3.7 Stars

One Liner: Sweet and cozy; low-stakes romance

The Jackson family has lived in Maple Tree Lodge for over a century. However, the hotel was never a success. After his father’s death, architect Ben Jackson discovers the place is on the brink of ruin. He has to do something to keep his family afloat.

Interior designer Lily Watson, Ben’s sister’s friend, is roped in for an urgent renovation. She is happy as this gives her a chance to earn money and prove her worth to her high-achieving parents.
However, with Ben and Lily’s ideas for the renovation being the complete opposite, the project won’t be easy! And of course, the fireworks between them could complicate things or simplify them. Can the two help each other in the process?

The story comes in Lily and Ben’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:

Since I enjoyed the previous series by the author, I was excited to read this one. It is set in the same region, a fictional setting in the UK countryside, close to London. A few characters from the other series make a guest appearance here. Only one of them has a slightly prominent role… Dodgy Del! Yeah, though here, he seems to be less prone to causing trouble.

This is a low-stakes romance with very little angst or drama. If you are into intense love stories, this may not work for you. But if you want something hopeful, lighthearted, and cozy, you will enjoy the book.

The writing is mostly ‘tell’ with very little ‘show’. Also, there’s an infodump right at the beginning (this seems to be the author’s writing style). Still, the book has a good pace. I could finish 70% in a single sitting.

Though we have some heavy themes like the death of a parent, tensions in the family, a heroine with reinforced walls, financial concerns, etc., they don’t feel overwhelming. The feel-good vibes are strong and ensure there’s a sense of hope from start to finish.

Family and friendships are the core of the plot. I loved all members of the Jackson family as well as the friends of the MCs. Two pairs for the next books have been hinted at, and there’s one person left. We’ll have to wait and see how that goes. So, this is also bound to be a four-book series set in the beautiful Maple Tree Lodge.

The remote setting of the lodge nestled in the woods with a lake close by and hundreds of ancient trees feels like the best place to be! I enjoyed the descriptions of the interiors of the lodge and the nature around it. Since the story happens over four-six months, we can see the seasonal changes as well.

To summarize, Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge is a cozy and heartwarming story about finding your place in the world and having a supportive family. It works well as a breather between heavier reads.

Thank you, Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley 

 1.5 Stars

One Liner: Good idea, underwhelming execution

Jane Crowe is a peasant girl with a huge responsibility on her shoulders. When things get dire, her beau of sorts takes her to Robin Hood. If she passes Robin’s tests, she will get a chance to prove her worth and make a living.

However, as Jane enters a new world, she wonders if everything is as it seems. There’s more to Robin than his charisma, and not everything is positive. What will Jane do when the situation gets complicated? What will she choose?

The story comes in Jane’s third-person POV (mostly).

My Thoughts:

Firstly, I have to thank my friend Rosh for advising me to go into the book with zero expectations. That certainly helped.

The idea of a manipulative Robin Hood is interesting. I’ve read about his not-so-clean image and the possible dark side, which doesn’t get highlighted often. So, the book’s premise appealed to me.

Here, I have to mention the author’s note. It’s the best part. It makes me wonder if she should have written non-fiction about it rather than this book.

Now, Jane is your typical YA character, but set in the Medieval Ages. She has flutters based on almost nothing. I still can’t understand what it was about Robin that infatuated her. His looks? His so-called persona, when all we see is him acting like a spoiled brat?

Midway through, I couldn’t help but laugh at Jane’s stupidity (especially when she is supposed to be highly observant and a good judge of human nature). Here’s a girl with zero comprehension who thinks she knows Robin more than his ‘colleagues/ gang members’. She sounds so pathetic that it’s hard to stay interested and continue reading.

The other characters were stereotypical. Fortunately, Ibota, the prioress, was marginally better. Honestly, she seemed like the only one to have a functioning brain.

I appreciate the details about the so-called men of the Church, or the gender bias prevalent in society. But, honestly, when your heroine is such a mess, it is hard to care about anything.

I did my best and plodded through the first 30% and then switched to speed-reading. The funny thing is that the pacing was still slow. And in the last section (around 80% or so), things move quickly, too quickly. Then, it’s over.

To summarize, The Traitor of Sherwood Forest has a worthy premise, but the execution feels all over the place. The intent is great. The presentation is not!

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Viking Penguin (Penguin Books), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #TheTraitorOfSherwoodForest 

Annie and Fletcher, the new co-owners of the Secret Bookcase and private investigators, attend the annual book fair in Santa Clara. Their plan is for Annie to finally solve the mystery behind her best friend, Scarlet’s, death all those years ago. However, Annie ends up becoming a part of another case when an industry colleague dies in front of an audience, and it is clearly a murder. 

Can Annie, with help from her friends, solve both cases and come out alive? 

The story comes in Annie’s first-person POV. 

This is the concluding book in the series. While the first two chapters provide the necessary backstory to make this a standalone, I think readers might enjoy it more if they read at least the previous two books. That shouldn’t take long since these are short books and can be finished in a couple of hours or so. 

Here, the main mystery is about the death at the annual book fair. The other is not a mystery since the FMC figured things out in the previous book. This is more of a confrontation/ conclusion part, but not without risks, of course. 

Technological advancement is the central theme, focusing on the use of tech in the publishing and bookselling industry. Would you like a VR (virtual reality) device that ‘shows’ a book’s setting, characters, story, etc., or do you prefer to imagine it yourself? I fall into the latter category. While VR sounds fun, I don’t want technology to replace my imagination! 

We also get some insight into the cut-throat world of publishing, like how stressful the auctions for popular authors’ manuscripts are, how not everything is ethically done, and so on. 

There are some mentions of coffee and food, too. On that note, can anyone tell me what a progressive Indian restaurant is supposed to mean? I thought most Indian restaurants in the West don’t serve traditional dishes (even if they say they do) like we have them here (and anyone willing to try avocado raita? Not me!).  

Anyhoo, the mystery is solved, and the overarching plot is also handled pretty easily. There’s a bit of danger, but since someone in the FMC’s team is actually sensible, everyone is safe and alive. 

There’s a surprise for series readers at the end. Don’t miss the author’s note (it’s a short one anyway). If you enjoyed the books so far, you’ll be happy with the update. 

To summarize, A Body at the Book Fair is the final book in the series and keeps the pacing, plotting, and character development aligned with the previous books. Since the series has been a steady 3.5 stars for me, I think it’s only fair to round up this time. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #ABodyAtTheBookFair 

 4 Stars

One Liner: This was good!

Never did Alex Stone think she would take over her father’s company. But now, as the CEO chair at Stone Enterprises, Alex puts all her energies into rebuilding the empire while dodging the attempts on her life and business, with support from her half-sibling.

Hawk Bronson is Alex’s bodyguard and determined to protect her. With his own past, he cannot afford to get close to her and increase the risk. However, this is easier said than done with their undeniable chemistry.

Alex and Hawk have to face their past, their family secrets, and threats to have a future together.
The story comes in Alex and Hawk’s third-person POVs.

My Thoughts:

After enjoying the previous book in the series, I was excited to read this one, where the story concludes and the loose ends are tied up.

However, the focus is on Alex (Alexandra), the only single Stone sibling since her brothers now have partners. The FMC is strong, independent, and determined, but as the MMC says, she has zero situational awareness.

Like the previous book, this one has a steady pace. Though it is 400 pages long, it never feels stretched out or slow. In fact, I finished it in two days flat.

The MMC is easy to like despite his grumpy exterior. He isn’t afraid to be harsh to make the FMC see the extent of danger she is in. However, he is also very protective and caring.

There are quite a few twists and developments as the story progresses. We can pretty much guess who the actual culprit is, but that’s okay since this is marketed as romance and not a mystery or suspense.

The romance track is nice and has a bit of steam. The supporting characters are a highlight and continue to enhance the storyline. The bonding between the siblings and their partners is lovely to read. No unwanted drama here.

While this still works as a standalone, I think I enjoyed it more since I read at least book #2. The central plot starts in the first book, so if you are particular about details, add all three to your TBR. It won’t take long to finish them anyway!

There’s an epilogue that nicely rounds up everything and gives a solid ending (HEA) to the entire series.

To summarize, No More Yesterdays is a fast-paced romance with a good dose of suspense and a touch of danger. It is a worthy entertainer with a bit of everything to keep you hooked. I’ll be sure to read more books by the author.

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #NoMoreYesterdays
 

1973 

Four people are traveling in a railway compartment of the early mail from London to Sunderland. They talk a little about themselves to pass the time. 

They think he’s being funny, but who knows what will happen next?

The story comes in the first-person POVs of Tony, Aline, and John Brown.

My Thoughts:

I didn’t know the author was famous until I finished the book. Turns out, he is the author of the Horrible Histories Series (64 books!) and is quite popular. It did me good coz I didn’t have any expectations about the book. 

The premise is intriguing. Being set in the 1970s gives it a sort of old-world vibe, but not much. Still, the setting and the use of the period are the best part of the book. 

It’s not easy reading about the casual sexual harassment of women (but sadly, we don’t have to try hard to imagine women police not being safe with their male counterparts, as this happens even today). Still, it is realistic. 

The presentation makes the story more engaging in a way, as we get the details from three POVs, one of whom is the killer. However, the foreshadowing sometimes spoils the suspense, and the lack of detail actually works in reverse to make some twists too obvious (yeah, I’m referring to the repeated use of ‘my lover’). 

Now, readers don’t have to like the characters to enjoy a mystery. It’s usually the annoying one who gets popped off, so it’s not a loss. However, there’s hardly any likable character in the book. The narrators do have some sort of personality, but nothing you can actually root for!
 
Also, this brings me to a recurring issue in many books. Why is it that the so-called experts end up making so many mistakes once the story starts? The same happens with Mr. Brown, too. Though we see hints of his talent, he spends a lot of time making mistakes like a novice. 

The initial rambling didn’t do the book any favor, TBH. The first quarter is slow when it should have hooked the reader. The pacing gets better later on, thankfully, but this is not a fast book. 

I did figure out the twists, which is always a positive sign. It shows the story follows a well-planned arc rather than throwing in twists just to shock the readers. 

Of course, a certain development is a bit strange, but it makes sense in a convoluted way, just like the characters. It aligns with their personalities. 

To summarize, Actually, I'm A Murderer is a decent cozy mystery that combines dark themes with teeny bits of lighthearted scenes, and unlikeable characters. I’m not sure who to recommend this to. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK (Constable), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
 
#NetGalley #ActuallyImAMurderer
 

1884, London 

It has been months since Leonora Spencer discovered the truth of her family’s death. She’s still struggling to cope with it and keeps her distance from Detective Inspector Jasper Reid. However, when a bomb blast outside the police station kills a young constable and a prominent suffragist is accused of the crime, Leo has to step in. 

Jasper has done his best to accept that Leo wanted space. He used this time to focus on his job. But when she begins to interfere in the last case, he is torn between warning her and helping her. 

As Jasper and Leo hunt for clues, they attract the attention of the most dangerous crime syndicate in London and the East End gang. 

The story comes in Leo and Jasper’s third-person POVs. 

After the cliffhanger in the previous book, I knew I had to read this as soon as possible. At the same time, reading this early would mean a long wait for the next one. Sigh! 

As the middle book of the series, this has some fairly important developments. Though there is enough detail provided, I wouldn’t recommend reading this as a standalone. Start with the first book. 

Compared to the previous two, this was a bit slower. However, it doesn’t drag at any point. With two cases and the tussle between the MCs, there’s enough to keep you flipping the pages. 

We get more details about the past, the FMC’s family, and stuff. I like how the delicate balance between their entwined pasts and the present is handled. We can see both their concerns. Neither is wrong, so we’ll be rooting for them. 

As always, the dark side of London, the gang wars, the suffragette movement and the vehement opposition to it, class differences, gender bias, etc., are seamlessly woven into the plot. 

The mysteries are well done with just enough twists for the suspense, but easy enough for readers to guess the culprits. 

The ending is my favorite. After, there’s a good development after waiting all this while. It still ends in a cliffhanger, and there is lots of danger swirling around, but there’s more hope this time. 

To summarize, Courier of Death is a suspenseful and intriguing mystery with danger, threats, gangs, and an intense past looming overhead. The next book will be out in Sep, and I can’t wait to read it! 

Thank you, Book Sirens and the author, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

1.5 Stars

One Liner: Man, this was boring!

Lucky St. James lives with her grandma, Stella, and is desperate to find a solution to their various problems, including the eviction from their little apartment in Toronto. However, when she burrows through a wall to find an old spoon with SALEM etched on it, she sets things in motion.

Myrna Good has been looking for Lucky to complete the witch’s coven. While Lucky knows about her witchy ancestors, she doesn’t know the spoon links her to a network of witches in North America. Now, with a short deadline, she and her grandma have to go on a hunt to find the last spoon.
Meanwhile, witch hunter Jay Christos is on their trail, determined to prevent the witches from forming a coven.

The story comes in the third-person POVs of multiple characters.

My Thoughts:

So, I picked this for one of the GR challenges for May-June 2025 (something about travel of some sort). The book was already in my TBR, so I figured I could at least tick it off.

The premise has potential, and I like books about witches. It was supposed to be a win-win. But… honestly, this was such a pathetic attempt at writing a supposedly powerful story about women, witches, patriarchy, feminism, capitalism, and whatnot!

After finishing the book, I read a couple of reviews and agreed with them on most aspects. One reviewer (Emma D) said this is a girl boss/ girl power story and not about feminism. Yeah, that sums it up so well!

Everything in the book is superficial at its best. You have three powerful but not powerful women (Crone, Mother, and Maiden) who run the global VenCo that hires women for various roles and blah blah. I think this was supposed to give bad-ass vibes, but it was so immature! A woman in power sexually using her male employee should be something I should cheer for? No thanks!

Then, we have a half-coven with diversity and tragic backstories that didn’t make me feel anything. They don’t know what they are supposed to do except that forming a coven will somehow solve all the world’s problems because, hey, girl power rocks!

Next, we have this all men are bad and all women were hunted as witches nonsense. Flash news. Men were also killed for being witches. Not as many as women, but they were also victims. Moreover, the Salem witches were hanged to death. I did a quick Google search to confirm this.

Apart from the slow pacing, the lack of dynamics between the characters, and a sprinkling of gratuitous sex scenes, did nothing to help the book. The only ones who marginally made an impact were Lucky and Stella. In fact, I felt sad for Stella so many times! She is constantly exposed to dangers despite her health condition.

All that drinking wasn’t helpful either. Why do some authors think having characters drunk until they are useless is going to help them function like pros? When they should actually be discussing important aspects and planning, they are busy getting drunk.

I’m sorry, but nothing in the book highlights that the author is indigenous. I didn’t even know until a reviewer mentioned it, and I googled the tidbit. But the book doesn’t have any such roots. Where is your heritage? Where is your love for your culture? All we get are snippets that barely elevate the plot.

For a book about witches, the magic system is vague, underdeveloped, and dull. No one is truly talented, but they are all supposed to be witches destined to change the world? Lucky is somehow powerful and can do something no other witch did, though she hasn’t known about her witchy identity for more than a week or two? Right!

The villain is such a caricature that you can’t stop rolling your eyes each time he is in the frame. The last section is still interesting compared to the rest. But honestly, this was a slog I could have done without.

To summarize, VenCo is a slow-paced and boring book with an ambitious plot and poor execution. I tried my best to enjoy it, but when the only way to marginally like a book is to speed-read it like a robot, you know nothing can save it.

 

English professor Elizabeth looks forward to each semester to teach creative writing to college students. One of the students submits a chapter about a high school senior who has an affair with her teacher. Elizabeth is too familiar with this story and knows exactly what happened. After all, her best friend, Jocelyn, was that girl, and Elizabeth had killed the professor. 

Looks like someone knows what she did two decades ago. But who? Elizabeth returns to her hometown, Louisiana, to dig deeper. Maybe it’s time she faced her past! 

The story comes in Elizabeth’s first-person POV. 

While I don’t mind predictable stuff in cozy mysteries and romance, I somehow can’t stand it in thrillers. Picky much, hell yeah! Still, since I enjoyed the author’s latest romance book, I thought I’d try this one too. 

Let me be clear that this is decently good. It has all the elements you want from a thriller. In fact, it could be a great read if this is what you want. 

The narration is fast-paced, which is a huge plus. It keeps the pages turning even if the plot doesn’t move (there isn’t enough plot to move anyway). 

The first-person POV is spot-on. Despite my rating, I have to applaud the author for getting the tone right. It goes from borderline egoistical to frantic and messy very well. 

In a way, the book could be a study of patterns. Not just the ones openly discussed, but others too. I think this could be a book club read. There is a lot to dissect if you want to! 

However, the overall effect is underwhelming. That’s mainly because I’m no longer awed by such twists or characters. I wondered about a twist two to three chapters before it happened. This continued until the end. 

Then the MC, by god! It’s mandatory for them to be idiots, so she is no exception. Living on coffee and alcohol- check; horny even when her life is crap- double check; pea-brained and idiotic- check. The list could go on… 

The book is called a chilling and sexy thriller. It wasn’t chilling, but okay. It wasn’t sexy either. It was horny. I know it’s hard to get the erotic elements just right to add that extra bite to the thriller (I tried it in a short story). Here, it started well, but soon became a joke. While it does serve the purpose of making readers question the MC’s mental state, it doesn’t do anything else. 

And that unwanted and most useless last chapter, which has become an annoying trend in this genre. I don’t know who started it, but I can’t wait for someone to end it. The last chapters of a thriller book don’t have to shock the reader and inadvertently make them question the whole plot. Honestly, there could have been a better last chapter, especially since there was a much better character suited for that role. That’s all I will say! 

To summarize, Someone Knows has everything that would make a good thriller, but I couldn’t enjoy it. Those who love the genre might like it more. Do check the other reviews before you decide. 

Don’t ignore the triggers! 

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #SomeoneKnows 

 3.7 Stars

One Liner: Insta lust, but the story gets better

Arianna wants revenge. She joins the law firm that represented her family’s killer to dig into their secrets and expose their cover-up. Of course, meeting Nathan Hart, head of the firm, puts a small spanner in her plans.

Nathan Hart doesn’t have time for commitments. However, when his one-night stand walks into the office, he is angry at the deception and excited to get to know her. The chemistry is evident, but what will the truth of her past do to him and their growing closeness?

The story comes in Ari and Nathan’s first-person POVs.

My Thoughts:

So, the premise makes it clear that the book will have insta lust and a third-act breakup. Since I was prepared for both, I enjoyed this spicy (4 peppers) read for what it was.

After a prologue from the past, we jump right into the central plot. There is a lot of internal dialogue, which serves the purpose of providing the backstory and maybe adding a bit of depth to the characters. Some of this gets repetitive, but it works in the context.

The dual POV is easy to track. Though there’s a mention under the chapter head, I didn’t always need to look at it to figure out whose POV it was. The voices were distinct enough.

The side characters, especially the brothers and the mother (and Joseph too!), were good. The three remaining brothers will get their own books (hopefully soon). They have definite personalities, so no confusion about who is who.

Despite the spice, the book gives us a few sweet/ adorable scenes. This slows down the whirlwind romance a little bit and establishes a deeper connection between the characters. And oh, this is an age-gap romance (he is 44, she is 29).

The third-act breakup is done well. It aligns with the central premise and gives a good conclusion. While a particular scene could have been a bit more detailed since it is crucial, the rest is decent. We get an epilogue, too!

I do wish the FMC’s backstory had more information. A few scenes with her family, etc., would have added more emotional depth to the narrative.

The dynamics between the Hart brothers are awesome, though. The family clearly loves each other. It adds an extra layer to the story and prevents it from being too shallow.

Goat yoga? Seriously! The kind of shit west does to traditional indigenous knowledge makes me want the goats to poop over the billion-dollar industry as they did on the MMC. Not a minus point for the book since it only uses what’s already there in the society.

To summarize, Breaking His Law is a steady-paced spicy romance with banter, secrets, and drama. It should work well as a light beach read or a buffer between heavy books.

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #BreakingHisLaw 

 3.7 Stars

One Liner: Interesting!

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont hid the truth about her father. He was the famous horror author Vincent Taylor, who also happened to be a suspect in his sibling’s brutal death. When Olivia reluctantly agrees to ghostwrite her father’s last book, she doesn’t realize she will have to face her past and the darkness that comes with it.

The story comes in the first-person POVs of Olivia (more %), Poppy, and Vincent.

My Thoughts:

Firstly, that cover deserves a special mention. I admit to grabbing the book more for the cover than the premise. Of course, I previously enjoyed one of the author’s books, so that was a factor too.

The pacing is great in the first-half. There’s a short note about the setting, which should help readers familiar with the region to understand the changes the author made.

The story starts with a bang. Nothing like murder and secrets to keep people of all ages gossiping for decades!

Emotions like resentment, frustration, anger, helplessness, caution, worry, etc., freely flow on the pages. It’s easy to feel for the FMC and root for her success.

The second half has more reveals about the past (naturally), so the pacing dips a little. Also, there are times when the plot seems to go nowhere. I think this is deliberate as the narration is in the first-person and shows how the FMC struggles with the events.

Some of the side characters are surprisingly good. Jack and Poppy, especially! There isn’t much character development, but that’s not what this genre is about. We get the thrills, though you can guess a few reveals.

Still, I like that the FMC doesn’t drink herself into oblivion from start to finish. She’s got a brain and does her best to use it. She actually listens to good advice, so that’s even better! Someone else seems to have taken that role, though it is thankfully off-page.

Another reason I enjoyed the book was the ending. Unlike the current trend of ‘twisty’ last chapters that add carter-sized plot holes to the story, this one has a more balanced ending. It could be a bit tame for thriller fans, but I approve of it.

This isn’t your edge-of-the-seat thriller or a high-tension suspense novel. It’s got a mystery, some thrills, a bit of drama, many lies and secrets, and a conclusion that manages to bring everything together. Predictable, but no big deal.

To summarize, The Ghostwriter is an interesting book with a bit of everything to keep you entertained for a while. The writing style is easy and keeps the dark elements contained despite the triggers.

Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley #TheGhostwriter