Tag: indie author

Book Review: The Secret of the Book Keeper by J.A. Hemingway

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
Length: 300 pages
Author: J.A. Hemingway
Publisher: Glenthorne Press
Release Date: October 15th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Theo, a 17-year-old American backpacker exploring Europe, tries to brush off the odd behavior of the townspeople of Bridgingdale, an obscure English village—until a suspicious fire in the town square reveals the first of the town’s many secrets.
At the center of it all is the mysterious and daring 17-year-old Leyna, a Book Keeper with an ancient calling to mend tears between the literary world and reality.
When fantastical monsters and villains start escaping their stories, Leyna insists it is someone else’s nefarious doing, but the townspeople refuse to accept this as possible. Only Theo believes her. Together they must work to discover and stop the saboteur before it’s too late . . . for both worlds.

Thank you to the author for a gifted copy.

GREAT FOR YA.

What I loved most about this was that it’s a book you can easily hand to a teenager without any glaring content warnings for a category that’s hard to describe.

I thought the story was great. It’s a fun concept with the hidden town and all of the monsters jumping out of classic books. I liked the action it brought and seeing how the characters worked together each time.

Theo, I adored. He was a wonderful MMC. Easy to root for, open to rolling with new information and a loyal person. I liked his friendship with Leyna (and maybe a little bit of romance too?) and am excited to see that continue in book two.

This is an urban/portal fantasy and not a full fledged new world or anything. Diving into different books was fun and y’all know I love a Pride and Prejudice moment. I thought the magic system worked well inside the confines of the magical realism. The ending was solid and left a good opening for the next book that I definitely will be reading.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Urban/Portal fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: flirting
  • Violence: low – moderate

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ARC Book Review: Home Run Heart by Hailey Gardiner

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 300 pages
Author: Hailey Gardiner
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

There have only ever been two things that Brooks Alden can say he truly baseball and Nora Foster, the girl he dated in high school.

Returning home in the off-season gives Brooks an opportunity he never thought he’d get a second chance encounter with a now-divorced Nora. Suddenly, the hometown he’s avoided for so long becomes a place to make new memories together. They make a bargain that entails spending five Fridays sharing new experiences in the hopes that Brooks will discover that there’s more to life than baseball, while also helping Nora cope with the resulting grief of her divorce and the demands of single motherhood.

In this second chance, sweet romantic comedy, Brooks and Nora must find the courage to discover what makes them happy and learn what it feels like to have their hearts hit a home run.

Home Run Heart is a closed-door, second chance, sweet baseball romance that delivers on all the swoon without the spice. Books in the Kitt’s Harbor series are stand-alone novels but might be best enjoyed if read in order.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

IN LOVE.

You know what really makes me smitten? Second chance romances written like this. Good heavens y’all. IT WAS SO GOOD. What I loved most, is that this story was low on the drama and high on the romance. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I’m in the mood for drama, but what I crave other times is a slow, steady, soft and tender romance. If you need the soft and sweet right now, READ THIS BOOK.

I adored Brooks and Nora (hello dual POV, I love you). I loved the focus on therapy and working through past trauma and high pressure life styles and learning to balance what needs to be done and what you can do for yourself. There were many deep conversations and I am always looking for true communication and I liked seeing those moments between Brooks and Nora. And also, Ollie?? He was so precious!! And let it be known I was a puddle on the ground anytime he and Brooks interacted. PUDDLE.

This is a very fast paced read and will absolutely suck you in. I am now demanding that more closed door baseball romances because this is a niche I didn’t know I needed. I am such a fan girl of Hailey Gardiner’s writing and story telling abilities. Do not skip out on her books.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content Warnings: emotionally abusive father, divorce and infidelity (recounted)

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Book Review: A Royal Promise (Royal Hearts #4) by Amanda Schimmoeller

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Modern Royal Romance
Length: 274 pages
Author: Amanda Schimmoeller
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 9th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two best friends.
One promise that could change everything.

Prince Andrew has been in love with his best friend, Bri, for as long as he can remember. Of course, he would never actually tell her that. When his parents try to force him into a marriage of convenience, Drew decides to enact the marriage pact he made with Bri when they were kids. While she might think he’s faking everything with her for the public eye, Drew finally has the chance to show his best friend how much he loves her and why they would make the perfect couple. Drew can only hope that their forced time together will show Bri what has been right in front of her all along.

Princess Brielle agrees to be her best friend’s fake fiancée to save him from a desperate situation. Emphasis on the word fake. But the more time she spends with Drew pretending to be a couple, Bri begins to see him in a new light. He’s no longer the scrawny, awkward kid he used to be. Drew is an attractive, confident man who makes their charade look effortless and has her heart racing on more than one occasion. As the lines of their fake engagement and her feelings begin to blur, she’s left with the biggest decision of her life–Bri can either allow herself to fall in love with Drew or potentially lose her best friend forever.

A Royal Promise is Book 4 in the Royal Hearts series. This is a sweet, closed-door romance and can be read as a standalone.

Thank you to the author for a gifted copy.

SUCH A SWEET STORY.

Friends to lovers and I have an up and down history and I can easily mark this in the win column. It was such a sweet story. I adored Drew and Bri and watching them realize how their deep feelings had turned into everlasting love.

There were many tender scenes and I loved how the fake dating played out. The dates were fun and I enjoyed the lighter vibes of this book. It was exactly what I was needing when I picked it up.

I didn’t love the Clarissa plot line, but that was the only thing that stood out to me. I love that this is a modern royal romance story and it had one of my favorite tropes he falls first and he’s fallen HARD. All of the small elements came together for such a lovely romance read. I’m sad to see this series go but excited for what Amanda writes next!

Overall audience notes:

  • Modern Royal Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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ARC Book Review: It’s Always Us (The Abandoned Brothers #3) by Stacy Williams

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 476 pages
Author: Stacy Williams
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 7th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What if you give your whole heart away? Do you ever really get it back?

Lex has just been going through the motions for years, trying to let go of the one man she can’t seem to forget. When she finds herself getting ready to take on a life she’s never wanted, she realizes she’s stuck in the same place she was at sixteen—heart stolen and fully belonging to another. Now, Lex is determined to move forward and finally face reality—life without him.

But when the past returns, making declarations she’d never thought she’d hear again, will Lex take a chance to finally go after what she’s always wanted?

Mark has been living the high life…at least, that’s what the media believes. Reality is, he’s spent the last eight years thinking of the one who promised to love him always. For Mark, time has passed and damage was done, but he just can’t convince himself that her devotion wasn’t real. When time is running out—or so he thinks—he takes a shot to find out once and for all if her words were honest and true.

When the fun-loving, professional quarterback makes his play, will he find that the hope he’s held onto is everything he needed it to be? What if it’s so much more than he ever could have imagined?

It’s Always Us is a touching love story that reminds us when all hope is lost…love lasts.

This story is part of a series but if you don’t mind a few spoilers, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

THE JOURNEY.

This book made me have to stare down some things I don’t generally like when I’m reading a romance book. But the pure chaos of this journey and the up and down roller coaster had me flipping page after page never able to guess where this story would turn next. And that had it’s own wonderful quality too.

I loved how much Mark and Lex showed that soul mate level quality of connection. How when you feel like you’re hitting the end of what you can handle, love finds a way. Love creates a path. Love finds a way to fight with you.

Both characters had a lot of walls they had to hit a few times over before they found a way around. I loved the supporting cast and how they helped Mark and Lex get through their journey’s. The ending came together so sweetly and squeezed my heart strings.

This book has been a long time coming for this series and I loved all the truths it held and the satisfying conclusion it was for the all three brothers.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low

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