This is such a cute read and a perfect summer romance pick! The Trouble With Fireworks by Robin Daniels is the third book in her Holiday Romance series, and this time we are getting an HEA for Garland. These books can be read in any order as they feature different characters in each, however I’d recommend reading in order to fully appreciate Garland’s character.

Garland is a sweet, quiet character. He’s outgoing, but also keeps to himself. We first met him in Chrissy’s story as the protective older brother. Then we saw more of him as he was the good guy who stepped aside so his roommate could have the girl. My heart really broke for him. He’s kind and caring to a fault. After having his heart broken in the last book, I was so happy to see him here. He’s guarded, second guesses when the girl comes onto him, and has this wonderful self-deprecating humor that really endeared him to me.

Chloe is a spitfire who I instantly fell for. She is Abby’s older sister, Abby is the one who broke Garland’s heart in the previous book, and is clear to the reader, even if not to Garland, that she has a bit of a crush on him. I like how Chloe really brings the best out in everyone she comes in contact with. She’s a natural leader and encourages everyone to do their best.

What makes this book such a great pick for a summer read is the setting. The entire book is set at a summer camp that Garland is working at during school break. Chloe is his house “mom,” and hilarity ensues. I love the dynamic between the two MCs, but also the others they share a house with. It evokes all the fun things about camp: staying up til all hours talking, sneaking off behind a bush for a quick kiss, pranks and games, all of it.

Overall I really enjoyed The Trouble With Fireworks. The cast of characters, while a bit cliche, worked so well together. Garland is a dear, and Chloe is so much fun. At under 100 pages, this would make a perfect read for your holiday weekend.

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.

A Lair of Bones by Helen Scheuerer is the first book in a new epic fantasy series about a young cyren, the mystery surrounding her existence, and the cyrens themselves.The story follows Roh, the cyren daughter of an infamous criminal who is raised in the Lower Sector as a bone cleaner. When the queen announces the Queen’s Tournament, Roh jumps on the chance to win the coral crown and become the next cyren ruler, not because she wants the power, but to learn more about her own past and where she came from.

Roh is an interesting character. I struggled at first with whether I liked her or not. Her circumstances are beyond those of the other cyrens. Because of the crimes of her mother, she is relegated to the Lower Sector, trained as a bone cleaner, and must wear a circlet of gold marking her the daughter of a criminal. Slightly bitter and willing to do whatever it takes to better her own situation, Roh cheats her way into the Queen’s Tournament. Her determination and will makes it easy to root for her.

The Queen’s Tournament comes around every fifty years and is a chance to challenge the current ruler for the cyren throne. I was most interested in this. There’s a lot of mythology and history that Helen Scheuerer builds here, and it is woven into the action of the story seamlessly. There’s a twist with this year’s tournament. The contestants are each assigned a human to keep alive til the end. If something happens to their human, then they are disqualified.

The introduction of Odi, Roh’s assigned human, brings into question the morality of the cyren kingdom. What are their plans for the humans? Why do they make their home from their bones? It’s a morally grey area that I could write an entire post on. I love the questions it creates and the interactions between Roh and Odi.

Overall, I liked A Lair of Bones. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys high fantasy. Beautifully written with attention to detail, A Lair of Bones is sure to please fantasy fans the world over.

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

Coming Home to Seashell Harbor by Miranda Liasson is filled with the heartbreak of first love and the promise of second chances. Hadley Wells comes home for an extended vacation after a very public breakup. She expects to be able to lick her wounds in the comforts of home, but finds it won’t be so easy with her ex also back home.

I like Hadley. She’s been living what she believed to be the perfect life in Hollywood, working for a PR agency and using the skills she learned in college to help others. But after finding her boyfriend in a compromising position with another woman, Hadley’s life flip upside down. Returning home is the only option available to her, but even home isn’t what she remembers. Her grandmother has had an accident, leaving her in rehab for the months that Hadley will be home with no one to run her pet rescue. Hadley takes it upon herself to run her grandmother’s business, a business she grew up working in and always dreamed of coming home to run. However nothing goes as planned, especially when the man that broke her heart comes waltzing in.

Tony Cammareri has also come home after suffering a career ending injury in the NFL. With no career prospects in sight, Cam is struggling. My heart hurt for him. This is a man who had everything and now finds his life empty. He has no purpose, and he’s searching. His agent helps him land on opening a restaurant. Cam has always been interested in food and serving people, it reminds him of his life at home with his family. However their visions of the restaurant are completely different, and with Hadley back in town, Cam’s attention is divided. I really like Cam. Despite his treatment of Hadley in the past, he’s a good guy, one that it was easy to root for.

Now for the conflict. In addition to overcoming Cam’s dismal break up of their high school relationship, Cam and Hadley are at odds. Cam has made a deal with Hadley’s grandmother to buy the rescue and plans to turn it into his restaurant. Hadley is determined to revive the place and believes that Cam is taking advantage of her grandmother. This puts them at opposite sides of the same fight. Both want what is best for their hometown, and both think they are right. Now they are forced to work together. I loved the tension this creates, but I love even more how their relationship slowly rekindles.

Overall, I really enjoyed Coming Home to Seashell Harbor. Second chance stories are some of my favorite stories, and this one ranks near the top. Hadley and Cam are easy to root for, but the town is my favorite thing about the book. There are so many characters, but they all felt real and relatable. I wanted to live within the pages of this town. If you are a fan of second chances and small town romances, I highly recommend this one.

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

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim is a beautifully written fairy tale that whisks the reader away from reality to a world of adventure, magic, and romance. I devoured this story in just a few days, not wanting to set it down. Shiori and her brothers, Kiki and Seryu, and Takkan are just a few of the characters I fell in love with. While this book is a retelling (The Wild Swans I believe), it is also steeped in Asian mythology and folklore and even set in the same world as Lim’s The Blood of Stars duet. Six Crimson Cranes didn’t just set the bar, it shattered the ceiling of my expectations becoming my favorite book so far this year.

As the only princess of Kiata, it is Shiori’s duty to marry. On the eve of her betrothal, she drowns trying to save her paper bird and friend Kiki. Kiki shouldn’t exist, yet somehow she does. Shiori brought her to life with her natural magic, magic that is forbidden in Kiata. I love Kiki. She is high-spirited and feisty, bringing levity to the story. But I digress, Shiori is saved from drowning by a young dragon Seryu, the grandson of the Dragon King. Seryu is another interesting character. He pushes Shiori out of her comfort zone, teaching her to wield her magic to make her less dangerous.

When an accident leads Shiori to discover her stepmother’s hidden magic, she seeks her six older brothers’ help. Instead what happens is that Raikama is able to curse them all. Shiori is cursed to wear a bowl on her head and told that for every sound that escapes her mouth, one of her brothers will die. Her brothers are also cursed to live as swans during the day and men at night. A glamour is placed over them so that none will recognize the emperor’s children, and they are scattered.

This is where Shiori’s story truly begins. I love Shiori. She’s strong, courageous, and at times brash. She’s bold in her convictions, loyal to her family, and loves with her whole heart. Despite all these things, she’s immature and speaks before thinking, hurting people without ever realizing it. Shiori’s curse changes so much about her. The somewhat spoiled princess doesn’t have a dime to her name, and with her glamour, no one will even offer to help. I love how Shiori works through each of her problems, overcoming them and becoming stronger because of her circumstances instead of letting them break her.

Then there is Takkan. He is Shiori’s betrothed, shunned by her when she ran from their ceremony. Despite that, he risks his life to search for the royal children who have gone missing. His loyalty is just one of the many reasons I fell in love with him. He is kind above all else. He shows favor to those less fortunate than him, and he does it all with a smile. His goodness is shown through all the little interactions he has with Shiori, even when he doesn’t know her identity.

Overall I loved Six Crimson Cranes. The complexity of the plot and the gorgeously flawed characters kept me engaged with the story long after it ended. I cannot wait to read the next installment and find out more about Shiori, Takkan, and her brothers. If you are a fan of fairy tales, this one should be high on your list of books to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Little Women became one of my all-time favorite reads when I was around fifteen. I spent three days holed up in my bedroom devouring it after my first real breakup. I cried, I laughed, and ultimately left my bedroom in a much better place than I was in when I started reading the book. Since then, I’ve read it countless times, and it never ceases to amaze me the things I pick up during the rereads. Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra doesn’t just live up to the original, but creates a new timeless classic for readers of all ages to enjoy. Told in dual POV from the two eldest March sisters, Meg and Jo is a contemporary retelling of the classic and, like the classic, follows the girls through life’s joys and hardships.

Jo March has hit rock bottom, or she believes she has, after losing her job as a journalist at a New York newspaper. Living a double life as a food blogger and prep cook in one of NYC’s top restaurants, Jo gets to enjoy two of her biggest loves: writing and food. However, her jobs are barely paying the bills. Something has to give because she refuses to give up on her dream and move home.

Meg is struggling to maintain her dream life. She has everything she could ever ask for: a loving husband, adorable twin toddlers, and a home. When her mother becomes sick, Meg quickly realizes that while everything looks good from the outside, she is crumbling on the inside. Her marriage isn’t what she thought it would be. She’s barely keeping up with the house chores and keeping up with the kids, now she’s trying to take care of her mom and the family farm.

I loved the dynamic of this story. Seeing the girls grown up gave a different perspective to the story and modernizing it makes it relevant to today’s problems. Adding in Marmie’s illness creates conflict for the sisters, forcing them out of their comfort zones and to fight for what they want in life. I absolutely adore Meg and John. They are a sweet couple who have hit a rough patch in their marriage. Not because they don’t love each other, but because that is life as parents, a constant adjustment to the age your kids are in. It’s hard, and I love how Kantra makes them a team. Jo’s Chef is amazing. I liked this twist. In the original, Chef is a professor, but here he is still her mentor, someone she looks up to and easily falls for, even if she resists it.

Overall, I loved Meg and Jo and cannot wait to dive into the sequel featuring the younger March sisters. Kantra did a fantastic job of staying true to the original story while also bringing her own style and narrative to the sisters. If you enjoy contemporary romance, family drama, and a heartfelt story, Meg and Jo is sure to please.

The Christmas Vow by Shanna Hatfield is the fourth book in her series Hardman Holidays, a sweet historical holiday romance. Each book in the series features a different couple in the western town of Hardman around the turn of the century. I love revisiting each year, meeting new characters, and seeing how life changes in the little town from year to year. In this installment, we meet Adam Guthry, Arlan’s older brother, who returns to town for his best friend’s funeral and Tia Devereux, Adam’s old sweetheart who broke his heart when she married another and never returned home. Fate is giving them a second chance, the question is will they take it.

I both liked and disliked Adam. He was so quick to believe the worst in Tia. He never stopped to consider that she may have had feelings for him and that his weren’t clear for her. Instead he threw himself into work and tried to forget her. As a Columbia River Pilot, Adam’s job is both dangerous and time-consuming. He has little time to think of her or start a new relationship. Now nearly ten years later and taking a much needed break at the holidays, he has no choice but to confront the feelings he once had for her.

I loved Tia. She was a young girl when she met her first husband who treated her like a queen. Thinking that Adam would never propose, she was quick to accept this man’s proposal and never returned home. It was a mistake she regretted often. But the one thing she couldn’t regret was the son her marriage gave her. Little Toby is a godsend. He is so much fun in this book, bringing levity when needed but also some of the most heartfelt conversations that brought tears to my eyes. Now a widow, Tia is home, raising her little boy alone. While lonely, she is content with her life until Adam arrives back in town and all the what-if’s and might-have-been’s plague her once more.

The story revolves around Adam and Tia’s past and current relationship. When Tia’s father-in-law threatens to take Toby in a custody battle, Adam steps in vowing to protect them both. I love the dynamic here. The tension from her father-in-law and the marriage of convenience to keep Toby creates plenty of heartache and drama. I found myself rooting for the two of them early on. And I just love Toby.

Overall, I enjoyed The Christmas Vow. It’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from the series, a sweet romance with a HEA. If you enjoy historical 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.

Sometimes first love deserves a second chance at forever. In Annie Rains's new holiday romance, Lucy and Miles receive just that. The Christmas Village is a sweet, heart-achingly beautiful tale of two people falling in love for a second time.

It’s been one year since Lucy Hannigan’s mother passed away, and with the holiday season looming and her mother’s debts almost paid off, Lucy is feeling both lighter and sadder than she’s been. The absence of her mother at the holiday season when it happened to be something she loved haunts Lucy. She wants to skip the entire season and stay locked away in her home. However, with the news that she is 12 months behind on her HOA payments, something she didn’t know about when she inherited her childhood home, Lucy is also looking for a way to earn a little extra cash and keep her home.

Rains does a wonderful job of portraying grief through Lucy. I ached for her. There are days where she thinks she has moved past her grief and can be happy, and then a reminder of her mother sends her spiraling again. I loved Lucy. She has a job she loves, friends who love her back, but she is lonely in the big house her mother left her. All of her family is gone, and the man she thought was her forever isn’t around either. It’s just her and Bella, her mother’s dog who I also love.

Miles Bruno is a deputy at the Somerset Sheriff’s department, and the man responsible for breaking Lucy’s heart all those years ago. It’s clear from his first few pages that he is still in love with Lucy which begs the question of why he broke off their engagement to begin with. This man is by no means perfect, but I think that adds to his charm. He quickly won me over. When his landlord forces him out of his home, Miles is left with two options: move in with his mom or rent the garage apartment from Lucy.

I loved reading their relationship unfold. Their chemistry and banter drive the story, and I couldn’t wait to read more of their interactions. Miles wants to help Lucy keep her home so he offers to help her win the “Merriest Lawn” contest. The decorating and being in close proximity spark new and old feelings alike, and the two will be forced to confront their past if they are to have a future.

Overall I really enjoyed The Christmas Village. This is the second book in Annie Rains's series Somerset Lake. Each book is a standalone and can be read in any order. I haven’t read book one yet, but I love the little town she’s set in coastal North Carolina so I will be reading it soon

Have you ever sat down to read a book and just knew after the first sentence you were going to love it? That was this book for me! A Crown For Christmas by Rachel Van Dyken is a royal holiday romance novella that incorporates everything I love about Hallmark movies in one small package. To say I liked this book is an understatement. I adored it! I laughed, I may have shed a tear or two, and I most definitely fell head over heels in love with the characters.

Crown Princess Phillipa Marjory Answorth is next in line for the crown of her small country. She’s spent her formative years learning all about her duties as soon-to-be Queen. The only problem facing her now is that in order to inherit her crown she must wed. If only she hadn’t run off all her suitors….Now Phillipa is left with little choice in who she will wed and giving up on finding the HEA promised to princesses in all those Disney movies she pined over as a child.

Then enters the Royal Crown Duke Fitzgerald (Fitz) Geraldo Belleville, Phillipa’s childhood nemesis. Fitz and Phillipa have spent their lives hating one another. After an unfortunate incident with a candy cane fifteen years earlier, the two have been at odds, constantly bickering and playing pranks. Now it seems their mothers have arranged for them to marry.

I instantly liked both Phillipa and Fitz. It helped having their chapters from both perspectives. Fitz is known as the consummate playboy, but that is just an act. He’s a flirt, but nothing more. Phillipa is known as cold-hearted and crass, when in reality she is the furthest thing from. Fitz sees Phillipa, the real her, not the one hidden behind her royal duties, and that little crack in her cold facade intrigues him to no end. With 12 days to Christmas and their wedding, will they find happiness with one another or kill each other in the process?

Overall I loved A Crown For Christmas! I loved the setting of the castle with snow at Christmas. It added a magical, romantic element to the story. Phillipa and Fitz’s chemistry and banter stole my heart and drove the plot, keeping me interested until I had finished the book in one sitting. This was my first read from Rachel Van Dyken, and I have no intention of it being the last. If you enjoy royal romance and are looking for a sweet holiday read, look no further than this one.