ARC Book Review: The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 336 pages
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: April 11th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In 1934, a luxury cruise becomes a fight for survival as two women’s pasts collide on a round-trip voyage from New York to Havana in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s page-turning new novel inspired by the true story of the SS Morro Castle.

New York heiress Catherine Dohan seemingly has it all. There’s only one problem. It’s a lie. As soon as the Morro Castle leaves port, Catherine’s past returns with a vengeance and threatens her life. Joining forces with a charismatic jewel thief, Catherine must discover who wants her dead—and why.

Elena Palacio is a dead woman. Or so everyone thinks. After a devastating betrayal left her penniless and on the run, Elena’s journey on the Morro Castle is her last hope. Steeped in secrecy and a burning desire for revenge, her return to Havana is a chance to right the wrong that has been done to her—and her prey is on the ship.

As danger swirls aboard the Morro Castle and their fates intertwine, Elena and Catherine must risk everything to see justice served once and for all.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for an eARC.

LET ME TELL Y’ALL.

This is my new favorite Cleeton book. I have continually enjoyed her books over the years and this is once again, no different. I devoured this in two sittings because I could NOT put it down. I love the way the author put together this fast paced story yet with gorgeous writing had me completely connected to the characters and wondering what was going to happen next.

The plot follows a bit of a murder mystery on a ship vibe. With a swoony gem thief and an heiress with a secret. I loooved the way all of these secrets started coming to light. They were well timed pieces that would have me trying to read even faster not knowing how it would all end. I loooved both Elena and Catherine. I love anything that has a women supporting women vibe and these two + their tight friendship helped bring necessary justice to many wrongs.

Historical wise, I had never heard of this ship and one of my favorite parts of historical books is reading the note at the end about the specifics the author drew from. This felt fresh and unique in the historical fiction genre and I know is one of the best books I’ve read recently.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction + Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, multiple attempted murders, drownings, arson, loss of parents (recounted)

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Book Review: Complex (The Sweet Rom”Com” #2) by Kortney Keisel

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 327 pages
Author: Kortney Keisel
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: March 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tiny Little Lie #1: I want the new resort in Turks and Caicos to open on schedule.

Tiny Little Lie #2:I’m not falling for Luke McKenna.

Unfortunately, those tiny little lies snowballed into something bigger. Much bigger. Now I’m stuck.

It sounds bad. But I’m not a bad person. I’m doing the right thing…I think. I’m telling myself I’m a superhero in heels, saving people I care about.

But the grumpy onsite contractor isn’t making things easy. The more I lie and try to stall the hotel opening, the harder he works to complete the project.

Did I mention he’s handsome?

And moody?

And brooding?

And my complete opposite in every way?

If the truth about what I’ve done comes out, Luke will never forgive me. Then I’ll have to face another truth: my attraction to him might actually be something more—something worth fighting for.

Complex is a grumpy/sunshine, and opposites attract romance with witty banter that will keep you laughing. The love story is charged with sizzling chemistry while keeping the romance closed-door.

Complex is the second book in The Sweet Rom “Com” series but can be read as a standalone.

GRUMP X SUNSHINE LOVE.

Another win for Keisel and contemporary romance.

I was definitely into this grump x sunshine + enemies to lovers read. The banter between Tessa and Luke was exactly where it needed to be and I liked the slow burn of their relationship overall. Tessa had the most work to grow on me because she intentionally came off as an unlovable main character. I thought there was decent enough growth and acknowledgement of her wrong doing to sustain the changes she was making to her life. I had a hard time thinking she’s go through with everything her boss was telling her to do? but it’s fiction, it’s fine.

I adored Luke. He was a great love interest and I always love watching walls slowly start to crumble between two souls finally finding each other. I enjoyed the humor and butting heads, and the sweet moments (like fishing at 3 AM).

Wanderlust was strong in this one and it’s a perfect read for summertime on a beach somewhere.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: infertility, cheating (mentions of a side character and its affect on main character)

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ARC Book Review: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Abby Jimenez
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: April 11t, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse. 

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

ALL THE FEELS.

It takes a talented author to make me cool with things I don’t normally love in romance books. Jimenez has accomplished that here (of which I won’t be saying too much more because spoilers).

I loved Briana. I loved Jacob. I JUST LOVED THEM BOTH SO MUCH. For many reasons too. I felt deeply connected to their personal growth stories and the fact that Jacob reminded me of someone in my life really had me going. I adored Jacob and the anxiety representation was raw, real, and emotional. Alongside Briana’s trauma and coping mechanisms that took the strength of love showing up to work through. Jimenez creates stories to make you feel and I love knowing these characters.

With some of the responses that I generally have a hard time enjoying, I thought the way it was handled made me understand why things were happening the way that they were. It’s a testament to the ability to create such a character dynamic you can see and get the why.

There was a bunch of tropes and plot devices that I did absolutely LOVE. And the execution, as always, was top notch for me. I loved the letter writing, soft dates, all the little touches, comforting when the world got heavy and more. Seriously y’all. This is another must read.

**Read the author’s note too!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2ish brief open; low explicit
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: multiple mentions of different ER scenarios (cuts, wounds, vomiting, etc.), cheating spouse (recounted), chronic kidney disease, divorced main character, clinical anxiety, mention of pregnancy loss and suicide

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ARC Book Review: Into the Churn by Hayley Reese Chow

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Sci-Fi
Length: 367 pages
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: April 4th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Earth was tame. Belethea is not.

Seventeen-year-old Ezren Hart interns in her mother’s terraforming lab, studying Belethea’s deadly storms with the dream of giving her backwater planet open teal skies. But when budget cuts threaten to shut down her mother’s lab, Ezren enters Belethea’s Race Royale, the system’s deadliest and most lucrative race. To win, she’ll have to run, drive, and fight her way across Belethea’s barren landscape while navigating its savage and volatile storms. With her planet’s future, and her family’s, on the line, she can’t afford to lose. But first, she’ll have to convince her handsome royale partner that their planet is worth saving.

Foster Sterling is a jaded ex-prodigy royaler still reeling from his partner’s death in a training accident. When Ezren Hart comes charging into his life, her passion reminds him of what he once loved about racing and his dream of returning pride to their planet. Still, no matter how fast they go, they can’t outrun the mysterious string of deadly accidents following them like a curse. As Foster falls harder for Ezren, he races to piece the clues together. But with time running out and their survival on the line, he’ll have to decide if their dreams are worth their lives.

Perfect for fans of underdog heroes, slow-burn romance, and high-stakes sci-fi, INTO THE CHURN races across a new planet of savage storms and dazzling tech. Fall in love with Ezren and Foster as they battle side-by-side to save their scrappy world on a ruthless interplanetary stage where appearances are everything, speed means survival, and the only thing deadlier than the storms are the other racers.

Thank you to Whimsical Publishing for the eARC.

CAPTIVATING.

I just wholeheartedly enjoyed this book. It was a fantastic young adult read and as a standalone I thought it encompassed everything needed to close off story lines and feel satisfied by the book as a whole.

The romance was SO DANG SWEET. A super low angst, unlikely partners to friends to lovers. I loved all of the tender forehead and temple kisses. The encouragement Foster and Ezren gave each other to keep going and the way they took care of each other. They were a partnership you wanted to cheer for and cheer for them I did!

And it was absolutely filled will ALL the action. Brutal storms and intense physical matches that sped the pace and my heartrate. I kind of love race themed books because you never know quite who’s going to actually win and how that plays into the story itself. I liked the mystery aspects within the sub-plots that brought this entire book together. Everything was well balanced and I continually wanted to pick this up and see what happened next.

Easily recommend. Fits perfectly into the YA category as well (i.e. appropriate for the actual age group). Wonderful characters, high action, adorable romance and an all around great read.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi
  • Language: a little, light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: med-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: near death experiences, loss of life, physical altercations, blood depiction, major weather systems

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