Tag: audiobook

ALC Book Review: Too Cold for Comfort by Nisha J. Tuli

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Nisha J. Tuli
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: November 10th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this steamy romance from the New York Time s bestselling author of the Artefacts of Ouranos series, the arctic heats up when a photographer who rarely holds anything back is forced to share a private wing with a grumpy lodge owner who holds everything in.

Photographer Aadya Williams has trekked all the way to northern Canada to nab a career-making shot of a polar bear … and to put 1,500 miles between her and a messy breakup. Despite expecting freezing temperatures, nothing’s colder than the welcome she gets from Reid Doerksen, the gruff owner of the Northern Wilderness Polar Bear Lodge. Even worse, the lodge is overbooked, so now she has to share the private family wing with him for the next two weeks. At least Aadya has plenty to keep her occupied when she’s not out searching for the perfect photo op. But when a storm strands Aadya and Reid together at the lodge, it’s impossible to avoid the heat simmering between them. As the snow comes down, so do Reid’s walls, and Aadya begins to realize the most important shot of her life may not be one she takes with her camera.

Thank you Hachette Audio for the gifted audiobook.

TIMELINE ISSUES.

I don’t know if I just wasn’t as charmed but this timeline felt too quick for me. And more physically focused than anything else. Actually, that’s probably my main issue. I didn’t feel there was enough connection or conversations to get to the I love you’s with how much focus was on them sleeping together and the larger plot.

Not that I minded the larger plot. I adored the wintery setting and all of the polar bear moments. I loved that this was winter without being a holiday romance (I love a holiday romance but more of these please!). There were a lot of quirky side character personalities which did give it that Hallmark movie/small town vibe.

And I felt like I should have been more frustrated with the third act? But with the insta-lust I just wasn’t phased at that point. Things came together well in the end and they figured it out for the HEA at least. I always love a good compromise.

I liked Not Safe for Work more than this one.

🎧: The audiobook is great! Loved the narrator. No issues there. That did make for an easy and quick listen.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3ish+ open door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

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Rating: ★★★.75
Audience: Thriller
Length: 294 pages
Author: Alice Feeney
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: September 7th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

Rock Paper Scissors is the latest exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney.

KIND OF SORT OF SLOWWW.

I kept waiting for the other foot to drop and while it totally did, it took way too long to get there. The build up was good for a bit yet I don’t think I ever felt like it was thrilling. The audiobook is good and I liked that there were multiple narrators at least.

Now when things finally started twisting I was surprised by some of them. Others I called from the beginning. It’s fine. The inevitable fallout was dark and calculating. The snowy remote setting definitely lends the vibes to a great read for the -ber months.

I know it’s my usual refrain but spouses that cheat on each other for a thriller is over done. Maybe I’m picking up the wrong thrillers (please advise). The meta-ness of the plot line was intriguing and I was excited to get the answers of that story and how it fit into what was happening.

This is now my second book from Alice Feeney. Unsure if there will be more?

Overall audience notes:

  • Thriller
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: mentions of time together but nothing on page
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: murder, infidelity, attempted murder, loss of a parent (recounted)

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Book Review: Die for Me by Shirlene Obuobi

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Paranormal Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Shirlene Obuobi
Publisher: Penguin Books
Release Date: July 14th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sean’s not in the market for love. The only female, let alone Black, interventional cardiologist at her hospital, she’s watched too many of her male colleagues divorce their first wives to marry younger models-and then there’s the abusive relationship she’s spent the better part of her early 30s healing from. Her passions are reserved for her best friend, her goddaughter, and her job.

Then she meets Julian. Brooding, beautiful and eleven years her junior. In A bad idea.

Julian pursues her in a way that sets off alarm bells in her mind, but she finds herself unable to resist their undeniable chemistry-even starts fantasizing about him in dreams that feel altogether too real. They also have a lot in common despite their age gap. So, to hell with If men can date younger, why can’t she? But the more Sean gets to know him, the more impossible Julian He has a depth and sorrow to him that’s beyond his years, and sometimes there’s a look in his eyes that’s less than human, and leaves her feeling more like prey. Plus, Sean herself has been exhibiting odd symptoms-memory lapses, a lack of restraint that’s unlike her, persistent exhaustion-that all trace back to Julian, making Sean feeling more than a little afraid. Who-or what-is she falling, irrevocably, in love with?

THIS WAS *SOMETHING.*

This was a read purely decided upon because a friend recommended it and I said sure why not??

I really want to tell you what is happening in this book but I honestly think that would take away from it. It’s not clear in the synopsis and I like that. Just know that when the reveals came out I loved it and thought it was unique and helped me enjoy the overall story even more.

My main issue was the lust factor. I know it plays into the plot (with reasoning) but it’s not something I love in romance books. That was my only standout issue though. Anything else was minor enough that I don’t even remember at this point.

I liked all of the medical content (I believe the author is a doctor in real life so love that even more). It was woven in well with the story line and added another complex angle. The romance grew on me and I think the way everything came together worked for me. It all made sense and wrapped things up well. Not mad I read this at all and perfect for the autumn season!

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal Romance
  • Language: moderate+
  • Romance: lust/innuendo throughout; multiple open door
  • Violence: moderate – high
  • Content warnings: loss of life, discussions of losing patients, miscarriage (recounted) but very much on page with complications, previous emotionally abusive relationship, mass shooting

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Book Review: The Enigma Challenge by S.C. Godfrey

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: Mystery + Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: S.C. Godfrey
Publisher: Dorman Books
Release Date: August 11th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An action-packed novel following an unlikely duo as they race across Europe in a dangerously high-stakes competition worth millions

You have solved the kickoff puzzle. There will be five additional puzzles to solve. Players have five minutes to confirm PIN after locating the final solution. The Enigma Challenge begins now.

Zoe Wilder has the unflashy, solitary life of an academic, studying ciphers in literature at a California university. When her research takes her to a cryptology conference in Madrid, she’s not expecting to trigger the Enigma Challenge, a clandestine puzzle competition few dare to enter.

The Enigma Challenge is an infamous competition with impossibly high stakes: Lose, and your identity is wiped forever. It doesn’t take long for Zoe to realize that she’s in over her head. Enter Dane Seaver: the mysterious hacker who insists they team up. Dane knows the Enigma Challenge—its secrets, its players—and Zoe knows ciphers. For better or worse, they need each other.

Six days, five puzzles, three countries, and innumerable rivals. What’s more, the spark of attraction between them becomes harder to ignore, but distractions are dangerous. With twelve million dollars and multiple lives on the line, the Enigma Challenge is anyone’s game. Will Zoe and Dane come out unscathed against the other players—and each other?

KIND OF A MIXED BAG.

This was pretty hyped by some friends so of course I had to get my hands on it. It definitely fits the National Treasure but with more romance vibes and that was good.

What I struggled with was the insta-love. This is only from Zoe’s POV and it comes across decently strong from the get go. I wish there would have been a longer slow burn (especially because it looks like there’s going to be a sequel????). Or I think this could have been crafted in one book, just a bit differently. And the villain was a hit on some scenes and a miss on others.

The puzzles were fun and the pacing is very fast. It’s a quick audiobook to fly through and I did like the narrator. Dane’s a good character, I would have loved his POV too. And I liked the friends a lot. The little found family-ness was a trope I liked seeing.

Zoe was a damsel in distress a few too many times and one particular scene towards the end bugged me because of it (no more details because spoilers). I wanted her strength to come through more.

I do think I’ll read the sequel (if we get one?).

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantic Mystery
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 2-3ish open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: physical altercations, attempted murder

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