The Island Club By Nicola Harrison #bookreview @stmartinspress

Overview

1956: On idyllic Balboa Island, just off the California coast, life seems peaceful and welcoming. But when the lives of three women begin to unravel in shockingly different ways, an unlikely friendship—and the game of tennis—may be the only thing that can save them.

Milly Kinkaid’s plan to fix her crumbling marriage seems to be falling apart before it even begins. She believed that moving her young family from Hollywood to Balboa Island might entice her increasingly distant husband to come home earlier after work. Instead, he’s barely coming home at all.

Society matriarch Sylvia Johnson and her husband have been pillars of their community for decades, and have just recently begun a new business venture: The Island Club, a place for members to swim, play tennis and dine in style. But when she learns that he has been risking their financial security and putting their family’s future in grave danger, she’s not only poised to lose the club, but the entire community she holds dear.

Meanwhile, standoffish loner Adele Lambert’s entire world is on the brink of being destroyed if the dark secrets of her past and her hidden identity is revealed. Twenty years ago, she ran from a shameful scandal and left behind the only thing she ever loved. Now, terrified that the anonymity she’s spent decades guarding will be exposed, but desperate to stay afloat, she risks everything to return to the game that brought her to her knees all those years before. 

Set against the sun-drenched beaches of Balboa Island, with its prim and proper 1950s facade, The Island Club is a story of love, loneliness and the lies we tell ourselves—and what can be gained when the truth is finally revealed.

Review

1956: On idyllic Balboa Island, just off the California coast, life seems peaceful and welcoming. But when the lives of three women begin to unravel in shockingly different ways, an unlikely friendship—and the game of tennis—may be the only thing that can save them.

This setting of Balboa Island is great. I have never read a story set on this island and this makes me want to book a trip.

I enjoyed this novel! This story follows three women and their families. Even though all three of these women are going through so much in their lives, my favorite is Adele! Her hidden secrets and her drive to survive just endeared me so much to her.

But don’t sleep on the other characters! They all are having major life issues and you want to take the men in their lives and slap them silly. You must read this to find out.

These three ladies are strong, intelligent and will protect their families through it all.

Need a good summer read full of drama and secrets…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Your Soulmail is Attached by Joan F. Smith #bookreview @harlequinbooks

Overview

What if everyone in the world found out who their soulmates are at the same time?

Olivia Adler’s life is picture-perfect: a behind-the-scenes job she loves in a bustling Manhattan newsroom, an engagement to golden-boy Wells, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create the documentary she’s always wanted to make.

Then one sleepless night, everything unravels.

One message on Wells’s phone shatters her engagement.

A second message—an anonymous global email quickly dubbed Soulmail—shakes the world.

Delivered to every individual on earth, Soulmail reveals the name and birthdate of their soulmates. Suddenly, love as the world knows it is rewritten overnight, and Olivia accidentally becomes the face of the phenomenon when she reports on the story live and goes viral.

With millions watching her every move, Olivia resolutely refuses to open her Soulmail. She’s not ready for fate to make her choices—especially not now. But when she crosses paths with her childhood best friend—the boy she loved and lost—everything she thought she knew about destiny, timing, and love comes into question.

Review

Wow! A soulmail! Interesting concept.

Delivered to every individual on earth, Soulmail reveals the name and birthdate of their soulmates. Suddenly, love as the world knows it is rewritten overnight, and Olivia accidentally becomes the face of the phenomenon when she reports on the story live and goes viral.

Well I have to say…this is a unique romance. Kudos to the author for coming up with this plot. This does not mean that it has some predictable parts but I love this idea.

And I love Olivia. She is someone who refuses to open her soulmail. And I love this for her. She stands her ground. But it might have saved her some heartache later…you need to read this to find out!

This is narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. She definitely brought these characters to life!

Need a unique romance to start your week…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Too Close To Home by Seraphina Nova Glass #bookreview @harlequinbooks

OVERVIEW

Those lucky enough to live in the elite lakefront community of Cloverhill Lakes are drawn to it for its safety and top-notch school district. The moms meet for coffee at the park while their kids play, they’re heavily involved in the PTA, and the summers are filled with chardonnay, brunch, sundresses, and backyard bonfires.

But everything changes when Regan Hoffman’s car explodes at the annual Labor Day party. The wrong person is killed, but it was meant for her. As the carefully crafted walls of her community begin to crumble, Regan tries to keep it together—something made infinitely harder when she sees her dead husband…alive.

When a Cloverhill Lakes resident suddenly goes missing, dark secrets begin to surface from underneath the idyllic veneer of their beautiful community—and the truth threatens to destroy them all as Regan finds herself in a fight for her life.

Review

When a Cloverhill Lakes resident suddenly goes missing, dark secrets begin to surface from underneath the idyllic veneer of their beautiful community—and the truth threatens to destroy them all as Regan finds herself in a fight for her life.

Y’all know I love a book with secrets, and this book is full of it! Not only that…this book has twists and turns that you do not see coming!

At first I was a bit lost…this has quite a few characters. But as I got to know the characters and their situations, I was hooked. I am very thankful I listened to it. The narrators, Brittany Pressley, Rebecca Lowman and Karissa Vacker, did a great job keeping the voices different for me. And I will listen to anything Karissa Vacker narrates.

Need a domestic thriller to get you through the weekend…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker #bookreview @harlequinbooks

Overview

New York Times Most Anticipated Book for 2026
USA TODAY Most Anticipated Books of 2026
Goodreads Readers’ Most Anticipated Books of 2026
Book Riot “Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026”

In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn’t always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible omen: a young foreign man who appears outside her window.

One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.

Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it.

Review

Lee Turner is on the run. He killed his college roommate and he has fled to his father’s home in Japan. But something is terribly wrong with this home! No animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn’t always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

This is a tale that just gets better and better as you go along. You are a bit confused as it starts out, but stick with it. The author creatively brings this story together.

This is told in two different time periods. As expected, I enjoyed Sen’s time period of 1877 better than present day…but don’t worry. These two time periods come together with a bang! And you do not want to miss it.

I am trying real hard not to give anything away. But y’all! This book is bewitching and creepy all at the same time. Plus it is so atmospheric. I felt like I was right there in the pages with Lee and Sen. Now, I will say this is not as much of a horror book as I expected. It melds historical fiction, culture and intrigue all into one.

The narrator is absolutely fantastic! This is narrated by Natalie Naudus and she is excellent as Sen!

Need a unique tale that will keep you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Love & Other Side Effects by Deidra Duncan #bookreview @harlequinbooks

Overview

Friendship like this should come with a warning label…
Asher Foley is an imposter—at least, that’s how it feels. The letters “MD” after his name should mean he’s confident, respected, put-together. Instead, he still feels like the class clown pretending to be a grown-up doctor.

Jocelyn Maddox is a paradox—warm, fearless, but utterly closed off. She’s lost too much already—family, love, home—and she’s not about to gamble her heart again. As an anesthesiologist, she’ll fix everyone else’s pain and refuses to feel her own. It makes Asher, her flirty best friend-slash-work husband, perfectly safe. Right?

When a surgical complication forces Asher to drop the mask and show her the man underneath, Jocelyn sees more than the jokes and easy smiles. She sees him. And suddenly, the walls she’s built to survive begin to crack—one look, one laugh, one heartbeat at a time.

Review

You can smell this plot from a mile away! Friends to lovers!

Asher is a very good physician, but honestly, he feels like he is faking it. Enter Joycelyn! As an anesthesiologist, she’ll fix everyone else’s pain and refuses to feel her own. It makes Asher, her flirty best friend-slash-work husband, perfectly safe. Right?

I enjoyed these two characters. However, Asher’s insecurities just didn’t fit his character or his job! Then there is Joycelyn. In my opinion, she toyed way too much with Asher. I wanted to slap her. And he just kept coming back for more…insert eye roll.

I know it sounds like I did not like this book, but I did. The characters are cute, along with the setting of the hospital, it is all in my wheelhouse. I just wanted more.

This is narrated by Christine Lakin and Eric Yang. They did a good job keeping this story moving!

Need a quick romance for a road trip…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Mad Mabel by sally Hepworth #bookreview @macmillanaudio @stmartinspress

Overview

From New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth comes a twisty tale of justice, redemption, and one irrepressible woman who’s not done breaking the rules just yet.

Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea―or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying. 

Because Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller―Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades. 

Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road (armed with stickers, questions, and no sense of personal boundaries); Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest―the cops are sniffing around, and the media is circling like seagulls at a picnic. 

So Mabel does what she’s always done best―she takes matters into her own hands. 

Is she a cantankerous old lady with a shady past? A cold-blooded killer with arthritis? Or just someone who’s finally ready to tell her side of the story? 

Sharp, surprising, and wickedly funny, this is the unforgettable story of a woman who’s spent a lifetime being underestimated―and is about to prove everyone wrong. Again.

Review

Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: eighty-one years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead. Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller―Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades. 

Mabel is a character you won’t soon forget!

This book is just bloody brilliant. Now, I will be honest, I had to sit on it and think about a rating. It is a bit slow at the first. But the more you become invested in Mabel and her life story the better this book becomes. And this ending….oh Lordy! You must read this to find out!

And as serious as some of this story is, Mad Mabel will keep the reader on their toes and laughing at her comments, especially the ones towards young Persephone. Their interactions cracked me up.

This is narrated by Hannah Fredericksen and Jenny Seedsman. Both of these narrators are great and I do not know which one is Mabel….but she did a fabulous job.

Need a story that will make you laugh, break your heart and keep you guessing…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Last One Out by Jane Harper #bookreview @macmillanaudio

Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Exiles and The Dry comes a captivating new novel set in a modern ghost town.

Carralon Ridge, a once vibrant village in rural New South Wales, has become a shell of itself, its houses and buildings bought up and left to rot by the mining company operating at its borders. A decade into its slow death, surrounded by industrial noise and swathed in thick layers of dust, the skeletal town is all but abandoned, with just a handful of residents clinging onto what remains.

After years of scorning those who left the Ridge behind as it fell into ruin, Ro never imagined she’d become one of them. But everything changed when she lost her son. Five years ago, Sam vanished while visiting during a break from college, leaving behind a rental car with his belongings inside. Sam had loved Carralon Ridge, and had been working on an oral history of the town to preserve its legacy before it vanished altogether. It wasn’t long after his disappearance that the rest of the family began to crumble away too.

But when Ro returns to Carralon Ridge to be with her husband and daughter on the anniversary of Sam’s disappearance, she begins to suspect that something important was overlooked in his case. Because while nothing can stop Carralon Ridge from dying, someone seems to want to make sure that its secrets die with it.

Review

Five years ago, Sam vanished while visiting during a break from college, leaving behind a rental car with his belongings inside. Sam had loved Carralon Ridge, and had been working on an oral history of the town to preserve its legacy before it vanished altogether. It wasn’t long after his disappearance that the rest of his family began to crumble away too.

I am struggling to write this review. I like Jane Harper. But this one fell a bit short for me. It is slow, repetitive and I felt very little connection to the characters.

This is a story about grief, family and a dying town. Did I say it was repetitive…yes…it is a bit repetitive, especially where the dying town is concerned. And the ending…you find out what happened to Sam because of the “kindness” in someone’s heart…it just did not fit, in my opinion.

This is narrated by Angeline Armstrong. She had a good voice for every character!

I received this novel for a honest review.

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The Creek, The Crone, and The Crow by Leah Weiss #audiobook #bookreview

Overview

An impressive blend of history, folklore, and imagination.” -Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author

An outsider to the Carolina hills inherits a gift that could change everything for her village on the verge of dying, from the author NPR said “writes with a deep knowledge of the enduring myths of Appalachia…vividly portraying real people and sorrows.”

Welcome to Baines Creek, a humble hamlet hidden deep in Appalachia, where the last one-room schoolhouse in North Carolina is on the brink of closing. It’s summer 1980, and teacher Kate Shaw has lived in Baines Creek for ten years. A skeptic at heart, she rejects mountain superstition and Appalachian folklore, much to the disappointment of Birdie Rocas, a powerful and reclusive witch with a trove of secrets. Yet, as Kate prepares to leave, a sudden death, a shocking request, and a legacy that spans centuries throw her into a world that overwhelms her.

Enter Lydia Brown, a psychic with a curious birthmark whose visions stopped when she needed them most. Grief-stricken without her gift, and desperate for spiritual guidance, she travels to Baines Creek in search of Birdie and the answers she might provide. The third novel by acclaimed author Leah Weiss, The Creek, The Crone, and the Crow is the tale of a powerful crone, two women cut from the cloth of loss, and a secret sisterhood of empowerment that may be the key to healing them all.

Review

It’s summer 1980, and teacher Kate Shaw has lived in Baines Creek for ten years. A skeptic at heart, she rejects mountain superstition and Appalachian folklore, much to the disappointment of Birdie Rocas, a powerful and reclusive witch with a trove of secrets. Yet, as Kate prepares to leave, a sudden death, a shocking request, and a legacy that spans centuries throw her into a world that overwhelms her.

I liked this story but it does seem a bit heavy on the descriptions. But it is unique and it definitely has some creepy vibes, especially where Birdie is concerned. But, I am not going to lie, I did zone out a time or two. I did enjoy the folklore and the weird happenings!

This is narrated by Kate Forbes. She did a good job. There are a lot of voices and she is very distinctive with all of them.

Need a book set in the Appalachian area…THIS IS IT. Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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The Lost Story Of Via Belle by Melanie Dobson #bookreview

Overview

Searching for a story to adapt for film, an aspiring screenwriter becomes captivated by a bestselling classic novel and the mysterious disappearance of the woman who wrote it.

1940. Via Belle’s sweet romance novels made readers believe in happily ever after. But Via’s reality was much more complicated. While her first husband was alive, her creativity thrived in a beautiful stone estate situated above a pristine lake and moonflower garden. After his tragic death and a whirlwind second marriage shrouded in secrets, Via vanished from public life, leaving behind a shadow of scandal . . . and her final story.

2006. Screenwriter Harper Rayne is desperate for a breakthrough, if only she can find the right story to tell. But when she digs into the life of her late mother’s favorite novelist, she never expects it to become personal. Drawn to the quaint Pennsylvania town where both her mother and Via once lived, Harper discovers more than a mystery to solve—she finds echoes of her own longing for love, healing, and home. As long-buried secrets come to light, Harper must decide if she’ll protect the past or rewrite this particular ending.

Review

This is told in two different time lines, 2006 and 1940. This follows Harper as she struggles to become a screenwriter and Via Belle, a famous novelist in the 1940s.

Via Belle is a fascinating character. She has lost her husband so she lives with her elderly aunt. And when Via falls in love with Simon, everything is great…until it isn’t. Simon is a bit of a scoundrel! I wanted to jerk him baldheaded at times.

I loved Harper! She is a bit of a hot mess at first. But just hang on, when she gets her feet under her, she does not take no for an answer.

This is a bit of a “sweet” read but I enjoyed how it unfolded. It does start bit slow but when it kicks in, you will not be able to stop!

Need a story which is a bit of a family mystery with great characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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More Than Friends by Denise Hunter #bookreview @tnfiction

Overview

Jenna Greene just ended things with her boyfriend . . . which also ended her career. (That’s the risk a girl takes when her boyfriend doubles as her boss.) With no income and no job prospects in sight, Jenna is forced to return to her mother’s house on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, to figure out what’s next. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Jenna’s widowed mother has just returned from a cruise–with a brand-new boyfriend in tow. But there’s something off about the guy. His story doesn’t quite add up, and he keeps sneaking off to make suspicious phone calls and borrowing money from her too-trusting mother.

In search of some investigative help, Jenna turns to her childhood BFF, Tyson Parker, who lives and works in town. Still reeling from his wife’s infidelity, Tyson is doing his best to heal from the pain of divorce. He’s made a name for himself on the island as a volunteer firefighter and one of the much-admired saltwater cowboys who looks after Chincoteague’s wild ponies. Oh, and he turned out to be more than a tiny bit attractive–besides being almost-too-good-to-be-true sweet and caring.

Growing up, the uber-competitive Jenna was always accepted as one of the guys. But things have changed between her and Tyson, and he’s now looking at her through new eyes. Jenna suddenly feels like a leading lady on a movie set–only with way less composure.

But Jenna also has old wounds that make these new feelings seem fraught with peril. Is she willing to open her heart and see where love might lead? Or will she let her hesitant heart hold her back?

Review

Jenna Greene just ended things with her boyfriend . . . which also ended her career. Jenna is forced to return to her mother’s house on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, to figure out what’s next. She ends up reconnecting with her childhood BFF, Tyson. It doesn’t take long for things to change between these two, for the better!

Oh y’all…this setting of Chincoteague Island, Virginia is amazing. I have never heard of this place. So, of course I had to look it up. And yes! It is there and it has real wild horses. I am now planning a trip!

Not only is this setting unique. These characters are so enjoyable. I loved Jenna and Tyson. And yes, they have some miscommunications but they are so cute together.

This is an easy, quick read and it would be great for the beach or a road trip!

Kim Churchill is the narrator. I have listened to quite a few of her narrations. She does a really wonderful job.

Need a good romance with a great setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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