This is my first Denise Grover Swank novel but for sure it won’t be my last! This is the first in a series where we are introduced to Maddie Baker (this is where Blind Bake comes from, it’s not a cooking themed book) and Detective Noah Langley. Maddie has just returned to her hometown of Cockamamie, TN to help care for her aunt. Maddie works as a part-time barista and also as an Uber driver, and it’s in her Uber job where she ends up as a suspect in a murder. Enter Detective Noah Langley and cue the fireworks. 
Maddie is a former librarian but she’s no meek individual for sure. She kicks butt and takes names. Noah is also intriguing and I’m interested to see where his character goes as the series builds. 
I read the audiobook provided by ValentinePR and Shannon McManus and Chris Brinkley truly nailed the parts! They were captivating, entertaining , and subtle where needed. I look forward to hearing more from them. 
The humor, witty dialogue, and engaging characters are all worth coming back for. DGS has a new fan in me. 

𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓻𝓭𝓲𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑻𝑻𝒀 𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 & 𝑩𝑹𝑶𝑲𝑬𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺.

💍Thank you to @authorkatsingleton and @valentine_pr_ for my review copy. 

🤵🏻𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔: 👏👏Excuse me, @authorkatsingleton ??👏👏 Could you maybe direct me to the model you used to create Archer?? I’ll take the Target version if that’s all that available. 
Book boyfriend doesn’t seem to fit here. He’s ✨special✨. I audibly gasped the first time he said my wife, before they were even married. 🔥
Winnie was incredible in her own right. So strong and she had so much growth. 
I love a great found family and this group is so supportive. I’m looking forward to Book 3 and Emma’s story. 

👩🏻‍🦰𝑹𝑰𝒀𝑳:
Age gap 
Arranged marriage
Billionaire Romance
Close Proximity (ONE BED!)
Grumpy Sunshine
Showers 😏
NYC

I’ve been recommended Vanessa Vale for a bit. So, when I got the chance to read North I jumped and I was not disappointed. 

This novella wasted no time, the action starts right away! Jed is an FBI agent coming home with his tail between his legs and North is a billionaire businesswoman who has trouble letting anyone in after her late father did so much damage. Jed claims her (I had the biggest smile at the first “princess”) and decides he’s going to break down her walls. I’m pretty sure my glasses were fogged up at one point or another. The steam was that good. 
I listened to the audio, provided by ValentinePR, and Kylie Stewart did a great job with the angst, vulnerability, and lust. 
This is the first book in a series which will include her brothers’ stories, South, East, & West. And those should be plenty interesting. Looking forward to MANY more reads with Vanessa Vale. 
These thoughts are my own. 

I don’t know why I waited so long to read Tilly!! I loved this book so much. As the parent of three children with ADHD I felt so much for Tilly and her struggle and I also saw myself in her mother and my first child when I still didn’t know enough, fourteen years ago, wanting her to go to college thinking that was the only way she could be successful in life. I only wish Mazey Eddings had been around when I was raising my kids so I could’ve known more.

A PLAGUE ON BOTH YOJR HOUSES
𝚁𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚝 𝙻𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕
February 6, 2024

🌙𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜: This was a fascinating novel. As a GenXer who came of age in the fall of the USSR and a histfic fan I was excited to get the opportunity to read about a piece of time I didn’t know enough about. Although this is a fictional it sent me down the rabbit hole and I learned so much about Russian organized crime after 1990. 
Add to this the lovers from the dueling families and *muah* 
I also listened to the audiobook, narrated by Ramiz Monsef and his emoting and accent were perfect.

⭐️𝚁𝙸𝚈𝙻:
Russian History
Mafia stories
Romeo & Juliet vibes
Learning new vocabulary

Thank you #partners @bibliolifestyle for including on the tour and @blackstonepublishing for the review copy and for the audiobook on @netgalley 

DINNER ON MONSTER ISLAND
𝚃𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚊 𝚍𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚣𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘
February 6, 2024

📝𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜: l loved this. I didn’t know how much I would relate since I’m not a horror fan but I connected with so much of what Tania had to say. This was such a unique and engaging memoir. I especially liked “How to Forget” and “Thin Line.”

Thanks #partners @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial