book recommendations – Page 2 – Hey Candi! What are you reading???

Book Review: CRY BABY by Mark Billingham

It’s 1996. Detective Sergeant Tom Thorne is a haunted man. Haunted by the moment he ignored his instinct about a suspect, by the horrific crime that followed and by the memories that come day and night, in sunshine and shadow.

So when seven-year-old Kieron Coyne goes missing while playing in the woods with his best friend, Thorne vows he will not make the same mistake again. Cannot.

The solitary witness. The strange neighbour. The friendly teacher. All are in Thorne’s sights.

This case will be the making of him . . . or the breaking.

The gripping prequel to Mark Billingham’s acclaimed debut, Sleepyhead, Cry Baby is the shocking first case for one of British crime fiction’s most iconic detectives.

My Review:

Trigger Warnings: missing children and abuse.

I couldn’t put this book down. It kept me guessing from the beginning. Mark Billingham knows how to keep the reader turning the page.

It’s a story of a boy who goes missing while playing with his best friend under the watchful eye of his best-friend’s mom. The story takes you into the mind of the investigating officer Tom Thorne, who is picked on for a mistake made 15 years before this case. Tom trusts his gut this time and does what needs to be done to find the boy.

The plot twist close to the end is what got to me and how it came about.

A really good read and a book I’d recommend.

Book Review: NO RESERVATIONS by Stephanie Rose

Now Available!!! I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review

✮ BLURB ✮

Is it too late to correct the biggest mistake of my life?

While drowning in a mess of sorrow and grief, I lost the only woman I ever loved. I didn’t realize what I’d done until it was too late.

Thea still owned my thoughts, my dreams, and my heart. I never expected to see her again, much less have to work with her for almost the entire summer.

I should’ve fought for her years ago, and after how much I hurt her, I probably don’t have the right to now.

But I can’t stop until she’s mine again.

No Reservations is a continuation of characters from No Vacancy but is a total STANDALONE. If you like second chance love stories that make you cry, overheat, and swoon with a broken but lovable wise-cracking hero, this is the book for you!

My Review:

WOW! It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed a second chance romance the way I did with this one.

Regret, suffering, sorrow, love! These are the words I would sum up for the story of Dominic and Thea. They belong together, they are good for each other. Life happens and they drift apart.

But life or fate rather has a better plan install for these two.

It was a good read, tugged at my heart strings the more we got into the book. I didn’t want the story to end.

It was great to see how far the two previous characters from No Vacancy came as well and have them apart of the book. It also helps that I read the first book, it made me appreciate Caterina and Joe’s charaters more.

If you love romance books that tug at your heart strings, then get this book. It was a great read.

Book Review: QUEEN MOVE by Kennedy Ryan

Blurb:

The boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can’t have…

Dig a little and you’ll find photos of me in the bathtub with Ezra Stern.
Get your mind out of the gutter. We were six months old.
Pry and one of us might confess we saved our first kiss for each other.
The most clumsy, wet, sloppy . . . spectacular thirty seconds of my adolescence.
Get into our business and you’ll see two families, closer than blood, torn apart in an instant.
Twenty years later, my “awkward duckling” best friend from childhood, the boy no one noticed, is a man no one can ignore.

Finer. Fiercer. Smarter.
Taken.

Tell me it’s wrong.
Tell me the boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can’t have.
When we find each other again, everything stands in our way–secrets, lies, promises.
But we didn’t come this far to give up now.
And I know just the move to make if I want to make him mine.

Review:

WOW! WOW! WOW!

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book. Kimba, wow, a woman to aspire too. Obviously I got to know Kimba in the Kingmaker duet which was really good and was extremely excited when I heard that Queen Move was Kimba’s story.

This book is real! It’s the reality of so many people. I loved the realness of it. It’s not just a love story. It’s a story of life, of challenges, of proving yourself because you’re in the minority. A story of working hard. A story of going after what you deserve. And… a story of a love so strong, nothing can break it down.

Ezra and Kimba have restored my faith in love. Nothing will tear them apart. They will fight for their love. The love they had since the day they married each other at six years old.

Get the book! Read the story! You won’t be sorry.

Book Review: GOLDEN IN DEATH by JD Robb

I was gifted this book by Jonathan Ball Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

Kent Abner began the day of his death comfortable and content…

When Kent Abner – baby doctor, model husband and father, good neighbour – is found dead in his town house in the West Village, Detective Eve Dallas and her team have a real mystery on their hands. They know how, where and when he was killed – but why would someone want such a good man dead?

Then a second victim is discovered and as spring arrives in New York City, Eve finds herself in a race against time to track down a serial killer with a motive she can’t fathom and a weapon of choice which could wipe out half of Manhattan.

Review:

Eve Dallas is a bad ass and if anything ever happens to me, I would like Eve, Roarke and the team to be summoned to solve the case.

This book had me hooked from the very first page. JD Robb knows how to keep her readers captivated and she did just that with this book.

This is book 50 in the “IN DEATH” series. I admit I only started reading this series with book 49 but I can recommend this series to anyone who loves crime thrillers.

It has everything in it. Drama, romance, crime chasing, psychological thinking. It’s just an all round book.

Book Review: AVENGED BY LOVE by LJ Evans

avenged by love cover

I was gifted an ARC in return for an honest review

“𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧.”

Synopsis

𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙨, 𝙖.𝙠.𝙖. 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠, 𝘿𝙖𝙮𝙩𝙤𝙣 is focused on two things: settling into his position at the Coast Guard Academy and helping his younger brother stay out of trouble. So even though the beautiful, fandom loving 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙮 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 is tugging at his chest in funny ways, he doesn’t intend on acting on those emotions. Not when he’ll eventually be moving on, and she’ll be staying behind.

But when Jersey suddenly finds herself in desperate need of medical care that she can’t afford, Truck does the only thing he can think of to help… he marries her.

Jersey has been struggling to keep her and her sister afloat ever since their dad was sent to jail. The pain she feels on a regular basis isn’t anything she can stop to think about until she ends up at the E.R. in the protective arms of the one man who makes her pulse beat faster than the superheroes she worships.

When chaos invades their lives, their temporary deal starts to crumble, leaving hearts and souls twined together in such a way that there’s little chance of escape without permanent damage. Unless they just surrender to it all and let love heal them both.

From award-winning author, LJ Evans, comes a novel inspired by Lady Antebellum’s “Ocean” about resilience and love. You don’t want to miss this slow burn, military romance.

𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧’𝙨 𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙚:

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚, 𝙣𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙙. 𝙉𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙮, 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙚.

𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬, 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.

𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨.

Review:

ALL THE FEELS… that’s what this book did to me. Had my emotions everywhere.

Jersey & Travis – I fell in love with him at “marry me”. And I empathized with Jersey throughout the book. She and I have so much in common and he was just the perfect Captain Coast Guard.

As usual LJ did not disappoint with this story. It was beautifully written. Has real life issues that isn’t addressed enough. Has real love in it, and not the fairy tale type. The unusual type. The type that makes it real and makes you work at it. The type we don’t believe we deserve.

Both these characters are broken in a sense. Both feel responsible for the situation that they’re in. Both feel like failures, even too each other. And yet, they are both superheroes in their own right and perfect for each other!

I have read every one of the books in the Anchor Series and let me tell you, they keep getting better and better. This author has the gift of telling stories that pull at your heartstrings.

Go! Read this book. There’s love, sibling complications, a coastie to fall in love with and a comic loving heroine.

five stars

Avenged by Love will be released on 29 April 2020.

Book Review: KEEPING SECRETS by Weston Parker

My Easter Weekend was filled with some Romantic reads and this was one I wanted to talk about.

Synopsis

It’s no secret that me and love don’t mix.

Not after it schemed to rip my heart out and leave me a single father.

The biggest question I have is what to do with forever now that my wife is gone.

As much as I hate it, it’s time for a break from my famous life.

A year off to spend time with my little girl is what the doctor ordered.

Giggles, smiles, and tons of ice cream for the two of us.

And somehow, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen runs the ice-cream parlor.

But getting involved isn’t a choice. Not even when my little girl falls head over heels for this woman that’s stealing my every thought.

No matter how much I want to give up everything for the curvy girl that’s rocking my world day and night.

She deserves far more than me, but I’m just selfish enough to want to deny her another lover.

To take up residence in her heart and stay.

It gets even more serious when I find myself playing her fake boyfriend to her uppity mother.

It’s a part I’d love to play daily.

The promise of healing, love, and a big family have me running fast and hard because that same question plays over and over again…

What if fate takes her away too?

I loved this dedication so much that I had to share it with you.

Review:

Do you believe in love after losing the love of your life?

This single dad romance was lovely. It was so special to see the love he had for his daughter. Putting her first. Then he falls for someone, who has not only captured his heart, but has captured his little girl’s heart too.

I loved this little love story. I loved the way this rock star dad put his daughter’s needs above his own. I love how he forgave himself for feeling the guilt he did for falling in love with someone else after his tragic loss of his baby mamma.

Tiffeny and Callen definetly tried hard to figure out the pull they had, but they clearly could not resist it.

A lovely little love story that captured my heart and I certainly fell in love with little Winter

Yes I recommend this read, especially if you’re into single dad romance.

Book Review: HONEST ILLUSIONS by Nora Roberts

honest illusions cover

Disclaimer: I received this book from Jonathan Ball Publishers for an honest review

SYNOPSIS:

Roxy Nouvelle understands the art of deception. The daughter of a world-renowned magician, Roxy has inherited her father’s talents – and his secret life as a jewel thief. She loves the thrill of the game and can take care of herself.

Roxy is smart and resilient, but she has one weakness: Luke Callahan, a sexy escape artist with a roguish reputation. Five years ago they fell into a passionate affair – but then, true to his art – he disappeared, leaving Roxy broken hearted and furious.

Now Luke is back, trailing secrets and danger in his wake. Why did he run out on Roxy all thos years ago? And can she trust him again?

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MY REVIEW:

Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take unrelenting and unabating practice. – Maximillian Nouvelle – Honest Illusions

I was transported to a carnival and lived in New Orleans while reading this book. Roxy and Luke, two very stubborn, very charismatic characters. Loved it.

As usual, Nora Roberts did not disappoint. The book was easy to follow, the writing great. I enjoyed reading it. The further into the book, the more I couldn’t put it down.

We follow the lives of our two lead characters Roxanne and Luke. They grow up together. The book also speaks a great deal of Maximillian Nouvelle, Roxy’s father, who, has a knack for taking in strays. A story of love of family, friendship and magic.

A slow burn romance, friends-to-lovers trope has you routing for these two. A love that blossomed like magic and as Max advised Luke – both magic & love take unrelenting and unabating practice.

Nora Roberts is a fantastic author that can transport you into another life while reading her stories. Brilliant!

I rated this book 4 1/2 stars

Book Review: Vendetta In Death by JD Robb

I received this book from Jonathan Ball Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis

When a family man is tortured, killed and dumped in front of his home for all the world to see, Eve Dallas knows she is on the hunt for a particularly dangerous killer. But death uncovers secrets and the killer leaves a note revealing the victim to be far from the family man he appears.

As Eve works to link victim and killer, another body is found. Another man with a dark and murky past.

The race is on before the killer strikes again but Eve must wrestle with her demons and her conscience as she decides whether she really wants to protect men who may just deserve everything they get…

Review

Men! Beware! Lady Justice is out looking for revenge!

This was the feeling of this book. It’s my first “In Death” book and I must say I quite enjoyed it. Took me a while to read because life but read it I did. It’s great reading about two strong female lead characters. They’re strong, work together as a team and lift each other up.

JD Robb did a great job of this story. I always enjoy a good crime novel but very seldom find one with a good female presence. Women are usually the victim but, not in this story. Here you’re bound to find women as victim, cop, perpetrator.

If you enjoy a good crime novel, this is a good one to read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book Review: The Pact by Amy Heydenrych

I received this book by Jonathan Ball Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

What if a prank leads to murder?

When Freya arrives at her dream job with the city’s hottest start-up, she can’t wait to begin a new and exciting life, including dating her new colleague Jay. However, Nicole, Jay’s ex and fellow employee, seems intent on making her life a misery.

After a big deadline, where Nicole continually picks on her, Freya snaps and tells Jay about the bullying and together they concoct a revenge prank. The next morning, Nicole is found dead in her apartment . . .

Is this just a prank gone wrong? Or does Freya know someone who is capable of murder – and could she be next?

Review:

Who is it? Is it Jay? Julian? Kate? Freya? Who did it? The question I kept asking while reading this book.

The story goes back and forth into the lives of Freya and Isla. We learn about what brought them here to this point in their lives. What makes them survivors of sexual abuse.

It’s a story of bullying in the workplace. A story of sexual harassment. A story of how easy predators get away with this type of abuse because they have money and power. Or so they think.

I loved the plot twist at the end!

This book was well written and I’m sure touched something in readers who have experienced this type of abuse in their lives some way or another.

A great read. And I understand why the hype was about. Well done to Amy Heydenrych

Book Review: Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Synopsis:

Morgan Grant and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara, would like nothing more than to be nothing alike.

Morgan is determined to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. By getting pregnant and married way too young, Morgan put her own dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her predictable mother doesn’t have a spontaneous bone in her body.

With warring personalities and conflicting goals, Morgan and Clara find it increasingly difficult to coexist. The only person who can bring peace to the household is Chris—Morgan’s husband, Clara’s father, and the family anchor. But that peace is shattered when Chris is involved in a tragic and questionable accident. The heartbreaking and long-lasting consequences will reach far beyond just Morgan and Clara.

While struggling to rebuild everything that crashed around them, Morgan finds comfort in the last person she expects to, and Clara turns to the one boy she’s been forbidden to see. With each passing day, new secrets, resentment, and misunderstandings make mother and daughter fall further apart. So far apart, it might be impossible for them to ever fall back together.

My Review:

WOW! WOW! WOW! I loved this book. Real emotions. Real life.

This was my FIRST Colleen Hoover novel I read. I saw it on Instagram and only heard good things about it and decided to jump on the bandwagon and read it and I have to say… I. AM. NOT. SORRY!

I loved this story. The characters, the tragedy, the love, all relatable. I was able to empathize with these characters especially with how Morgan tried to spare Clara the truth about her father. The way Clara realizes that her mother was as much a victim of the situation as her father was. This story is real life and the emotions we go through.

I am definitely going to be reading more of Colleen Hoover.