Tag: megan walker

ARC Book Review: Highcliffe House by Megan Walker

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Megan Walker
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: March 7th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Love ignites when two rivals vie to secure a possible fortune at the seaside town of Brighton.

Brighton, England, 1813

When a romantic entanglement leaves her humiliated and reeling, Anna Lane wants nothing more than for her father to whisk her away from the gossip of the ton. Unfortunately, he has obligations elsewhere, leaving her stuck in London.

Graham Everett’s financial security depends on an investment with Mr. Lane, his long-time friend and business partner. He’ll do just about anything to secure it for his family, even if it means fighting spoiled, embittered Anna for her father’s attention.

Luckily, Mr. Lane concocts a plan that will give everyone what they wat, with one stipulation: Anna must accompany Graham to Brighton in her father’s stead and make a decision to invest—or not—based on a thorough report.

But it will take more than a day at the beach for these two headstrong hearts to admit that they’ve been wrong about each other. If they are willing to invest a little time working out their differences, they might have a chance at real love.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain for the ARC.

LOVED IT.

Goodness this was such a lovely book. I needed a read like this. I loved how this enemies/rivals to lovers was portrayed and thank heavens for dual POV. I loved getting to know both Graham and Anna. Slowly watching their realizations and misconceptions about each other were wrong and finding that long standing connection between them turn into love was all sorts of romantic.

I adored the banter and the tender moments woven throughout the story. This book was full of heat and the simmering tension had me begging for them to kiss already. I loved the longing glances and tiny touches.

What I loved all the more was that anytime I thought that things were going to turn in a direction I wouldn’t love, communication and care showed itself. I LOVE how the conflicts were handled. There’s arguments and trouble, but also forgiveness and appreciation. Megan Walker continues to be one of my favorite historical romance authors.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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ARC Book Review: Miss Newbury’s List by Megan Walker

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Megan Walker
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

England, 1820

Rosalind Newbury loves her family and wants nothing more than to add to their legacy. So when an opportunity arises to marry a duke—a dream come true for her family—despite hardly knowing him, she quickly agrees.

But after rediscovering a childhood wish list, Ros realizes that she has dreams of her own and little time left to fulfill them. She recruits her dearest friend Liza and subsequently Liza’s handsome but wayward cousin Charlie—a gentleman turned rugged boxer—to help her complete her list before her wedding.

From boxing lessons to buried treasure, Charlie helps Ros experience a life and love that she’d never dreamed possible. Soon, Ros is faced with the very decision she’s been running from—to save her family’s future or her own. 

Thank you to Shadow Mountain and Netgalley for an eARC.

BEAUTIFUL.

Oh this is one of my favorite regencies of the year!! Just add it to the list now because it is faaaabulous. I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

I tend to struggle if the main character is in a relationship, but somehow Walker plotted this out in the best way possible. I was easily drawn in the right directions. The Duke can GO.

But Charlie? HE CAN STAY. I am smitten with that man. He was utterly adorable, sweet and kind. I loved the addition of pugilists as part of the plot and how committed he was to helping Ros complete her list. All of the antics they got up to just brought a smile to my face. And there’s a BALL. We all know those are my kryptonite.

There was even some intense action!? I was GLUED to my screen, holding my breath waiting for the next moment everything would be okay. I can’t get over how well this story was told. Everything unfolded at the right pace with the scenes lined up exactly as I hoped. Even that ENDING, with her family?! It was such a unique breath of fresh air to the genre where the family members are sometimes the worst. The support and love that Ros was surrounded by definitely brought some tears to my eyes.

READ IT. LOVE IT.

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: knife violence, loss of a sibling (off screen, recounted), grief

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Book Review: Sinking City (The Skilled #1) by Megan Walker and Janci Patterson

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Rating: ☆☆
Audience: YA Urban Fantasy
Length: 315 pages
Author: Megan Walker and Janci Patterson
Publisher: Garden Ninja Books
Release Date: October 19th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

On the streets of Venice, magic burns and wars wage, while powerful illusions and mind-bending magic keep the world of The Skilled hidden from ordinary people—or typics. The powerful Mardova Family rules Venice with an iron fist, keeping their powers secret and their eyes on their enemies.

Zan Mardova would rather use his magical Skills to do tricks on his motorcycle or fly over buildings than involve himself in Family politics, but when he discovers a rival Family has brainwashed a beautiful typic girl named Ellie, he begins to unravel a web of dangerous secrets with Ellie at the center. Zan’s loyalty has always been to the Mardovas and the fate of Venice, but as Zan’s feelings for Ellie grow, he can no longer ignore his suspicions about members of his own Family.

Even in a city as narrow and twisting as Venice, secrets can’t stay buried forever. Zan fears there’s a traitor in the Mardova Family—and it might be him.

Thank you to one of the authors, Megan Walker, for a copy in exchange or a review. All opinions are my own!

WELL.

This was unfortunately disappointing. Urban fantasy is a tough genre for me to get into, and that how it felt here too. I do think a younger audience would be more into some of the tropes/story lines than I was though.

Insta-romance abounded for these two teens. There was one cute date, and then BAM. Couldn’t be without each other. It wasn’t that Zan and Ellie didn’t have chemistry, I just wanted more of a build-up with them, a little more angst. So much was trying to happen at once that this story line fell to the side and then felt disjointed.

There’s a lot of action! Sinking City keeps you busy. The nature behind the magic system was interesting and I appreciated that it seemed to have clear definitions on what could/could not be accomplished. It always seems more ridiculous when magic doesn’t have boundaries so I’m glad they were present here. The Italian setting was nice too. It was a nice wanderlust adventure around the cities.

I liked Zan as a main character. I think he holds a lot of promise for the next book in growth and coming into his power. Ellie, on the other hand, needs to drop the damsel in distress vibes. There were many times she admitted it as well and I get annoyed when a character can’t take care of themselves (I’m cool with them learning/growing into it, but this was a continual issue).

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Urban Fantasy
  • Language: a little; light
  • Romance: Kisses
  • Violence: murder, magical attacks, physical altercations, guns
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a loved one

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Book Review: Ex on the Beach (The Extra #11) by Megan Walker and Janci Patterson

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 251 pages
Author: Megan Walker & Janci Patterson
Publisher: Garden Ninja Books
Release Date: December 12th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I’m going to be starring in a movie with my ex-husband—a man who I am still desperately in love with.

A-list movie star and animal activist Kim Watterson has it all: a spectacular career, two amazing kids, and a growing animal sanctuary she manages in her spare time. Still, she’s better known for being half of Watterpless, a Hollywood super-couple who put Brangelina and Bennifer to shame—and whose divorce generated just as much gossip.

And that’s before the studio for the latest comic book adaptation she’s headlining announces a cross-over film featuring her character—where she’ll be playing the romantic lead opposite her ex-husband, Blake Pless.

Kim’s determined to do the film, even though she’s still in love with Blake, because the alternative is to let the studio replace her with a younger model. She’s sure she can keep her heart and her dignity intact—

But no plan survives contact with the enemy, especially when you’re filming with your ex on the beach.

Ex on the Beach is a full-length, standalone romantic comedy. It features R-rated sexual content and swearing, no cliff hanger, no cheating, and a swoon-worthy happily ever after.

Thank you to the author, Megan Walker, for a gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

A NICE HEA.

This is the second book I’ve read in The Extra series. As a note, they don’t necessarily have to be read in order!

I enjoyed that this was about a married couple. It’s always unique to the genre and I like the insights and dialogue that come about because of it. Kim and Blake have a lot of great moments and I love that strive for better communication and teamwork in the face of trials.

Some of my struggles came from the repetition of ideas and conversations. I understood the need to rehash some things, but felt it would drag at times because I could hear myself saying, I get it – new topic. Not to mention their daughter who was making me want to run up a wall. Her attitude and antics were laid on really thick.

Otherwise, it was fun to have the setting at a movie set! I enjoyed seeing some of the background behind movies and adding in side characters that spiced up the drama. Which there is plenty of. I found that the pace moved well for these portions. The drama definitely matched the story.

Overall audience notes:

  • Adult contemporary romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs; an open door scene and closed door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: a sex video that goes viral, divorce/separation (and how it impacts children), depictions of anxiety and OCD

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