Book Review Round-Up (#29)

Danger of the Atlantic (A Jane Wunderly Mystery #3) by Erica Ruth Neubauer

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I realized because I was so late in my June wrap-up last month, I already wrote about this one in last month’s review!

Flawless (Chestnut Springs, #1) by Elsie Silver

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Ummmm hahahahaha! You guys, this book was … so stinkin’ close to being a 5-star for me. It was almost perfect, and I 100% get how so many people in the romance/smut book community recommended this one.

Check out my full review for more.

A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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I didn’t write a full review of this book on GoodReads but I remember it well because it was so entertaining. The Countess of Harleigh’s (Frances) husband died during an affair which would have ruined her reputation. The mistress and Frances thought fast and recruited help from a gentleman (George) of her late husband.

Since her husband’s death, she’s been expected to remain a part of the family and continue to pay for the upkeep of Harleigh’s estate. Realizing the family is taking advantage of her and her own family’s money, Frances decides to be the ultimate feminist and move out on her own with her daughter to rejoin society. But! She wasn’t expecting her new neighbor to be a dashing George who once rescued her before. (Great chemistry, by the way.)

Naturally, they uncover her husband’s death may not have been a heart attack but murder. Especially when death starts to follow Frances to her new home.

Loved it and can’t wait to pick up the next one.

Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon

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Another one I didn’t have time to review on Goodreads.

Guys, I wanted to love this novella but it was just okay for me. I didn’t get the chemistry everyone else seemed to. I found Rafe… … just… blah?

It’s possible it’s because he’s not my type. He loves kids, which I love in a man, and even though he was pro-feminism and anti-toxic masculinity… there was something off about him for me.

Sloan though is a Queen. Dealing with a terrible ex who is the epitome of toxic masculinity. Not to mention suppression. Everything is done for him and his reputation. Doesn’t matter who gets hurt. I picked this book up because of how many people recommended it but I didn’t love it. It was just okay. I think it got over-hyped.

Ruby Spencer’s Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow

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I wanted to love this book. I love the cover, the synopsis, the idea, everything.

This book was a bit too long for me. It read reallllly slowly. So slowly I had to return the physical copy to the library and pick up the audiobook from Libby.

That said, I also found the book predictable but in a cozy way. You feel triumphant when everything is exposed. I genuinely understood where Ruby was coming from, as she’s around my age and going through a lot of the same things I am. Still fun, and thrilled this book took me to Scotland for free, just by reading about it.

The Plot is Murder by V.M. Burns

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I loved how this cozy POC murder mystery was about a writer writing about a cozy murder mystery! It was like a two-for-one! Who did it? Times 2!

That said, I would recommend this book to any cozy mystery lover. It was really fun and I loved the writing, narrator, and the plot. I don’t want to give anything away so pick this one up!!

Heartless (Chestnut Springs #2) by Elise Silver

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This one got a solid 3 stars from me. I wanted so much for this to be higher. I’m a sucker for a single dad trope but I absolutely hate age gaps that hyper-focus on them. Like, we GET IT… she’s early twenties and he’s 38.

That said there were a lot of things I loved. Check out my full review for more.

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

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Gosh, this month was so tough, I barely wrote GoodReads reviews….

Okay, so I loved this book. Hannah is funny, quirky, and just enough weird that you adore her. She’s had a rough few months with her mother passing, her jerk of a boyfriend dumping her the day after the funeral, and her best friend … well, not being the best.

Hannah needs to take a vacation but doesn’t know how because she’s work-obsessed. She’s pushed to take a job as A-list actor Jack Stapleton’s bodyguard and fake girlfriend.

Again, I loved this book. It moved fast, really fast, and I listened to it on a road trip to Oregon. It kept me entertained the whole time. I loved the action element and how the MCs really got to know each other and opened up to each other while staying at Jack’s family farm.