Tittle           : The Sunshine Club

Author        : Carolyn Brown

Pub Date    : December 7, 2021

Pages          : 303

My Rating   : ★★★★★

The Summary

For more than 60 years, Gussie, Ina Mae, and Blanche have been close friends. These three were inseparable from their early days as young girls creating the Sunshine Club through their emergence as Newton, Texas' premier matchmakers. When Blanche dies, Gussie and Ina Mae believe the greatest way to remember their beloved deceased is with a whiskey shot, some enjoyable music, and setting up a date for Sissy, Blanche's niece. It doesn't matter that Sissy will only be here for six weeks. Is there a stronger argument for her to remain? And is there a more promising candidate than the pleasant, attractive, and blue-eyed local minister Luke Beauchamp? No and no. The allure is already present. Gussie and Ina Mae now have the responsibility of ensuring that the sparks start to fly by Christmas. The Sunshine Club has resumed operations.

My Review

The Sunshine Club's characters were endearingly lovely.

It's easy to read and a charming book about friendship and the power of love called The Sunshine Club. I enjoyed reading about the pranks that the three Sunshine Club members over the years engaged in since the characters are smart and sassy.

What a fantastic combination of romance and women's fiction. a heartfelt portrayal of life in a tiny community.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : The Love Connection

Author        : Denise Williams

Pub Date    : May 17, 2022

Pages          : 128

My Rating   : ★★★★★

The Summary

Ollie Wright enjoys the rush of taking risks, such as starting a pet grooming business in an airport where each day is a little surprising. Catching glimpses of a cute stranger from a distance is enough romantic entanglement for her because the one thing she won't risk is her heart.

Bennett Baker works as a risk assessor during the day and writes bestselling romantic novels at night, but he is currently experiencing writer's block. When he saves a slick dog from the airport and gives it back to the alluring pet groomer whose laugh motivates him to pick up writing again, his meticulously planned life of stability comes crumbling down.

A frenzy of airport dates at pretzel kiosks, sneaky glances at empty gates, and late-night emails that had them drooling results from their unexpected meeting and immediate chemistry. Their romance might actually take off if the cautious Bennett is willing to gamble on uncertainty and the daring Ollie breaks her own rule.

My Review

This brief, endearing romance took place in the airport.

Character growth and funny banter are both excellent, and the trajectory of their relationship from meet cute to some delightfully passionate moments is expertly handled. Nothing moved quickly.

The Love Connection is intriguing, fresh, and highly alluring. If you're looking for a quick but fun romance to read this summer, check it out.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : Bride For A Day

Author        : Carolyn Brown

Pub Date    : October 01, 2014

Pages          : 163

My Rating   : ★★★

The Summary

Cassie O'Malley is evading capture. The start of her inheritance will occur in a few months. She only requires a job and a place to hide till that time. Cassie, however, does the first thing that comes to mind when she runs across the local sheriff in north Texas after getting off the bus: she approaches the attractive stranger in the café and makes out that they are a couple. Fortunately, the sheriff accepts it, and the man surprisingly cooperates right up until they arrive at the courthouse, where the deputy insists on accompanying them as they get married.

Cassie is baffled as to how she managed to get into this situation and can't believe how badly her plan went awry. Her new husband Ted tells her that his lawyer uncle Ash would take care of everything without a hitch. For just one day, Cassie will be a bride, after which she can resume her life as usual. But when his family warmly welcomes her, she starts to doubt her ability to say goodbye to Ted and the first loving family she has ever known.

My Review

What a sweet tale from the South! I feel like getting some iced tea that is just made and reading on the balcony!

It was a good plot, but there were several parts were things went too well and it didn't feel completely believable. With a bit more conflict, the plot might have been more compelling.

It may appeal to young adult or new adult readers more than other contemporary romances because the main characters are younger. However, the small-town appeal, close-knit family, and unique comedy are all still there.

There were a few issues that I thought needed to be rectified. The story was brief, neat, and engaging despite the fast pace and my opinion that the protagonists were a little too young for the decisions they made.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : The German Wife

Author        : Kelly Rimmer

Pub Date    : June 28, 2022

Pages          : 464

My Rating   : ★★★★★

The Summary

A fascinating new book by the New York Times bestselling author of The Warsaw Orphan, The Paperclip, is based on the true account of Operation Paperclip, a contentious post-World War II US intelligence program that used former Nazis.

1930, Berlin The goals of the radical political party's newly elected chancellor help Sofie von Meyer Rhodes' professor husband when a tide of change sweeps it to power. Even though Sofie and Jürgen disagree with the social ideologies becoming increasingly common in Hitler's Germany, Jürgen's position with its expanding rocket program improves their deteriorating circumstances. But as Sofie watches helplessly, her beloved Berlin starts to change, compelling her to reflect on the moral compromises they must make for the safety of their young family and the cost of their neutrality.

Twenty years later, Jürgen is one of the many German scientists who received pardons for their wartime contributions and was relocated to the United States to work on that country's fledgling space program. Sofie will have the opportunity to make a fresh start in her adopted nation and exorcise the spirits that have followed her across the seas. Her neighbors, however, are not as hospitable or understanding as she had thought. Before the truth is ever revealed, Sofie's town and her family will be torn apart by the violent deed that arises from idle rumors about the Rhodes family's alleged ties to Hitler's reign turning into seething fury.

My Review

One of the best historical novels I've ever read is this one.

Although some facts have been adjusted for the benefit of better storytelling, I was highly pleased by the author's thorough research and her use of Werner von Braun as a model for one of her important characters.

We also got a narrative of a woman from America, so we get to see two different perspectives during the period. I had assumed the book would only be about a German lady's journey, but this was another surprising thing I discovered in the book.

The novel taught me that both women had extraordinary bravery and survival skills. We could see how vital it is for mothers and wives to play these roles during warfare, despite the fact that they fought in different ways, both to do that for the benefit of the family.

I heartily recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : You, Again

Author        : Lauren Wayne

Pub Date    : July 19, 2022

Pages          : 233

My Rating   : ★★

The Summary

Mackenzie "Mac" Austin simply wants a no strings attached hookup that is spicy enough to talk about over mimosas the following morning. This is what any contemporary, commitment-phobic woman in New York wants.

She doesn't want preppy, corporate Thomas Decker, who is the most recent match recommendation from her dating app. Therefore, it goes without saying that she rejects the man out of hand. The only problem is that he is seated next to her and saw her do it. He is now addressing her directly.

Mac is determined not to let it bother her beyond the initial embarrassment, but fate has other plans and Thomas isn't leaving. He first appears as her new boss. Then he reappears as the upcoming brother-in-law of her best friend.

Mac is convinced that stuffy Thomas is the last man a free-spirited woman like her should want as the not so cute dates pile up. But as she spends more time with him, Mac begins to understand that the person she can't seem to escape has changed into the person she wants to keep close.

My Review

Despite the fact that it was a brief read, nothing really noteworthy was found.

I don't appreciate this story's execution, for one thing. It was simply too brief. As you read, you will see that many of the stories are left unfinished or with insufficient reader explanation.

I'm not sure if this story is supposed to be brief. I don't see why it has to elaborate on unimportant details and instead should just concentrate on the two major characters.

In general, if you just want to read something lovely and timeless without thinking too much about it, this is a wonderful book for you. However, if you're a picky person, you might not enjoy it all that much.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : It Ends With Us

Author        : Collen Hoover

Pub Date    : August 02, 2016

Pages          : 385

My Rating   : ★★★

The Summary

Even though Lily hasn't always had it easy, she's never let that stop her from striving to live the life she desires. She graduated from college, relocated to Boston, and established her own business. She has come a long way from the little town where she was raised. And when Lily starts to develop feelings for a handsome neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in her life starts to appear too perfect to be true.

Ryle is aggressive, obstinate, and perhaps a little conceited. He is also intelligent, sensitive, and completely infatuated with Lily. And it surely doesn't hurt that he looks good in scrubs. Lily is unable to shake him from her mind. But Ryle's utter distaste for partnerships is unsettling. Lily can't help but wonder what made him that way in the first place, even as she finds herself breaking his "no dating" rule.

Atlas Corrigan, her first love and a reminder of the past she left behind, comes to mind as she is overwhelmed with questions about her new connection. He served as both her ally and defender. Everything Ryle and Lily have created together is under danger when Atlas arrives out of nowhere.

My Review

Although painful, the story is masterfully written.

Plot, characters, and pace are all as authentically emotional and genuine as possible. Personally, I've never thought of this novel as a romance or as anything to be praised.

The one thing about the book that I enjoy is how it allows us to see the inner workings of domestic abuse and the processes that the characters have gone through. Fortunately, the ending is what I wish for.

Overall, despite my best efforts, I have to admit that this book is not one of my favorites. While it was good, it was it. I still find the emotion to be quite powerful, and I like it just the way it was.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : Before We Were Yours

Author        : Lisa Wingate

Pub Date    : June 06, 2017

Pages          : 342

My Rating   : ★★★★

The Summary

1939 in Memphis. On their family's Mississippi River skiff, 12-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings lead fantastic lives. However, Rill is left in charge when their father has to rush their mother to the hospital on a stormy night, up until a large group of strangers arrive. The Foss children are taken away from everything they know and placed in an orphanage run by the Tennessee Children's Home Society. They are told they will soon be returned to their parents, but they soon come to grips with the grim reality. Rill battles to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of peril and uncertainty while being at the merciless mercy of the facility's sadistic director.

Present-day Aiken, South Carolina. Avery Stafford, who was raised in affluence and privilege, appears to have it all. A distinguished profession as a federal prosecutor, a charming fiancé, and an extravagant wedding in the works. A accidental encounter, however, leaves Avery with unsettling questions and forces her to travel through her family's long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to destruction or to atonement, when she returns home to assist her father through a health crisis.

My Review

Based on one of the most infamous real life scandals in American history, in which Georgia Tann, the head of an adoption agency in Memphis, abducted and sold underprivileged children to well off couples across the nation. In spite of the fact that the paths we choose might take us in many directions, the heart never forgets where we belong, as Lisa Wingate's gripping, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting story serves as a reminder.

At least I had my heart ready before reading this.

It was a horrible, unexpected, and devastating tale. The Tennessee Children's Home Society, a real life institution, is the subject of a hypnotic journey that reveals startling information. In essence, this group exploited children by deceiving them, kidnapping them, and brokering their exchange in exchange for money, all the while abusing the people in their "so called" care to the point of death.

The plot takes place in both the year 1939 and the present. The plot is exceptionally well written, has fantastic development, and moves ahead at a good pace even though for the time being I feel it is a little traditional and the romance is sufficient.

I appreciate the author bringing up this topic to warn us that just because something happened once doesn't imply it won't happen again. In actuality, it continues to occur today.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : Strangeling (Children of the Broken Dawn Book 1) 

Author        : Kira Hagen

Pub Date    : June 22, 2022

Pages          : 453

My Rating   : ★★★★

The Summary

The US is not, though. Rural Minnesota is a desolation overrun with redcaps. Fantastic aliens reside in the Twin Cities. Most of the advanced technology in the planet has been destroyed by wild magic waves. People start to mutate into strangelings, creatures from myth and legend, and are either killed or imprisoned to stop them from going on the rampage caused by the Hunger.

And Wi-Fi has been discontinued.

Aisling maintains a front while attempting to complete graduate school and concealing her half-elf looks. Using "wisdom" gleaned from vintage comic books and DVDs, she and her friends have been surviving the magic apocalypse through hand-me-down pop-culture geekdom. On the weekends, they use their band, the Lumber Punks, as cover to hunt monsters or run strangelings down the Underhill Railroad.

Aisling, according to their Captain Hart, is to blame for his Change. However, a strangeling labor brigade police the barrier between their Runners and freedom. If it's the last thing he does, he plans to catch her since he is gradually losing control of the fae beast inside of him.

As catfishmen attack the metropolis formerly known as Minneapolis, Connor is forced to delay his drag act in order to combat them. His magic might be shattered, yet he will still shine on stage or in conflict.

In a wasteland of nerds, mythology and space opera dance the forbidden polka. From the roots of Celtic and Norse mythology comes a dismal future. And now the epic dystopian urban science fantasy's funniest hot mess of a bisexual love triangle begins!

My Review

The combination of science fiction, fantasy, dystopia, and horror in this book is totally bizarre, but in a wonderful way. The reader must concentrate while reading in order to avoid missing significant story developments.

The initial stages of the development were fairly chaotic and required some time to get rolling. We also get the points of view of the three main characters, and as I already indicated, you really need to pay attention since there are so many small nuances.

Despite the fact that this is my first reading in this category in a long, I really am enjoying the book. You should give it a try if you're seeking for a book with the blend of genres I stated.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : Passing Strange

Author        : Ellen Klages

Pub Date    : January 24, 2017

Pages          : 131

My Rating   : ★★★★

Tittle           : Some Girls Do

Author        : Jennifer Dugan

Pub Date    : May 18, 2021

Pages          : 336

My Rating   : ★★

The Summary

Elite track sprinter Morgan is forced to change high schools late in her senior year after learning that being LGBT is against the code of conduct at her private Catholic school. She meets Ruby there, who enjoys tinkering with her baby blue 1970 Ford Torino and taking part in regional beauty pageants to fulfill her controlling mother's fantasies. The two are attracted to one another and are unable to suppress their increasing sentiments. Ruby isn't ready to come out just yet, whereas Morgan out and proud and keen to have a fresh start. Doesn't want to have to keep their developing relationship a secret. Can they persevere as a group, each girl on a separate route to live her truth?

My Review

I have to admit that I don't really like the book sufficiently.

The story has a sweet scene at the beginning, which I appreciate, but it swiftly goes downhill and starts to annoy me. I was bothered by a lot of things.

Although I don't particularly enjoy the writing, I decided to overlook it because I reasoned that possibly this book reflects modern society. The two main characters, Ruby and Morgan, have a relationship that is too forced for me, and I don't enjoy at all those love-at-first-sight things, but I decided to keep reading in the vain hope that they might.

Because there are so many incomplete side stories and there are only a few pages of the tale provided, the development also has to be much improved.

It has a lot of potential, without a doubt, but sadly the plot I received left me unsatisfied, and in my opinion, this book doesn't adequately reflect the LGBT community.

If you ask me if I would suggest it, I might not, but if you want to give it a shot, go ahead. This book is definitely not for me.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : Just Last Night 

Author        : Mhairi McFarlane

Pub Date    : May 04, 2021

Pages          : 416

My Rating   : ★★★★

The Summary

Since they were teenagers, Eve, Justin, Susie, and Ed have been pals. The four are still close friends, even though they are in their 30s. Thursday night trivia remains sacred, and Eve is still having an affair with Ed. She probably ought to have moved on by now, but she can't help but reflect on the possibilities. And she is aware that Ed is still considering it.

But suddenly, in a split second, their lives are irrevocably altered.

The consequences rock Eve's world. She starts to doubt whether she truly knew her pals as well as she thought as astonishing truths are uncovered. Additionally, when a familiar face reappears in Eve's life, her destiny takes an unexpected turn.

Every love tale, so the saying goes, begins with a single moment. What if it was only yesterday evening?

My Review

I didn't anticipate this to be so emotional, but in a nice way.

The story has the ideal ratio of drama, humor, and banter! I appreciate that each character has a unique backstory and a sufficient number of lines. It's absolutely accurate to say that the individuals in this story are really relatable, and I could think that similar things do occur in real life.

There was only a small amount of romance, so we can conclude that the focus of this story is really on the friendship, a complicated one.

This was incredibly emotional and struck a chord with me.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.

Tittle           : The Upside of Falling

Author        : Alex Light

Pub Date    : February 18, 2020

Pages          : 228

My Rating   : ★★

The Summary

Becca Hart, then seventeen, hasn't believed in genuine love in years. However, when her ex-best friend makes fun of her for not having a boyfriend, Becca hastily claims to have been seeing someone.

It's all there for Brett Wells. He should have no trouble finding a date because he is the captain of the football team and one of the most well-liked boys in his school, but he has always been more concerned about his future than who he should invite to prom.

Brett decides to take the role of the mystery guy after hearing Becca lie. It's the ideal answer since it lets her maintain the pretense that she has a boyfriend while also getting others to stop criticizing him for not being in a committed relationship.

However, it's difficult to act like the ideal pair when you don't really know the other person. But as Brett struggles to keep his world together and Becca continues to pick up the pieces after her world was destroyed years ago, they start to see more similarities than they ever could have anticipated.

Is this phony romance the most real thing in each of their lives when the distinction between what is pretend and what is real starts to get hazy?

My Review

Another adorable high school romance featuring endearing characters.

I won't deny that the writing style is not my favorite, yet it nevertheless manages to be calming and evoke nostalgia. The pacing is not too poor, but the development is not particularly strong. Although the characters are adorable, they lack maturity.

This book, in my opinion, absolutely fills a niche. I wouldn't say it's a horrible book because it's excellent if you're looking for fluffy, endearing teen fiction, but if you're seeking for YA with a deep message and character development, this might not be the book for you.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.