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Irish Reads for March: The Lost Promise of Ireland

246 pages Bookouture publisher December 17,2021 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

A completely gorgeous story about lost loves and small-town secrets that will sweep you away to the Irish coast.

Maggie remembers her summers in the village of Sandy Cove in Ireland like they were yesterday. She and her family would swim in the crystal-clear waters, collect beautiful seashells and relax on the sand. So when she sees that her family’s old coastguard cottage is available, she wonders if renting it for the summer will finally help her move on from the man who just broke her heart.

As soon as Maggie arrives, she is delighted to find her childhood bestfriend Sorcha and Sorcha’s cousin Brian still living in town. They enjoy cosy nights in the local harbour pub, with its stunning views across the ocean, as if no time has passed. And when Brian reveals he had a fierce teenage crush on Maggie, she can’t help but notice just how handsome he has become.

But then Maggie finds a worn metal box hidden in the attic of the house, full of love letters she exchanged with a sweet American boy she met one summer. During their last night together, star-gazing on the beach, they promised to find each other again. Soon it becomes clear that Maggie is not the only one returning to Sandy Cove.

Torn between her growing feelings for Brian and the romance she’s held in her heart for many years, Maggie realises that her summer may be more complicated than she’d expected. Will Maggie finally find a true love who can sweep her off her feet or will this holiday in Sandy Cove be her last?

Photo by Lachlan Ross: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cute-irish-setter-on-shore-6510333/

MY THOUGHTS

Once again, we are swept away to the beautiful south-west of Ireland. This is the third book in the Starlight Cottages series.
You’ll love spending time on the beautiful Irish coast.


Though this contemporary is part of a series it can be read as a stand-alone because each book has different main characters, but we visit with familiar characters from past books in the series.


Maggie’s family lived in a cottage here thirty years ago and it just so happens to be empty at this time. After a breakup she’s so happy to be able to come back “home.” It’s surprising to her that some of her old friends are still living here.

In the attic of her old cottage, she finds love letters from an old love from America. When she is reunited with her love from her teenaged days will things be able to go back to the way they were and what’ll happen when she finds out he’s been hiding secrets from her?

The author’s writing is very descriptive. Maggie’s pretty oblivious in her relationships not realizing how much someone cares for her and the secrets being kept from her.
Such a heartwarming read about reunions and happy memories.

Pub Date 17 Dec 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susanne O’Leary is the bestselling author of more than thirty novels, mainly in the romantic fiction genre. She now writes full-time from her home in Dublin and a little cottage in Kerry.

Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping in.

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Embers in the London Sky: (WWII Historical Fiction with Mystery, Suspense, and Clean Romance)

394 pages Revell publisher Feb 6 2024 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

MY THOUGHTS

When I think of WWII books this is the author I think of. Her books are amazing, and she is an auto read author for me.
She has a new and interesting take on WWII that I’ve not seen presented before.


As the Nazi’s invade the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens is on her way to London with her husband and son to escape. Her son is separated from her without her permission and the young widow heartbrokenly makes it her mission to find him.

In a city as huge as London it may be next to impossible. It was interesting to read about the reporting the BBC did, how they had to give information but not too much so as to aid the enemies.


As she and BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood draw closer, he vows to do whatever it takes to find her son. I could feel their frustration as they visit many children’s homes where refugee children have been taken, they are so close but yet so far away.


As the search continues you can feel the danger surrounding them with the London Blitz. There are so many twists and turns with events happening while the search continues: multiple murders and a mother’s unwavering love for her son leading to the most heartrending decision of her life.

Pub Date: 06 Feb 2024
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Embers in the London Sky (February 2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah’s novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Carol Award, The Sound of Light, When Twilight Breaks, and The Land Beneath Us were finalists for the Christy Award, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

Is this an author you have read yet? Do you have a favorite book she has written? When Twilight Breaks is one of my favorites by her.

Thank you for stopping in. Enjoy your day.

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Black History Month Read: My Name Is Ona Judge: An absolutely gripping historical novel 

322 pages Bookouture publisher 06 Sep 2022 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

New Hampshire, 1796. “My name is Ona Judge, and I escaped from the household of the President of the United States. I was the favored maid of George and Martha Washington, but they deemed me a slave and thought me property, and I hear ten dollars is offered as reward for my capture. Now I must write the truth that I have lived, and tell my story…”

Chincoteague, Virginia, present day. Rain soaks Tessa Scott as she runs from her car to the old, vine-covered property she has been called to survey. She’s too busy to accept a new job, but doing this favor for the grandmother of her childhood sweetheart delays a painful decision she must make about a future with her controlling boyfriend.

But when Tessa finds a tattered journal carefully hidden inside the house’s ancient fireplace, the tragic story of how Ona was ripped from her mother’s arms to live and work in the palatial Mount Vernon, and the heart-shattering betrayal that led her to risk her life and run, has Tessa spellbound. Could discovering this forgotten scandal at the heart of her nation’s history force her to confront her own story? As she races to reach the final page, will anything prepare her for the desperate moment when Ona’s captors find her again? Will it inspire Tessa to take ownership of her own life and set herself free?

MY THOUGHTS

This will be my last book I read this month for Black History month.
I’ve read some incredible books this month for it, and this is one of them.
The book is so well researched, the author vividly brings Ona Judge’s story to life.


This wonderful book honor’s Ona Judge, a black woman born into slavery, as she became old enough, she was the Lady’s Maid to Martha Washington, President of the United States wife. Even amongst the slaves there is a pecking order. When she displaced a slave a few years older than herself to become the president’s wife’s personal maid there was jealousy, threats and bodily harm done to herself.


The book follows the daily life of Ona as she is at Washington’s home Mount Vernon, always on call as a lady’s maid, following every whim Matha has and even having to bow down and answer to the grandchildren of Martha that were younger than her. It was disheartening to see the violent behavior the slaves were subject to in Washington’s care. Though most tried to please you couldn’t defend yourself with words and had to demurely keep the eyes lowered and heaven help you if you were learning to read or write. This was punishable by beating to death.


Having more than her fill Ona Judge makes an escape to freedom but will she be caught, and freedom taken away?


This dual timeline has in modern times Tessa Scott in Chincoteague, Virginia, surveying a property of the grandmother of an old boyfriend as a favor. Ready to leave she spots an old diary stuck in the fireplace and she grabs it to look at later.

Upon further inspection she realizes it’s details of Ona Judge’s life, her struggles and ultimate betrayal. The book gives her the courage to find the help she needs to leave a controlling relationship.
The book fascinatingly is based on actual people and events and gives the respect and honor Ona Judge deserved.

Pub Date 06 Sep 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suzette D. Harrison, a native Californian and the middle of three daughters, grew up in a home where reading was required, not requested. Her literary “career” began in junior high school with the publishing of her poetry. While Mrs. Harrison pays homage to Alex Haley, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, and Toni Morrison as legends who inspired her creativity, it was Dr. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings that unleashed her writing. Harrison prefers happy endings, but loves creating flawed characters and storylines with intricate layers and depth, offering readers unexpected plot twists. The award-winning author of Taffy is a wife and mother who holds a culinary degree in Pastry & Baking. Mrs. Harrison is currently cooking up her next novel…in between batches of cupcakes.

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Black History Month Read: Defending Alice: A Novel of Love and Race in the Roaring Twenties

567 pages HarperVia publisher November 22,2022 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Set in 1920s New York, an addictively readable, thoroughly entertaining historical novel involving sex and secrets, race and redemption, and power and privilege—based on a sensational real-life case that made international headlines—in which the marriage between a working-class black woman and the scion of one of America’s most powerful white families ends in a scandalous annulment lawsuit.

When Alice Jones, a blue-color woman with at least one Black parent marries Leonard “Kip” Rhinelander, the son of one of New York’s most prominent society families, the scandal rocks high society—and eventually sets the city afire when Kip later sues for an annulment, accusing Alice of having hidden her “Negro blood” and intentionally deceiving him that she was white.

While New York society in the Roaring Twenties witnessed more than a few scandals, the real-life Rhinelander case set tongues wagging and became perhaps the most examined interracial relationship in American history. In Defending Alice, Richard Stratton reimagines this remarkable story, from the couple’s courtship through their controversial marriage to their shocking divorce trial and its aftermath. Chronicled by Alice’s attorney, brilliant trial lawyer Lee Parsons Davis, and told in flashbacks and entries from Alice and Kip’s fictional personal diaries, this epic page-turner vividly brings to life the New York of a century ago—a world seemingly far removed yet tragically familiar to our own.

Stratton brilliantly evokes this dazzling era in all its glamour and excess, and in retelling the Rhinelander story, explores issues of sex, race, class, prejudice, and justice that are as relevant today as they were a century ago when this headline-making trial took place.

MY THOUGHTS

Defending Alice is a historical fiction book I’ve read based on actual events and people.
Chronicled by Alice’s attorney, trial lawyer Lee Parsons Davis, taking place during the Roaring 20’s when interracial marriages weren’t as accepted as today.


Leonard “Kip” Rhinelander comes from a high-class New York upper crust high society family and is white. Alice Jones is a working woman and their relationship set the tongues to wagging and caused a scandal. Kip is perceived as a weak individual unable to stand up to his father who wants the marriage annulled immediately.

According to the father Kip was seduced into the marriage having no experience with women by a woman who passed as white but didn’t tell him of her mixed-race blood. Alice claims she did not hide the fact she has at least one black parent and the couple is in love.

The grounds for annulment were Alice married into this prominent family for the money and social standing she would receive with the marriage.
What follows is flashbacks of the couple’s relationship and the long trial case.
As you can imagine the trial drags on and on with Alice’s name being drawn through the mud and her spineless husband not sticking up for himself or his wife.

Sex, lies, prejudice, race and class, just as relevant today as they were back nearly a century ago when this trial took place figure prominently into the story.

Pub Date 22 Nov 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Stratton is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. His feature film work includes writing and producing Slam, which won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance and the Camera d’Or at Cannes. Stratton also wrote and produced Whiteboyz for Fox Searchlight. He recently completed an adaptation of the non-fiction bestseller Facing the Wind.

Age: 77 years old

Birthday: 30 November

Born: 30 November, 1946

Occupation: producer,writer,actor

Thank you for stopping in. Have a marvelous day.

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STACKING THE SHELVES

Photo by Pegah Sharifi: https://www.pexels.com

STACKING THE SHELVES

Stacking The Shelves is 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, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks! Hosted at Reading Reality.

NETGALLEY GRABS

LIBRARY CHECKOUTS

Husband’s book checkout

Husband’s book checkout

I didn’t really add a lot to my shelves this week. I’m finishing up a book from 2021 for Berkley from NetGalley. I’m also starting to read books for my blog tours for next month then I’ll be concentrating on books either taking place in Ireland or having to do with St. Patrick’s Day. Of course, I do have a few to read from publishers on NetGalley who don’t like you to be late with their reviews but not naming names 🙂

Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping in.

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While the City Sleeps (The Women of Midtown): (Gilded Age Christian Historical Romance Fiction Set in New York City)

352 pages Bethany House publishers February 13,2024 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Amid the hushed city, two hearts must navigate danger and deception, bound by a love that outshines the stars.

Katherine Schneider’s life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar.

Jonathan has harbored powerful feelings toward Katherine for years but never acted on them, knowing his dark history is something she could never abide. Now, with her safety on the line, he works alongside her through the nights as they unravel the criminal conspiracy that threatens her . . . even as he keeps his deepest secrets hidden at all costs.

MY THOUGHTS

This is now my favorite book by this author as it has absolutely blown me away. So much happening in the book, it’s pretty much nonstop action and I swear at one point I was sweating and holding my breath because of the danger. Danger, intrigue and a fascinating story taking place quite a bit at night while the city sleeps.

We get to visit the underground subway and get an up close and personal view of the different functions of the NYC police department and the danger they put themselves into. The story made me think of my son as he’s an officer as well. Just like in this time period many people don’t respect LEO’s.

Touching on many subjects such as bomb making, and the mafia I found the book utterly fascinating. I will say the addition of the owl and her babies added a special touch to the story.

Many things in the book are based on actual past history which I am always glad to read about and learn from. The characters are well suited for each other. Nighttime NY city life vividly brough to life like you haven’t seen in a historical fiction before. This needs to be your next read.

Pub Date 13 Feb 2024
I was given a complimentary copy of the book.
All opinions expressed are my own opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.

Have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping in.

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Thank you to my friend Susan for this awesome tag. Check out her blog here

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Chasing the Horizon (A Western Light Book #1): (A Suspenseful Historical Western Romance Set on the 1800’s Oregon Trail)

296 pages Bethany House publishers February 13,2024 publish date

MY THOUGHTS

I have not read a great wagon train historical fiction in some years. It’s funny because I was just talking to my husband the other day about how I’ve missed reading these types of stories and stories about pioneers recently. I’ve been reading a lot of WWII stories recently and while I do enjoy them it’s nice to have a variety in my historical fiction so I’m glad the author has written this book.


I’ve been reading this author’s books for so long and I can always count on a fabulous and realistic story that has you feeling as though you’re there and can talk to the characters. In this case I could feel the danger the characters are in, for example the wagons as they are fording the streams. This is something we wouldn’t worry about today, but the author writes it in with such authenticity.

How easily someone could be admitted to an asylum while claiming the person was having hysterics and paying off a doctor is just wrong. There was danger filled times and joyful times and I enjoyed the book a lot. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Pub Date 13 Feb 2024
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages and Sophie’s daughters, and has man other books.

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

Find Mary online at:

Her website: maryconnealy.com

Her blog for aspiring writers: Seekerville

Her blog for lovers of western romance: Petticoats & Pistols

Sign up for her newsletter at maryconnealy.com/newsletter

Mary is on Facebook at facebook.com/maryconnealy

And Twitter at twitter.com/maryconnealy

Have a marvelous day. Thanks for stopping in.

Adorable tag given to me by my friend Susan. Please check out her blog here .

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Blog Tour for: The Only Light in London by Lily Graham 

Book Description:

She took him in when no one else would. She didn’t expect to fall in love…

London 1939. As war casts a dark shadow in his homeland Germany, journalist Sebastien wanders the grey fog-filled streets. His heart breaks as he remembers his hurried goodbye to his mother and sister. But even if everyone in London looks at him with suspicion in their eyes, he knows he made the right choice. It was the only way to keep his family safe from the Nazis hunting him…

When he sees a notice for a lodger in a pretty house on a cobbled street, he doesn’t allow hope to flare within him. He’s been rejected at every door he’s knocked on. But when Finley, with her warm brown eyes and sparkling smile, agrees to rent him the room, he allows himself to see a chink of light in the darkness. And as they grow closer over cups of cocoa in the cosy kitchen, love begins to develop.

Sebastien knows that he can’t stay hidden in Finley’s warmth forever though. He has to join the fight. It’s the only way to save his family and put a stop to the horrors in the country he once called home. When he leaves, they promise to keep their hope and love alive.

But Finley has something that she hasn’t been able to tell Sebastien; something that makes her life alone in the city all the more dangerous. And as the bombs rain down in London, and Sebastien risks his life in France, will she ever get the chance to share her secret with him?

A completely life-affirming and tear-jerking read about love, friendship and being a light for those who need to brave the dark. Fans of The Nightingale and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society will fall in love with The Only Light in London.

VISIT OTHER BLOGS ON THE TOUR

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve read a lot of WWII books and while I do enjoy them, I also enjoy the originality I’ve come to expect while reading this author’s books. I just finished The Last Restaurant in Paris by this author, and I was excited to see what the author would offer with this book. Once again, she provides an informative and unique reading experience.

While about WWII the book doesn’t focus on the fighting and violence as many books do. Though including some tension fraught moments, I enjoyed getting to know the characters in a more relaxed atmosphere of the day-to-day life.


A young man, Sebastian is forced to flee Germany just because he is Jewish, leaving behind his family including his young 12-year-old sister. Hoping to make his way working as he settles into London; he’ll send for his family as soon as he has the funds to do so.


When things take an unexpected and embarrassing turn at his living quarters he’s forced to move. A spare room turns into up at Finley’s home, a woman he had previously met. I enjoyed reading about the theater and the practices. The author brings all the characters to life including the sacrifices they’ve made, and the love shown. Very compelling read. The author has a special way of writing that draws you in and makes you want to just keep reading.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio:

Lily has been telling stories since she was a child, starting with her imaginary rabbit, Stephanus, and their adventures in the enchanted peach tree in her garden, which she envisioned as a magical portal to Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree. She’s never really got out of the habit of making things up, and still thinks of Stephanus rather fondly.

She lives with her husband and her English bulldog, Fudge, and brings her love for the sea and country-living to her fiction.

https://www.facebook.com/LilyRoseGrahamAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/lilygrahamauthor

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Lily Graham here: https://www.bookouture.com/lily-graham

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0CN13SXTNsocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo

Thanks for stopping in. Have a great day.

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The Lost Girls of Ireland: A heart-warming and feel-good page-turner set in Ireland (Starlight Cottages Book 1) 

286 pages Bookouture publisher May 5, 2021 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

A heart-warming story about family secrets and one woman’s escape to dreamy Sandy Cove on the stunning west coast of Ireland.

The picturesque beach of Wild Rose Bay is the last place Lydia Butler thought she’d be. But having just lost everything, the run-down cottage she inherited from her Great Aunt Nellie is the only place she can take her daughter, Sunny. Hidden away in a tiny Irish village, she can protect Sunny from the gossip in Dublin, and the real reason they have nowhere else to live…

The cottage is part of the old coastguard station and other eccentric residents are quick to introduce themselves when Lydia arrives. Lydia instantly feels less alone, fascinated by the stories they have about Nellie, and she’s charmed by American artist, Jason O’Callaghan, the mysterious man who lives next door.

But the longer Lydia relaxes under the moonlit sky, the more the secret she’s keeping from Sunny threatens to come out. And as she finds herself running into Jason’s arms, she knows she must be honest and face up to the past she has tried to forget. Has she finally found people who will truly accept her, or will the truth force her to leave the cottage for good?

Will transport you to Ireland to relax on the shore and stare at the perfect emerald waters. The Lost Girls of Ireland is perfect for readers of Debbie Macomber, Sheila O’Flanagan and Mary Alice Monroe.

This novel can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Photo by Tomi Partanen: https://www.pexels.com

MY THOUGHTS

Sandy Cove on the west coast of Ireland along with the picturesque beach of Wild Rose Bay sounds like somewhere I’d really love to visit. My grandmother’s mother came on a boat from Galway when she was 16 to America and I would really love to explore the land of my ancestors. It sounds so wonderful in Ireland.


Living in Dublin until the death of her husband, Lydia Butler, who found out after his death, he had done a terrible thing flees with her daughter Sunny to Sandy Cove. There is the run-down cottage Great Aunt Nellie has left her, with little else, she is ready to make a new life for her and her daughter after the scandal.


Her daughter is a typical young teen, a bit uncertain in her new school but upbeat and smart and willing to make new friends.
Typical day to day life follows Lydia as she looks for small jobs to do to keep herself and her daughter afloat. I even liked Helen, the doctor’s wife, though she is a bit persnickety.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the area so much, the beach sounds lovely and the friendly neighbors so welcoming.

There is a possible love interest for Lydia when she is open to the possibility with next door neighbor Jason who is so compassionate and understanding. He occupies his time as a woodworker. I am looking forward to more books in this heartwarming series.

Pub Date 05 May 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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Wreck the Halls: By Tessa Bailey

368 pages Avon publisher October 3,2023 publish date

ABOUT THE BOOK

Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show. 

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.  

MY THOUGHTS

Wreck the Halls is another book by a new to me author I wanted to try. There is something to be said about trying new to you authors, there’s also something to be said about staying with the authors you are familiar with and enjoy. This was another author that a lot of people seem to like with a lot of reviews.

If you’re looking for a book that gives you Christmas vibes and you feel like you’re wrapped in Christmas, this one isn’t it. With that said, I thought the plot was lacking and by lacking, I mean almost nonexistent. What the author was trying to convey could have been made into about a 150 page, or less book. This had over 300.

I think the author was trying to go for cute and clever, maybe, with the main characters names. Beat and Melody. You can draw your own conclusion with the names. Beat and Melody are the son and daughter of two big name singing stars who were pregnant at the same time.

The band broke up and the two women have refused to speak to each other ever since. Beat is being blackmailed and each time he has to pay a higher fee to keep his mother’s name from being smeared. The women haven’t seen each other in years but there is a real push to have them reunite onstage for a Christmas show. With a romance between the adult children of such rock superstars you can imagine the chaos that ensues.

There were some heartwarming scenes, and this book may be just right for you.

Pub Date 03 Oct 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Bailey can solve all problems except for her own, so she focuses those efforts on stubborn, fictional blue collar men and loyal, lovable heroines. She lives on Long Island avoiding the sun and social interactions, then wonders why no one has called. Dubbed the “Michelangelo of dirty talk,” by Entertainment Weekly, Tessa writes with spice, spirit, swoon and a guaranteed happily ever after. Catch her on TikTok at @authortessabailey or check out tessabailey.com for a complete list of books.

Hope your weekend is going great. Thanks for stopping in.