But I Smile Anyway…

A December post means the end of the year! How did that happen? 😱

It’s a month filled with excitement and all things festive, as well as lots of chances to be gifted new books… and the holidays give a chance to read. How will I do this month??

Well, for a start, the plan to read my TBR went to pot, as I was inundated with amazing ARCS that I just had to read first!

So that makes 14 books read this month and just one ARC left on my NetGalley pile. Will 2023 be the year I crack that TBR Pile in half??

You’ll have to scroll to the end to see my Goodreads Book Challenge result for this year!

Big Chicas Don’t Cry by Annette Chavez Macias
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love a story revolving around family, and it was great to read about this Latino American group of cousins, their life and relationship with each other, as well as what is going on in their own lives.
I thought it would get a little confusing with the different POVs, but it was easy to keep a track of what was happening, and generally an enjoyable read.

Fairies, Myths, & Magic II: Book 2: A Winter Celebration by Colleen M. Chesebro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Fairies, Myths & Magic book 2, as it brought a sprinkling of mysticism to the darkening nights.
Colleen Chesebro has woven her poetic verse and stories within recounts of various myths and legends, all things fae, and it won my heart!
The first story, about the changeling, was my favourite read. These things fascinate me, and if you are looking for something to add a little magic to your life, then you should really pick up a copy of this!

The Secret Keeper by Amanda James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Amanda James’ book the Forgotten Beach, and The Secret Keeper is written in the same beautiful way.
Rosa heads off to Tintagel to fulfil the last wish of her Grandmother as she lies waiting to take her last breaths. She arrives, emotional and sceptical,
But, something in the air gets to her, as she begins to sense and see things she wouldn’t usually believe. The addition of the mysterious, but handsome Talen, adds to the mystery.
What a beautiful love story, or rather two; one tragic and one a blossoming one, with plenty of ups and downs.
I really don’t want to give much away, but the story involves some folklore, spirits, and a whole lot of belief.
I loved it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC

Releasing 13th January, 2023

Hart’s Ridge by Kay Bratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I sped through this book, the first in a new series (Yay!) by Kay Bratt.
Kay is such a talented author with fiction that spans different genres, and this one gives a cosy mystery crime thriller kind of vibe.
Taylor is a Deputy in a small town called Hart’s Ridge. Her past weighs heavy on her day-to-day duties as a member of the local police force, especially when small children are involved.
A small girl wandering into a local convenience store, alone, hungry and distressed, brings out the mama bear in Taylor as she tries to find answers as to where this little girl has come from.
Taylor’s innate sense of what appears right or wrong helps her to solve a huge mystery, all while dealing with her own pretty dysfunctional family; her alcoholic father and three younger siblings, one of whom keep going missing.
And her canine companion, Barnard, is an interesting soul with a back story of his own that Taylor fights hard to find out.
I was fully invested in the story and cannot wait to read the next one!

Releasing January 10th, 2023

A Ghost in Shining Armor by Therese Beharrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What’s the plan when you find out you can see ghosts, but you don’t realise you might just be falling in love with one?
That’s Gemma’s conundrum. She’s known about her ability for a while and spent a few years helping hapless spirits find their way. Then she meets Levi. Except, things are a bit different with him because he’s been sent to help her, too…
Gemma is a happy soul, with her worries that she carries hidden away. Levi is a grump. He didn’t want to die when he did, and he had a chance to change his fate…
But things happen. You can never anticipate what your feelings will do.
An enjoyable paranormal romance read that is not filled with spooky stuff but rather more about emotions.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an ARC.

Releasing 27th January, 2023

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now I love a bit of Bridgerton, and I am all about diversity in all walks of life, so to read this dream of a book set in the early 20th century, based on one of a handful of wealthy Black families in a changing America, was pretty mesmerising!
The Davenports are rich. Richer than many of their White counterparts and certainly the richest Black family in the area. Their three children are of marriageable age, and the story shows that it doesn’t matter the colour of your skin, your children can be just as much of a handful as the next person!
Olivia, the oldest, is ready to conform. She knows her future is finding the right man to take as a husband, and she is well on the way.
John is the sole male heir to the Davenport Carriage Company, a business built up from scratch by his father, a formerly enslaved man, who has worked hard to bring himself and his family to the heights they now rest. But he has dreams too, that go against the grain of his father’s thinking.
Helen is the youngest and the polar opposite of her sister, wanting to push boundaries further by working, helping her brother to set up a new business, and getting her hands dirty, literally, instead of wearing silken gloves, awaiting being presented as ready for marriage.
The problem is, having your future prescribed is often the reason you want something different, which is exactly what these young people face. Forbidden love, unheard-of dreams, and previously unreachable ambitions all pull together to make for an amazing story. I am so glad this is the first of a series because I have definitely been left wanting more!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC.

Releasing 2nd February, 2023

A Secret Garden Affair by Erica James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have read a few of Erica James’ books in the past, and the evocative stories have always enthralled me.
A Secret Garden Affair was no different.
Partially set in the early 1980s and with a timeline starting sixty years previous, the story follows several characters. Libby, a woman whose wedding plans are cancelled when she finds out her fiance is cheating on her, and her great aunt, Bess, who has worked for the third main character, Elfrida, for the best part of her life.
Running to Larkspur House, where Bess works, and a place filled with happy memories for Libby, she tries to make life easier for the two older women who mean so much to her but unearths truths and secrets she had no idea about.
A story of friendship, classism, forbidden love, disappointments and celebrations, losing and finding precious memories and forgiveness.
I really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC.

Releasing 30th March, 2023

One Enchanted Evening: From the #1 bestselling author of uplifting feel-good fiction by Katie Fforde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think I have read pretty much all of Katie Fforde’s books, and though this wasn’t my favourite, it was still an easy read.
Set in the 60s, Meg is called to her mother’s workplace to help out. It is a quaint hotel that is barely breathing, with the opening of a newer, more modern hotel nearby, complete with ensuite bathrooms and a highly-rated chef as the owner.
Meg hasn’t got much professional training, but what she does have is passion, ideas and empathy, which endear her to the staff and guests alike.
Shame it doesn’t seem to be the case for the owner’s son, who firmly believes that women shouldn’t be in charge of a professional kitchen at all.
Family politics, whimsical stories of the past, and a lot of passion for this project make the tale a lovely read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC.

Releasing 2nd March 2023

One French Summer by Gillian Harvey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my second Gillian Harvey read, and I wasn’t disappointed.
Katy is at that time of her life when her child has flown the nest (rather far, actually, to Australia, and decided to stay there a while longer), and her husband wants a break which appears to be more permanent than she originally thought.
She’s devastated. After trying her hardest to change things up, enrolling in a BootCamp with her friends, and generally making herself more like she thinks her husband wants, her whole future is up in the air.
Then her friends take her away on a trip to France. Katy begins to rediscover herself and finds she rather likes what she remembers.
Could romance be on the cards?
There is something in this story that could speak to every woman of a certain age. We are battling with perimenopause and that feeling of being there for the use of the rest of the family, not ourselves.
I just loved how even though there were down moments, Katy was able to find herself in a way that she could enjoy a future that would embrace her as a person, not just a plus one.
Lovely read!
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Releasing 14th February 2023

An Unwanted Inheritance by Imogen Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Three siblings mourning the loss of their much-loved father.
One finds a stash of cash hidden by the man they thought they knew, and it raises all sorts of dilemmas.
Should they be honest and pass it over to the police for investigation? Declare it as part of his estate, risking losing a huge chunk to inheritance tax, or divvy it up between the three?
Each of the three siblings is very different in their thoughts.
Caroline is married to Max, the eldest son. She found the money. Her instincts, and that of her husband, are to keep everything above board.
Ellie, the middle sibling starts off thinking the same, but her husband Jamie discloses information that makes them want the money more.
Nathan, the youngest, wants his share because he needs it, and now.
The story is filled with moral dilemmas and explores relationships between eh siblings, as well as the couples.
I enjoyed this read.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing for sending me a copy of An Unwanted Inheritance to read and review.
All opinions are my own.

You Get That From Me by Charlotte Butterfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful book.
Stella is the youngest of three women living together. Three women, all from one family, each a generation apart.
Stella’s mother, Bonnie, and her grandmother, Florence, along with Stella, reside in the house that has been their home for decades. It’s the only home Bonnie and Stella have ever really known and the start of a lifetime of secrets that Florence started through no fault of her own.
As Stella reaches a certain age, she chooses to use a sperm donor to give her the child she longs for. A lot of research goes into the final decision of the donor, but as the story unravels, it becomes obvious that what she thought would be the best choice and the reasons for thinking that may not always be the right one.
Nature vs nurture is a strong theme, as well as family relationships.
Florence is extremely strong and resilient, and her concern for the women in her family is palpable. We all need a gran like her! Really enjoyed this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC.

Releasing 9th March 2023

In a Thousand Different Ways by Cecelia Ahern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alice has a life-changing moment when she is merely eight years old.
Her world becomes filled with colours that can be pleasant and some that are the exact opposite.
To be more precise, she sees colours associated with all the people, and even plants, around her. Like auras, but that’s not something she knows – yet.
This confusing discovery is a lot for a child to take in, and it impacts her behaviours, as well as her relationships.
She is already living with her two brothers and mother, who is deep in her own mental health issues, and as time goes by, she finds herself caring for her wheelchair-bound mother, living a life she is coping with but suffocating herself as well.
She does manage to live a life of her own, with the urging of her older brother, and moves away from the toxic environment that is her childhood home.
Over the years, and with the help of certain people, she begins to learn how to live with this ‘gift’, as it is described to her, but not without many battles.
An interesting fictional recount of how someone with synesthesia may see life and the world around them.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC.

Releasing 13th April, 2023

Call Time by Stephen Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This debut from Steve Jones was one I felt compelled to read after checking out the blurb.
I’ll be honest, it didn’t grab me from the off.
Not the kind of hook that ‘they’ all say is needed for a brilliant book. In fact, it took me a little while to get into the swing of the story, but when the phone appeared, I became more invested in it all.
Our main character, Bob (Rob/Robert), is an older, driven, successful and somewhat selfish man with a huge block of guilt on his shoulder from a tragedy in his past. It’s driven him to be a person that is not likeable.
When something rather mystical happens, and he is handed a phone that could change the past, he grabs the chance but doesn’t consider the butterfly effects of that one change in the past and what happens, because of it, in the future.
There is a lot to grip you once the story begins to flow. An interesting read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Michael Joseph for an ARC.

Releasing 11th May, 2023

Lovestruck by Laura Jane Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Laura Jane, I do believe you have done it again!
I have enjoyed Williams’ books so far, and this was so good.
Becca is a hairstylist and salon owner in her mid-thirties, worried that her time will pass. A timely event at the salon includes a session with a woman who encourages manifestations.
Becca chooses to manifest the love of her life into her life as soon as possible.
Within hours she gets a text from her ex.
Is it a sign?
The story is told intriguingly, running along parallel timelines in two different scenarios.
One where she doesn’t bother to answer the text and the other where she does…
I can’t write too much about the story, but it is really well done!
I loved Becca’s best friend, Jia Li, and her salon partner, Carlos.
The tension, as it builds in both storylines, is palpable, and oh, I couldn’t wait to see how the end panned out in both versions. Great read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC.

Releasing 8th June 2023

And, with that last book read until the end of the year, my total of books read stands at 186 this year! That is a total record for me!

So, tell me do you know how many books you read, and was there anything that caught your eye in the ones above?

So, we have reached the end of November. That means one more month left of this year! 😱

I know it is going to be a busy month. November always is, with parents’ evenings at school and preparation for the festive season. But I wonder what I end up reading?

As I start the month, I have NO ARCS on my list (bar the first book I am reading this month, but I started that on the 30th of October, so it doesn’t count! 😜), but you know me. I find it hard to say no… Still, my existing TBR is full enough to keep me going for a while. Here goes!

Update to the above statement: it is the 4th of November, and I finished that ‘last arc’ and now have two more on there, at least!

Update #2 on 20th November… I give up… you can see I read at least 7-8 arcs… 🙄

Update #3 – 24th November… I have read all the arcs… will I accept any more before the end of the month??

I managed 15 books in the end, and exhausted the ARC list, too, so my TBR began to get some attention!

People Change by Sara Jafari
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve not read Sara Jafari before, but she has been on my radar for a while, so it was great to get a chance to read one of her books.
Shirin is a British-born Iranian woman living in London, supposedly living her dream. She is working in publishing, which she always wanted to do, with plenty of friends and a potentially busy social life.
A blast from her past is at one of the parties she attends.
Kian is a guy she last saw ten years ago when they were both teenagers and at school in Hull.
Is it good to meet someone from a time when your life was not so great?
There are many loaded issues within the story, as Shirin and Kian get to know each other once again and open up about things they never had the chance to as youngsters.
The side story about racism and prejudices in workplaces adds extra spice to the story.
An interesting read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 2nd February, 2023

Single in the Snow by Helen Whitaker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another great Christmassy feel-good read, without the need to get over slushy! (Though, can you ever get over-slushy at Christmas?)
Jen is a girl about to hit thirty, ricocheting from relationship to relationship, trying to mould herself into the perfect fit because she doesn’t want to end up alone.
After the last break up, her best friend convinces her to take some time out, find herself, and be alone to experience life for at least six months.
A pre-booked trip to Canada ends up being less satisfying coupledom and more a time to reflect on her life and what she really wants.
She does find out, but not before there are a whole load of shenanigans and new folk to meet! A job at a high-end ski resort in Whistlers gives her plenty of food for thought.
And then there was Art. He is a troubled ex-Olympian with a heartwrenching backstory of his own and a journey of recovery he needs to tread.
The way their stories entwine makes it a moreish read.
Now I kinda want to go and see slopes with the fresh powdery snow, but I’d be sat in a little cafe, with a hot chocolate, watching the daredevils on skis and snowboards!
There were some great characters, including Rob and Snowy, her first friends as she arrives in Whistler, and ooh, there was one to hate… Eduardo!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 17th November, 2022

Happy Place by Emily Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boy was I excited to be able to dive into another of Emily Henry’s books, and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I sat here this rainy Sunday and finished the whole book!
The story is about a group of friends about to hit an end note on an important part of their friendship, namely a specific place they all go to every year, which won’t be available to them much longer.
But it centres around one couple, in particular, Harriet and Wyn. From the off, there was an unwritten rule that you didn’t date your friends, or things would go weird if it ever finished.
They were the first couple of the group to break that rule, and now, they are desperately trying to hide the fact that it didn’t work out, so everyone else can have a good time together.
The whole group of friends were an excellent bunch, and the way Henry has woven in the intricacies of long-standing friendships and a second-chance romance is just brilliant.
Oh, and I want to go to a Lobster Festival, too, now. (And I don’t even eat seafood!)
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin General UK – Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life and Penguin Business for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releasing 27th April, 2023

Zen Queen by Kirsty McManus
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My first Kirsty McManus book and I read it quickly.
A fun story about a woman who is sent to Japan on a work assignment that goes horribly wrong. However, there are glimmers of hope.
There is plenty of culture to read about, both modern and traditional. Japan is a pretty crazy place from what I read. And the characters our heroine meets there, from her colleagues to friends, to the wonderful Japanese man who literally adopts her, are all great.
I wish the romance could have stretched out more at the end. It felt a tad rushed when a little more build-up would have been great.

The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I chose this as my Amazon Prime First Reads book for the month, as I have read a good few of Sonali Dev’s books, and I’ll be honest, I do love her Bollywood style of writing!
The Vibrant Years is not a romance but more of a Women’s Fiction, a contemporary story based around the lives of three generations of women from one family; Bindu, the confident, sexy 60-something grandma, or Binji as her granddaughter calls her; Aly, the 40-something ex-daughter-in-law of Bindu who has a strong bond with her ex-mother-in-law, and Cullie, the extremely intelligent 20-something granddaughter.
There is a secret Bindu is hiding. Something she has hidden since her late teens. This secret is threaded throughout the book, with short quotes from an old journal.
Dev has covered a lot in this book, looking at the conventional ways of thinking and expectations put upon both men and women, the stigmas attached to certain jobs, and the way thinking has begun to change over the decades that span the three main characters’ lives.
They all end up going on dates as research for a new app Cullie is trying to design and end up finding more than love as they stumble from disaster date to disaster date.
It took me a little while to get into the story, but once I did, I was eager to know how the secret would unfold to the cast of characters, as we, the readers, are made aware of the ‘shame’ Bindu feels for her past, earlier on in the book.
There is a feel-good factor to the book once things unravel and settle back into a more favourable pattern, and overall, a good read.

Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family by Rabia Chaudry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is a really interesting read that combines the effects of culture and attitudes regarding eating and size.
We all know that in order to feel happy, we should be able to accept ourselves as we are and be healthy, no matter what our size.
This memoir by Rabia Chaudry shows how she found herself in a vicious cycle of eating, growing, distress, criticism, self-loathing, then eating again, and so forth,
The attitudes of certain cultural societies state you should be fair and lovely like the cream says, and tall and slim to get a good match in marriage.
We are not all built like that.
Rabia was fed, and fed, as that’s what her parents felt they should do, and when they realised they didn’t know how to reverse the effects of overeating, they continued to indulge because that was all they knew,
Food and our Asian culture are knitted together so strongly that it can be hard to separate the two.
It was fascinating and quite emotional to read Rabia’s journey, and how she fought her demons, but equally, how she failed several battles before winning the war.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for an ARC.

The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love me a Lindsey Kelk book, and this was no different!
The Christmas Wish is a surreal love story where our heroine, Gwen, finds herself reliving Christmas Day like a Groundhog Day moment. She doesn’t know why, but each day relives it to see what she can change to get back to normality.
Through her repeated days, she comes to understand more about her family and their wants and desires, as well as many meetings with a person who might or might not be that special someone, but more importantly, she learns important lessons that will affect her own life and future.
I loved this story and sped through it in a few hours.
Gwen’s relationship with her cousin Manny was fantastic, and I loved Granny!
Even Pari, Dev’s dog, had a short but incredibly sweet role in the story.
A great festive read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins, UK, for an ARC.

Pretty Evil by Zoe Rosi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, my days!
When asked whether I may be interested in reading an ARC of Pretty Evil, I read the blurb and thought, “Why not? Sounds like an intriguing read.”
Well, intriguing is perhaps not quite the word to describe it.
Hugely dark and (excuse my language, but) bloody fantastic!
Camilla, our protagonist, is a woman with a past that is ingrained so deep within that it’s almost hollowed out any other emotion in her body.
Wronged as a child, growing up, and abused as a young woman, she casts herself in the role of vigilante for womankind, wreaking havoc, and her version of revenge, upon unsuspecting predators
I found myself strangely aroused, a bit disturbed, and definitely sympathetic towards the woman with what appeared to be no emotion but whose heart is beginning to feel again.
Laced with sex, gore, and all manner of suspense, I was kept on my toes, reading the book almost in one sitting, and I truly didn’t predict the ending, either.
What a dark, kinky web the author has weaved…
You definitely kept this reader guessing!
Fab read. I can’t wait to get my hands on another book by Zoe Rosi.
(I first read this book under its previously released title, Predator, by Zoe Caldwell. It has been published by Amazon Publishing, and the tweaks and editorial changes have made it an even sharper story.)

Releasing 19th January, 2023

The Family Reunion by Karen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first Karen King book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
A fantastic story filled with the twists and turns you’d expect in any family, however, the twists and turns are HUGE!
Mary is a widowed mother of two, and she decides to try and find a daughter she had, that no one else in her life knows about.
Couple that with two weary children, with secrets of their own, then the addition of this new member of the family, and there are plenty of fireworks!
I won’t say too much, because if I do, then what is the point in you reading, but OMG, the epilogue!
I was gripped by the story and couldn’t put it down!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an arc.

Releasing 23rd January, 2023

Not That Kind of Ever After by Luci Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are days when you want an easy-to-read book with some laughs and a few quirks.
Well, this was just the kind of book I needed today.
A fun from com about a young woman who is tied deeply to her best friend, and the time has come for them to go their separate ways as the friend is moving in with a partner.
Bella has relied on Ellie since childhood as her one. Not in any romantic sense, but just that person who is her life support, who keeps her going, and Ellie has always been there for her, along with her twin brother Marty. She still is, but her attention is now divided between Bella and her boyfriend, Mark.
Bella wants to find ‘The One, too, but no amount of fairytale chasing seems to give her any results. There are no Prince Charmings out there in London.
But a chance comment about letting herself loose and enjoying the moment has her mimicking fairytales as she heads on dates that end up having no chance of a happily ever after, but they give her satisfaction in other ways.
The ending made me smile.
As I mentioned before, it was an easy read, a fun read and something you don’t have to think about too hard!
Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Releasing 14th March, 2023

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do love books where I can picture the setting because it is local to me, and this was a perfect example.
Maggie, our heroine, lives in the Tower of London. Lives there. Yup, I didn’t even know people lived there!
She lives in special housing for the Beefeaters, one of whom is her father.
She works at the ticket booth, a job she never thought she would be still at, all these years later, and she finds herself the butt of her colleagues’ jokes as the clumsy, lumbering red-haired girl who can’t even get a date.
But fate changes for her when she bumps into someone she thought was a lamp post, and he ends up being someone she spends plenty of time with as friends.
Maggie tells Freddie historical stories of the Tower of London, complete with ghost tales, and he introduces her to parts of the Tower that were out of reach, seeing as he is a part of the Royal Guard.
As she slowly lowers her barriers with him, she can feel there are parts of his life he is hiding, which she finds out most shockingly.
A great cast of characters, including the different Beefeaters, the rest of Freddie’s troop, and the ravenmaster, with her cryptic yet apt words of wisdom.
I read it in a day. really enjoyed it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC.

Releasing 27th April, 2023

The Word Is Love by Florence Keeling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, I loved this book! The word definitely is LOVE!
I was excited to travel back to Weddington to read more about Lucy and her horses and, of course, about how love falls into her life.
There were a great number of twists to the plot, but all helped it make it a book I didn’t want to put down!
Lucy and Max have pretty much grown up together, working in Lucy’s family business after her father passed away.
He’s that older brother figure…
And you have Lucy’s mum who wants her girl to settle down with the right kind of monied chap who will ensure her girl won’t ever want for anything.
Put it this way, you sure have to kiss or date a few frogs before finding your Prince Charming, and Lucy managed to find a real toad!
It was a great read, and I’d love to know if there is more coming from the Weddington Crew!

Roommaid by Sariah Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What happens when you’re the daughter of a rich family, but you refuse to do what your parents want, so you get disowned, and your trust fund comes to a halt?
Why, you find an apartment share to live in, with a roommate hotter than the sun, and promise to o all the housework, despite never having done a domestic chore in your life!
That’s what happens to Madison, our newly poor teacher heroine.
For all the comforts of Tyler’s apartment, she can’t feel comfortable around him because he is so attractive, and one of the rules of living together is no crushes or emotional feelings towards one another… because he doesn’t have time for that.
But he does have a gorgeous dog called Pigeon, who Madison falls for, too.
Seriously, families can be manipulative, and it seems the arranged marriage culture between the high and mighty to strengthen business bonds is not just for us Indians! Who knew it was still occurring in the West?
An easy read with a few twists to keep you on your toes, but ultimately a feel-good read.

The Paid Bridesmaid by Sariah Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another easy romance read by Sariah Wilson.
I am sure I have read something similar before, with the paid bridesmaid idea, but the storyline was different.
Rachel operates a business providing Bridesmaids to brides who are lacking in the friend department or who have too many people to choose from, so hiring someone seems the easiest option.
She’s on an extremely special job, in Hawaii, at the moment. A week-long sponsored extravaganza for a famous influencer and her beau.
Thing is, her NDAs mean that she can’t be honest about anything, from why she’s doing what she does, to acknowledging her feelings.
Because there’s a rather cute guest there, who she’s close to risking everything for, only he thinks she’s someone different.
The story was cute, and it was a quick read. Predictable, but the happy ending you want, albeit with a few drunken relatives, crazy exes and other twists thrown in!

A Magical Christmas on the Isle of Skye by Jodie Homer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to win a copy of A Magical Christmas on the Isle of Skye, and I read it with joy.
Emilia and Harry are best friends with a bit of a booty-call relationship, but nothing more.
Then Emilia, one drunken News Years’ Eve, calls a TV psychic, who sets off a train of events that makes them question whether there should be more to their connection.
A Christmassy Groundhog Day-style story as the two main characters realise things aren’t right but don’t know how to put it right.
Help from Psychic Alice and the magic of the Fairies on the Isle finally gets them to the conclusion they weren’t sure what the right one was at the start.
A fun, quick and easy read with likeable characters. I’d love to visit a magic Isle one day… looking forward to more from Homer and the cast of this book.

So, tell me what you have been reading, and what caught your eye from the above!