Category: Book Review

Book Review:: The Wife Upstairs | Rachel Hawkins

One of my top books of all time is Jane Eyre, so do I think you should read this modern, exaggerated, twisted novel that heavily draws upon it for inspiration?

Hell yes.

The Wife Upstairs Rachel Hawkins Book Cover

Jane has run away from her old life in Arizona and has taken a job as a dog walker in the ultra-chic suburban neighborhood of Thornfield Heights (already getting good, amiright?). One day she runs into a new man, Eddie Rochester. When she finds out he’s a widower and at least intrigued by her, she decides to wiggle herself into his life, which she convinces herself she deserves. His wife, B(ertha), and her BFF Blanch Ingram, disappeared from a boat on a trip to the lake several months back (hello nod to Rebecca). The investigation is ongoing, but Jane doesn’t let that stop her. Eddie gets a new dog (Adele) and hires Jane to walk her. Before long, their affair is hot and heavy and the neighbors are talking. She’s moved out of her dingy apartment she shared with her foster brother John Rivers and has installed herself into Eddie’s house. But that’s not enough. The other women in the neighborhood won’t accept her as one of them until she has a ring on her finger…

I forgot just how many Jane Eyre references there are in this book until I recently reread it. Each one is like a little Easter Egg, but the kind that’s just thrown on the lawn for the youngsters to find instead of actually hidden. This book is loud and proud about what it is. If you have any familiarity at all with the classic gothic romance, you’ll catch on pretty quickly. And we all know the twist from that book…

The Jane in The Wife Upstairs is the exact opposite of Our Lady Jane. She is a kleptomaniac and obsessed with how others perceive her. She manipulates and gaslights and convinces herself when all is said and done, she will be happy. And she gets what she wants…somehow, things come a little too easily to her.

Rachel Hawkins is so good at mastering a tone of something-just-isn’t-right-here. The investigation of the two women’s disappearances put off Daphne DuMaurier’s Rebecca vibes both in the suspicions and manor of…what happened. If you haven’t read Rebecca – come on. That is gothic lit Required Reading (But be forewarned, you won’t get that first read back, so savor it the first time!). Being in a relationship with B’s husband, she begins to wonder what actually happened to her out there. Was it Blanche’s husband? Was it her own?

I am a big fan of Rachel Hawkins, and it all started with this gem of a book right here. The balance of suspense and intrigue and mystery and f***ed up s***…it’s delicious. Feast yourself.

Details

Title:: The Wife Upstairs
Author:: Rachel Hawkins
Genre:: Mystery/Suspense
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Press
Length:: 290 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 57m
Audiobook Narrator:: Emily Shaffer, Kirby Heyborne, Lauren Fortgang
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: January 5th, 2021
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

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Author Website
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[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check these out…

The Heiress | Rachel Hawkins
Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister

Book Review:: Is She Really Going Out With Him? | Sophie Cousens

Despite personal grievances against the title of this contemporary romance novel, Is She Really Going Out With Him cannot be further faulted. This is my third Sophie Cousens read and the first that has pushed itself into five-star territory (for me). She seems to have a penchant for high concepts, and the same is true here, but this time the romance of it really outshined the cheesiness.

Is She Really Going Out With Him by Sophie Cousens Book Cover

Anna is a thirty-eight year old divorcee with two children and a job as a columnist at a failing magazine. In a desperate attempt to bring some much needed readership into the audience, the team comes up with the idea for her to go on a series of dates her children choose for her and writing about them. Will, a colleague who seems to be gunning for her column, is tasked with writing a complementary piece for each column that will help theme the issue. Anna is still struggling to adjust to her life as a single mom and having to work with Will is the last thing she needs. What she does need, though, is a friend, and when she needs one, he always seems to be there. Most of the dates turn into quite a fiasco, but they each teach Anna a little something more about herself.

This is a feel-good book. A girl power book. An utterly romantic book. Anna is the every woman with problems and insecurities and doubts, but the way she doesn’t shy away from any of it is inspiring. I really enjoyed the personal growth elements, and there were a few.

The romance, though, is what shines. For me the balance between the two was done very well. There were no long breaks from the romance plotline for her to go off and work on herself, the learning was integrated in to everything else and that’s why it worked so well for me.

Will is a winner. He’s everything you could want in your leading man. He’s a cinnamon roll. A golden retriever. An emotional, sensitive, tall, strong, thoughtful, and romantic man. We love to love him.

The story also doesn’t end in quite the way you might expect, which I can appreciate.

Sophie Cousens is going on my list of authors to watch! I have a few backlist books of hers to get through – does anyone have any suggestions for what I should read next?
(the others I’ve read are This Time Next Year and Just Haven’t Met You Yet)

Details

Title:: Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Author:: Sophie Cousens
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 42m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kerry Gilbert
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: November 19th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 2

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center
Funny Story | Emily Henry
My (Not So) Perfect Life | Sophie Kinsella
Perfect Fit | Clare Gilmore

Book Review:: Ghosted | Sarah Ready

Sarah Ready does it again! This is the second book of hers I’ve read and I think I liked it even more than Wished. I especially recommend her if you’re a fan of magical realism at all. If you ever watched the movie Just Like Heaven with Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon, this story has similar vibes (but the twist isn’t what you think). It’s heartbreaking and oh so romantic.

Ghosted by Sarah Ready Book Cover

When Jillian moves into a new apartment in NYC, it seems to be already occupied…by the spirit of a man named Daniel. Her best friend (who works at CERN) seems to believe he could be the real deal, and he seems friendly enough. When he finds out she has trouble communicated with anyone of the opposite sex due to a past trauma, he wonders if this is the key to unlocking his passing into the great beyond and vows to help her. Because he’s not ‘real’, Jillian can communicate with him freely. Through a series of ‘practice’ dates Daniel coaches her though, Jillian realizes what she wants, and what she doesn’t.

It is a story about healing, and family, and fate. It’s about optimism and faith and trust. It’s an unconventional tale in a layered story I just couldn’t put down.

It’s a longer book for a romance. It could almost be two different books, but instead we get one big romantic epic with a midpoint that really does change everything.

Jillian’s story is one of self-discovery, compassion, and healing trauma. She works as a columnist with a floundering audience. The office staff is a quirky cast that is bonded through the company’s harder years. Every facet of the book was entertaining, and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed it. Absolute yes, read this one!

Details

Title:: Ghosted (Ghosted #1)
Author:: Sarah Ready
Genre:: Contemporary Romance/Magical Realism
Publisher:: Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC
Length:: 457 pages
Audio Length:: 14h 3m
Audiobook Narrator:: Sarah Naughton & Rob Brinkmann
Audiobook Publisher:: Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC
Published:: September 26th, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 2

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
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[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Wished | Sarah Ready
If I Were You | Cesca Major

Book Review:: Let’s Call A Truce | Amy Buchanan

Y’all, I needed an indulgent five-star read, and Let’s Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan delivered! I absolutely loved this early 2025 release, so go don’t wait to add it to your goodreads TBR to keep it on your radar!

When Juliana returns to work after her husband unexpectedly passes away, she gets off on the wrong foot with one of the department heads at the office. She works in HR and of course has to work with him whenever his department has hiring needs, and they develop a (mostly innocent) frienemy schtick whenever they have to interact. Turns out they have a friend in common and end up at the same wedding one night, and kind of hit it off in a what-are-you-doing-here kind of way 😉 Then, at work, she and Ben are assigned to the same project and have to work together more closely than ever before. In order to be successful, they have to call a truce.

This book is such a winner. This is a complex story with real, deep conflicts that inform the decisions each character makes. I kind of love it when characters are falling hard, but don’t completely lose their heads. In this case, they both have young children and are very thoughtful about how their actions are going to affect them. The chemistry is there – it is so there – but falling in love, especially when kids are involved, is messy, and this novel really honors that.

That being said, when these two do finally indulge in their primal urges, they really go for it. There is some spice here folks, and some of it is at the office. *wipes brow nervously*

I am so grateful to St. Martin’s Griffin and netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this book. The narrator, Charlotte North, did a great job with this one.

If you’re looking for a great romance to really sink into during the bleak winter weather this year, this one is a great choice!

Details

Title:: Let’s Call A Truce
Author:: Amy Buchanan
Genre:: Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 3m
Audiobook Narrator:: Charlotte North
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: January 14th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Slowest Burn | Sarah Chamerlain
Sunshine and Spice | Aurora Palit
Wild Love | Elsie Silver

Book Review:: The Vanishing Year | Kate Moretti

Tis the season for suspenseful, twisty books, and The Vanishing Year by Kate Moretti will certainly scratch that itch for you.

The Vanishing Year Kate Moretti Book Cover

Zoey has a pretty great life – a life she never expected. After fleeing a dark, haunting past, she didn’t know what she might make of herself, but now years later she’s the wife of a wealthy New York businessman. Since her marriage, she’s drifted away from the friendships she’d made in her new life, and her old goals – for one, discovering the identity of her birth mother. With the help of a reporter who covered a story for her charity (pasting a picture of her in the newspaper), she pulls on that thread. In the meantime, someone from her past is hungry for revenge.

If you are a sensitive thriller reader, you might want to skip this one. This one was pretty gruesome and dark. Psychopathy, human tr*fficking, drugs…it’s a lot. But there are also a lot of very compelling factors: her own hidden identity, the mystery around her birth mother, her husband’s odd behavior, the new friendship with the reporter…I think it was just balanced enough that I didn’t have to put it down. If you like dark stories…I found one!

The tension starts pretty low at the beginning, but once it starts ratcheting up, it doesn’t stop until the brutal end. It held my attention all the way through. It’s the kind of story that leaves you questioning why any and everything is being included. Is it important? Is it going to tie back in? What is happening!

Details

Title:: The Vanishing Year
Author:: Kate Moretti
Genre:: Suspense/Thriller
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 50m
Audiobook Narrator:: Mandeleine Maby
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: September 27th, 2016
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
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If you liked this book, check these out…

Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley

Book Review:: Heartless Hunter | Kristen Ciccarelli

The world is a dangerous place when you have to hide who you are from everyone. Especially when you throw yourself into danger in order to save others.

Heartless Hunter Kristen Ciccarelli Book Cover

Rune is a witch in a land that burns them. The kingdom once run by three witch sister queens has been taken over by a rebellion, and they’re hunting down every last witch to purge them. Rune, keeping her own powers carefully hidden behind a fashionista facade, is helping other witches escape the realm. To do the job better, she courts powerful men at court for information. When the witch she’s been looking for for years is captured, she takes the biggest risk yet and pursues the most dangerous man in the realm – her best friend’s brother, one of the most ruthless Blood Guard members. But there are other magical elements at play, and both Rune and Gideon have everything to lose.

If you’re looking for your next romantasy read, look no further. This one has every juicy element you’ll love. High stakes, heroes, (low spice) romance, twists, risks, secrets, and lore. There’s a reason it’s so popular!

The whole thing is structured so well from the beginning – Gideon and Rune both have reasons that make the courtship, though highly unlikely, inevitable. Neither one of them are stupid or insufferable, but they come at life with strong biases that compel their actions in ways that make perfect sense for their character while continuing to complicate the story.

The least likely element of the story, to me, were everyone’s ages, lol. I mean, every character is so young! New Adult, for sure.

I am dying to read the next book, which comes out in February. If you’re impatient, you might want to add this to your 2025 TBR 😉

Details

Title:: Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth #1)
Author:: Kristen Ciccarelli
Genre:: Fantasy
Publisher:: Wednesday Books
Length:: 416 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 8m
Audiobook Narrator:: Grace Gray
Audiobook Publisher:: Listening Library
Published:: February 20, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross
Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews

Book Review:: The Haunting of Maddy Clare | Simone St. James

What a perfect read for spooky season-a historical ghost story mystery, The Haunting of Maddy Clare.

The Haunting of Maddy Clare Simone St. James Book Cover. A decrepit barn with the sun setting behind it and a murder of crows surrounding it.

Ms. Sarah Piper is recruited by an eccentric world war veteran needing an assistant for his latest project: hunting a ghost who’s been haunting an old barn. He’s an academic writer searching for solid proof of the otherworldly, and Sarah rapidly agrees. The spirit is very much alive, and vengeful, especially of men. Sarah turns into an integral part of the investigation into what happened to Maddy Clare, and how they might be able to help her spirit settle.

What is there not to love about this book? Okay, the subject matter is pretty dark. Maddy Clare was horrifically traumatized before she died, and that subject matter is very heavy. I feel like it was brought to justice in the end though, which helps to pacify the discomfort of reading about such difficult events.

I loved the mid-century setting, the ghost hunting characters being respectable (albeit damaged) gentlemen, the supernatural phenomena, the ongoing mystery, and the slow burning romance that simmers beneath it all. I ate it up. I can see myself returning to this book every fall in the future. What a way to set the tone for the season!

What is your favorite ghostly mystery book?

Details

Title:: The Haunting of Maddy Clare
Author:: Simone St. James
Genre:: Historical Ghost Mystery
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 318 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 45m
Audiobook Narrator:: Billie Fulford-Brown
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: October 4th, 2022
The Litertarian Rating:: #-Stars
Spice Rating:: 2.5?

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Haunted Ever After | Jen DeLuca (ghost story rom-com)
Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen (murder mystery)
The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline (murder mystery)

Book Review:: I Think I Was Murdered | Colleen Coble & Rick Acker

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker is a thriller that’s unafraid of modern technology. With elements of AI, bitcoin, and blockchain included as major plot drivers, the read somehow doesn’t feel too tech-heavy for a reader who isn’t completely on the up-and-up with these emerging technologies (like me). It maintains its balance with the incorporation of the very organic realm of relationships, family, and friendship.

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker Book Cover

The company Katrina works for in Silicon Valley is beta testing a new AI system, and she’s fed in all her recently dead-husband’s electronic records in to test it (but really as a coping tool as she grieves his unexpected death). Texting the program is really communicating with him. He even sends her photographs of their memories. One day she asks him to tell her something she doesn’t know. “I think I was murdered,” he tells her. He died in a car accident, so this is the last thing she ever expected.

Meanwhile, her grandmother died, so Katrina has come back to her hometown, inherited her family’s restaurant, and reconnected with an old friend. Her Silicon Valley career is in shambles and being investigated, and it turns out her husband may have left something behind for her. It turns into a race against time for her to find before whoever killed him for it.

I can’t find anything really to fault in this novel. I thought it was done incredibly well. It managed to surprise me a few times, while I was also able to anticipate a few twists and feel that sense of self-satisfaction, too. There are plenty of plotlines to keep us busy, and all of them play into the main story in some way by the end. There is plenty to capture your interest as a reader, and the story felt very robust.

I was provided with an advanced listening copy of this book by the publisher and netgalley. The audio narration is also very good, if you’re an audiobook listener like me.

On the scale of wimp to true crime fanatic, I am way down on the wimpy side, and though there are moments of violence included in this book, it never gave me that haunting anxiety feeling as I read. I always like to know where thrillers end up on that spectrum because you can’t unread stuff! That’s not to say it didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat-just that I didn’t pee my pants all the way through. ha.

Details

Title:: I Think I Was Murdered
Author:: Colleen Coble & Rick Acker
Genre:: Thriller/Mystery
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 46m
Audiobook Narrator:: Karen Peakes
Audiobook Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Published:: November 12th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister

Book Review:: Perfect Fit | Clare Gilmore

There’s nothing I love more than a romance novel that blows away my expectations. By the cover and description, I figured this would be a light, not-that-deep rom-com that would be entertaining while it lasted, but likely wouldn’t leave much of an impression. I probably should have known better with a cover blurb from Tarah Dewitt, but I’m happy to report I was wrong. This book has pressed itself into my memory, and will not soon be forgotten.

Perfect Fit Clare Gilmore Book Cover

Josephine is the CEO of her own fashion brand, Reventant, based in Austin, TX. For a side-gig she started as a hobby in college, it has grown into something she never expected: an online phenomenon with dozens of employees. In an effort to keep aligned with her values, she’s after a new certification which will tell customers how dedicated the brand is to quality and sustainability. To that end, Revenant is hiring a consultant to help, and the man who wants the job happens to be a ghost from her past she’s been afraid to run into in town. They did not part in high school on the best of terms, and she’s not sure she wants to open the door back up on all the hurtful feelings from the past. But he’s a skilled professional and has taken an interest in her business. A few months of working together should be tolerable, right? Especially if it pushes her company, which is everything to her, in the right direction.

So what do I love about this book? The romance felt realistic. These two didn’t fall in love over the course of a hot weekend, or a single business trip, or basically just a big firework of an event that ‘changed everything’. They build a genuine friendship. Yes, it might be colored by burning crushes on both sides, but over time and many interactions, the two of them form a genuine connection that is strong and true and flush with meaning. Not to mention Will Grant is a walking, talking green flag. Oh my gosh, the romance in this book is everything you could want. It reminded me of all my favorite summer romances that came out this year (reviews for my favorites are linked below)!

There were also deep themes of friendship woven into the fabric of the story. Josephine was best friends with Will’s sister Zoey in high school, and they had a falling out way back when. It happens. It’s happened to me. But it’s about recognizing your mistakes, realizing there are sometimes greater things playing into things that happen that can exaggerate or cause hurtful things to happen, and that it’s okay to forgive, and grow, and repair. The author balances these themes through several characters and really created a big impact for me.

This was my first Clare Gilmore book, but gosh dang it, she’s going on my watch list cause this book was something special. I was provided an arc copy from netgalley and the publisher, and what do you know, I hit pre-order as soon as I was finished! I will be reading it again, and I think you should too!

Details

Title:: Perfect Fit
Author:: Clare Gilmore
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 47m
Audiobook Narrator:: Katharine Leonard
Audiobook Publisher:: Recorded Books
Published:: October 29th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 2

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center
Summertime Punchline | Betty Corrello
Funny Story | Emily Henry

Book Review:: Butcher & Blackbird | Brynne Weaver

Holy gee whiz. I requested this from the library because I was honestly not expecting to like it. I mean, serial k*ller romantic comedy? WTF?! How does it have such high ratings? Such a wide audience? What is happening!!

Y’all.
Y’ALL.
I loved it.

Butcher & Blackbird Brynne Weaver Book Cover Dark Romance

How in the world does this book work? Let me tell you: it’s a magic mix of comedic tone, high stakes, and deliciously slow burn romance.

Sloane and Rowan are straight up serial k*llers. They hunt and destroy the biggest scumbags in the country. They have monikers. And secret identities.

On one hunt, which happens just before the start of the novel, Sloane makes a mistake and gets locked in a cage. Luckily, Rowan was coming to hunt down the same guy and finds her there before she…expires. Yes, folks, he rescues her, the modern morbid damsel in distress. They get to talking shop, and a contest is proposed. Once a year, Rowan’s brother will pick out a sleezebag for them to end and whoever gets there first and does the job wins.

Don’t get me wrong, this shit is bloody and gruesome and horrific. Sloane is known for removing the eyes of her victims, for example, and they may or may not have been served a steaming plate of human by one of their targets. But with an impossibly light and hilarious tone, it fucking works. This is exactly the same genre as any other romantic comedy you can think of, except it’s probably better than a lot of them. It’s like that movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. They’re doing all this badass shit, blowing shit up, as****inating targets, etc., but the movie is actually about their marriage. Same thing. How, Brynne Weaver. How?!

The romance is what shines in this book. Oh, it’s so juicy. Our two characters are in such high stakes situations whenever they see each other, and it makes for fast and strong trust bonding. It’s also spaced out over years, and there’s lots of longing and wondering and daydreaming and yearning and burning. Gah, the author just hits so many good notes. The nicknames, the symbolism, the ‘seeing’ of each other’s damage, the real, deep love. Extraordinary.

Also, the audiobook is the first true duet I think I’ve ever heard (and I listen to a lot of audiobooks). It’s fantastic, and I absolutely think it adds so much to the experience of the book. I don’t always recommend one format over another, but this time I really do. (Also, do you really want this hanging out on your shelves for OTHER PEOPLE TO SEE?! I’m not even trying to scar my children that way).

Literally what are you still doing reading this. Go find this book and give it a listen (check your library, if you’re not ready to commit yet). But the best part? IT’S A SERIES (with a glorious name, see below).

One warning though, while I wouldn’t say this is erotica by a long stretch, the scenes of intimacy there are could be described as…………..wild. intense. torturous? I mean it fits their characters, hey? But they’re certainly skippable if they’re too much for you (they were for me!). However, it is absolutely still worth reading even if you’re not into that!

Details

Title:: Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy #1)
Author:: Brynne Weaver
Genre:: Dark Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Independently Published
Length:: 360 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 43m
Audiobook Narrator:: Joe Arden & Lucy Rivers
Audiobook Publisher:: Blue Nose Publishing
Published:: August 14, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 12?

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

King of Wrath | Ana Huang
Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews
Not in Love | Ali Hazelwood