Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here arThank you to NetGalley and Atria books for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. What if you knew the end date of all your relationships? Would you live them to the fullest? Would that influence your ending them? Daphne Bell has a plan, and when she receives a relationship with no end date, she intends to take it for the sign that it is. But the secrets she keeps from her friends and those around her challenge her with being truthful and committed. What will it take for her to be brutally honest and find the love she's been waiting for? I've really enjoyed the Rebecca Serle books I've read in the past. I like the magical realism aspect she weaves into her stories. They challenge me to see beyond what is thought of as normal. Out of the ordinary becomes interesting, and challenging. The first 50% of this book was challenging. I found it a bit slow. I wanted to love the build up but I didn't find I wanted to pick it up and continue reading. But I am so happy I didn't let that get in the way of my continuing with the story because once all the truths are out in the open, the book speeds to the end. I appreciate Serle's character development. And by the end I understood why it was necessary for her to have that slow build, as frustrating as I may have found it. The idea of receiving end dates for your relationships is definitely intriguing. I did find those parameters definitely shaped Daphne Bell's character in this story. She never allowed herself to see beyond the endings her papers brought her. She always assumed that would be the end of it and this definitely stunted her ability to let her relationships have a natural progression and the possibility of more. I was surprised by the sudden introduction of a health issue in the middle of the book. I did not see it coming. On the one hand, it made sense with Daphne's character and how she processed and proceeding with things in her life. And such a secret kept from the reader had me a little frustrated because it totally changed the dynamic of the book. On the other hand, it would have been nice to have a bit of a sense of this coming. It's such a big secret to have and there wasn't much build up to it, just BAM here it is. It did make me a bit more emotionally invested in her character because I truly wanted to see where she would come out in the end. I was worried Serle would lead us to a lot of sadness and I'm not sure I would have been prepared for that. I enjoyed watching each of Daphne's love stories. The romances were interesting and I liked that it was not just one romance, but a series of romances that helped lend to the development of Daphne and understanding her as a character. The unpredictability of the timelines for the romances was also fun. I will say the ending was a bit predictable to me. I saw it coming pretty much from the beginning when we were introduced to Hugo. But I wasn't 100% sure so it did keep me reading. The Jewish representation was interesting. I enjoyed those small snippets that were woven into the story but also did not see how they shaped Dapphne's character at all. For me, as a Jewish woman, I do wish there was more to that aspect since it was introduced in quite a few places. I'm not sure if the author is Jewish, though based on the things she incorporates, I feel she is. I just didn't think it leant anything to the book and I wish it had been explored a bit more to shape Daphne's character. Overall, I did end up really liking this one, though not as much as One Italian Summer or In Five Years. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on Serle for her future books....more
Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for providing me with a digital copy of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my ownThank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for providing me with a digital copy of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own. Picking up from the cliffhanger that was These Infinite Threads, we continue to follow Cyrus, Alizeh, and Kamran as they fight for their empires. To say this is one of my most anticipated books for 2024 is an understatement. I was so excited to see it pop up for review, but also hesitant because I didn't want it to end. So I waited a bit to read once I had it and I'm kind of glad I did because... Right away I'm going to say I had NO CLUE this was not the end of the series! I guess I just have missed that announcement from Mafi. I was so excited to read this, thinking I'd get a great conclusion and then Mafi went and made THAT ENDING and now I am going to be chomping at the bit for the next book. There's gonna be a next one, right? Because with that ending, it's impossible for there not to be! Let's talk about how I could not put this book down. I wasn't sure Mafi could take me there, as she did with the first two books, but she did. And I had to close the book several times to catch my breath and allow my heart to slow down. The pacing is perfect. That being said, no one can read this without the first two books. This is definitely a series and you need all the background. This story follows much more of Cyrus and I like it. I need to learn all about him. I need to know ALL his secrets. And yet, we're still kept in the dark, anticipating him telling everyone why he's "evil" - SPOILER obviously there is much more depth to him than we know about at this point. I love his addiction to Alizeh. And I say addiction because he really is quite obsessed with her. And Alizeh, she just wants to understand him. And despite his kidnapping her (yes, spoiler from book #2, sorry but IYKYK), she feels a pull to him she cannot explain. Kamran, well, he's kind of gotten annoying. Like, does he actually love Alizeh, or is she just a prize for him? And Hazan, I'm not even sure what to think. He's definitely got some feelings for Alizeh though I'm not sure if they are simply a dedication to his queen or more. And the side characters continue to grow and I love them all: Huda, Omid, Deen, give me all the supporting characters! Mafi's writing is spectacularly lyrical. I don't know how she does it! She draws the reader in and makes them not want to tear their eyes from the page. There's not one moment when her writing doesn't flow well. Or a moment when I don't want to read more and just hope beyond hope she'll give me what I need. There's one chapter where Cyrus is dreaming and on my gosh it is exquisite how Mafi writes it. The tension you feel and the longing and wanting. I don't want to spoil that too much but let's just say it had me squirming quite a bit for a YA book. Mafi definitely takes this book a little further with the sexual tension than she has in the previous two books. And that ending? WHAT? Honestly, I was reading and waiting for a wrap up. Then I was suddenly 90% into the book and realizing there was zero chance it was wrapping up and I was going to be left gutted at the end! I'm putting Mafi in the queen of cliffhanger endings. And I don't even see a fourth book announced or a cover or ANYTHING! How will I live with this? But WOW, Alizeh, she's gonna be badass in the next book, that's all I can say! I will mention the cover because it's just gorgeous (just as all the covers are with this series) and I really hope they keep them because they are perfect! There are zero things I dislike about this book. I give it ALL the stars <---see what I did there? Bring on more of this story with an endgame I'm going to love....more
I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an egalley of this title to review and give my honest opinion. All the opI want to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an egalley of this title to review and give my honest opinion. All the opinions expressed here are my own. Daphne's life was all laid out: fiance, nice home, good job. Until the day it blows up and her fiance, Petere, runs off with his childhood best friend, Petra. Stranded in a town she knows nothing about, she ends up moving in with her ex-fiance's new fiance's ex. When forced into close proximity with MIles, she learns more about who she is, what she wants, and who she might want to spend time with. And she forms new friendships with those around her while realizing it's ok to have her wants come above others. The plot puts Daphne stranded across the country from where she lived, after her fiance decides he's suddenly leaving her, after they've already bought a house and started to make a life together. What a complicated situation! She's forced to find shelter in a place she knows nothing about. She's forced to make decisions about if she's stay or go back to her old life where she lived near her mom, the only family she has. Not only is she forced into living with her ex-fiance's new fiance's ex but they each receive an invitation for the wedding between their exes! Together they decide a fake relationship will show their exes up. To complicate the situation more, Daphne has given herself a timeline to decide what she wants to do, the Summer until her read-a-thon she's organized happens. Then she believes it will be time to go back to where she grew up. But along the way, Miles suggests he gives her a tour of her new home town so she can learn about it and see if that might make her want to build a life there. She doesn't plan on being attracted to him, or falling for him. I've really enjoyed all of Emily Henry's titles so it's no surprise this one fit that bill. This is probably my new favorite by her! Three great tropes: forced proximity, opposites attract, and friends to lovers! Let's talk characters. I like Daphne enough. She's not my favorite Henry FMC. She was a bit whiny at times and a lot self-sabotaging. This kind of character drives me a little batty because I just want to slap them upside the head. At the same time, the whole point was her growth from this introverted girl who did what others wanted and accepted how she was treated to someone who could turn out her voice for herself. By the end, I was ok with her, and happy for her. Miles, on the other hand, is definitely my favorite Henry MMC. He's charming, funny, sexy, scruffy, kind, selfless (to a flaw), and kind. I really enjoyed how he was so easy with himself and how he gave of himself to others. Often times I wish he was more worried about himself and his happiness. But I think that was the point of his character arc: to watch him realize he doesn't have to be the caretaker of others and is allowed to feel and find the things that make him happy. And the side characters that were introduced really made me happy: Julia (Miles' sister), Ashleigh, Harvey and the poker crew, and all the others introduced along the way. They surround Daphne and help her start to understand herself and her needs. I think my favorite thing about the relationship between Miles and Daphne is the honestly between the two. While there was some misunderstanding here and there, for the most part they let each other know what was happening. I was happy to see this as it made for less stress for me while reading. Was there a conflict, of course there was, par for the course with a romance, but it was easily solved and didn't make the story unintentionally tense. As for pacing, it was an easy read I really didn't want to put down. I love how Henry is able to weave each chapter with the next so you are left with wanting to know what will happen next. This has become my new favorite Henry book (it pushed Book Lovers right out of the way). I'm so happy I had a chance to read this and I'm truly looking forward to whatever romantic antics Henry comes up with next! Check out my review here: http://www.thecovercontessa.com/2024/......more
Well crap on a cracker! NEXT BOOK, PLEASE! And now that I've had time to think on it, I lowered my rating a bit. I'm a little annoyed with the ending aWell crap on a cracker! NEXT BOOK, PLEASE! And now that I've had time to think on it, I lowered my rating a bit. I'm a little annoyed with the ending and worried how it will proceed with the upcoming books....more
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. What if the most important person in your life is not who they say they are? What if your sole existence is to ensure others don't get what they deserve? What if your wife is not who you think she is? Cam McTavish, the adopted son of the infamous Ruby McTavish has all these questions, and more, as he makes his way back to a his childhood home, the place he never wanted to return to. His family is toxic and he's never felt as though he truly belonged. But when his wife, Jules, convinces him to finally go home, secrets about his adoptive mother and his entire life come to a head. I have really enjoyed reading Hawkins adults novels. I love a good mystery, one that I can't necessarily figure out, even if I have ideas in the back of my mind of how it will all turn out in the end. Cam and Jules have been married 10 years. Cam is closed off about his family. He moved from North Carolina to California to escape them. But as the sole heir of his family's fortune, Jules cannot understand why he would not want to claim what is rightfully his. I really liked the characters development in this book. We not only get Cam and Jules' points of view, but we also get Ruby's point of view through letters she wrote prior to her death which describe her life. It was interesting to watch calm Cam develop and show his true self, standing up to his toxic family. And I love how Jules speaks directly to the reader, almost as if she's writing her autobiography and hoping to get the reader to truly understand where she was coming from when she did the things she did. It's hard to write a review of a mystery without creating spoilers. I will say the background of the story, a young girl is kidnapped and returned to her family after 8 months, is interesting. The author gives background into the Appalachians and how people go missing all the time, never to be found again, or never to even be known they were gone in the first place. It's the perfect background for the mystery that is Ruby McTavish and her life. We not only get the story that revolves around her kidnapping and who she is (or could be) but we also get the story of her life, which is filled with death that follows her. Hawkins' writing is easy to read and fast in pace. Her story is brilliantly addictive to the point I could not put it down. I enjoyed the plot twists she threw in, though I did figure out a few of them prior to their reveal. But that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book as I wanted to keep reading to see if I was right! I loved how the author continually pulled away the layers of this estranged family to show who they truly are. The greed, they dysfunctional relationships, and the secrets all lend to a tense plot. I will say this is my most favorite of all the mysteries Hawkins' has written thus far. The way she forms the plot is unique and definitely kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know exactly how things would turn out in the end. And, despite the secrets, and murder, and lies, I was still rooting for them to win! And she seemlessly integrates the past and the present without making it confusing. If you enjoyed Megan Mirand's The Last to Vanish and Taylor Jenkin Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, you will enjoy this twisting and turning mystery that incorporates elements of both!...more
Christina Lauren does not fail to disappoint. I loved every character in this audio. They were perfect. I adored how it was read like a play/movie. I Christina Lauren does not fail to disappoint. I loved every character in this audio. They were perfect. I adored how it was read like a play/movie. I loved the bond that grew between Ami and Brody, their relationship so easy and flowing. The raw honesty that built between them. It really showed how there is that right person out there for you. Someone who gets you, someone who balances you, someone who loves you for all the good and bad, perfections and flaws. This had me laughing and crying (good tears throughout, nothing heartbreaking). I would listen to this one all over again for sure. Makes me want to go back and re-read The Unhoneymooners....more
Loading...
