lisaluvsliterature's Reviews (4.19k)

So technically I started reading this in the author’s newsletter, then I read it through the Patreon subscription up until it was published, around 20 or so chapters in, and then I had to wait until my book box arrived. Since it wasn’t on my review schedule I wasn’t sure when I’d get to it. But in between review books, so I wasn’t starting a new book before bed, I picked this up and was hooked. Then I just couldn’t put it down and just was so glad I’d made time to fit it in. Another hilariously sweet, fun, sexy romance from a favorite author!

I’ve wanted to read this author for a long time, and I finally got to read a book by her earlier this year, and I loved it as much as I thought I would. So when I saw this new multi-author series starting up, with her book as a part of it, I had to sign up to read and review.

This was another winner for me! I loved the characters, I loved all the small town atmosphere, and I also loved Zach’s assistant! I wonder if possibly the author will give us a story for her soon? Like maybe Zach’s twin brother or something? Anyway, once I picked this one up I sped through it. I hated having to put it down to go back to work after my lunch break, or when I had to go to bed. 

There was a lot to the story with Zach’s brother hosting the charity hockey team/game. Then there was Zach’s not really ex-girlfriend, three dates, part of a PR deal in reality. She was the perfect villain for the story. Ellie’s story with her mom also brought a pretty emotional part, for me especially with the last year with my mom and stepdad’s health. But I really did like the way the story handled all of it. The author did a great job having it be emotional, yet not depressing. 

The only reason I didn’t give it a full 5 stars is because it seemed Ellie’s dislike of Zach was a little over the top for me. I don’t think we necessarily got a back story with a guy for her that did something, and to believe all the press when she knew and really liked his brother, it just seemed she kept getting into that too much without really knowing the guy. That’s just my opinion, and it wasn’t anything that ruined the story, as I still really enjoyed it!

This was a very interesting and unique tale. There were some twists I didn’t see coming, and some things I thought were going to be one way, but I was overthinking as I read. In the end I was kind of just completely satisfied with the uniqueness of the story and the mystery. 

There were a lot of twists and turns, both for the characters and for me as I tried to figure out what was going on. We start out with one story of why the town is cursed and why people end up drowning, etc. Although I didn’t quite get the answer on that like I was expecting when all was revealed at the end. The history of the people who died, and the family, the Blackwell family who set up the wards/spell/charms to save the rest of the town of course had it’s own version changed by the people who were behind it all. 

The first time that Nev gets a vision that links her to the path and some unknown people and facts about the beloved Alma is of course a scary time for her. And it is confusing as to why she ends up almost jumping out of the window of the house. But thank goodness for Cal being there to save her. Like Nev, I was frustrated with Cal keeping things and being mysterious, although at one point, his reasoning becomes clear, it’s more than just not telling her to not upset her. It really is not telling her to keep her safe, physically/mentally safe. 

While the town itself was very interesting and added to the setting and atmosphere of the story, for me it was the visions of the past, of when it all began, and who really started it, that grabbed my attention and hooked me. I kept hoping for more of that time, because there were the really evil people, and the really dramatic storyline. Of course I felt for Nev when she finds out a secret about her mother and grandmother, and that also added to the suspense and emotion. 

The cover of this book is definitely the tone of the story, and I really enjoyed this book. It’s another I can’t wait to share with my students in my school library. When I realized that this author also wrote another book I really enjoyed, The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond, then I understood why this was so good!

It just wasn't really working for me.  Probably more a me thing than anything wrong with the book.

I’ve enjoyed another one in this series, so thought I’d give this one a try too. It’s always fun for me to read a story set in Scotland since I am in love with the country! This one had an interesting story line with a jilted at the altar former aristocrat party girl moving to a small town to escape the gossip and shame of what had happened with her ex-fiancee who left her at the altar and took off with the money she’d thought she was donating to a charity. The small town where she ends up is a great hiding place for other people with similar issues, including a famous actor that just happens to stop by her shop. At first they find a bit of kinship, even though she doesn’t tell him who she is.

When a gossip magazine reporter, Zach, starts sniffing around for this actor, Ezra, she feels it is her duty to help Ezra keep his privacy. With her past she assumes Zach is only there for a sensational story no matter who it hurts. But when Ezra feels she’s meddled too much, he cuts ties. And after Bailey does some research on who exactly Zach is, she begins to wonder if he really is the gossip rag reporter he seems to be at first.

There’s more to the story than just this romance and the mystery of Ezra’s hiding out. Bailey’s family has its own issues, including her brother’s fiancee leaving him, and her society mother being a bit of a meddler. In the end, their family turns out to not be as bad, and there are reasons, even if hidden from the others that things happen. But when Zach finds out that Bailey is someone he actually had looked into about a story, he also cuts things off.

I wasn’t thrilled with some of how that bit went. Some miscommunication/misunderstanding aspects. In the end though, I liked how everything wrapped up, and I appreciated why Zach did some of the things he did, even if they made me mad. A sweet story and I can see lots of people enjoying this one!

Oh my gosh, once again Meghan Quinn had me laughing so hard at a story while I was reading in bed, that both of my dogs jumped out of bed after giving me a dirty look. That seems to happen with every one of her books I read! I may have to not read her books in bed, lol. As usual though, this was such a great story and I loved almost every single minute of it!

So many characters joining us from other books/series by Quinn. It’s like going to a place where you know everyone. And when new characters are mentioned, you can’t wait to see how they might end up in a future book. The relationship between Hardy and Everly is exactly what I would love to find. Even when they are just friends, because she’s helping him try to get his ex, Maple (seriously? What a name!) back. The banter is so much fun. The silly things they both seem to connect about, movies, foods, etc. The cute little things that become inside jokes or silly little gifts, like the Clue playing piece for Professor Plum, the matching t-shirts, etc.

And then there was the date Everly’s sister set her up on with the guy named Tomothy. Yep, you read that right, it’s not a typo. Oh my gosh, it’s like he was every single red flag there could be. And I don’t even know where to start with him licking his cat’s paws. While that guy may have been someone you don’t like, it was impossible to dislike Maple, even as Everly wanted to, because, duh, that’s who Hardy wanted to get back with. Maple was a really nice person.

There were several situations in this story, even some of the misunderstanding/miscommunication bits that I was okay with, because I’ve done similar things. Like when you don’t want someone to know you like them, and you’re sure they can’t possibly be flirting with you because you know they like someone else. Or when the guy acts like it isn’t anything other than physical, you can’t possibly let him know you thought it was more than that, you’ve got to be cool about it! So while I normally might mark down for the miscommunication bit, this one just made sense and was so real to me. I totally got why Everly took so long to believe that Hardy might actually like her.

Finally, let’s not even get started on J.P.’s new fascination spreading to flamingos and penguins, that whole crazy wild path in the story had me giggling with every email asking for donations. Meghan Quinn has done it again, and I can’t wait to read more in this series!

I really enjoyed this author’s Well Met series, although I still need to read the last one! So this one with the paranormal aspect to it really sounded good and I was excited to read it! I really did enjoy this new series started too!

I loved the idea of this little island town that is a haunted place, supposedly one of the most haunted towns in Florida for the story? But anyway, I totally connect with Cassie and her feelings of her friends moving on and getting married and how you start to feel left out because you don’t have those same things in common anymore. I also liked Nick, and loved his texting with his “roomie” Elmer. The two of them were fun and I enjoyed Nick taking Cassie on a little tour of the town, as well as her official ghost tour with one of the other characters. One I could possibly see getting her own book in this series I’m hoping?

Cassie communicated with the ghost in her house with those little magnetic poetry words, and I loved it! One line that cracked me up, and I heard like it was the Jaws movie line: “She was going to need a bigger fridge.” You know, more room for the ghost to make sentences, etc. All the haunted stuff in her house was so unique, in fact a lot of the things the author used in this story were really good. Like the beach ghost, and leaving him an open beer. The spot in town that was just really really cold, always. The cemetery island, and so much other stuff! And I loved the reason Cassie’s laptop wouldn’t charge when she plugged it in! 

While this story started with our out-of-towner/new resident Cassie, I look forward to seeing some of the regulars/original family characters getting their own HEAs in future books, I hope. The only reason I don’t give this is a 5, is for a little bit of miscommunication, which was kind of cleared up at one point in the story, in a way that it wasn’t really that. And then the third person aspect, as that is never a favorite with me in romance. Other than that, I loved this story!