It’s Monday! What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, a place to share and discuss what we’ve read in the past week and what we’re in the middle of or are planning to read this week.
What I read / listened to last week:
Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Coming Home to Penvennan Cove by Linn B. Halton
What I am reading/listening to now:
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Making Waves at Penvennan Cove by Linn B.Halton
What I’m reading /listening to next:
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
No Ex Before Marriage by Portia Macintosh
How did your last week go and what are you reading this week?
Can Kerra’s Cornish hometown offer the fresh start she needs?When Kerra left the quiet Cornish town of Penvennan Cove for the bright lights of London she didn’t look back. But after the death of her mother, she’s decided it’s time to face her past and return to the place she called home. Her father needs her, and perhaps she needs him more than she’s willing to admit? Tackling town gossip, home renovations and a flame from her past, it’s not quite smooth sailing for Kerra. Ross is the bad boy she was meant to forget, not a man who still sets her heart aflutter. As he helps bring her dream home to life, they begin to break down the barriers that have been holding them back and in the process learn things about themselves they never thought possible. As friends old and new come together, the future in Penvennan looks bright. Perfect for fans of Milly Johnson, Phillipa Ashley and Julie Houston.
Publisher: Aria Publication Date: January 14, 2021 ISBN 9781800245938, 1800245939
Coming Home to Penvennan Cove is the first book in Linn B.Halton’s new series featuring a picturesque village in Cornwall, a thirty year old who decides to come back home after having built up a successful company, an unforgettable first crush, a kind and understanding neighbour, a proud and independent Bengal cat with a very cute name (Ripley) and lots of other memorable characters.
I love a good homecoming story, although usually they start with a series of disasters that force the protagonist to run to their small town where the community spirit is strong and everybody knows what you looked like in primary school. This time there is a twist: Kerra Shaw is a successful entrepreneur who wants to come back to stay with and support her grieving father. She might feel a bit lost about what she would like to do with her life now that she sold her company, but there are neighbours and old friends and her tiny cottage. When Kerra’s neighbour and freelance architect Drew decides to add an extension to their semi and hires a local contractor, Kerra is in for a huge surprise-it’s Ross! -her first crush and first heartbreak.
Penvennan Cove is an archetypal small town with a pub, a bakery, a few shops, a spectacular beach, lots of tourists who help the local businesses survive. There’s also the usual rumour mill with people making assumptions based on very little evidence (well, Kerra herself does it!). It can be stifling and it might feel next to impossible to change what other people think of you, but it can also be very caring and supportive with neighbours turning up on your step with Welcome Home baked goods. You have to think twice about staying over at your friend’s, because the whole village will know your car wasn’t parked in its usual place, but you can also depend on your neighbours to check on you simply because they are worried about your safety. The author doesn’t shy away from discussing the problems, not least of which is second home buyers slowly outpricing the new generation out of their village.
A huge part of the book is about friendships and relationships- building things over time and taking a leap of faith. It captures well the particular problems of having a relationship when you are both serious, decent people, but you’ve been hurt before or you’ve made mistakes and would like to avoid making them again or lost the love of your life as Tegan, Kerra’s best friend, did. Do you take a chance when you feel things are right or do you stall because you don’t want to move too quickly, impose, or come across as needy? what about other people in your life and how your relationship might affect them?
I will admit that this wasn’t a super fast read- I needed time to get used to the author’s writing style and …the minutiae of Penvennan Cove life. On one hand, it seems like nothing much is happening, on the other hand, there’s so much detail, which kept me oddly fascinated and hooked on the story.
Pick this book if you love British women’s fiction, small town settings, and second chance romance.
Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Marlene of Reading Reality. It’s all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books (directly from their authors or Netgalley and Edelweiss, books you’re given as gifts, physical copies, ebooks and audiobooks.
Library:
NetGalley/Edelweiss/ Blog Tours:
Purchased:
Fingers crossed none of these will spend long time on my gigantic tbr and will quietly move to the read shelf very soon! Here is to wishful thinking 🙂
Happy Reading to all of us!
What did you add to your shelves this week? Do any of these books appeal to you?
Book & Author Details: Imperfect by Holly Carr Publication date: August 2nd 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Synopsis:
She isn’t looking for love. He’s running from it.
A workplace crush is supposed to be light-hearted. Frivolous, even. Just some daydream inspiration to make the hours go faster, or to fill in twenty boring minutes.
Sam isn’t ready to develop actual feelings for someone. Not with Logan still looming so large in her heart, and especially not when the subject of her infatuation is her new employer.
Alex doesn’t plan to fall in love ever again. Not after what happened with Victoria.
But fate seems determined to begin an unwanted love story, and a tentative romance blossoms as Alex and Sam battle the malicious sabotage of a rival company.
That is, until Alex’s evil ex-wife re-enters his life, threatening to take custody of their daughter.
Sam’s determination to help the desperate man stand up for himself brings the two would-be lovers closer, but Victoria’s antics only highlight to Alex the dangers of leaving himself vulnerable.
Can Sam convince him to set aside eleven years of stanch celibacy and give into his feelings?
And just how did he get that mysterious scar on his face?
This contemporary romantic suspense novel is perfect for readers with a soft spot for a hesitant love story, a single dad, and a relatable heroine.
Holly Carr was born in Victoria, Australia, where she still lives today with her husband and a cat with no sense of personal space. She graduated from Deakin University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts (Public Relations), majoring in Literary Studies.
Holly first began writing creatively while she was at university, only setting aside her incomplete manuscript due to time constraints. It took ten years before she finally sat down to write again, and her first completed novel ‘IMPERFECT’ practically wrote itself. She enjoyed the experience so much she has already begun work on another.
When she takes a break from writing, she enjoys occasional visits from her grown-up son, pole dancing, eating far too much Mexican food, and pretending to know a lot about wine.
You can get the first two chapters of her forthcoming novel ‘UNLUCKY’ for free at her website www.hollycarr.com.au, or follow her on Facebook @hollycarrauthor and Instagram @holly_ylloh_holly.
Book & Author Details: How to Cowboy by Jennie Marts (Creedence Horse Rescue, #3) Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca Publication date: December 28th 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
For fans of Carolyn Brown, Maisey Yates, and Jennifer Ryan, this steamy, emotional cowboy romance has all your favorites:
A hunky single dad showing his daughter the ropes
A heroine looking for a fresh start
Leaning on each other through hard times
Irresistible attraction
Rescue horses and ranch animals with lots of personality
How do you heal a broken heart?
After one injury too many, Cade Callahan gave up the rodeo for a simpler life working at his cousin’s horse rescue ranch. But his life turns upside down when his estranged daughter is placed in his custody after a tragic car accident. Wanting nothing to do with her father, thirteen-year-old Allie struggles to adjust to her new life.
Newly single and living out of her mother’s basement, physical therapist Nora Fisher doesn’t think twice about taking a job as a traveling therapist for Cade’s daughter. The trouble is, she doesn’t know anything about horses, or hunky cowboys. Now both in way over their heads, can Cade and Nora find a way to help Allie, and trust in the attraction building between them?
Praise for Jennie Marts: “Full of hope, humor, and undeniable swoon.”—A.J. Pine, USA Today bestselling author “Funny, complicated, and irresistible. Sometimes a cowboy isn’t perfect but you got to love him anyway.”—Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author, for Caught Up in a Cowboy “The perfect blend of humor, grit, and sexy cowboy spice. Delicious!”—Kari Lynn Dell, award-winning and bestselling author, for Wish Upon a Cowboy “Deliciously steamy but still sweet, with a secret at its heart.”—Joanne Kennedy, award-winning and bestselling author, for Wish Upon a Cowboy
AUTHOR BIO:Jennie Marts is the USA TODAY Best-selling author of award-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after. Readers call her books “laugh out loud” funny and the “perfect mix of romance, humor, and steam.” Fic Central claimed one of her books was “the most fun I’ve had reading in years.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.
Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister family in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.
Jennie loves to hear from readers. Follow her on Facebook at Jennie Marts Books, or Twitter at @JennieMarts. Visit her at www.jenniemarts.com and sign up for her newsletter to keep up with the latest news and releases.
This year I decided join in the Audiobook Challenge- hosted by Kimberly from Caffeinated Reviewer and Jen from That’s What I’m talking about. It’s time to look at the results and sign up for the new one!
Wisely enough, I went for the second level Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of it) and that was exactly right for me 🙂 These are the audiobooks I really enjoyed listening to this year:
The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
The Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Archibald Finch and The Lost Witches by Michel Guyon
Time to sign up for the new 2022 challenge and invite all of you to join it as well!
Achievement Levels
Newbie (I’ll give it a try) 1-5
Weekend Warrior (I’m getting the hang of this) 5-10
Stenographer (can listen while multitasking) 10-15
Socially Awkward (Don’t talk to me) 15-20
Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) 20-30
My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted) 30+
Marathoner (Look Ma No Hands) 50+
Over-Achiever (Power Listener) 75+
The 100 Club (Audiobook Addict) 100+
Challenge Details
Runs January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022. You can join at any time.
The goal is to find a new love for audios or to outdo yourself by listening to more audios in 2022 than you did in 2021.
Books must be in audio format (CD, MP3, etc.)
ANY genres count.
Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.
You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you can track your progress on Goodreads, Facebook, LibraryThing, etc.
If you’re a blogger grab the button and do a quick post about the challenge to help spread the word. If you’re not a blogger you can help by posting on Facebook or Tweet about the challenge.
Updates plus a giveaway will be posted twice during the year. The first update will be July 2, 2021, and the last update will take place on December 30, 2022.
I’m going for the second level of achievement again! I love the name – Weekend Warrior and feel oddly empowered by it 🙂
Do you like listening to audiobooks? if yes, are you going to join this challenge in 2022?
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you’re continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here.
And the book I am waiting for is…
From the blurb:
A young woman arrives in Los Angeles determined to start over and discovers she doesn’t need to leave everything behind after all, from Abbi Waxman, USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
When Laura Costello moves to Los Angeles, trying to escape an overprotective family and the haunting memories of a terrible accident, she doesn’t expect to be homeless after a week. (She’s pretty sure she didn’t start that fire — right?) She also doesn’t expect to find herself adopted by a rogue bookseller, installed in a lovely but completely illegal boardinghouse, or challenged to save a losing trivia team from ignominy…but that’s what happens. Add a regretful landlady, a gorgeous housemate and an ex-boyfriend determined to put himself back in the running and you’ll see why Laura isn’t really sure she’s cut out for this adulting thing. Luckily for her, her new friends Nina, Polly and Impossibly Handsome Bob aren’t sure either, but maybe if they put their heads (and hearts) together they’ll be able to make it work.
Story Locale: Los Angeles, CA
**************
Expected Publication Date:May 17, 2022
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN 9780593198766, 059319876X
Genre: Fiction / Family Life
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Abbi Waxman, the USA Today bestselling author of I Was Told It Would Get Easier, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Other People’s Houses, and The Garden of Small Beginnings, is a chocolate-loving, dog-loving woman who lives in Los Angeles and lies down as much as possible. She worked in advertising for many years, which is how she learned to write fiction. She has three daughters, three dogs, three cats, and one very patient husband.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
How it works:
Jana from That Artsy Girl assigns each Tuesday a topic and then posts her top ten list that fits that topic. Anybody is welcome to join and create their own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. You can put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you!
As usual, absolutely subjective and in no particular order, here is my list:
Float Plan by Trish Doller
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brisset
All systems Red by Martha Wells
The Ones We’re Meant to Find by Joan He
Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows duology, The Folk of the Air, and Crazy Rich Asians buddy reads with Yesha
Twisted Lies and Stolen Ones by Angela Marsons
Find Me and Tell Me by Anne Frazier
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
and finally…Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Have you read any of these books? If yes, did you like or hate them? Would you recommend them?
Upcoming Top Ten Tuesday Topics:
December 28: Best Books I Read In 2021 January 4: Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the First Half of 2022 January 11: Most Recent Additions to My Book Collection January 18: 2021 Releases I Was Excited to Read But Didn’t Get To January 25: New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2021 February 1: Books with Character Names In the Titles (Submitted by BookLoversBlog and Lucy @ Bookworm Blogger) February 8: Love Freebie (come up with your own topic having to do with love) February 15: Books Too Good to Review Properly (I have no words!) (Submitted by Dedra @ A Book Wanderer) February 22: Dynamic Duos (Submitted by Elley @ Elley the Book Otter)
Thank you for stopping by and reading the post! Have a wonderful Tuesday!
It’s Monday! What are you Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, a place to share and discuss what we’ve read in the past week and what we’re in the middle of or are planning to read this week.
What I read / listened to last week:
Take Me Home Tonight – I really enjoyed this crazy romp through the Big Apple. I love books about friends who value each other and their relationship above anything else. Don’t even start me on the babysitting adventures only Morgan Matson could have come up with.
All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries#1) by Martha Wells- this was fun and I can see why the series has so many faithful fans. Looking forward to reading the next instalment.
An Unexpected Distraction by Catherine Bybee
The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman
What I am reading/listening to now:
Piranesi by Susanna Clark- the hype is real, my friends….
Darkness Falls (Kate Marshall #3) by Robert Bryndza.
What I’m reading /listening to next:
Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter
The Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
How did your last week go and what are you reading this week?
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