Book Review Archives - Page 2 of 28

Book Review:: Where He Left Me | Nicole Baart

Sadie Sheridan almost gave up on finding the one. But then, in her 40s, she fell in love with another professor at her university. Felix. He’s smart, and quirky, and sweeps her off her feet. Once they’re married, he sweeps her off to the remote mountain cabin he grew up in. Then, he disappears.

Where He Left Me by Nicole Baart Book Cover

Sadie is alone, and terrified. Winter is coming, and her husband should be home from his conference by now. It’s her first time in a place like this, and she doesn’t know the first thing about life on the mountain.

Then one of the trail cam’s picks something up. A shadowy figure in the woods, and it’s headed for her property.

Where He Left Me is masterful suspense novel. Every sentence is dripping with mystery and tension and I had no idea where the story was going. I wouldn’t have been surprised at anything with how much tension was set up in this book. What ended up happening though, was a very endearing story of strength, determination, and mama bear energy.

There were a few things that bothered me, ultimately, which is why I’ve rated it four stars instead of five. I don’t want to spoil anything though, so I will keep them to myself. Was it still worth reading though? Absolutely. Especially in these new dark days of fall/early winter, this is the perfect type of book to curl up with and get lost in the suspense!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Where He Left Me
Author:: Nicole Baart
Genre:: Suspense Thriller
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 36m
Audiobook Narrator:: Amanda Dolan
Published:: November 4th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Save Us | Mona Kasten

The Maxton Hall series has really grown on me, and Save Us is as great an ending for these angsty characters as I could have hoped for. If you haven’t read any books in this series yet, please start at the beginning to avoid spoilers and experience the saga from the very beginning. My review of book one, Save Me, can be found here.

What an ending! In my opinion, book three made up for anything lacking in forward momentum in book two. Every character and every story line gets attention in this series finale that will give you hope and all the warm fuzzies for these young characters. I can’t even pick a favorite story line because they’ve all absolutely won me over!

Mr. Beaufort is showing his true dark colors in this novel, continuing to fracture his relationship with both of his children in his quest for the perfect image portrayal to the world, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it. His role as antagonist is as pertinent as ever as Lydia’s pregnancy becomes impossible to hide, and James continues to be unhappy in his role in the company.

The drama does not disappoint either – futures hang in the balance through these pages, and tensions are running high. Have they learned their lessons from everything they’ve been through so far?

Now that I’ve finished the whole kit and caboodle, I would absolutely recommend this series. It could have gone either way, I think, but Save Us really gives you everything you’re looking for in a series finale, and I couldn’t imagine a better ending for everyone involved. Bravo to the author, Mona Kasten, for such an incredible ride!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Save Us (Maxton Hall #3)
Author:: Mona Kasten
Genre:: Teen Drama
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 336 pages
Published:: November 4th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Save Me | Mona Kasten
Save You | Mona Kasten
Bittersweet | Hattie Williams

Book Review:: Something in the Water | Catherine Steadman

Chance is a funny thing. Everyone knows they are not technically promised tomorrow. “You could be hit by a bus,” is such a common phrase I think people have become numb to what it implies. But the spirit of it isn’t only applicable to longevity. Anything could happen to us at any time that has the potential to change the trajectory of our lives. Something lost. Something gained. And on another level, is passion or love enough to sustain your strongest relationships through any radical change?

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman Book Cover

This is one of the more complex and thrilling suspense novels I’ve read. The kind that consumes your thoughts during times you have to put it down, and for a long time after you’ve turned the last page. I would say it ranks low on a spectrum of how sinister it might have been – most of the tension is psychological. It keeps your brain engaged and interested as you turn over all the implications and possibilities over and over, looking for the truth.

Erin and Mark are passionate about one another. That is the best word to describe it. Yes, they love one another, but it’s a devouring sort of love, as in, it devours every other emotion and every other thought when they’re together. The world gets simplified into overwhelming love when they’re together. When Mark loses his high-profile job just before their wedding, they decide to go all out for their honeymoon before getting back to “real-life” where Erin is in the middle of shooting a crime documentary. They book a trip to Bora Bora that will change their lives when they find something in the water.

I like Erin, who we experience this story through. She’s a smart, strong, rational woman, and braver than me by multitudes. I can tell you with certainty if I were ever in her situation, I would never entertain the ideas she has about how to deal with their problems. But, this is a novel, and she is not me. The only thing I didn’t quite understand about her is this drive to continue down the same path she continually vows she’ll veer off of. There is a deeper part of her that is willing to consider darker possibilities that I think has been nurtured by her work in documentary film making and the research for her current project. Her work adds a lot of intrigue and depth to the story.

We never seem to get a complete grasp on her husband, Mark. He seems like a great guy – maybe even a perfect guy, on the surface. He’s compassionate and tender with Erin, usually. But he’s under the most stress of his life right now, having lost his job (they have a mortgage!), and there are glimpses of a person Erin doesn’t recognize a few times as the narrative unfolds, which leaves her wondering if she knows her new husband quite as well as she thought.

This is the kind of book you wish you could read again for the first time. So savor it! I will console myself with the fact that Cathine Steadman has other books I can add to my TBR in hopes they will reach the same level in the stratosphere as this one did for me.

As always, if you can think of a comparable book to this one you loved, please leave it in the comments! I live for book recs, as all readers do!

Details

Title:: Something in the Water
Author:: Catherine Steadman
Genre:: Mystery Thriller
Publisher:: Ballantine
Length:: 342 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 41m
Audiobook Narrator:: Catherine Steadman (the author)
Published:: June 5th, 2018
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Unraveling of Julia | Lisa Scottoline
The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline
These Summer Storms | Sarah MacLean
The Last Thing He Told Me | Laura Dave

Book Review:: Never Over | Clare Gilmore

I’ve been a massive fan of Clare Gilmore since I read Perfect Fit last year. That book is *chef’s kiss*. I don’t know what it is about books about music that kind of turn me off, but I didn’t let that stop me from enjoying her newest release, Never Over.

Here we have another wonderful second chance romance. Paige is a songwriter living in Tennessee who is struggling to break into the industry. Her big break comes with a music exec finally comes by to listen to her tunes. He realizes she’s a phenomenal talent for melody, but her lyrics don’t quite hit the way they could. That’s not a surprise to her, considering her heart has been walled off ever since her catastrophic breakup with Liam.

She’s not too proud to go to him and ask if they can strike up a new fling so she might be inspired again, the way he once inspired her.

I’m not the greatest fan of the setup here, however, I can appreciate that this is the fake dating trope without actually being fake dating. I love Liam for laying out in their rules that this is real. He can’t fake it with her. But they will leave the end date a nebulous thing. Whatever happens, happens. So, basically, like any relationship. It’s a risk. Things might light up, they might burn to the ground.

We’re taken back and forth between the present timeline, with Paige trying to write new music and lyrics, and the past, when writing music was only a hobby and her best friend was Liam the baseball pitcher extraordinaire, not Liam the roadie.

The connection between the two of them is inevitable. They’re electric, which is my favorite thing to find in a romance novel. Especially their physical connection, wink wink. Yes, there is some spice here. But they both have some issues to work through, both in past and present timelines, in order to lock in for the long haul.

In conclusion! I very much enjoyed this book (though it hasn’t quite knocked Perfect Fit from the number one spot). If you’re looking for a tension laden romantic story to hold you over – this one is a great choice!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Never Over
Author:: Clare Gilmore
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 52m
Audiobook Narrator:: Carly Robins
Published:: October 28th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Sounds Like Love | Ashley Poston
The Heartbreak Hotel | Ellen O’Clover
Say It Out Loud | Ashley Schumacher

Book Review:: Cover Story | Mhairi McFarlane

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane is more than a romance, it’s an investigation. Bel is a seasoned investigator who got her feet wet with her podcast before joining a newspaper. Connor recently dropped his old career and retrained as a reporter to find greater meaning in his life (it consequently left the rest of his life in shambles).

Cover Story by Mhairi McFarlane Book Cover

Bel catches wind of a big story and decides to go undercover to collect evidence when she runs directly into Connor, who doesn’t know about the ruse. What else can they do to explain their awkward meeting but pretend to be lovers?

I honestly didn’t connect well with this story. It felt too…contrived? Like the base plot just wasn’t my cup of tea. However, I did like the characterization, especially of Connor. It wasn’t even particularly romantic, to be honest. I’m not sure who the intended audience is for this book, but I don’t think it was me.

I’ve read a few Mhairi McFarlane novels, and more of them have fallen flat for me than connected. I think it may be time for me to accept the truth that her books just aren’t for me.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Cover Story
Author:: Mhairi McFarlane
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 23m
Audiobook Narrator:: Charlotte Mills
Published:: October 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

We Met Like This | Kasie West
The Battle of the Bookshops | Poppy Alexander
The Heartbreak Hotel | Ellen O’Clover

Book Review:: Some Kind of Famous | Ava Wilder

Sometimes a fluffy kind of silly rom-com is exactly what you need. Sometimes you want to bite into a story with a little bit more angst and real, complicated emotional baggage. That’s what you’re getting with Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder, and it is wonderful.

Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder Book Cover

Some would say Merritt Valentine is washed up. She used to be famous, once upon a time. Then she had a very public breakdown and hasn’t made any music since. She recently moved to the same small town as her sister. That’s where she meets Niko – a Greek god of a handman who is actually from Greece. But with her history and tendency to leave hearts broken and bleeding in her wake, she doesn’t want to get involved. She promises her sister, even, that she won’t make things complicated for them in this oasis of a town. But there’s an undeniable connection there, and every time they get into the same room, chemistry fizzes and sparks.

I love this book. Both lead characters are smart and well-rounded and are trying to do the right thing, whatever that is. Their journey to one another is jumbled and clumsy and start-and-stop. It felt real. It felt honest.

The one part of the story that kind of irked me was Merritt’s sister. I can see where she’s coming from, but she really goes pretty hard at Merritt, not really trying to see both sides of the issue. She could have taken that down several notches and still gotten her point across, but that’s not always how family’s work, is it? It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility in the real world, so I’ll forgive the intensity of that big scene between sisters.

If you’re looking for a great romance novel with characters who will stick with you for awhile after you turn the last page, this one fits that bill! Thank you, Dell, for the opportunity to read this one early!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Some Kind of Famous
Author:: Ava Wilder
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Dell
Length:: 432 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 2m
Audiobook Narrator:: January LaVoy
Published:: October 28th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Overdue | Stephanie Perkins
Never Over | Clare Gilmore
Leave Before I Love You | Max Monroe
We Met Like This | Kasie West

Book Review:: Remain | Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan

I have to say I never expected to see Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan on the same book cover. Like, ever. But here we are, with their new co-authored supernatural thriller, Remain. My early 2000s millennial heart was pumped for this.

What an interesting story!

Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan Book Cover

Tate came to town to help an old friend from college design his house. He’s an award-winning architect, and he’s just coming back to work after an extended leave due to health related issues. He’d stay with his friends if they didn’t have a million kids and a cramped space, so instead, his friend rented out an old house in town.

The house has a history, and so does Tate.

While he’s staying there, he strikes up an acquaintanceship with one of the other lodgers, who fascinates him. Not only her personality and strange beauty, but the fact that when he mentions her to his friend, he is skeptical. There’s no one else staying at the house. He rented out the whole thing.

While this story didn’t necessarily feel ground-breakingly original (something I think we’ve all come to expect from M. Night Shyamalan), it was almost preternaturally compelling. As a storyteller, it fascinates me how I was propelled through the story so well when there wasn’t necessarily groundbreaking conflict pulling us through. There’s a mystery, yes, but it wasn’t necessarily a frantic thing. The next time I read this, it will be with a closer eye for the storytelling elements employed to make this work so well! I think it was a combination of M. Night Shyamalan’s careful revelations, and Nicholas Sparks’ powerhouse skill of weaving a compelling narrative out of occasionally mundane events.

It’s a really good book to pick up if you’re a fan of character driven stories, supernatural elements, or murder mysteries. There are some somewhat dark moments, but this is not a horror novel. I really enjoyed it!

Let me also mention here that if you have not seen M. Night Syamalan’s movie Signs with Mel Gibson, Juaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin — go watch it. It is required watching. My husband and I recently watched it, me for the first time in years, him for the very first time, and it HELD UP. Talk about powerful storytelling!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Remain
Author:: Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan
Genre:: Supernatural Thriller
Publisher:: Random House
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 55m
Audiobook Narrator:: Ari Fliakos, Julia Whelan, & Nicholas Sparks
Published:: October 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister
Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline

Book Review:: The Second Story Bookshop | Denise Hunter

A new release from Denise Hunter is here! The Second Story Bookshop is the story of a young woman taking over her late grandmother’s beloved bookshop, which ends up being far more than she bargained for.

The Second Story Bookshop by Denise Hunter Book Cover

What I appreciate about Denise Hunter’s stories are that they aren’t afraid to include dark, uncomfortable things, and always ends up being such a positive and uplifting message.

This is a story about coming into your own, sticking to your morals, quiet fortitude, and forgiveness. It is a second chance romance that had me swooning and yearning the entire time. These characters and their community has a lot of backstory, and it all adds up to one heck of a satisfying story.

Pick this book up if you are in need of an uplifting story that teaches us we are always more than our worst mistakes, and that repentant people are always worth forgiving. It’s a lovely, lovely story.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Second Story Bookshop
Author:: Denise Hunter
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 44m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kim Churchill
Published:: October 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Before We Were Us | Denise Hunter
The Summer of You and Me | Denise Hunter
The Battle of the Bookshops | Poppy Alexander

Book Review:: Happy Christmas | Kelsey Humphreys

Okay, wow! Finding a new indie author with serious chops can be difficult, but if Kelsey Humphreys new release of Happy Christmas is any indication, ladies, fellas, I’ve gone and done it.

Happy Christmas by Kelsey Humphries Book Cover

I listened to the audiobook narrated in duet by Ryan Lee Dunlap and Audrey Obeyn and it was sooo excellent. I wasn’t fully sure about the English accent at first, but it grew on me very quickly.

This is the story of Janie and Benedict, a down-on-her-luck once socialite and a doesn’t-take-himself-seriously billionaire. They have friends in common, and reconnect at the beginning of the novel at a very opportune time. Benedict has received an ultimatum from his father to be married in order to inherit, and Janie happens to be desperate for cash to dig herself out of a hole. Even still, she’s not sold on the idea that she could marry him.

But reader, she does.

Oh this book is good fun! Benedict is a lighthearted and silly guy much of the time, but he’s never really been faced with a situation that warranted depth from him. He dotes on Janie, happily, and it’s the most adorable thing ever to see his feelings develop through the novel.

Janie has her secrets, and she’s keeping them, even though they’ve destroyed her life. She is far more guarded than Benedict, having been burned in the past. But she can’t deny that whatever it is between her and Benedict, it’s easy, and comes organically. They may be faking it for other people, but just between them? It’s all natural.

I’m not ashamed to say I want more of this book. I will probably read it at least once more before Christmas this year, but I’m most excited to dive into the many other romantic comedies in Kelsey’s backlist. What a joy this book is. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Humphreys comes up with next!

Note:: I purchased this book myself and my opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Happy Christmas (Juniper Falls #1)
Author:: Kelsey Humphreys
Genre:: Holiday Romance
Publisher:: Magnamour (Indie)
Length:: 373 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 39m
Audiobook Narrator:: Ryan Lee Dunlap & Audrey Obeyn
Published:: September 30th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Yours for the Season | Emily Stone
Emergency Contact | Lauren Layne & Anthony LeDonne
Christmas Is All Around | Martha Waters

Book Review:: Listen for the Lie | Amy Tintera

Wow – I was blown away by this book. From the title, which has to be one of my favorites of all time, to the intricate and relentless mystery, I was inexorably hooked from the get.

Ben Owens investigative crime podcast, Listen for the Lie, has a new season and a new case to unravel – the brutal murder of a woman named Savannah, colloquially called Savvy, in the small Texas town of Plumpton. The prime suspect, Lucy Chase, has a new life in LA, but the popularity of the up-and-coming podcast has her new life crumbling around her. Who wants to hire a murder suspect of an unsolved crime? Who wants to live with one? The answer, clearly, is no one.

Returning to Plumpton for the first time for her grandmother’s birthday celebration, Lucy is confronted with the dark past and the community that was all too ready to shun her. She genuinely has no memories of that night, and with everyone so certain she was the killer, she’s not completely convinced of her own innocence. She loved Savannah, and she sustained serious injuries of her own that night. Isn’t it finally time to find out the truth, if it’s even possible?

The web of suspects is small at first, until lies about alibis come to the surface, and suddenly there is real doubt about whodunnit. It seems there isn’t much to do in Plumpton than drink and knock boots, two things sure to muddle the facts and motives. Thrown in the unreliability of Lucy’s memories and this mystery will keep you up way past your bedtime.

What a treat of a thriller. Absolutely recommend!

Details

Title:: Listen for the Lie
Author:: Amy Tintera
Genre:: Mystery Thriller
Publisher:: Celadon Books
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 18m
Audiobook Narrator:: January LaVoy & Will Damron
Published:: March 5th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars