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ARC Book Review: A Beautiful Disguise (The Imposters #1) by Roseanna M. White

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Mystery + Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Roseanna M. White
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: August 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Left with an estate on the brink of bankruptcy after their father’s death, Lady Marigold Fairfax and her brother open a private investigation firm marketed to the elite . . . to spy on the elite. Dubbed The Imposters, Ltd., their anonymous group soon becomes the go-to for the crème of society when they want answers delivered surreptitiously. But the many secrets Marigold learns about her peers pale in comparison to her shock when she and her brother are hired to investigate her best friend’s father as a potential traitor.

Sir Merritt Livingstone has spent a decade serving the monarch in the most elite guard, but when pneumonia lands him behind a desk in the War Office Intelligence Division just as they’re creating a new secret intelligence branch, he’s intent on showing his worth. He suspects a man of leaking information to Germany as tensions mount between the two countries, but needs someone to help him prove it, so he turns to The Imposters, Ltd. No one knows who they are, but their results are beyond compare.

Lady Marigold is determined to discover the truth for her friend’s sake, and she’s more determined still to keep her heart from getting involved with this enigmatic new client . . . who can’t possibly be as noble as he seems.

Thank you to Bethany House for the gifted book!

ENJOYABLE.

I had a good time with this one!

The mystery was intriguing and I liked how it all played out. Things kept twisting just enough that I kept wondering how it would all work out in the end.

I also really liked the cast of characters too. It’s multi-POV and each angle added to the story. I especially loved having both Merritt and Marigold’s views as they were the main couple of this book. I would have LOVED even a little bit more romance, but I did love the sweet moments they had. Especially how Merritt handled some information that could have resulted poorly. I loooove a reasonable man.

There were some openings for sequels to this that I would like to read too! More romantic plot lines are there and there’s always room for more mysteries.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Mystery + Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, murder, grief, loss of a sibling (side character)

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Book Review: Advanced Physical Chemistry (Chemistry Lessons #3) by Susannah Nix

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 274 pages
Author: Susannah Nix
Publisher: Haver Street Press
Release Date: March 16th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After four lousy boyfriends in a row, chemical engineer Penny Popplestone swears off men until she can figure out why they keep cheating on her. But her no-men resolution hits a snag when the mysterious and superhumanly hot barista at her favorite coffee shop strikes up a friendship with her.

Penny strives to keep things platonic, but when Caleb gives her the kiss of her life, she realizes he wants to be more than just friends. Tired of always being “good little Penny,” she throws caution to the wind and pursues a no-strings fling with the hottie barista. It’s not like they have anything in common beyond scorching physical chemistry, so what does she have to lose?

Only her heart.

Now, this fanfic-reading, plus-size heroine faces an unsolvable problem. What do you do when being apart is unbearable…but being together is impossible?

Advanced Physical Chemistry is the third in a series of standalone rom-coms featuring geeky heroines who work in STEM fields.

IT WAS OKAY.

I don’t know if I would have kept reading this if it wasn’t for speeding up the audiobook.

For a STEM heroine there wasn’t even much STEM conversation? I guess I was expecting a lot more since that seems to be the theme of this series and it wasn’t here. Much more about knitting and coffee. Which was alright, but nothing exciting.

There was practically no chemistry between these two. Penny decides she wants a friends with benefits relationship (other thing I don’t love) and instead of watching them realize their feelings for each other it was mostly them arguing. Caleb never wanted to talk about anything important and Penny wanted to make him talk about things. I never got behind the thought that they would actually make it past the end of the book (even though the epilogue says otherwise).

Meh. I don’t even feel like writing this review because of how unmemorable this book was. Moving on.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: cheating (not between the main couple), rough parent relationships

Book Review: The Queen of the Dawn (Shadows and Crowns #5) by S.M. Gaither

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 640 pages
Author: S.M. Gaither
Publisher: Del Ray
Release Date: July 27th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“The light cannot always overcome the dark. But it can rise to meet it.”

Against all odds, Casia Greythorne has survived battles with gods and monsters alike, and the most powerful crown in the Kethran Empire is now securely in her grasp. Yet a seemingly impossible task still looms: finding a way to rid her world of its darkest god so she actually has a future to rule over.

The path to sealing that god away has been revealed, but to follow it will mean venturing into a deadly and strange new realm, facing old fears and enemies, and deciphering ancient magic that raises more questions than answers.

Meanwhile, chaos continues to spread throughout the empires. Armies rise and fall. The bonds between allies begin to fray—and hope along with it. And with every bloody battle, the final cost of saving their world becomes clearer.

Dawn is coming, but will Casia and her friends survive to see the new day?

SATISFYING CONCLUSION.

I luckily caught that this was out early on audio and took immediate advantage of seeing how this series came to a close. And I enjoyed it!

I’ve always loved the relationship between Elander and Casia. They’re still one of my favs and there were many sweet moments and a few scenes I didn’t know I wanted and melted me into a puddle.

There’s PLENTY of action and battle scenes. Filled with a sense of what those meddling gods are going to do next. I liked most of this and thought certain character arcs ended where they needed to.

I feel like I was missing that last little connection to give a five star. Something was just holding me back. I still sincerely loved this series and recommend!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2-3 open; low/moderate explicit
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of life, near death experiences

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Book Review: The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Fiction + Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Courtney Walsh
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: June 13th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s out to prove that there’s no such thing as choosing happiness.

Isadora Bentley follows the rules. Isadora Bentley likes things just so. Isadora Bentley believes that happiness is something that flat-out doesn’t exist in her life—and never will.

As a university researcher, Isadora keeps to herself as much as possible. She avoids the students she’s supposed to befriend and mentor. She stays away from her neighbors and lives her own quiet, organized life in her own quiet, organized apartment. And she will never get involved in a romantic relationship again—especially with another academic. It will be just Isadora and her research. Forever.

But on her thirtieth birthday, Isadora does something completely out of character. The young woman who never does anything “on a whim” makes an impulse purchase of a magazine featuring a silly article detailing “Thirty-One Ways to Be Happy”—which includes everything from smiling at strangers to exercising for endorphins to giving in to your chocolate cravings. Isadora decides to create her own secret research project—proving the writer of the ridiculous piece wrong.

As Isadora gets deeper into her research—and meets a handsome professor along the way—she’s stunned to discover that maybe, just maybe, she’s proving herself wrong. Perhaps there’s actually something to this happiness concept, and possibly there’s something to be said for loosening up and letting life take you somewhere . . . happy.

Thank you LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

HIT ME IN THE FEELS.

I wasn’t expecting this book to hit on so many personal things in my own soul. As someone who’s always struggled to connect and make lasting friendships, I could not get enough of Isadora’s journey and loved seeing her grow and struggle and ultimately find the happiness she had been searching for.

It’s not heavy on the romance, but it is there, and it is SWEET. I adored the relationship and even with the third act break-up, it worked. I loved all of the sweet, soft moments and how they learned to be there for each other.

And I LOVED all of Isadora’s new friends, young and old. It was absolutely heart-warming and made me misty eyed over and over again.

The audiobook was stellar and I’m so grateful I got to listen to that option.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Fiction + Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of loss of a loved one (side character), an emotionally manipulative/gaslighting ex, strained parental relationship

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