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Book Review:: The Heiress | Rachel Hawkins

Rachel Hawkins is a master of subtle psychological thrillers. Her books have a flair for being compelling contemporary reads with a dark twist. I’ve read them all, and they’re all worth your time. While The Wife Upstairs is my favorite (I mean, it’s an echo of my favorite book of all time, Jane Eyre – hard to beat that), The Heiress comes in a close second.

Everyone has secrets. Cam and Jules are an ordinary couple working meager jobs to afford their Colorado rental. The secret is that they don’t have to. Cameron is the heir of Ruby McTavish, an Appalachian princess married and widowed four times before her death ten years before. He’s a multi-millionaire, but he doesn’t want anything to do with the money, or Ashby House, the mansion he inherited, and the few remaining family members who remain inside it. But after a couple of cryptic emails, he knows he can no longer put off the inevitable. He has to go back. The past has a way with catching up to you.

Cam’s family is deplorable. They resented his mother, and they resent him even more for the decisions she made. He was always an outsider, and they weren’t afraid to let him know it. It was an unhappy childhood he ran from as soon as he got the chance, but even putting an entire country between himself and his past isn’t enough to save him from it.

Ashby house is the perfect gothic setting. A mansion full of old portraits and antiques in every room, a sprawling property in a dangerous wooded area, all fallen into grotesque disrepair-Bronte couldn’t have written it better herself.

A big chunk of this novel was comprised of letters written by the heiress, Ruby, in what turned out to be her last weeks. Her life was plagued by rumor, and she decides to finally set the record straight, if only in private correspondence. Though she is long dead in the narrative, the letters bring her to life in such a vibrant way, and the contents of the letters are…captivating.

The theme seems to ask an age-old question: are people who do bad things, bad people? Is it our surroundings who make us who we are, or is our nature buried someplace deep inside us, impregnable to corruption? It certainly doesn’t answer the question, but it begs the question with every carefully crafted character, and a plot that often swerves in unexpected directions.

I was gripped by this story early on, and ate up every twist and turn. Fans of Colleen Hoover’s Verity, or the author Lucy Foley (The Midnight Feast, The Paris Apartment) will enjoy the suspense and intrigue of this book. While there is some darkness in these pages, it wasn’t scary, so I feel like it’s a good choice for people who enjoy thrillers, but are a little wimpy, like me!

Details

Title:: The Heiress
Author:: Rachel Hawkins
Genre:: Gothic Mystery
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Press
Length:: 294 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 20m
Audiobook Narrator:: Dan Bittner, Eliza Foss, John Pirhalla, & Patti Murin
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: January 9th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

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[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley

Book Review:: Hate Follow | Erin Quinn-Kong

Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong aspires to be the My Sister’s Keeper of this decade. Not many people will have children who need life-saving medical care and second children that are a perfect biological match. Everyone is on social media, and this book draws attention to the moral and ethical implications with posting content of those who have not (and cannot) give consent. And while this novel raises so many poignant aspects of the online culture, the plot sort of fizzles out by the end.

Mia’s mom Whitney is a momfluencer. She makes incredible money by posting about her life as a widowed mother of four in Austin TX. As Mia is getting older, she doesn’t want to be a part of the photo shoots anymore. When she finds out exactly how much her mom has been sharing about her online without her permission, her little teen-y world implodes and she takes things into her own hands.

Such commentary!

When I met Whitney, I knew her. We’ve all seen them: the picture-perfect IG influencers whose entire identity becomes ‘be the ideal version of the modern woman who has it all‘. They’re real people out there, though it’s hard to imagine. They just tend to get carried away. The pressure increases, and their lives become all about numbers. But there’s still the facade that they’re doing good in the world, by sharing all this perfect sh*t, they’re helping people.

Then add in the layer of momfluencers. The ones who post about their kids online. Include their photos, tell stories from their lives: exploit them, in some sense. There is a lot of conversation about this already, but this book lights it up with the bat signal from hell.

I felt for the strained relationship of Whitney and her teen daughter. Those teen years are tough for everyone to navigate and add the hurt and immense grief of losing the husband/father they loved so dearly…all the ingredients of a city-block razing explosion are there. Though Whitney, as an influencer, is kind of despicable…the author humanizes her by having her shoulder so much responsibility. It is not just her own future in jeopardy if she can’t continue making a good living, it is her children, and her siblings, and her mother.

The heart of this story isn’t actually about the violations Whitney is subjecting her children to, it’s about simply getting out of your own way to listen.

For me personally, I was let down by a plot that promised a lot of juicy drama but ended up resolving a little too easily for my taste. It felt like a lot of build up for something so ultimately bland. I was getting so nervous when I saw the numbers closing in on my ereader (75%-80%-85%) and the big finale hadn’t started yet. Turns out it just wasn’t there. It’s a quiet ending to a problem that had so much potential.

I still think it’s worth reading, of course. The points discussed in this book are incredibly relevant for everyone on social media and I think it does a good job showcasing both the good and bad aspects if ‘influencing’. There is so much more I could say about the topic, but this is about the book, so I’ll leave it at that!

I was given the opportunity to read this book for free by netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are honest, and my own.

Details

Title:: Hate Follow
Author:: Erin Quinn-Kong
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: William Morrow
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 48m
Audiobook Narrator:: Carolyn Jania
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: October 8th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

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If you liked this book, check out…

Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood
Counting Miracles | Nicholas Sparks

Book Review:: The Book of George | Kate Greathead

The thing about life is we can’t see very far ahead of ourselves. We don’t know what will happen or who we’ll meet or how we’ll feel. All we have is potential. All this potential we hoard and cling to like it will be the thing to carry us, ultimately, to happiness, to fulfillment, to stability. The real truth is that life is what you make of it, and if you’re not careful, you’ll never really live it at all.

The Book of George Kate Greathead Book Cover

George has a Holden Caufield complex. Or, at least the same one as Holden. He’s stuck in his head far too much, he has grandiose ideas and passes judgment on everyone around him like he’ll win money for it. Except he doesn’t. He never has any money because he won’t get off his ass to do anything unless he convinces himself it has some sort of higher meaning unless and until he absolutely has to. And when he does have to do something, he will do anything to put it off. When he gets the slightest bit uncomfortable, he will reject whatever thing has done the wrongdoing or come back at it with teeth bared, even when he knows he’s wrong. His whole life is an identity crisis, and I’m not even sure he knows it.

This book is almost stream of consciousness, in the third person. We follow George through his mediocre life, glancing moments here and there — sometimes, okay, often, quite mundane moments. He has some formative experiences as a kid, he gets a philosophy degree, he flounders, and he doesn’t stop floundering. He lets others take care of him like he doesn’t understand it costs them something to do so. He has a longtime on and off again girlfriend called Jenny who he feels no passion for and is far too patient with him (girl, you deserve so much better). He tries to write a book. He sometimes gets the most random jobs. He often knows he is insufferable.

I know it might sound like I didn’t like this book very much, but that’s untrue. This is the type of book where you get out what you put into it. If you don’t come at it with a certain level of discernment as a reader, you probably won’t like it. George isn’t all that likable, but things he thinks and experiences, and things he encounters through the people he meets have lessons to teach us, and opportunities for us (as readers) to learn something about how we perceive the world, whether we agree with George or oppose him. There are plenty of takeaways pressed into these pages.

The writing is excellent. I love the level of detail we’re privy to, coloring George’s experiences. Like Holden Caufield, George is critiquing everyone and everything around him, while playing himself cool. It’s a very specific vibe, and Greathead nailed it. The audiobook narrator, Blair Baker, did an excellent job, too.

I was provided an advanced readers copy of this novel to read from netgalley & the publisher in exchange for an honest review. On netgalley this is categorized under both Literary fiction and humor/satire. I kept waiting for something funny to happen (not that George isn’t funny), but if this book belongs in that category at all, it is certainly on the satire side. It didn’t really come off that way to me.

Choose this book if you are a fan of literary fiction. If you like the structure of Catcher & the Rye and are interested in a modern twist on its main character. I think I’ll be carrying George around with me for a while.

Details

Title:: The Book of George
Author:: Kate Greathead
Genre:: Literary Fiction
Publisher:: Henry Holt & Co.
Length:: 272 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 17m
Audiobook Narrator:: Blair Baker
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: October 8th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

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If you liked this book, check out…

Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood
The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo

Book Review:: If We Were Villains | M.L. Rio

What is more important, that Cesear is assassinated or that he is assassinated by his intimate friends? … ‘That,’ Frederick said, ‘is where the tragedy is.’

If We Were Villains M. L. Rio Book Cover

After years in prison, inmate Oliver Marks is released on parole. Detective Colborne, the man in charge of the crime that put Oliver behind bars, is no longer in active duty. Lingering questions over the case has him approaching Oliver for the truth of what happened all those years ago. Being the Shakespearean thespian he and his friends are, he recounts the tale in all its detail and subtlety.

At Dellecher, an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends are in their fourth year of theater studies, where they perform endless Shakespearean plays. The friend group is very close-knit, and each of them play their respective roles dutifully on stage, and off. But things are changing, and after a strangely intense performance, one of them ends up dead.

The students in this theater program are dedicated to their craft, most certainly to a fault. They read deep into the verse, and quote it, frankly, constantly. I’ve never wanted to do a deep-dive into Shakespeare’s cannon more than I did while reading this book, and perhaps those with more background on the plays in question would have understood the deeper levels of meaning I’m convinced were there for a more astute reader. As it was, Oliver as the narrator did a good job of explaining enough that even a novice reader like me was able to follow the subtext of the scenes presented well enough. But these kids sure have a way with language, and as the author, M.L. Rio impressed me with such an expansive, luxurious writing style. It made me feel smarter and vastly ignorant all at once (ha).

One thing I’m sure Colborne will never understand is that I need language to live, like food-lexemes and morphemes and morsels of meaning nourish me with the knowledge that, yes, there is a word for this. Someone else has felt it before.

Oliver is a great supporting actor, and his place in the friend group mirrors that role. It is a great POV from which to experience the story. He sees the others for who they are without his own ego getting in the way, and is profoundly loyal to them, and is entirely too trusting of them, as it turns out. His character did not have a front row seat to the tragedy, and has to piece together what happened himself as the cracks in the story begin to show.

Did you love Donna Tartt’s The Secret History? Did you like it but wished it had less Latin & philosophy and more Shakespearean verse? Then this was written for you. The gist of the story was very similar, with mirrored themes and pacing in both plot and language. To me, this is essentially a re-telling of The Secret History, although having read it doesn’t give anything away of this one. But if you loved it, you’ll love this, and vice versa.

This Gothic mystery is not for the casual reader. The prose is dense and poetic and requires concentration and patience to get through (listening to it as an audiobook might help if you’re finding it too tedious). But if you’re a seasonal reader and like to lean into the vibes of autumn, this is a perfect companion to the chilly, snow-crusted, dim evenings of October.

Details

Title:: If We Were Villains
Author:: M.L. Rio
Genre:: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher:: Flatiron Books
Length:: 354 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 50m
Audiobook Narrator:: Robert Petkoff
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: April 11th, 2017
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

Linky Links!!

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

If you liked this book, check out…

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

Book Review:: The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Socttoline

A dead body. Brotherly love. This book starts out with a bang.

The Truth About the Devlins Lisa Scottoline Book Cover

John Devlin, the golden boy of the family, comes to his brother with a terrified confession: he’s just killed someone. TJ is the ‘messed up’ one of the family, so of course John chose him for his absolution. TJ is an alcoholic. He’s served jail time. But he’s been sober two years now and is on the straight and narrow – making something of himself. TJ also works as an investigator for their family’s law firm, and he loves his brother, so he agrees to help…but when they get back to the quarry, the body is gone. They don’t know if the guy was still alive, or if he had some conspirators cleaning up what happened, either way, John is fucked, and TJ is determined to help him. But the guy has disappeared, and weird shit starts happening-then John changed his story, throwing TJ under the bus. Now TJ isn’t just fighting to keep his brother safe, but himself, his reputation, and the lives of those around him.

Gah, I loved this book. I’ve already ordered several more titles from Lisa Scottoline and can’t wait to read more from this incredible author. But let’s talk about this one first!

So if you can’t tell by my summary, TJ is an underdog, and damn if we don’t love an underdog story. He isn’t a loud person – he plays his cards close to his chest – and he’s one to show them through actions, not words. Sometimes people are slow to see that, and when there are other people telling lies about you, and you’ve already done the worst possible thing a scumbag can do (in the past), you don’t feel like you can defend yourself. But TJ is a changed man. He’s doing his best, one day at a time. He’s a hero I love to root for. A character like this carries the whole book on his back like it’s nothing. Excellent character.

The rest of the characters were also pretty great. The father seemed a little wishy washy with how strong his convictions were, then turning on a dime at one point, but that’s a father for you (lol), and my only complaint.

The plot is complex and layered and so frigging juicy. There is a lot going on and it’s all a mystery to unravel, but it doesn’t tug apart too easy.

Basically, it’s a banger, and I cannot recommend it more highly. If you’re in the mood for a thriller…”pick me, choose me, love me!”

Details

Title:: The Truth About the Devlins
Author:: Lisa Scottoline
Genre:: Thriller/Suspense
Publisher:: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 40m
Audiobook Narrator:: Edoardo Ballerini, Lisa Scottoline
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: March 26th, 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 Whelan
The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley
Wrong Place Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister

Book Review:: Before We Were Us | Denise Hunter

Life is good. After struggling through so much of life, you’ve finally found the place you belong, and the one who is meant to stand by your side. Then, in the blink of an eye, all the memories of discovering these things are wiped from your mind. Before We Were Us is the story of Lauren Wentworth, who fell from a ladder and lost an entire, formative, summer.

Before We Were Us Denise Hunter Book Cover. New Hampshire Latefront in fall foliage.

As a new college graduate, Lauren took a job as the manager of a tourist lodge in New Hampshire as a condition to winner her dream job in Boston: being a bona fide party planner at one of the most prestigious firms in New England. It’s her chance to prove her capabilities to her future employer and she won’t let anything get in the way of the future she’s dreamed of for so long. Except one day she wakes up in the hospital and finds that four months have passed since her last memory, and suddenly the owner’s son she couldn’t stand is saying that somehow they’ve been in a loving relationship all summer long. The two realities are impossible to reconcile in her head, and she’s unsure if she wants to regain her lost memories.

Jonah, her almost fiancée, is devastated. Just on the cusp of their happily ever after, the woman he loves is suddenly all but repulsed by him. He steps back, gives her the space she desperately needs, and waits for her. All he can hope for is that she’ll remember their time together, but when nothing changes even weeks after her injury, he isn’t sure what their future might hold.

What a concept! I think a premise like this naturally tugs at our human heartstrings. Memory is fallible, and so deeply, deeply personal. You can’t convey to another person exactly how something felt, or how it affected you. Even journals probably couldn’t evoke the same feelings if you don’t have the memory to accompany it. You can try. Lord knows, we all try. That’s what literature is. Poetry, and music too…all art in its various shapes forms strives to capture and convey human emotion.

This is a very strong story with many moments of sweetness and heartbreak and necessary, if reluctant, soul searching. There are strong examples of family with themes of overcoming hardships and long-held grievances. Jonah was exemplary in his role as supportive, loving partner. Finding out that Thomas Nelson is a Christian publisher is not surprising. Though I wouldn’t say this book is blatantly religious, but it does serve as a good example of what I imagine a healthy religious practitioner should look like. It’s not a story about characters making conflict-ridden choices, but rather navigating difficult circumstances with all the nuance it entails.

Any reader, especially of romance, might enjoy this story. I know I did. I was lucky enough to be chosen as an advanced listener by netgalley and the publisher. The narrator, Kim Churchill, did a wonderful job.

Details

Title:: Before We Were Us
Author:: Denise Hunter
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 9m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kim Churchill
Audiobook Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Published:: September 10th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars
Spice Rating:: 1 (smooches only)

Linky Links!!

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

If you liked this book, check out…

It’s All Relative | Rachel Magee
Hello Stranger | Katherine Center
Funny Story | Emily Henry

Book Review:: Counting Miracles | Nicholas Sparks

Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Jasper did, once. Now, after an insurmountable tragedy he’s convinced God has abandoned him. He hasn’t lost his faith entirely though, because when a white deer shows up in the forest surrounding his property, he takes it for the symbol it is: a harbinger of change.

Counting Miracles Nicholas Sparks Book Cover | Old man and his dog walking away into the North Carolina autumnal forest

A veteran named Tanner is on the search for his father-a man he’s never known, nor known anything about until his grandmother’s deathbed confession, when she left a note with his name & the town he lived in. He’s a drifter, never staying in one place too long or committing to anything but his job. On his first day in Asheboro North Carolina his brand-new sports car is backed into by a teenaged driver and changes the trajectory of his trip. He’ll be in town far longer than anticipated, and the young girl’s mother is one of the more interesting women Tanner’s ever met. Kaitlyn is her name, and her young son is friendly with Jasper, the old man living nearby who teaches him to whittle.

This tale weaves these characters together in interesting and emotional ways. The narrative bounces between Tanner, Kaitlyn, and Jasper’s voices. There is mystery, tragedy, hope, parenting struggles, romance, and a whole lot of facing reality thrown in too. There are real family relationships, and a religious throughline that is, if not convincing, at least something to make you ponder.

For most of the book the prose felt quite calming to read. It has a nice steady rhythm that kind of lulls you as you read into this serene sort of interest. I haven’t read many characters like Tanner. He’s a middle-aged bachelor who is just cruising through life to whatever the next opportunity may be. He doesn’t seem to have a destination in mind, just enjoys the ride along the way. And Jasper, sweet Jasper. His only companion is his beloved dog and Mitch, Kaitlyn’s son. He lives in a cabin built by his father’s hands living out his days in as much peace as he can manage. Until that dang deer shows up.

For Kaitlyn, who is divorced, the romantic fling that begins to develop with Tanner is a risk. He’s just visiting, and she has a lot to lose. I really enjoyed reading this romance from her perspective.

I’ve never read a Nicholas Sparks book before, though I’ve seen a few movies based on his writing (The Notebook, obviously). While I wasn’t blown away by its brilliance, the experience of reading it was really nice, and I’ll certainly read more of his backlist! Do you have any recommendations on which I should read (there are so many!).

This is an arc review & my honest opinions.

Details

Title:: Counting Miracles
Author:: Nicholas Sparks
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Random House
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 45m
Audiobook Narrator:: Holter Graham & Nicholas Sparks
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: September 24th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

Linky Links!!

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

If you liked this book, check out…

The Last Love Note | Emma Gray
The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife | Anna Johnston

Book Review:: Splendid Little Schemes | Robin Strong

As a 30-something middle-ish-class woman, I have been approached by a lot of MLMers through the years, and even joined a few (for the discount, of course). Essential oils, beauty products, ‘adult’ things, jewelry, children’s books, and even packaged food and mixes. I know how they operate. I know the jargon they use and the sickly positive vibes they project like the batman spotlight for encouragement and motivation…and damn, if this book did not capture that vibe perfectly.

Splendid Little Schemes Robin Strong Book Cover

Vicky is a high ranking Puremetics consultant looking for the next great team member to recruit and push her up over the next line of promotion in her business. She is currently the fastest growing upper tier star of the company and wants to keep up the momentum. When she meets Anna, a new member of their community, she pounces on the opportunity to get her (and her contacts back in Oregon) in her downline. But a mistaken address leads Anna to a different sort of meeting that will change the course of both their lives. Instead of a spy-day style girl’s night to sample Puremetics products, Anna has stumbled upon one full of anti-MLMers looking to take down the beast that is Puremetics and its enigmatic leader.

This is a scathing commentary on MLM pyramid scheme style direct-sales marketing companies and the way they prey on the vulnerable (women, mostly, but really any and everyone new consultants can convince to join). While the book does not mention any real MLM companies (except a brief reference to the OG Avon) and is perhaps a caricature of some of their most despicable practices & of those who lead companies like these, it certainly takes a stance against them.

Religion is another rampant theme. Vicky’s husband’s career is in the Mormon church, and her family has always been devout in that religion (yep-it’s set in Utah, how’d you guess?). I’m not sure if it was a critique of this religion in particular, or stringent religious beliefs which encourage deep life-long guilt for making very human mistakes, and sometimes simply being who you are in general. Either way, the issues are characterized well within the plot of the novel, driving character decisions and living rent free in the character’s heads. There may also be a nod to scientology mixed in there somewhere that I didn’t miss (but seriously, where are you Shelly Miscavige?!).

The perspective shifts between a few characters to show many aspects of the issues. There is the diehard ‘business owner’ Puremetics consultant, an anti-MLM hero with a personal vendetta, and a normal-ass chica with her own problems who gets swept up in all of it. The ‘mission’ to take them down gives the novel clear focus and makes it so compelling.

I don’t watch a lot of reality tv myself, but I imagine fans of it would eat this novel up. It’s got suburban drama with a side of Stepford going on. I loved it, I think you will too.

Note: I received this title as an advanced listening copy from netgalley and the author for free in exchange for my honest review.

Details

Title:: Splendid Little Schemes
Author:: Robin Strong
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction/Satire
Publisher:: Strong Stories LLC
Length:: 309 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 17m
Audiobook Narrator:: Robin Strong
Audiobook Publisher:: Strong Stories LLC
Published:: October 10th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

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

If you liked this book, check out…

The Cheesemaker’s Daughter | Kristin Vukovik
My (Not So) Perfect Life | Sophie Kinsella

Book Review:: Let It Settle | Michael Galyon

Have you seen the dreamy guy on Instagram with the soft comforting voice and the message to slow down, take a breath, center yourself, and let it settle? It’ll make you stop scrolling every time. His name is Michael Galyon, and now, he’s written a book!

(You can find his instagram feed here – you’re welcome)

Let It Settle, Daily Habits to Move You from Chaos to Calm Michael Galyon Book Cover

I received this book as an advanced listening copy from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, and I cannot tell you how much I recommend it. If you clicked over to Michael’s IG, you’ll know what I mean by saying he has one of the most calming, gentle voices. Listening to it is like warm honey pouring across your shoulders and down your back. I don’t know if it would even matter what he was saying, I think it would be a calming experience regardless.

But what he is saying is so valuable.

This book is designed to give you lots of tools he help guide you through stress, anxiety, and bad patterns of thinking. Even more than that, honestly. It is an arsenal to guard you against the chaos the human brain can often be.

There are very introductory meditation exercises here if you’re a beginner, like the body scan, but there are also many more advanced exercises explored too, and each includes an anecdote that help to explain how they can be helpful in practical application.

Then there are the actual guided meditations. Again, the audiobook is going to give you more bang for your buck here. I’ve never felt more relaxed and centered when listening to an audiobook as I did this one. It is so soothing.

If you’re looking for some extra help managing the chaos of your life, I really recommend this book. I think anyone could find something in its pages to benefit them.

Details

Title:: Let It Settle: Daily Habits to Move You From Chaos to Calm
Author:: Michael Galyon
Genre:: Non-Fiction/Self Help
Publisher:: Wiley
Length:: 256 pages
Audio Length:: 6h 25m
Audiobook Narrator:: Michael Galyon (the author)
Audiobook Publisher:: Ascent Audio
Published:: September 24th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

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

Book Review:: The Slowest Burn | Sarah Chamberlin

So you like to read romance…lucky for you, I’ve found your next favorite romance author. Do you enjoy authors like Tarah Dewitt, Katherine Center, Sarah Adams, and Abby Jimenez? Go ahead and add Sarah Chamberlain to the list, because you’ve stumbled onto the review one of my favorite romance reads of 2024. I can save you a few minutes of reading by telling you to just buy it. This is one you’re going to want to chronicle on your bookshelves at home. It’s so good. But if you still want the deetz, I got you.

The Slowest Burn Sarah Chamberlain Book Cover

Ellie is a cookbook ghostwriter living in the cottage house of her dead husband’s parents. He died three years ago, leaving her a widow in her late twenties. Since then, she’s thrown herself into her work, saving money to eventually buy her own place and get back on her feet. Unfortunately, the client of her latest project is less than genial. In fact, he’s all but openly hostile. She’s got the writing & cooking skills she needs to do a great job, but she can’t write a book in this guy’s voice unless she knows…literally anything…about him. Kieran recently won a prestigious televised cooking contest and his agent is looking to capitalize on the flash of fame. Putting out a cookbook is the obvious step forward, except it feels like schoolwork, and Kieran has never been good at that. In fact, he’s been exceptionally bad at it, and this project is stirring up a lot of old insecurities.

Oh, but this book is delicious. There is something in reading about food, even if it’s food you’d never want to eat yourself. Happy croissants? I can get behind that. A blood orange and duck confit salad? Yeah, that’s not going into my mouth. But reading about it? I mean, it’s sexy. It’s sexy when someone takes such care in choosing and preparing ingredients to assemble a bite that will do pleasant things in your mouth. Food is romance (or at least it can be, and in this book, trust me, it is).

But I haven’t even gotten to the swoony bits yet! Let’s take the title, The Slowest Burn. I mean, with a title and a cover like that (LOOK HOW PRETTY IT IS), you just know you’re in for a treat, and Chamberlain did not disappoint.

What is it we love about a slow burn romance? The longing. The intimacy of getting to know someone so completely before jumping in the sack, right? The deep and honest friendship with possibility that simmers and fizzles just underneath every interaction. Check. Check. Check.

Ellie and Kieran are both misunderstood. They each have trauma from their formidable years that shaped them into what they currently are: functioning adults with relationship issues (aren’t we all). Through the forced proximity of the cookbook project, which they both need to do well, their layers of armor weaken around each other as they connect over the food they’re creating together. A true bond forms between them that emulsifies into something simply irresistible.

Both main characters have depth and realistic internal conflict they need to work through. Ellie needs to work on enforcing boundaries, and Kieran has always been too much for most people to handle and is a little too eager to employ his coping mechanisms.

But it’s not all about the romance! There are many other types of relationships explored in these pages: professional, familial (siblings, parents, in-laws), and friendships. Themes of grief are discussed as well as learning disabilities. The FMC is plus sized, the MMC isn’t super tall, both are simply integrated into the characterization and not flouted around just to be ‘Inclusive’. So much good stuff to chew on in this book!

I read this book as an advanced listening copy from the publisher & netgalley. I devour audiobooks like Ellie devours frites, and this one was no exception. Both narrators did a great job. Occasionally I could hear a few mouth sounds from Hunter Johns, but to be honest, I actually liked that. *blushes*

So in conclusion, this book is amazing, and you all should read it. Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.

Details

Title:: The Slowest Burn
Author:: Sarah Chamberlain
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Griffin
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 12m
Audiobook Narrator:: Hunter Johns & Kate Handford
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: September 24th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3

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