I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine is the third book in her fairy-tale retelling series Ravenspire. This one is a combination retelling of The Prince and the Pauper and The False Prince. While I’m not familiar with the later, I found tidbits of the former sprinkled through Redwine’s tale. It’s been ten years since the crowned prince of Akram has been home, and nearing the completion of his training, Javan is more than ready to assume the duties and responsibilities that await him. However, conspirators against the throne have other plans.

Javan is an easy character to love. He is good to his core, noble, honest, and a hard worker. He puts all of those traits to his use when he is falsely imprisoned for attacking the crowned prince. Having not been to Akram in ten years, it is easy for someone who looks enough like him to assume Javan’s place, and now imprisoned, Javan must find a way to talk to the only person who would know him: his father. To do that, he must win a contest where the competitors fight in a gladiator style arena. This goes against everything Javan has been taught, however he is all that stands between his kingdom and those who wish to rule it in his stead.

On his first night of imprisonment, Javan meets Sadja, another prisoner, slave of the Warden. I like Sadja. She’s rough around the edges with a wild spirit, desperate to escape her chains. Sadja has a secret though, one that could cause Javan to turn on her. My heart hurt for her as she struggled with her identity and who she really was.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Traitor Prince. It’s exciting, romantic, and full of adventure. A few characters from the other books make brief appearances as well. I love Javan and his loyalty to his people. It’s hard to find fault with him. If you enjoy fairy tale retellings or fantasy with light romance, I highly recommend it.

I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Cute, but extremely predicable second-chance romance. Blame It on the Brontes by Annie Sereno is about a woman who returns home to uncover the identity of an author who takes historical classics and turns them into highly-rated smut novels. I’ll be honest, I was intrigued by the premise of this story, however the execution fell through. The book opens on Athena Murphy finding herself back in her hometown after a harebrained idea became the only way to save her job as an English professor. Her goal while there is to write a story about the famed C.L. Garland who reportedly lives in her hometown. However what she finds instead may be everything she ever wanted.

I can’t decide if I like Athena or not, even after finishing the book. She’s supposed to be this well-read English professor up for tenure. However she reads like a fresh out of college twenty-something. In other words, she’s quite immature. I guess I noticed it more since she is supposed to be about my own age. I found myself disliking her rather than empathizing with her. I was indifferent to her plight and truly wasn’t interested in her keeping her job.

Thorne Kent recently made the little town of Laurel his home, buying a small cafe and leaving his job as a lawyer behind. I like Thorne, more than I like Athena. However his choices are questionable. The reason behind leaving Athena behind had more to do with his own pride than trusting her. It was hard to follow his reasoning.

The romance and chemistry between Thorne and Athena is the book’s saving grace. The banter is high quality, fun and flirty. I really enjoyed all of their interactions, even the ones that were slightly painful. This is truly a second (maybe third chance) romance. Overall, this one was ok. I enjoyed it enough to finish. I was curious about the mystery surround Garland and how Athena would react to Thorne’s secrets. If you enjoy contemporary romance, you may enjoy this one.

You know the saying “a train wreck you can’t look away from”? That is this book to a tee! I devoured it, unable to bring myself to put it down. Majesty by Katherine McGee is the second installment of her series American Royals which reinvents American history by crowning George Washington instead of electing him president. Following the current House of Washington and told from the POV of four women, Majesty is full of political intrigue, romantic entanglements, and drama to the nth power. If you haven’t read book one yet, spoilers for it are ahead. Consider yourself warned!

Beatrice has officially been crowned queen after the unexpected and tragic death of her father at the end of book one. Coping with his loss, she must assume the role she was groomed for her entire life and become “her majesty, the royal highness.” I could go on with those titles, but you get the picture. She isn’t ready, but she plans to fulfill it to the best of her ability.

Samantha, like her elder sister, is reeling from the loss of their father, her fight with Nina, and losing Teddy. She’s angry, wants to lash out, but also has matured from the spoiled princess everyone thought her to be at the beginning of book one. Of all the characters, Sam has grown the most, and I love the changes I’m seeing in her. With Beatrice having no children of her own yet, Sam is no longer the spare, but heir to the throne. She’s taking on new responsibilities, the ones that Beatrice used to do and realizing that her sister is a lot stronger than she gave her credit for.

Nina's entire life has changed. The end of her relationship with Jeff has caused an awkwardness between her and Sam that wasn’t there before. Nina isn’t sure of her role in their lives any more. She also isn’t sure she wants to be in the spotlight after the horrible media coverage. I can’t say I blame her for that. However, her choices (which I’ll get to in a moment) are questionable at best. I will say that I love how close she and Sam are and how that relationship has evolved from what it was at the beginning of the series. I’m excited to see how it continues to grow in the third installment.

Daphne….I really dislike this girl. However, she is also the most interesting storyline to follow. Probably because all of her lies are eventually going to catch up with her, and I personally cannot wait to see her crash and burn

I received an eARC of this book via the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Mrs. Higginson has done it again! She has written a beautiful romance that sucked me in and robbed me of sleep. Secrets We Whisper in the Moonlight by Rachel Higginson is the second book in her series Decisions in Durham, which follows the English siblings. This story follows Eliza English, the youngest and only girl, and her best friend Jonah Mason. I’m a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope, but y’all! This one exceeded all expectations. It is perfection!

Eliza English has had a crush on her brothers’ friend, and her best friend, for what feels like her entire life. She has spent the last decade firmly reminding herself that he is “like a brother” to her and keeping herself firmly in the friend zone. However, now that Will, her eldest brother, has found his one (see book one for details on that relationship), their group dynamic is changing. Eliza finds herself regretting and questioning her decisions regarding Jonah, her permanent friend zone status, and how she’d feel when he finds his one.

Jonah Mason is seen entirely through Eliza’s eyes in this book, and quite honestly I can see why she’s fallen for him. Jonah is an incredibly thoughtful, intuitive, and clearly smitten with Eliza, even if she doesn’t see it. Of their friend group, Jonah seems to be the one struggling with Will’s newfound happiness than anyone else. It isn’t that he’s not happy for his best friend, but instead facing his feelings head on.

This plot is largely character driven which I love! I enjoyed seeing this relationship evolve as Eliza and Jonah confront feelings that neither knew existed. If books could radiate heat, this one would be smoking from the chemistry. Perfectly balanced sweetness and steamy scenes. I could not have asked for a better romance!

Overall, I really enjoyed Eliza and Jonah’s story. Eliza is a beautifully flawed character, admitting her own insecurities and tentatively reaching for what she wants. I love the relationship with her brothers too, even if it can be volatile at times. If you enjoy realistic romance, I highly recommend this one.

I received an eARC of this audiobook via the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of this review.

I have a confession to make. I don’t typically read series novellas. Usually I skip them and only read if I’m super invested in the series. Inheritance by Katherine McGee is a prequel novella to her series American Royals which finally gives readers the full inside scoop of the infamous graduation party night. This night is the catalyst for so many things as it is referenced numerous times by various characters. If you are a fan of the series, it truly is a treat to read.

Beatrice is attending a party with her parents hosted by (or for I wasn’t really clear) the French royals who have loaned out the Mona Lisa. I loved seeing this from her perspective. Beatrice is given a lot of grief in the first book about how she doesn’t want to be a royal and how she is choosing her guard over the life she was groomed for. Here however she is happy in her role, though it is obvious she is wishing to have had a normal adolescence, even a normal college experience. We also see the first hints of her friendship with Connor.

Nina is not at all what I was expecting. Remember when we first meet her in book one she is almost finished with her Freshman year of college. She has a bit of confidence and developed her own personality away from the Washington twins. Here, she is timid, a bit shy, and head over heels in her crush of Jefferson. I did like seeing this insight and their dynamic. I think it will play a big role in book three. Or at least I can hope

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Kasie West is a new, favorite author of mine. I first read her book [b:P.S. I Like You|25486998|P.S. I Like You|Kasie West|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442247987l/25486998._SX50_.jpg|45261093] last summer in one sitting. I loved the author’s writing style and the emotions she was able to convey into the characters. Because of this, I was so excited when I was given the opportunity to read an early copy of her newest release Places We’ve Never Been. It lived up to and exceeded all my expectations! This sweet friends to enemies to lovers story is full of heart, laughter, and tears.

Norah hasn’t seen Skyler since he and his family moved across the country when they were 14. When he first moved away, they talked constantly, but distance separated them and slowly their friendship dissolved. Now she is so excited to reunite with him as their family takes an RV trip up the West coast. Three full weeks to reignite their friendship, something Norah has missed every minute Skyler’s been gone. However, he doesn’t seem to be on board with this plan. Instead, he acts as if he barely knows her and only tolerated her. Is Norah remembering their relationship through rose colored glasses or is something else going on? She has three weeks in an RV to figure it out.

I absolutely loved this story! Norah is so much fun, even if she is a bit naive. Her excitement for this trip is evident in the first few lines of the book which in turn made me as the reader excited. Skyler’s ambivalence hurts Norah and in turn us as the reader. I was just as determined as Norah to suss out the problem. Unlike Norah, I figured it out as soon as they were forced to share space with one another. I adore these two. The shared history as friends works well as a basis for becoming something new. West writes their story so realistically. I found myself laughing, crying, and in general feeling all the same feelings Norah felt. It’s a refreshing read!

Overall, I loved Places We’ve Never Been. Summer is full of adventures, and what better way to start summer than taking a roadtrip with friends. While the story focuses mostly on Norah and her relationship with Skyler, both of their families are present and fully fleshed out. I adored Paige, Skyler’s little sister. She’s spunky and full of innocence at the cusp of young adulthood. She brings levity to the story. I also love that the moms are present and involved. It was fun getting to know these characters through Norah. If you are looking for a sweet summer read, I highly recommend it.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Picking up this book, I expected a romantic comedy, and to some extent I got that. But I also got SO MUCH MORE. If You Ask Me by Libby Hubscher has a little something for everyone. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, and just in general felt all the emotions a book can make you feel. Following an advice columnist as her picture perfect life implodes, the book tackles big emotions like grief, infidelity, infertility, and ultimately moving on. Believe me when I say, this isn’t for the faint of heart. However, Hubscher handles the topics delicately, realistically, and gives voice to mental illness in all shapes and forms.

Violet Covington, from the outside, has the perfect life. She has the man of her dreams, the job of her dreams, the house of her dreams. However when she arrives home early to announce the news that her column is up for syndication, Violet finds the man of her dreams in bed with perfect Shelby down the street. Her visceral reaction to this is to do what every Southern woman is taught to do with their emotions: push it down, hide it and never let them see you cry. My heart broke for Violet here. I understood and empathized with the fact that her life was never going to be the same going forward. All those dreams, all her plans that she thought her husband shared with her, were gone.

How does one recover from that? That is the point of this plot. I absolutely love that while this does have some romance with a sexy firefighter, the book focuses more on Violet, her grief, and her self discovery as she moves through grieving not just her marriage, but all those dreams you share with your significant other. While some of what Violet does is cringeworthy, a lot of it is relatable. She’s picking up the pieces of her life, examining what to keep or what to toss, and putting herself back together again. I love her resilience….and Dez. I love Dez

I received an eARC of this book via NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I devoured this one in one sitting! Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan is a sweet and sassy romantic comedy about a recently divorced screenwriter and her Hollywood A-List houseguest who won’t leave. Nora got her life back when her husband decided to leave. Finding herself was easy, finding her muse was not. To pour out her grief, Nora strayed from her typical Hallmark-style romances and wrote a screenplay based on the crumbling of her own marriage. To say it took on a mind of its own is an understatement. Now Nora finds her home being invaded by Hollywood to film some of the scenes in her own Tea Room, her writing sanctuary, her safe space and the movie’s namesake. Little did Nora know that her life was about to change again.

I really liked Nora. Despite some insecurities left over from her divorce, she is happier than she ever was with ex-husband. She has two amazing kids who I absolutely adore, and she’s writing again. She’s learning to trust and lean on others when she can. And the unexpected houseguest awakens something in her she thought dormant.

Leo Vance is an actor, and not just any actor, but one everyone knows. He’s made a solid career becoming whoever he needs to be. But when he meets Nora, it is clear that he is hurting and a bit lost. Nora sees something in him that resonates with her. She agrees to his crazy deal to stay after the crew is done filming. I love Leo. He’s genuine and never leaves Nora wondering what he is thinking. I love how he pushes her boundaries and how easily he fits into their lives. His interactions with Nora’s kids, Bernadette in particular, bring levity to the story.

Comedy Disclaimer: so while this book is billed as a romantic comedy, and it does have its funny moments, Nora Goes Off Script is less romance and comedy and more women’s fiction. The book deals with heavy topics such as grief, divorce, and depression. The author tackles them head on, and it’s written to fit seamlessly into Nora’s story.

Overall, I loved Nora Goes Off Script. Nora and Leo are worth fighting for, even if it takes them a while to see that. If you enjoy sweet romance full of emotion, I highly recommend it.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I finished listening to The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman. I had to sit and ruminate over it, and to be quite honest I’m still not sure how I feel about it. The Infinity Courts hooked me immediately with the violent death of Nami, the main character, who was on her way to a graduation party. “Where in the world is this story going?” I thought as I eagerly continued reading. Turns out, we are going to Infinity, better known as the afterlife, with Nami. There is a complex world at war here, and Nami finds herself smack in the middle of it.

Nami is an interesting character. She is grieving her life, her loved ones who she knows will be missing her, and the budding romance that was just starting between her and her best friend. Now she has to cope with being dead in an afterlife controlled by Ophelia, her AI (similar to Alexa or Siri). Nami doesn’t know who to trust, what is real, and if everything she is facing is just made up in her brain. I found myself impressed with Nami’s acceptance of what was happening and how she faced it head on without too much of a fight.

This is such a unique story. I don’t know that I’ve ever read anything close to it. I love the idea that Ophelia has developed sentience, and jealous of humanity, craves a life similar for herself. She creates the princes who rule the different areas of Infinity, and these princes are different versions of Ophelia’s own personality. I was intrigued by how the AI infiltrated the afterlife, how she is now ruling it, and the consequences of humanity’s actions against her. I feel like there is a lot more to explore here and unpack, which I’m hoping for in book two.

The rebels added another flavor to the story. I was already hooked in this sci-fantasy (yes, it totally qualifies as such), but the rebels are a fun addition. Similar to the Matrix, when Nami arrives in Infinity, she is given a choice to basically live out her dreams or serve in some way. Instead she finds herself rescued by the rebellion who are “awake” and know the truth behind Infinity. It’s an interesting dynamic to see. Nami is sympathetic to the AI, seeing them as living just as she is, and yet she understands the rebellion and wants a safe afterlife for her family and friends who will one day come.

Overall, I enjoyed The Infinity Courts. There are a lot of twists and surprises, one in particular that left me reeling. While I enjoyed the story for the most part, there were a lot of plot holes, lots of things I predicted, and parts of the story that just didn’t fit. I plan to keep reading as I am curious, but for me this was an okay story.

I’ll be the first to admit that this book wasn’t at ALL what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it all the same. When reading the blurb the first time, I thought “cool, a sci-fi novel that lets you slide through different dimensions and times.” I think I was expecting something along the lines of Doctor Who, but that was my interpretation and based on nothing but the blurb and some reviews I read. Y’all, it is nothing like that! The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is an exploration of one woman’s life, her deepest regrets, and how one choice can set your life on a different path. Dealing with topics of depression, suicide, grief, and death, it isn’t for the faint of heart. However, Haig delivers a beautiful, messy story that is as relatable as it is entertaining.

We first meet Nora Seed on the day she decides to die. Nora is a deeply depressed character, struggling with her grief and regrets. Her life isn’t what she thought it would be. She’s still living in her hometown, having never left. She chose to dump her fiancé before their wedding, and while to the reader it’s clear it was the right choice, Nora regrets it and even misses him on occasion. Then her cat dies, her brother doesn’t want to see her, and she loses her job all in one day. She’s done and with a bunch of pills on hand, Nora decides to die and wakes up in the Midnight Library.

The Midnight Library is like an in-between place. You aren’t dead, but you also aren’t alive. Time stands still. Every book on the shelf is a different life Nora could have lived had she made a different choice. Rock star, Olympian, dead mother, dead father, both alive, married with a kid, living in Australia, fighting a polar bear….all of these are different lives Nora could have, and through the library is able to experience. There is only one book in the library that she isn’t allowed to touch and that is her book of regrets. Each life choice that she has made is written there. The library is infinite, and Nora has the chance to slide into each life and experience it. This concept is interesting because it gives Nora the chance to right her wrongs and see what her life could have been. But will she be happy in any of those lives is the real question. And if she is happy, will she stay?

I devoured The Midnight Library. Nora’s constant “sliding” into new lives is captivating as well as her own self-discovery through the process. The only constant character besides Nora is the library’s caretaker who appears to Nora as her grade school librarian and friend. It’s an interesting dynamic to see. While this is definitely a sci-fi read, I believe it would appeal to anyone who enjoys contemporary or women’s literature. I personally highly recommend it!