The Fake Santa Apology Tour by Julie Olivia

 

The Fake Santa Apology Tour

by Julie Olivia

My Rating:  4/5 Stars

Book Synopsis: I'm Birdie Mae, and let's skip to the weird part of my story: Short-term relationships with good looking Santas are kind of my thing.  And Nicholas Ryan is the good looking Santa I really don't need in my life.

They say the spirit of Christmas finds you on holiday vacations, but instead I run into the only person who could get my Christmas lights twisted: Freaking Nicholas.  A man I haven't seen in twenty years and who I never wanted to see again.  Except now he's my hot bartender, complete with a silver-fox beard, a twinkle in his eye, and looking a lot like my kryptonite: jingle belling Santa Claus.

It's five days until Christmas, I'm stuck in a snowy town straight out of a Hallmark movie, and my ultimate goal?  Avoid the Grinch who stole all my Christmases and pretend that our chemistry is is ply just the magic of Christmas in the air.

My Review: What a fun story!  This book is a bit quirky, a lot of fun, and full of holiday spirit!  Santa, personally, is my least favorite thing about the Christmas season, however, I was intrigued when I first saw this book!  I'm so glad that I picked it up!  A novella in length, this is just the book to get you into the holiday spirit!  Birdie Mae (what a fun name!) is quite the character!  The book starts with a bad run in with the mall Santa many years prior and leads to Birdie Mae falling for her own fake Santa!  I really enjoyed this link and kind of wish it was longer!  I'd love to read more about Birdie Mae in the future!  While Birdie Mae and I have nothing in common, I still felt like I could relate to parts of this story, and I enjoyed that aspect!  Make sure to add this Christmas romance to your reading list today!

I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

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Anticipated 2022 Romance and Women's Fiction Releases

I'm always looking for new releases and I enjoy when people make lists like this.  I've decided to do some research, find some upcoming releases that look good, and put together my own new release guide.  The following list is not exhaustive, but includes some of the books I'm most looking forward to reading in 2022.  I'll be adding to this list as I find more books.

The following key is used at the end of each book to note the genre of the book.  For books that fall into more than one category, I've just chosen what seems to be the main genre.  As I read books on this list, they will be marked bold.  For early release reads, books were received from NetGalley and I thank the publishers for these early reads.

(R) Romance

(S) Romantic Suspense

(W) Women's Fiction

(M) Mystery and Thriller

(C) Cozy Mystery

(H) Historical Fiction

January

1 - Digging Up Love by Chandra Blumberg (R)

4 - Invisible by Danielle Steel (W)

4 - Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner (M)

4 - Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins (M)

4 - A Stranger's Game by Colleen Coble (M)

4 - The Perfect Escape by Leah Konen (M)

4 - Life Flight by Lynette Eason (S)

10 - The Holiday Plan by Emma Lynden (R)

11 - The Family You Make by Jill Shalvis (R)

11 - Bad Luck Bridesmaid by Alison Rose Greenberg (W)

15 - Nine Lives by Peter Swanson (M)

18 - How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan (R)

18 - The Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon (R)

18 - Must Love Books by Shauna Richardson (W)

18 - Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne (R)

18 - Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover (R)

18 - The Divorce Party by Laura Dave (W)

25 - Running Wild by K.A. Tucker (R)

25 - The Roughest Draft by Emma Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (R)

25 - The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson (R)

25 - Bold Love by Lauren Accardo (R)

25 - Something's Guava Give by Carrie Doyle (C)

25 - Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly (C)

February 

1 - Lease on Love by Falon Ballard (R)

1- Out of the Blue by Alison Bliss (R)

1 - The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz (W)

1 - Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano (M)

8 - With Love From London by Sarah Jio (R)

15 - One Night on the Island by Josie Silver (R)

15 - Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson (R)

15 - The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki (H)

15 - Beach Wedding by Michael Ledwidge (M)

15 - The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley (M)

22 - The Reunion by Meghan Quinn (R)

March

1 - A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings (R)

1 - The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith (W)

1 - Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (R)

7 - Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson (M)

8 - The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (M)

8 - If You Ask Me by Libby Hubscher (R)

8 - The Suite Spot by Trish Dollar (R)

15 - Sadie on a Plate by Amanda Elliot (R)

29 - The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey (H)

29 - Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills (R)

29 - A Wedding on Sunshine Corner by Phoebe Mills (R)

29 - Welcome to the School by the Sea by Jenny Colgan (W)

April 

5 - Out of His League by Caroline Richardson (R)

5 - Love from Scratch by Kaitlyn Hill (R)

5 - Stuck on You by Fortune Whelan (R)

5 - Know You By Heart by Tif Marcelo (R)

5 - The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth (M)

19 - Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (R)

26 - One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose (M)

May

3 - Book Lovers by Emily Henry (R)

10 - Set on You by Amy Lea (R)

10 - Bear Witness by Lark O. Jenson (C)

24 - A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña (R)

June

7 - As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr (R)

14 - How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder (R)

21 - Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley (R)

28 - American Royalty by Tracey Livesay (R)

28 - Something Blue by Heather McGovern (R)

July 

5 - Paradise Girls by Sandy Gingras (R)

19 - From the Jump by Lacie Waldon (R)

19 - The Bodyguard by Katherine Center (R)

26 - Booked on a Feeling by Jayci Lee (R)

August

16 - Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst (R)

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Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery

 

Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery

by Raj Holder

My Rating:  5/5 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis: Eddie and Molly-Jean are next door neighbors and best friends. One Saturday, Eddie's mom sends him up to the attic to get his great-grandpa's most prized possession (a book, of course). Eddie and Molly-Jean are suddenly transported to India where they must use their word knowledge to solve a mystery and help a new friend save his school. This new series will follow the two best friends as they discover the hidden stories behind common words. Using their Awesome Enchanted Book and a healthy dose of imagination, the daring duo transport themselves to exotic locales, always encountering new adventures and learning how different cultures have contributed to the English language along the way.

My Review: I really loved this story! As a teacher, I'm always looking for fun, educationally based stories for my students. This book is perfect! It felt very much like the books of The Magic Treehouse series in many ways, and I think that students will be able to connect with this because of the love and popularity of those books. I think that the book itself was the perfect length for grade school readers, and there were plenty of fun illustrations for them to enjoy while reading. As an adult, I learned a lot while reading this! I love the concept of learning the origins of some of our commonly used words! This is the first book in the series, and I can't wait for more. I'll definitely be adding this series to my classroom!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Leave a Comment children's fiction, SOURCEBOOKS Kids

Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr.

Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon
by Ray Rhodes Jr.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis: While many Christians recognize the name of Charles H. Spurgeon, the beloved preacher and writer, few are familiar with the life and legacy of his wife, Susie.  Yet Susannah Spurgeon was an accomplished and devout woman of God who had a tremendous ministry in her own right, as well as in support of her husband.  Even while dealing with serious health issues, she administered a book fund for poor pastors, edited and published her husband's sermons and other writings, led a pastor's aid ministry, wrote five books, made her home a hub of hospitality, and was instrumental in planting a church.  And as her own writing attests, she was also a warm, charming, and fascinating woman. 

Now for the first time, Susie brings this vibrant woman's story to modern readers.  Ray Rhodes Jr. examines Susannah's life, showing that she was not only the wife of London's most famous preacher, but also a woman who gave all she had in grateful service to the Lord.

Susie is an inspiring and encouraging account of a truly remarkable woman of faith that will delight Spurgeon devotees and fans of Christian biographies alike.

My Review: Charles Spurgeon is a well loved preacher from the 19th century.  In fact, Spurgeon was known as "the Prince of Preachers," for obvious reasons.  Many Christians know and love his preaching.  But not many know much about the woman behind the preacher -- Susannah.  This book introduces you to Susannah Spurgeon, the wife of Charles Spurgeon - not Charles Spurgeon's wife, Susannah.  Susie was a woman of much love - love for the gospel, the church, and her husband.  She shared in her husband's ministry and was an important asset to preachers around the world up until the day she died.  She is a remarkable woman that you definitely need to read about.

I could only find two downsides to this book.  One of those was the structure of how the book was written.  Instead of chronologically going through Susie's life, the author themed each chapter which caused the story to be a choppy telling of Susannah Spurgeon's life.  It was hard to follow at places due to the choppy format.  Also, there were some sections where Charles Spurgeon took the spotlight more than I feel he should have for this book.  While I didn't mind reading about him, and his was definitely an important person in this book, there were some places where I would have loved to read more from Susie's perspective on the events of the chapter.  Overall, this was a very enjoyable book to read and I loved learning more about Susannah Spurgeon. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.  All opinions are my own.

Leave a Comment biography, christian, Moody Publishers

One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline

One Perfect Lie
by Lisa Scottoline

My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis: A handsome stranger moves to the small Pennsylvania town of Central Valley, and his name is Chris Brennan.  He's applying for a job as a teacher and varsity baseball coach at the local high school, and he looks perfect, on paper.  But his name is an alias, his resume is false, and everything about him is a lie.  And he has a secret plan - for which he needs a pawn on the baseball team.

Susan Sematov loves her younger son Raz, the quirky and free-spirited pitcher of the team.  But Raz's adored father died only a few months ago, and the family is grief-stricken.  Secretly, Raz is looking to fill the Daddy-shaped hole in his heart.

Heather Larkin is a struggling single mother who's dedicated to her only son Justin, the quiet rookie on the team.  But Justin's shy and reserved nature renders him vulnerable to attention, including that of a new father-figure.

Mindy Kostis is the wife of a busy surgeon and the queen bee of the baseball boosters, where her super-popular son Evan is the star catcher.  But she doesn't realize that Evan's sense of entitlement is becoming a full-blown case of affluenza, and after he gets his new BMW, it's impossible to know where he's going - or whom he's spending time with.

The lives of these families revolve around the baseball team - and Chris Brennan.  What does he really want?  How far will he go to get it?  Who among them will survive the lethal jeopardy threatening them, from the shadows? 

Enthralling and suspenseful, One Perfect Lie is an emotional thriller and a suburban crime story that will keep readers riveted to the shocking end, with killer twists and characters you won't soon forget.

My Review: This was my first Lisa Scottoline book and it definitely won't be my last!  I listened to the audiobook of this while in the car and man, it did not disappoint!  The One Perfect Lie is full of twist and turns, and lots of lies that make this story a sit on the edge of your seat thriller and I couldn't stop listening to - I even wanted to drive out of my way sometimes just to keep listening - and I hate driving!  I was captivated from the first chapter and it continued with the rest of the book, even though nothing ended like I thought it might!  Full of action, romance, mystery, and more, this is one you will not want to miss!

Leave a Comment mystery & thrillers, St. Martin's Press

The Memory House by Rachel Hauck

The Memory House
by Rachel Hauck

My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis: When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that, either.

Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.

Fifty years separate the women but through the power of love and miracle of faith, they each find healing in a beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.

My Review: The Memory House was a beautifully written story about love, loss, and forgiveness.  Rachel Hauck is an amazing writer and she is becoming one of my favorites!  I look forward to each of her new books.  The Memory House is no exception.  Hopping back and forth between two different time periods, we learn about the lives of two women - Beck and Everleigh.  

Beck, a cop in New York who has no memories of the past, including her father who died in the 9/11 tragedy, is on a leave of absence when she finds out that she has inherited the house of a woman she doesn't know in Florida.  She travels down to claim her inheritance and ends up reuniting with an old friend.  Through some ups and downs, this old friend helps her discover all that she has lost.

Everleigh is happily married with a child on the way when the unimaginable happens.  After losing her husband and her baby, she falls into a rut and finds herself living with her mother.  It isn't until she runs into an old friend that she finally finds what she needs to move on from her boring day to day routines.

The big question?  How are these two ladies connected?  Why did Everleigh leave Beck her house?  Through this story, we learn how both of these women had to truly find themselves and take uncomfortable risks to move away from the past.  This was a great read with relatable characters and a super engaging plot.  This book releases on April 2, 2019 and its one to add to your to read list!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.  

Leave a Comment christian, HarperCollins, romance

Long Way Gone by Charles Martin

Long Way Gone

by Charles Martin

My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis: At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O'Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent.  But his wager soon proved foolish.

Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song.  But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career.  With nowhere else to go, he returns to his remote home in the Colorado Mountains, searching for answers about this father and his faith.

When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it's too late to tell her the truth about his past -- and if he is ready to face it.

A radical retelling of the story of the prodigal son, Long Way Gone takes us from tent revivals to the Ryman Auditorium to the tender relationship between a broken man and the father who never stopped calling him home.

My Review: This was my first Charles Martin book, but I've been interested in reading his books for a while.  It didn't take long to realize that he is the Christian version on Nicholas Sparks, which I'm okay with, as I really enjoy Nicholas Sparks' books.  Martin's story was less predictable and had faith elements weaved throughout the story, which I really enjoyed.  This book was broken up into three sections, two were present day, and the middle section was the past, which provided the backstory and was the meat of this book.  One thing that I learned from reading this book is that Charles Martin has a way with words - his writing is profound and much of what was said were things that I pulled out to chew over.  I highlighted quotes in this book, which I normally don't do in fiction stories.  While it is said to be a retelling of the prodigal son story, I felt that element could have been a little bit stronger throughout the story, however, I did get a sense of the story in this book.  I loved how music played a big role in this story - even so much as to be considered a main "character" in this book.  After reading this book, one definitely sees that we can never stray too far from our Father for Him to lose His love of us.  The ending of this book had me in tears reading about the love of a father and the lengths he'll go for his son.  One of my favorite parts of this book was the gospel message in the letter from the author at the end of the book.

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