I received an e-copy of this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Successful rodeo cowboy Maverick is finally on his way home from a town he ran away from and building up the courage to face the girl he left behind - Leighton James. Unfortunately Leighton doesn't want anything to do with him, despite a stirring of old feelings. But the town is only so small and they can't avoid each other forever.

This book is not a story full of complicated plot or deep characters. It's a pretty simple girl meets boy, girl loves boy, boy runs away, boy comes back and then girl loves boy again story. It is a pretty good holiday read, which is when I read it, and all I wanted was a romantic, easy story to follow and that's what this was. It's full of cheesy lines but a lot of chemistry and hot sex scenes.

I did have some problems with Maverick's language towards women throughout the book. When he gets back to town, he calls out Leighton because of what she's wearing and basically calls her a whore because she happens to be wearing something that enhances her chest. Slut shaming is never acceptable. And it's not the only time he does it. He calls two girls trying to steal him from Leighton hookers at one point because they are wearing something that would apparently be in a prostitutes wardrobe. While the scene was a bit stupid anyways, I didn't like the way he went on and the fact there had to be a scene of women pitted against women. No need.

I did like the town and the other characters we meet throughout the story. I think I will follow on with the series just to see what happens with Quinn in the next book and hopefully, eventually Clay. I'm happy enough for Maverick and Leighton and their crazy chemistry to fade into the background and let others have a time to shine.

I received a digital arc from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nona Grey is only eight years old but she's facing the hangman's noose. Angry but fierce, Nona is ready to fight when she is saved by Abbess Glass and brought to a convent where young girls are trained for years to be expert mystics, spirit walkers and fighters. Nona has a destiny and she's about to learn how to walk it.

I'm a huge fan of Mark Lawrence's writing and loved his two previous protagonists from his other trilogies - Prince/King Jorg and Prince Jalan. However I was so, so excited and intrigued to follow his first main female lead who seems to have all of Jorg's fierceness, Jalan's talent and something all of her own. The world of Abeth and the Corridor was just as wide and detailed as I would expect from Lawrence with tribes and lands far off and near as well as a ruthless emperor with many enemies, some of whom share his blood.

I think the first half of this book would be a 5 star for me while the second half slipped into a 4 star. I loved learning about Nona and who she was (not sure if it was just me, but at times she came across a bit on the autistic spectrum in the way she found it difficult to connect to and understand people). Her classes and what they did in them I loved of course - a bit of fighting and a bit of magic is just a recipe for a great book in my opinion!!

This book only reached up till Nona being 10/11 so I really can't wait to see what happens as she gets older as already so much has happened to her. I liked the glimpses we got into the future though I did guess the end as I thought it was too shocking and easy. I think I felt slightly underwhelmed by the ending but it left me wanting more all the same so job done.

4.5 stars

A poignant and quick read. Really, really powerful and just shocking to think similar stories happen every day!

I received a digital copy of this book from the author/publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

DNF - 50%

I eventually put this book down as I felt it was just a bit boring for me, I wasn't glued into the story and I didn't care about the characters. I found the romance between Deidre and Jefe way too sudden and far fetched - also totally gross seeing as they are half-siblings (even though they didn't know). I just couldn't really bring myself to care about the rest of the story.

received a digital copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Liam Tate was a teenager when he fell in love with Cadie Knox. But Cadie's father disapproved of the relationship and broke up the couple, keeping them apart. 19 years later, Cadie enters Liam's life again but this time revealing a secret - they had a son.

I thought this was going to be a sweet, romantic story but unfortunately it fell flat. There were way too many elements from other well known books in this one for it to feel original and it ended up stale and boring. Cadie and Liam's teenage relationship was totally The Notebook. I also feel we got very little of any actual substance in the relationship besides a bit of attraction. Ten same happened when they were older. They didn't seem to have a lot of proper conversation and I also couldn't understand how Liam could be okay with Cadie keeping a son secret for 20 years. Cadie's parents treatment of Aidan and their response to Cadie's sickness and death was also a bit far fetched for me.

I skim read a lot of this and found very little of it actually any good.