Tag: audiobook

Book Review: The Long Way Home (Magnolia Parks Universe #3) by Jessa Hastings

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Rating: ★★★.75
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 608 pages
Author: Jessa Hastings
Publisher: Dutton Books
Release Date: November 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

How many loves do you get in a lifetime? And are Magnolia and BJ each other’s one and only? 

It’s been nearly a year since everything happened between Magnolia Parks and BJ Ballentine on the steps of the Mandarin Oriental, and since then it seems like everything has changed.

Magnolia has a life in New York now and BJ appears to have finally let go and moved on.

But when they both wind up back in London and are thrust together once again, they find themselves asking their age-old How many loves do you actually get in a lifetime, and, most important—are they each other’s?

I’M STILL MAD.

I think this is my least favorite of the series so far (and I have seen that book four will possibly be my favorite?? So I’m going to report back on that). For someone (BJ, I AM LOOKING AT YOU) who claims that they have worked on themselves to go around and do the same things he was from book one about made me throw my phone. Same with Magnolia honestly. There were definitely were some moments where I could feel sympathy and the plight of going through hard things but some things they bring upon themselves and I am shouting WHYYYYYYYY.

I did like the second half more. And there were a handful of memorable scenes that pulled at my emotions. I liked some of the situations happening and it makes me want to know what’s going on in book four ASAP.

And that ending????

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: fade to black; brief open; innuendo throughout
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: miscarriage, grief/loss depiction, physical violence, car accident

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Book Review: Refine (House of Oak #4) by Nichole Van

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Time Travel Romance
Length: 375 pages
Author: Nichole Van
Publisher: Fiorenza Publishing
Release Date: September 25th, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Each life is tethered to others, tendrils wrapping through time itself . . . drawing people to each other . . .In 1815, Timothy, Viscount Linwood–handsome, arrogant, privileged–never veers from the refined rules of his world. Cheerfulness and other unsavory emotions are for lesser persons. Anything that smacks of trade is to be shunned. Honor and pride above all else. Consequently, when he discovers his estates are bankrupt, he decides to woo and marry an heiress post-haste. After all, love is for lesser-mortals. But Fate intervenes and draws him to a vibrant woman who makes him want things he can never have. Can a pompous lord change enough to find redemption?In 2015, Jasmine Fleury just wants her happily-ever-after. If only she could stop losing people instead–her grandmother, boyfriends . . . and now her entire family. Worse, she finds herself babysitting a haughty nineteenth century lord who can’t even shave himself. What grown man can’t shave himself? She has no interest in playing damsel-in-shining-armor to his knight-in-distress. But Fate has other plans . . . .This fourth installment in the Amazon bestselling House of Oak series can easily be read as a stand-alone book. 

HMM.

I enjoyed this book but also felt some struggles with it. The background for the FMC was wild and I don’t think it fit into the story line of how the portal has been working this entire series.

I did like the enemies to lovers banter and both main characters learning how to love each other and see how the differences between them aren’t all bad. There’s a lot of cute moments between Jasmine and Timothy. I loved seeing many of the previous couples too.

It’s a good audiobook and I’ll finish up the series. I am just not a time travel romance gal (generally speaking) so while I liked this, I didn’t love it.

Overall audience notes:

  • Time travel romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: Happy Medium by Sarah Adler

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 418 pages
Author: Sarah Adler
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: April 30th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property’s resident real-life ghost if she’s to save them all from a fate worse than death, in this delightful new novel from the author of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes.

Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best (read: wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she’d like to think she’s a beneficent one. So if “cleansing” the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who’s she to say no?

Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn’t the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with Everett: the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that’s had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s.

Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie he can’t sell the property. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the way to win over the stubborn farmer—not exactly Gretchen’s strengths. But trust isn’t the only thing growing between them, and the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm looms over Gretchen almost as annoyingly as Everett himself. To save the goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she’s beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her life: being fully, genuinely herself.

UNDERWHELMED.

I loved the previous book from this author and was excited to pick this up, unfortunately I’m feeling pretty meh about it overall. The book is not bad by any means, it just didn’t sweep me away either. Clearly, take this review with a grain of salt because you could love it way more than me.

I loved the farm setting and I thought the paranormal aspects were quirky and humorous. Lots of cute goat content and farmer’s markets and farm shenanigans. With the romance, I didn’t feel as much chemistry as I hoped. It came across more lusty from Gretchen’s angle, which is never my jam, and the feelings went up and down from there. I liked that Gretchen and Charlie did eventually communicate and talk things out at least.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: scenes with an older loved one with dementia

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ALC Book Review: A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Stacey McEwan
Publisher: Saga Press
Release Date: July 1st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals.

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are twelve years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city’s grand ambitions. For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.

And then they uncover a devastating truth: Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.

In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war. Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family. But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn’t forgotten Nina. He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

OH SNAP. I LOVED THIS.

I never finished this author’s previous series because I just wasn’t attached to book one. But this book one? GIMMMMMMME MORE. This was a hit and I loved it.

I actually liked the age progression for this one. It was quick but gave just the right amount of background information to build the world and characters so well. I loved the connection between Nina and Patrick. It’s was complex and heated and I adored the TRUE slow burn push and pull. The man is down bad, and I LOVE DOWN BAD.

Stacey McEwan does such a great job of creating a world filled with secrets that I love seeing unveiled. Even the ones you know are coming are well crafted and the story telling is just on point. This book had a continual incline on the action and hard hitting moments. This was an amazing combination of romance and magic and politicking and twists and turns and all the things. I must have book two!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3ish open door
  • Violence: high

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