the back and forth banter between siblings in both dragon and human families is fast, furious and frenetic, as is the requisite crazy uncle, long suffering parents, and oblivious but powerful kin.  The inventive premise is detailed and fanciful with plenty of action, violence, blood shed, and fun. The characters are numerous, familiar, powerful and charismatic; the slow building romance is passionate and intense.

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Been There, Married That by Gigi Levangie – Review & Giveaway

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Been There, Married That by Gigi Levangie – Review & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
A hilarious new novel full of Hollywood glitz, glamour, and scandal.

When he changes the locks, she changes the rules.

Agnes Murphy Nash is the perfect Hollywood wife – she has the right friends, the right clothes, and even a side career of her own as a writer. Her husband Trevor is a bigshot producer, and from the outside it looks like they’re living a picture-perfect celebrity life, complete with tennis tournaments and lavish parties.

But the job description of a Hollywood wife doesn’t cover divorce, which is the way Agnes’ life is headed after she comes home one day to find her credit cards cancelled and the security passwords to get into her enormous LA home changed. Oh, and there’s a guy there whose job it is to tase her if she tries to enter…which she does. Needless to say, Agnes’ husband is dead set on making sure she loses big time, but Agnes isn’t the type to just lie down and take it. In a world of fremenies and hot nannies, personal psychics and “skinny” jello shots, Agnes may be losing her husband, but could that mean getting her own life back?

Been There, Married That is a drop-dead hilarious battle of wills that will make you laugh out loud, cringe, and keep turning the pages to see what crazy disaster will happen to Agnes next…and how she’ll rise from the ashes.

 

 

Review:

Been There, Married That by Gigi Levangie is a novel about Hollywood, Marriage/Divorce and Scandal.  At the start, we meet our heroine, Agnes Murphy Nash, who is the wife of a famous producer, and has lived a glamourous Hollywood life, as well as a writer.  Life is about to change for Agnes, when she comes home and finds herself locked out.  It seems her husband is filing for a divorce, and slowly takes everything away from Agnes, including locking her out of the house, taking away her credit cards, accusing her of being an unfit mother; just to name a few things.

Trevor, her husband, is a powerful and arrogant man, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants; a divorce, custody of their daughter, no money for settlement and a new girlfriend.  Agnes is beside herself, trying to get some support, but money talks and Trevor seems to be winning everything, not to mention being a horrible person.

Been There, Married That is noted as a hilarious frantic comedy that focuses on the wild antics of the main characters.  The concept of the story line is good, but I thought the writing was all over the place, which also came across as confusing often.  I will say it was at times humorous, and  wild and crazy from start to finish, and maybe others will enjoy that style of writing.   The husband, Trevor as noted was a terrible person, but Agnes did not come across as a great character either.  Sure, you did feel sympathy for her, and there was so many absurd and laughable situations that it was hard to like anyone in this crazy story line.

Been There, Married That was a different kind of read, a bit too wild for me, but if you enjoy wild chic lit entertainment, you should enjoy this book. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella – a Review

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I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella – a Review

 

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Description:
Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” But since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will? It’s simply not in her nature to say no to people.

So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, Fixie not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. Turns out the computer’s owner is an investment manager. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, Sebastian scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. But Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

Then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. She wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. And Seb agrees, until the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants?

 

 

Review:

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella is a standalone novel.  We meet our heroine Fixie Farr at the start, as she is always picking up on things her siblings miss or do wrong; hence her nickname Fixie.  The Farr family runs a local store that caters to their clientele with various items in demand.  The story focuses on Fixie, especially, when her mother decides to go to Europe for a few months, leaving Fixie and her siblings alone to run the business.  Everything begins to fall apart, as Fixie cannot even control her own life, let alone stand up to her family, who are ruining things with their inept ideas.

This story did have potential being family oriented, but from the start I had mixed feelings. We can start with Fixie), as she tries to prevent her brother and sister from implementing their ideas, and alienating their customers.   Then her brother’s friend (Ryan) returns to town, and Fixie has always had a crush on him since her childhood; she continues to gush all over him, being delusional into thinking they had a future, especially when he was here a year ago and she slept with him; but he went back to California leaving her hurt.  Now she does it again, allowing herself to think they had a future; she also goes to bat for him to get a job, which in a short time after he is fired, and she learns some truths about him; it took her awhile for her to open her eyes and see what a creep he really was.  

In the meantime, she met a guy at the coffee shop, and happened to save his important laptop and he gave her a voucher  “I owed you one”.  A friendship builds between Seb and Fixie, but she is too dense to see that he is a good one, not the douche bag Ryan.  I did like Fixie, but at times she was annoying, especially in the first half of the book. 

I thought other then Fixie,  the secondary characters, her sister, her brother, her uncle, and Ryan were totally unlikable.  Seb was nice, but between her fixation with Ryan and his involvement with another girl held back their romance, until later when they finally made it work.

In last quarter of the book, Fixie became stronger, with her self- confidence improving, standing up to her family to put her foot down on their inept shenanigans.   I did like when Fixie finally stood up to Ryan once and for all.  It was nice to see Fixie bring her brother and sister together to work in harmony to help get the store back on track.

I Owe You One was a good storyline.  However, I feel that having characters you like (with the exception of villains or a bad person),  allows you to enjoy the story; in this case, many of the characters were just not likable.  I do enjoy reading Sophie Kinsella, though this was a good read, it was not one was not one of her best.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Bound for Temptation by Tess LeSue – Review & Giveaway

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Bound for Temptation by Tess LeSue – Review & Giveaway

 

 

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Description:
Emma Palmer’s been a lady of the night and a gambler, a thief and a blackmailer, a liar and a peddler of sin. But mostly a lady of the night. She’s spent most of her life as the hard-as-nails, smart-talking ‘Seline’, working her way across the country to the goldfields of California, where she can finally ply her trade on her own terms. And she’s a darn good Madam, if she does say so herself. Her place is clean, her booze is cheap, and her bedrooms are fancy. But when a would-be patron won’t take no for an answer, she’s forced to fight for her life and run. And what better disguise than as a nun?

Tom Slater is a taciturn cattleman at the tail end of a long, hard season on the trail. He plans to have a quiet winter at his old family homestead in Mexico. What he doesn’t plan on is finding a foul-mouthed nun stranded in the middle of nowhere. She has sly green eyes and a way of looking at him that turns his head upside down. Tom doesn’t need to be trailsman to know that this woman will only lead to trouble.

 

 

Review:

Bound for Temptation by Tess LeSue is the 3rd book in her western historical romance Frontiers of the Heart series.  We met our heroine, Emma Palmer (Seline), in the previous book, as she was a madam in her own brothel, and knew both Luke & Matt Slater (previous book heroes).    When we meet Emma, she has sold her place, having saved enough money to travel to California and live a normal life.  But first she has to escape one of the rich locals, who is determined to make Seline his. 

Tom Slater, the 3rd Slater brother, is trying to clear his name, as his brother gave his name as a cover for the  infamous ‘Deathrider’.   When Emma makes arrangements with the real ‘deathrider’  having met him earlier, and Tom is assigned to bring Emma, her two friends and young girl on the trek, which could be dangerous, since she is running away from a dangerous man. 

When Tom meets Emma, the fun begins as the girls are dressed as nuns, to hide their appearance.  In a short time, Tom is beside himself, as he begins to find himself attracted to the Nun (Emma).  I really loved Emma, who is a strong, independent  and a fun heroine, whom you could not help but root for  her.  From the start, she found herself attracted to the hunky Tom, but knew she needed to play the part of a nun, which was hard for her, as she continued to act her rambunctious sassy way; this also confused Tom how she spoke her mind. Emma always had a plan to get out of certain situations, which was pretty hilarious.

The adventure was not only wild crazy, but a lot of humor along the way.   When they meet dangerous criminals during their travels, the situation becomes tense, and they must find away to escape  without revealing their true identities.   When Tom gets injured, things will change as Emma has to help fix his injuries, and it was fun to see Tom appalled; but this led to the truth….she was not a Nun.  Their relationship heated up, but not for long, as  Tom  discovers more truths about Emma’s past.

Tom was a good hero, but to me Emma was the star of this book.  I absolutely loved her.  I also loved how when she lost Tom, she planned to find a way to win him back, but had to travel where the Slater Brothers lived, which did not sit well with the other Slater wives.  Emma was a great cook and baker and used this to start her new life.  Would Tom ever return to his home?  Would he accept Emma’s past?  You will need to read this book to find out.

Bound forTemptation was a sweet fun historical western that was exciting adventure, romantic  and humorous.   I look forward to see what else Tess LeSue has in store for us.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren – a Review

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My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren – a Review

 

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Description:
Millie Morris has always been one of the guys. A UC Santa Barbara professor, she’s a female-serial-killer expert who’s quick with a deflection joke and terrible at getting personal. And she, just like her four best guy friends and fellow professors, is perma-single.

So when a routine university function turns into a black tie gala, Mille and her circle make a pact that they’ll join an online dating service to find plus-ones for the event. There’s only one hitch: after making the pact, Millie and one of the guys, Reid Campbell, secretly spend the sexiest half-night of their lives together, but mutually decide the friendship would be better off strictly platonic.

But online dating isn’t for the faint of heart. While the guys are inundated with quality matches and potential dates, Millie’s first profile attempt garners nothing but dick pics and creepers. Enter “Catherine”—Millie’s fictional profile persona, in whose make-believe shoes she can be more vulnerable than she’s ever been in person. Soon “Catherine” and Reid strike up a digital pen-pal-ship…but Millie can’t resist temptation in real life, either. Soon, Millie will have to face her worst fear—intimacy—or risk losing her best friend, forever.

 

 

 

Review:

My Favorite Half-Night Stand is my third exploration into the amazing duo that is Christina Lauren. Millie and Reid are best friends who partake in a bit of liquid courage and cross the line, at least for the half-night, into lovers. While thrilling, even better than they imagined, it was an itch to scratch, and the friendship just isn’t worth jeopardizing. Riiiight…that’s hardly a solid foundation…said no one ever, ?.

What ensues is a warped amalgamation of miscues, half-truths, and boundless joy to twist and churn as true love dictates. Right from the start, Millie’s frenetic energy was comparable to Hazel’s from a book ago (as was Reid’s equanimity in comparison to Josh’s). That similarity wasn’t a criticism. Chemistry was firing on all cylinders for Millie and Reid. Only this book was a much slower-paced story with occasional meandering scenes. Millie is stunted this way, I suppose. She stops and goes, giving off conflicting vibes.

This is how Reid was caught so unawares. But back to the story… Millie and Reid are surreptitiously savoring their night that shall not be mentioned, but both are forging ahead with their circle of friends on joining a dating app to find plus-ones for a departmental soiree. When the guys meet with relative success, but Millie is being propositioned by shallow suitors, Millie thinks outside the box, and sets up a second, anonymous profile. Here, she reveals deeper truths and puts herself out there like never before. Guess who turns out to be a match, like “98% compatible”? Duh…Reid. Only Reid believes her name is Cat. Millie’s great, their night was great, Reid could maybe want more of those nights, but Cat…she’s open and stimulating. Their messaging compulsive. Oh! What a tangled web we weave… Fear of rejection or admitting real feelings propelled Millie into creating the nom de plume. But making Cat so appealing, genuinely catching Reid ‘s interest, is now Millie’s cross to bear. “I mean, let’s not forget I basically catfished my best friend.” Now Millie has to reconcile those subsequent emotions, fallout?, and only herself to blame for the original deceit.

What a mess. Her heart might have been more ready than her head. Reid and Millie are extraordinarily compatible. Their shared sensibilities and hopes aren’t carefully crafted, they’re innately driven. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the ending and that HEA will be achieved — Christina Lauren are goddesses of romance. But it’s pulling off that threat, the very real danger to your forever ever after, that is significant to a reader. Millie’s vulnerability is a feat in and of itself; tremendous and pivotal to the success of earning trust. Does she possess the strength to go for what she wants or will she sit back and lick her wounds?

 I enjoyed My Favorite Half-Night Stand. Falling in love is as exciting as it is nerve wracking and Christina Lauren know their way around its pitfalls and swoons. You are treated to hilarious moments and painful introspection on the road to fresh perspective. I did feel like certain plotlines lingered too long while some could’ve used more passion to pack a punch, but it’s a satisfying read. These ladies deliver and I hope it’s not too long before the next journey of love arrives.

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Publisher

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Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren – Review & Blog Tour

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Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren – Review & Blog Tour

 

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Description:
Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun.

Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air.

Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them…right?

 

 

Review:

Hazel declares four personality traits on page 1. They’re both enviable and quirky, bold to be sure, but to be all of those at once?! Powerhouse or powder keg? Josh has gleaned these qualities from afar, their interactions few and far between, but he intuitively steers away from Hazel’s chaos. This assessment was also college-induced. Years later, careers established, unexpected interpersonal connection, Josh and Hazel embark on the friendship of a lifetime. I just discovered Christina Lauren two months ago, Love and Other Words literally rearranged and found a lovely place in my Top 10 reads. Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating was infectious, full of life, and totally enchanting!

Hazel is an island unto herself. She’s exciting and engaging, honest and immensely thoughtful, a teacher who revels in expanding horizons and broadening meanings. It doesn’t necessarily make her endearing, several men find it exhilarating yet exhausting, and ask her to “turn it down”. But it’s this reappraisal that’s come with a price; a blow to her self-esteem. As a result, Hazel will not engage in reinventing herself to appease others. She is unapologetically unique.
 
“This is the perfect setup for boy-girl bestship: I’ve already been unbearable near you, which makes it impossible to scare you away.”
 
While Hazel might have come across as haphazardly zany once upon a time, Josh recognizes her innate goodness, and perhaps his own shortsightedness. Hazel’s insight breathes fresh air into his orderly life and perspective upon Josh’s long-suffering relationship. The dawning attracted the generally inhibited Josh to roam and explore outside the box.
 
I could go on and on about the growth and development of our MCs, the details, and even finer, more glorious details, of their ever-evolving feelings, but interestingly enough: they don’t want to date each other. Kismet, as its wont to be, decides to intensify their awareness AFTER they decide to be each others’ wing men. Bad dates turned out uneventful for both, hmmm… and “good” dates left them equally uneasy. Big mood. This symbiosis, though hardly surprising to the swooning reader, complicated matters and allowed for speculation of an all-encompassing love and future. Truly, their hearts were so engulfed by the other, they were adorably clueless. Christina Lauren nurtured the friendship to dazzling depths and it only served to deepen their devotion. There’s a fearless beauty in such resolve to appreciate, and wait, for their moment.

Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating reminded me of Jennifer Aniston and Ben Stiller’s characters from the movie, Along Came Polly. Two opposites collide and crash, disrupting each other’s comfort zones, only to transform into a life-affirming force. I loved this book and can assure you will undoubtedly feel its impact as well.

 P.S. Christina Lauren, there IS something special about an ice cold PBR! Wish that I could share one with you! 😉

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Publisher

 


Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of longtime writing partners Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. They are New York Times, USA Today, and #1 international bestselling authors of the Beautiful and Wild Seasons series, Sublime, The House, Dating You/Hating You and the critically acclaimed Autoboyography. Roomies (released December 2017), has been optioned for film by Jenna Dewan’s company Everheart Productions, with Christina and Lauren set to write the screenplay.  

FIND THEM ONLINE:

Website:  www.christinalaurenbooks.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ChristinaLaurenBooks

Twitter: @ChristinaLauren

Instagram: @ChristinaLauren

 

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Halloween is Murder by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

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Halloween is Murder by Carolyn Arnold – a Review

 

Halloween is MurderAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Beware of all that goes bump in the night…
 
Sean and Sara McKinley are excited about the haunted house they’ve set up as a Halloween charity fund-raiser, but things take a ghoulish turn when the reporter covering their story is found dead. With the media keeping mum about how she died, Sara’s curiosity is piqued, and she convinces Sean to take on the investigation through their PI firm.
 
But this case is not without its challenges. The police are actively investigating it, as well, and it’s not even clear that the woman was murdered. It will take a little cloak-and-dagger, dress-up, and finesse for the McKinleys to get to the bottom of it, but they aren’t the kind to give up.
 
As they troll for leads and work through the skeletons in the reporter’s closet, they unearth a few suspects, but they’ll need to carve out the whole truth if they’re going to find her killer. If they do so fast enough, there might even be time for a little trick-or-treating.

 

Review:

Halloween is Murder by Carolyn Arnold is the 11th book in her McKinley Mystery series.  Though this is the 11th book in this series , this was my first book and it read very well as a standalone. I have been reading Arnold’s other two series (Madison Knight and Brandon Fisher), which are both violent intense murder mysteries. When I decided to read this book, I did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised, as this was a fun mystery with a great couple who lead this series.

Sean and Sara McKinley are our heroes, who are married private detectives. Halloween is Murder begins with Sean and Sara promoting their haunted house to a TV reporter, promoting that all the profits go to charity. When the television spot did not appear on the local channel that evening, they learned that the female reporter died. Though they should not get involved in an open police case, nothing keeps Sara and Sean from doing their own investigation.

What follows is a nice murder mystery with multiple possible suspects. What I really
liked about this story was that we did not have any stress, or intense moments, just a nice &  fun old fashion mystery. Sean and Sara were both fun to watch, as well as their team. Halloween is Murder was very well written, a fast read, great characters, and a fun mystery with a resolution that I did not see coming. Carolyn Arnold has given us a different type of murder mystery and I enjoyed it very much.. If you like mysteries that are light,  fun reads, you should give this one a try.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

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