Book Review: The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird

The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird is a contemporary romance. Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family's winery, Katie leaps at the chance…that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the "news." Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there's Juan's brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems. Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan's plan to "rebrand and expand" Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she's still committed to Juan…even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead. With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?

The Holiday Mix-Up is a solid read, with a set up that had me intrigued. I thought the set up, and the character ideas and backstories had some great aspects to them. I loved the Martinez family. I liked the interplay between generations, the combination of caring, humor, and irritation between them was realistic and engaging to read. Katie's sweetness did not generally make her a sucker, she stood up for herself when needed, and chose to be kind and do good where she could. I thought the connection between Mateo and Katie felt organic and grew nicely. I like that all characters were a little imperfect, human. Even when I sincerely wanted to kick a character, I ended up feeling a little bad for them as well. Although I still want to kick them a little. I will admit that it did feel a little to sweet and neat for my personal tastes. However, I think the romance here will appeal to many readers and hopefully will turn into a series, or have a follow up to answer any remaining questions about the winery and Juan's future romantic endeavors.

 

Book Review: Royal Blood by Aimée Carter

Royal Blood by Aimée Carter is the first book in a new series.  As the King of England’s illegitimate daughter, 17-year-old Evan Bright knows a thing or two about keeping secrets. But when she’s forced to spend the summer in London with her father and the royal family, who aren’t exactly thrilled she exists, her identity is mysteriously revealed, and suddenly the world is dying to know every juicy lie the press prints about her. After what was supposed to be a fun night turns deadly and Evan becomes the primary suspect in a murder investigation. The escalating rumors and fallout threaten to tear her life apart. As she fights to uncover the truth about what happened, she discovers royal secrets that are even more scandalous than she imagined – secrets that could change the monarchy forever.

Royal Blood is a book that will speak to the young to new adult age range, as well as us 'slightly' older adults. There is a good balance between the teenage and royal angst and the mystery of who is behind which incidents and other secrets that might be revealed. I liked Evan, and thought her defense mechanisms were realistic personality wise, while her exploits were still over the top enough to be very entertaining. I thought the emotional drama of truths, forged connections, and opportunities to grow were very well done, and surprised me more than once. I thought the mystery aspects and the twists and turns the story took were nicely handled, and while some I expected, others took me completely by surprise. I also felt the book ended well, wrapping up some of the most pressing matters and leaving enough suspense to have me chomping at the bit for the next installment. 

Royal Blood is an engaging and well written series starter. I cannot wait to see what happens next. 

Book Review: Next Door Nightmare (Shut Up and Kiss Me, Book 3) by Jaqueline Snowe

Next Door Nightmare is the third book in the Shut Up and Kiss Me series by Jaqueline Snowe. You do not need to read this series in order, but there are references and characters from the previous stories so returning readers will get a bit more from the experience than newcomers. 

Leanora “Nora” Atwood has never grocery shopped or taken public transportation, but to access her trust, she’s required to live in the real world for three months—or marry. Nora has no interest in love, so a paper-only marriage is the obvious solution. And she knows the perfect groom—Anthony Carter, a fellow heir who owes her a huge favor. Fritz, rarely known as Anthony these days, takes advantage of his beard and Nora Atwood’s cluelessness when she mistakes him for a chauffeur. The eccentric socialite thinks her plan to cash in her chip with Anthony and marry him is brilliant, but Fritz almost got trapped in a loveless marriage once before, and it’s not going to happen again. Letting her think he’s someone else seems harmless until she turns out to be his neighbor. Nora, a total fish out of water, suckers Fritz into helping her navigate her newfound independence, and he learns the hard way that opposites attract, but if he doesn’t tell her his true identity before she stumbles on the truth, he’ll risk losing her forever.

Next Door Nightmare is a romance that started off great for me. I liked the quirky Nora, and the wounded Fritz. I liked the initial slow burn and actually really getting to know both of the characters. I liked that Nora general stood up for herself and that Fritz is very thoughtful and so close to the women in his life. I thought he was also a little manipulative, on occasion pushing for something Nora or others just were not comfortable with. The story had some really wonderful moments, and some that fell a little flat for me. I think fans of the series will enjoy it, and I am glad I read it because of the moments that I did love. However, I do not think I will go looking for more.   

Next Door Nightmare is a fun romance.

Early Book Review: Dryad Vol. 1 by Kurtis Wiebe

Dryad, Vol. 1, is a fantasy graphic novel written by Kurtis Wiebe and illustrated by Justin Barcelo (at least according to the credit pages in the galley I received, many sites have a different last name for the illustrator). It is currently scheduled for release on January 5 2021. The Glass family has spent thirteen years hiding peacefully in the sleepy forest settlement of Frostbrook where Morgan and Yale planted roots and raised their twins, Griffon and Rana. But secrets never stay hidden, and the entire Glass family find themselves the target of an unearthly attack on Frostbrook. Now on the run from Muse Corp., they must flee to the massive city of Silver’s Bay to hide in plain sight. Rana and Griffon find themselves uprooted and answering for their parents' mistakes. But, they’ll soon find that the past has a way of finding you, no matter where you run.

Dryad is a fantasy with tech elements, and some serious character and world building. The artwork is well done and matches the style and mood of the story. The details and color add a great deal to the story and do their job of immersing the reader in the world. I thought the information given as to the past of Morgan and Yale was given in good , small doses. I will admit that I want more information (rather like the twins) but I suspect those secrets are such an important part of the story that there will be a big reveal and repercussions that I have not considered yet. I am more than willing to wait and find out at the pace the author has set. There is a good mix of mystery, tech, magic, and individual character building and development. My biggest disappointment is that I feel like I was just about to get to the best part- some explanations of the past and who Yale and Morgan really are when the book ended. I expected a cliff hanger- as it is fairly standard in graphic novels of this caliber- but somehow it still snuck up on me and came way too soon.

Dryad is a good start to a graphic novel series, even if it did end with a cliff hanger.

Early Book Review: The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon is currently scheduled for release on June 9 2020.  Samiah Brooks never thought she would be "that" girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she's been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other "girlfriends," London and Taylor, have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, and no worrying about their relationship status. For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she's always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there's no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?

The Boyfriend Project is a romance with extremely well formed characters. Some of the secondary characters, even those we only see briefly, reminded me of people I have dealt with in real life. Even better, I honestly liked Samiah and Daniel, and their closest friends/family, both as characters and people. Both have drive and compassion, wanting to get ahead but also wanting to do the right thing and help people. Seeing their interactions and how they dealt with everything that came their way was compelling and engaging from the very start. The story was very well built, and even when I had a notion as to what was coming next, and how things might go wrong I still very much enjoyed the ride. I am hoping to see more about London and Taylor in later books.

The Boyfriend Project is a practically perfect contemporary romance. I cannot wait to explore other books from the author.

Early Book Review: The Perils of Intimacy by Rick R. Reed

The Perils of Intimacy by Rick R. Reed is a contemporary romance currently scheduled for release on January 27 2020. Mark believes he’s meeting Jimmy for the first time in the diner where he works, but he’s wrong. Mark has no recollection of their original encounter because the wholesome Jimmy of today couldn’t be more different than he was two years ago. Back then, Jimmy sported multiple piercings and facial hair. He was painfully skinny—and a meth addict. The drug transformed him into a lying, conniving thief. Mark doesn’t associate the memory of a hookup gone wrong with this fresh-faced twenty-something… but Jimmy knows. Can Mark see Jimmy for the man he is now and not the addict he was? The answers depend on whether true love holds enough light to shine through the darkness of past mistakes.

The Perils of Intimacy is a heartfelt romance that looks deeper. I was glad to see the straightforward and honest way drug use, and the difficult path of recovery, is handled. I found the way the damage drug use has on the user and those around them was handled with empathy and understanding. I think many people should read the book just for a better understanding of how powerful addiction is, and how hard it can be to get and stay clean.Jimmy had me rooting for him right for the start, and I really liked the author's voice and writing style. Getting the dual points of view helped me really become engaged in the story and the overall health of the major characters.  I also liked that while Marc had a better start in life, he also had real and relatable emotional issues that while different than Jimmy's problems were not pushed off to the side or ignored just because they were not more immediately problematic. I think this was a great show of the author's understanding that everyone has their issues, and they can all have an impact on our relationships and life in general.  I also enjoy that there was another layer of the story, about recovery and the help people give each other while working toward staying clean. There were a couple moments were I was braced for things to go really wrong, and at one point I worried that there was another twist around the corner. I am so glad I read this book, the love story was great but the better understanding it brought me people struggling with addiction made it even more valuable.

The Perils of Intimacy is a realistic and highly engaging read. There are some very vivid descriptions about intravenous drug use and the highs that drug use cause. Those that might not be ready or able to deal with reading that might want to skip reading the book for now.