Spring Archives - Page 3 of 6

Book Review:: 10 Marchfield Square | Nicola Whyte

If you are a fan of the Hulu Original show Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, you’re going to love this novel. Set in a housing development called 10 Marchfield Square in London, mysterious murders have the tenants looking to find out the truth of the deaths.

10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte Book Cover

The proprietress discreetly hires two of the tenants to investigate the murder of the seedy gentleman who turns up dead. One is a cleaner, the other a washed-up crime novelist. Together, they track down leads and question everything until the truth comes to light.

What an enjoyable debut from Nicola Whyte! This book absolutely reminded me of Only Murders in the Building with ‘normie’, if eccentric, amateur sleuths investigating real grisly crimes. There is a lot to uncover, and strategic processes to follow, and the two lead characters really added some color to the story. In a whodunnit anything is possible, and it’s so fun to read a book where you must question everything you think you know.

I think this would be a great introductory book for those who are new to the cozy mystery genre, and the ol’ pros too. The web of suspects weaves and tangles in a way that satisfies and the ending is of course exactly as it should be.

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:: 10 Marchfield Square
Author:: Nicola Whyte
Genre:: Cozy Mystery
Publisher:: Union Square & Co.
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 27m
Audiobook Narrator:: Nneka Okoye
Published:: April 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Christmas Jigsaw Murders | Alexandra Benedict
Murder at Gull’s Nest | Jess Kidd
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Guide to Murderers | Jesse Q. Sutanto

Book Review:: The Summer of You and Me | Denise Hunter

One day Maggie is at the fair with her young daughter and swears she sees her husband among the crowds. Trouble is, he was killed in the line of duty five years ago.

The Summer of You and Me by Deinse Hunter Book Cover

Calling upon his brother to help her search for him opens up a new world of possibilities neither of them ever expected, and are a little afraid to entertain. But they don’t give up, and eventually are confronted with an impossible truth.

This novel is at once a mystery, a love story, and a story of revitalization. Grief is heavy and comes in waves, some hitting so hard and fast it makes us feel like we’ll never get a breath of fresh air again. But holding stagnant doesn’t allow you to buoy back to the surface, lifted by the spirits of those who came before. By the love and honor you have for them. This is a story about humanity in a lot of ways. Coping with death. Resilience.

An undercurrent of support, love, and understanding runs through this novel. The characters seem to be at least casually religious, though it’s not outwardly discussed much through the narrative. Instead they lead by example, telling truths even when it hurts, finding forgiveness in difficult situations, overcoming shock in favor of compassion. There is plenty of drama in this book, but I could feel the safety net underneath, in the best way possible.

The Summer of You and Me blurs genre lines to bring a story that will tug at your heart strings. I absolutely loved it. I hope you will too.

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 Summer of You and Me
Author:: Denise Hunter
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 55m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kim Churchill
Published:: April 22nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Before We Were Us | Denise Hunter
Counting Miracles | Nicholas Sparks
Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

Book Review:: Can’t Get Enough | Kennedy Ryan

Can’t Get Enough is the third book in her Skyland series, but the first one I’ve ever read, and I’m impressed! I’ve heard lots of great things, and this one certainly did not disappoint.

Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan Book Cover

Hendrix and Maverick meet at a party as two people who can’t entertain the idea of being together, despite their attractions. He’s technically with someone else, and she’s on the brink of a major deal with his significant other that will lead to the career she’s dreamed of for a long time. But he does overhear an emotional conversation between Hendrix and her mother with Alzheimer’s on the phone, and offers to lend a hand. His own grandfather suffered through the same disease. As time passes, Hendrix and Maverick grow closer and closer until neither of them can deny what they’re feeling anymore.

One thing I loved about this book was how realistic it felt. Hard conversations were hard, intimate scenes don’t go off without a hitch, painful things are very painful. The author really puts herself into the shoes of her characters, and you can feel that as you read it.

The story between Hendrix and Maverick isn’t the most straight forward, but it is sexy as hell. Mav is a millionaire, and that man moves money to make things happen. I can admit that can be romantic! I loved how there were some tough decisions to make, and hard circumstances to navigate, but none of it got in the way of the truth of their feelings for one another (no third act breakup!).

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I’m excited to go back and read the rest of the Skyland series!

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:: Can’t Get Enough (Skyland #3)
Author:: Kennedy Ryan
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Forever
Length:: 448 pages
Audio Length:: 14h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: Wesleigh Siobhan & Jakobi Diem
Published:: May 13th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3

If you liked this book, check out…

Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour | Nora Nguyen
Let’s Call A Truce | Amy Buchanan
Yours Truly | Abby Jimenez

Book Review:: The Correspondent | Virginia Evans

A novel to move you. Sybil’s life is as complex and nuanced as the next, and as someone who corresponds best through the written word, we get glimpses into her past, her present, her constancy, and her deepest secrets. The Correspondent is a novel that will make you laugh, cry, smile, and wince as Sybil Van Antwerp bares her soul into the pages.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Book Cover, woman at a desk

An epistolary novel is one told entirely through correspondence. There is no narrator or outside voice – we are presented with letters and emails that cross Sybil’s desk, both incoming and outgoing, and from these we discern her life.

What do we know? She has a complicated relationship with her family, her previous career, a young acquaintance, a new medical diagnosis, and secrets from her past she is both keeping and some she is too afraid to discover. She is older, her children are grown, and she is coming to terms with her life, such as she has lived it to this point.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Book Cover, two birds

This is a beautiful novel. It unfolds so elegantly with each new letter. Sybil is at times laughable stodgy in her set ways, but also touching and vulnerable in others. Her story teaches us that it’s never too late to put yourself out there, to right previous wrongs, or to learn something new about yourself.

I love Sybil, and by the end of her story, I had tears streaming down my face. This is a story I won’t soon forget, and I hope you read it too.

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 Correspondent
Author:: Virginia Evans
Genre:: Epistolary Fiction
Publisher:: Crown
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 10h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: April 29th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo
The Last Love Note | Emma Grey
Counting Miracles | Nicholas Sparks
I’ll Come to You | Rebecca Kaufmann

Book Review:: The Seven O’Clock Club | Amelia Ireland

What does it take to earn a five-star rating? Is it simply capturing and holding your attention? Is it making you feel things down deep in the depths of your soul? Is it creating a world/character/story that will linger in your mind for years to come? If your answer is yes to any of the above, The Seven O’Clock Club makes the list without even trying.

The Seven O'Clock Club by Amelia Ireland Book Cover

This is a book about grief – possibly the most complex of human emotions. Four people are selected to be a part of an experimental project, led by a woman named Geniveve. Each of them has a pain so deep and vivid they can’t face it, it’s ruining what is left of their lives. Geniveve brings them together once a week at seven o’clock for a gently led support-group style meeting. Slowly they are asked to introduce themselves: who they are, how they’ve changed, and eventually, what it was that happened to bring them to the group.

Each of them has a story, each of them a pain so great it fundamentally changed them. And together, they find community. Friendship. Family.

I knew early on this book was going to be a profound experience. The characters opening themselves up and pouring out their pain was so powerful. Chills were had. Tears were shed. My own heart broke a little bit for every one of them.

These characters and their situations were so well-realized, and when the twist came I was skeptical at first, but it allowed for the themes to resound even more powerfully and left me with a lot to ponder once the story ended.

I am so grateful I got the opportunity to read this book early through netgalley after being one of the chosen ones by Berkley for this title. This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Amelia Ireland!

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 Seven O’Clock Club
Author:: Amelia Ireland
Genre:: General Fiction/Fantasy
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 12h
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: April 15th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

If you liked this book, check out…

The Last Love Note | Emma Grey
Maybe Next Time | Cesca Major
Yin Yang Love Song | Lauren Kung Jessen

Book Review:: Any Trope But You | Victoria Levine

Oh tragic personal crisis – Oh handsome brawny hunk in the woods who can right any wrong with his handsome brawny-ness! Any Trope But You is a mostly lightweight romantic comedy that will walk you through the set up for The Next Great American Romance, because despite trying to run away from romance novels entirely, the main character Margot is literally walking into one.

Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine Book Cover

It’s a cute story, yes, and if you really love romantic comedies, you’ll probably like this one. It just wasn’t my favorite.

The one thing I do applaud here is the inclusion of characters with disabilities and chronic pain, characters who need full-time carers and have unpredictable health patterns. Both of the main characters have family members they feel responsible for, and I think the topic is handled very well (without one of the characters actually being one of the disabled themselves…somehow the lead characters are always the normies).

That being said, I think my main complaint here is that given the sincerity of the themes implied by those circumstances, this novel leans far too heavily in the almost-stupid romantic comedy hijinks. Of course, we’re expecting to go through a long list of cliched tropes (hey-it’s in the title), but I think it was the air-headedness required for Margot to fall into all of them that bugged me. Was it her actual personality? Eh. The two sides of her just didn’t seem to match up very well for me.

The romance, however, seemed quite genuine once it got going (given that the first of the tropes was dumbfounding-attraction at first sight), and by the end I didn’t need any further convincing that it had legs to stand on once they got into the ‘real world’. Also, the spicy scenes in this book were particularly good, in my personal estimation.

The themes, as well, are valuable. Throw yourself into new experiences, pick yourself back up when the world knocks you down, don’t erase yourself within the needs of others, and, of course, you’ll always find your true love once you hit rock bottom and decide to take a spontaneous trip to Alaska in hopes of rearranging your entire life!

I wish I could give this book a higher rating, but with issues previously discussed and some elements of the ending that also felt a little too convenient in a way that put a bad taste in my mouth, this is sitting at three stars from 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:: Any Trope But You
Author:: Victoria Lavine
Genre:: Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 17m
Audiobook Narrator:: Tim Paige & Jesse Vilinsky
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: April 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Tourist Attraction | Sarah Morgenthaler (Rom Com set in Alaska)
The Rom Commers | Katherine Center (Disabled Carer Rep)

Book Review:: Nobody’s Fool | Harlan Coben

Nobody’s Fool is my first Harlan Coben novel, and wow – color me impressed! This is the second book in the series led by main character Sami Kierce, and I’m going back to read the origin story that left him off the police force as soon as possible, which is where he finds himself at the beginning of this novel.

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben Book Cover

Speaking of origin stories, in a way, this novel is really the exploration of Sami’s. After college, he had a fling with a beautiful woman in Spain, and was ready to give up everything for her, until he woke up beside her bloody body, knife in his hand. He fled, and it was the series of events set off by this experience that led him to becoming a cop in the first place. Now, he sees a woman he knows is her, alive and well and here, and it changes everything.

Not only is this case from Sami’s past coming back to haunt him, but the murderer of his former fiance is being released early from prison, and he’s determined to get justice from that case, too. He has a new baby, and a wife he loves, and though he’s no longer officially a cop, he teaches a criminal justice class that fulfills him. In short, a lot to lose.

What a skillfully written novel! This one had me questioning everything, fully engaged and wondering where the heck it was going to lead next. There are so many moving pieces and so many corners for spooky things to jump out from behind, it was entertaining as hell. If this is the level of mystery and suspense I can expect from Harlan Coben, I’m adding his entire backlist to my TBR! What more can you ask for from a thriller? That feeling is what you search for in this genre, and Nobody’s Fool absolutely delivers!

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:: Nobody’s Fool (Detective Sami Kierce #2)
Author:: Harlan Coben
Genre:: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 17m
Audiobook Narrator:: Vikas Adam
Published:: March 25th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline
Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister

Book Review:: Murder at Gulls Nest | Jess Kidd

A quaint coastal town. A missing person. A silent little girl who sees everything. A former nun who won’t let it go. Murder at Gulls Nest is a historical cozy mystery set just after the World Wars with suspects a-plenty, and secrets everywhere.

Murder at Gull's Nest by Jess Kidd Book Cover

I wanted to read this book in part because I don’t have much experience with what is colloquially referred to as a ‘cozy mystery’. I get it now. It’s essentially equivalent to an old episode of Murder She Wrote. It doesn’t mean that there is not death, or even gruesome things that happen or are described. It’s more of a slow methodical approach to solving a mystery by moving through each logical piece of the investigation. The absence of the ‘thrill’ element that makes a thriller. That’s what ‘they’ mean by low-stakes. The protagonist is not necessarily in direct line of danger. They just have a stake in finding out the answer to the mystery.

Our POV character is a nun who has left the cloister in order to track down her friend, also a former nun, whose letters have mysteriously stopped after implying in one of her letters that the people around her had everything to hide. Nora poses as an innocent guest in a board house with no knowledge of the place or agenda and tries to find out everything she can about the mysteriously missing woman who used to stay in the room there.

If she was trying to be subtle about her investigation, she failed. She wandered around that city asking direct questions that could only have raised red flags to someone trying to hide something. It was a full-fledged amateur investigation, but when a dead body turns up, the real authorities become involved as well.

While I enjoyed the story, I didn’t find myself very invested in the drama. There is plenty of mystery to go around, and I found a lot of the historical elements to be intriguing and interesting, but I didn’t feel engrossed. I think I would have enjoyed a more emotional experience. It almost reminded me of a Sherlock Holmes style novel, if that’s your thing. If you like finding clues and analyzing people, trying to crack the mystery before the characters, you’re going to love it.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this early reader’s copy from the publisher and netgalley, and I will be interested to read the next installment of this new mystery series by Jess Kidd.

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:: Murder at Gulls Nest (Nora Breen Investigates #1)
Author:: Jess Kidd
Genre:: Cozy Historical Mystery
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: Siobhan McSweeney
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: April 8th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

How to Solve Your Own Murder | Kristen Perrin
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley

Book Review:: The Matchmaker | Aisha Saeed

Nura Khan is the best matchmaker in town, and everyone knows it. She’s taken the family business and made it bloom. She doesn’t just help her clients find love, she helps them become the type of people who can sustain love, then matches them with their perfect partners. It’s not a service for everyone, and she turns down a lot of clients. Sometimes, they’re not so happy about it.

The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed Book Cover

When strange and dangerous things begin to happen surrounding her and her business, and disgruntled potential clients begin coming out of the woodwork, Nura and her closest friends must work to piece together who could be behind the attacks.

Did I mention she’s also in love with her fake fiancé slash best friend in the world?

The Matchmaker is a fast-paced thriller surrounded by and fueled by the darker side of romance, the part where things don’t always work out the way you plan. Sometimes the pursuit of love brings out the worst in people instead of the best.

The stakes rise quickly in this book. It is one incident after another and is immediately clear that someone is out to get Nura and her company. It gets quite intense and follows a thriller arc closely. I was personally hoping for a little more romance because that’s what I’m the biggest sucker for, but it is a pretty solid storyline. True feelings are always revealed when one, or both parties are in mortal peril.

Overall I enjoyed the book, but it didn’t draw me in as much as I like to be. While I was interested in the story, I wasn’t held in a grip with emotion for these characters. For me it was a solid three stars.

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 Matchmaker
Author:: Aisha Saeed
Genre:: Romantic Suspense Thriller
Publisher:: Bantam
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 8h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: April 8th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Double Exposure | Elissa R. Sloan
Sunshine and Spice | Aurora Palit
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley

Book Review:: Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) | Jesse Q. Sutanto

Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) is the second book in the Vera Wong series. If you haven’t read Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers yet, start there! This is my review.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto Book Cover

Vera is at it again when she meets a young woman named Milly who is too scared to step into the police station (don’t ask why Vera is there…a phone scam. She was phone scammed). Milly is afraid something happened to her friend Thomas, and Vera is happy to employ her considerable investigative skills to help her.

While this book has the same grandmotherly charm and Vera is up to the same level of nosiness-with-care as usual, this one didn’t have quite the same impact for me as the first book.

Vera’s personality still shines in this book. She’s still as nosy and runs just as much interference here, and cooks even more than ever for those she cares about.

“You think I won’t? I am Chinese mother, all I do is create conflict.”

She is not afraid to stick herself into situations she’s not invited to, and to smooth things over once she’s caused some offense. It is her greatest skill.

The cast we love from book one is still around, particularly some characters that weren’t explored much, her son Tilly and his new partner, the police officer Selena. Vera is tired of waiting on grandkids, and she’s not afraid to mention it. Repeatedly.

One issue I had is Vera’s first break in the case, the one that really allows her to make any headway at all, is waaay too convenient. I guess it kind of works given the tone and Vera’s tendency to always find what she’s looking for, but that one really pushed the line for me.

The other piece that bothered me a little bit is that the subject matter is incredibly dark and honestly disturbing. There is justice in the end, but the ones apprehended in the end are not the full scope of the problem, and that haunts me (and it should haunt you too). There is only so much an old Chinese mother can do to warm up coldness like that, and for me, it just wasn’t enough.

HOWEVER

Is it still worth reading? Absolutely. Will I be continuing the series? What…and leave Vera to her own devices? I don’t think so! I’ll be there for her next adventure, and I’m sure she’ll have a bowl of delicious Chinese cooking for us once we get there.

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:: Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) (Vera Wong #2)
Author:: Jesse Q. Sutanto
Genre:: Contemporary Mystery
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 11h
Audiobook Narrator:: Eunice Wong
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: April 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars