Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other - Bethany Turner

 

Brynn Cornell is known as the Ray of Sunshine on the Sunup morning show, and has left her hometown of Adelaide Springs, Colorado far behind her.  Until, that is, she's caught on a hot mic disparaging her hometown and the people who live there.  Her only chance at salvaging her reputation and career seems to be returning to her hometown and the people she left without so much as a goodbye 20 years ago and filming her apology and, hopefully, their forgiveness. While there, she encounters Sebastian Sudworth, who has landed in Adelaide Springs from his own search for a fresh start.  Will their fresh starts and second chances counter each other, or be just what they each need?

Normally, I love the enemies to lovers trope in romance, and the need for forgiveness and a second chance was such a great idea for this story.  However, it felt like the switched flipped a bit too quickly and easily for Brynn.  She didn't really work for any of the forgiveness, and she didn't seem to actually regret her actions, just that she got caught.  There were a lot of avenues for side storylines that could have been developed, but there seemed to be an abundance of focus on Brynn's name change from B-R-E-N to B-R-Y-N-N, as if all of her life choices could be hinged on this spelling change.

I also missed some of this author's signature character banter from her previous works.  Sebastian and Brynn could have been a fiery match, but it fell a little flat for me.  I liked Seb, but found myself not really caring if Brynn found success.

I give this book 3 stars; I really liked the characters from Adelaide Springs, and just wish Brynn's transformation could have been a little more developed.

You can find Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

He Should Have Told the Bees - Amanda Cox

 

When Beckett Walsh loses her father, and fellow beekeeper, unexpectedly, she is left to follow the tradition of telling the bees of his passing, as well as figure out what life looks like moving forward without him.  Adding to the complexity of the situation is her fear of leaving the property, as well as a newcomer - Callie Peterson, who has inexplicably been added to the trust for the property. Can the two women work together to figure out the mystery, as well as form a relationship that may help heal them both from the trauma of their past?

This was my first book by this author, but I don't imagine that it will be my last.  She wove the separate stories of these two women, as well as the people in their lives, together so well that I cared for them both equally and could feel the tension of no perfect solution to their dilemma.  I thought the support characters were well done, lending strength and confidence to the women, but not overshadowing them.  I loved the addition of the little girl who gave Beck a distraction and a friend, even as she mentored the little girl and befriended her caretaker.

4 stars

You can find He Should Have Told the Bees HERE.
You can find the author HERE. 

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

A Beautiful Disguise - Roseanna M. White

 

When their father died, leaving them nothing, Yates and Marigold Fairfax had to find creative means to keep themselves, their estate, their retired circus performers, and their menagerie from starving.  They turned to clandestine investigations within society, and called themselves The Imposters.  With the combination of their status and their less-than-conventional upbringing in the circus world, they were able to move freely within the upper class and draw upon their athleticism to draw out information unobtrusively from the unlikeliest of places, drawing no notice to themselves.  Now, they find themselves investigating their neighbors and families of some of their childhood friends, upon the request of multiple clients.  Can they prove their innocence, or are there nefarious characters within their close circles?

I really enjoyed this cast of characters, and I look forward to seeing more interactions between them as this series continues to develop.  The self-inspection that Yate and Marigold must undergo as they look to deepen relationships lends a personal depth to what could have been simply a spy and intrigue pre-war novel.  But they must determine how much of their true selves to reveal, facing the fear of rejection balanced against the possibility of never being truly known, or loved, for themselves. 

While the mystery was a bit convoluted, and there were a lot of moving characters to keep track of along the way, at the core, I'm excited to follow this group of characters as they come to know themselves, and face the decisions of whom to let into their group and their lives.

4 stars.

You can find A Beautiful Disguise HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

The Love Script - Toni Shiloh

 

Neveah Richards dreams of being a hairstylist for a hit show, but finds herself in the news for a very different reason when a paparazzo catches her and the Sexiest Man Alive in what is being conveyed as a very romantic position.  While it may convey romance to some however, it creates disaster for Lamont Booker, the SMA, due to his desire to keep his newly Christian image intact in Hollywood, and the morality clauses included in his contracts.  Neveah, Lamont, and Lamont's agent/publicist decide the only way to save both of their reputations is to tell the world they're in a relationship.  Not wanting to lie to the public, Neveah and Lamont decide to date for real and see where it goes. Can that be enough to clear their consciences? Can Neveah handle that kind of spotlight? 

Once again, Toni Shiloh packs faith and faith filled friendships into a fun story that centers around finding God's will and seeking His direction for her characters' lives.  She does Christian friendships so well.  I loved the interaction between Lamont and his guy friends, Tuck and Chris.  Dare I hope their stories are coming?!? I only wished for Neveah to have her own confidante who challenged her faith, but that was part of her story - to realize her need for that sort of wisdom in her life.  And while she got bits of that from Lamont and Ms. Rosie in this story, I'm imagining her becoming fast friends with Piper, and finding a community of her own.

I give this book 4 stars, but I'm super hopeful that I'll get more of all of these characters in future books!

You can find The Love Script HERE. 
You can find the author HERE. 

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

Positively. Penelope - Pepper Basham

 

Penelope Edgewood has signed on as an intern at the failing Darling Theatre on the island of Skymar.  As she attempts to revive the theater, she finds that the family behind it needs a bit of reviving as well.  Having lost their grandmother and mother in the last few years, Alec, Gwynn, and Matthias Gray are all grieving in different ways, and their grandfather has essentially withdrawn from society and the theater. Can Penelope's sunshiny personality and marketing strategies help draw both the Grays and the theater back into the community's spotlight? And how is their competitor, The Emblem theater, learning about all of their ideas?

I am loving this series, and this group of siblings and cousins. I love that we still get to follow Izzy and Luke, and Josephine through the correspondence sections of the book, which add a fun flavor of their own.  Penelope's character takes a little while to develop for the reader, and I think that was a good thing.  As she delves into her job and her relationships, we learn that she's not *just* sunshine and fun hats and great shoes.  She sees people, and cares for them, and draws the best out of them on their own terms.

While I saw the mystery conclusion from the early pages, it was still well done, and fit the story well. I loved all of the side characters; even the ones who didn't play a large part were robust enough to get a sense of their personality and their connection to the town and story.

I cannot wait for Luke's story!

I give this installment of the Edgewood family stories 4 stars.

You can find Positively, Penelope HERE.
You can find the author HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley - Courtney Walsh

 

Isadora Bentley has been burned before, when a man kept their relationship a secret, and then stole all the credit for her research. Now, she works alone.  When she runs across an article claiming that if she follows a set of steps, she can find happiness, she sets out to disprove the author.  But what if it actually works?

I have never read another book like this one; one where the author is smart, yet blunt and considered prickly by her co-workers, but she finds people who allow her to be who she is, while helping her see herself the way they see her, thus allowing her to become more of whom she's meant to be.

The cast of friends gathered to Isadora during her happiness experiment are fantastic characters.  My favorite, perhaps, is the 10-year-old Delilah, in whom Isadora finds a kindred spirit, and sees what she could have had if there had been supportive people in her life at a young age.

I also love that once Isadora starts to look beyond herself, she sees the other women in her profession who have also been overlooked, or taken advantage of, and she becomes a source of encouragement for them.

I give this book 5 stars. Isadora will resonate with any woman who's worked in a male-dominated field, or who finds themselves at odds with societal norms.

You can find The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley HERE.
You can find the author on Facebook HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

With Every Memory - Janine Rosche

 

After a devastating car accident that resulted in the loss of her son and months in a rehabilitation facility, Lori Mendenhall returns to a home that she doesn't remember, and a family and life that doesn't match up with the last memories she has - from 8 years ago.  As she tries to fit what she knows with what is happening now, who will she choose to become from this day forward? 

This book covers a lot of tough topics within its pages; sensitive readers should be aware of the subject matter (but I don't want to spoil anything - I'm sure there are warnings in other descriptions).  However, it comes with the good reminder that personal memories aren't one hundred percent reliable, and that there are two sides to every story.  Even with the worst of situations, with grace can come second chances.

3 stars to this book; it was good, and I'm sure it will resonate with some readers.

You can find With Every Memory HERE.

You can find the author HERE. 

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.