Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Review: Let it Shine by Alyssa Cole

We’re baaaack. Happy New Year everyone. So far 2020 has been fabulous, I hope the same is true for you and will continue to be so. To start off our review year we chose Let It Shine by Alyssa Cole (one of my all time favorite writers). It didn’t hit me until I started reading it just how appropriate the book is for Black History Month. A great choice for February. Remember to stop by Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to see what they thought of the book.

Blurb
Sofronia Wallis knows that proper Black women don’t court trouble by upending the status quo, but it’s 1961 and the Civil Rights movement is in full swing. Sofie’s spent half her life being prim, proper, and reserved—as if that could bring her mother back—but the nonviolent protests happening across the South bring out her inner agitator.

Ivan Friedman has devoted his life to boxing, loving the finesse of a well-delivered punch and the penance of receiving one. His family escaped from Europe before the horrors of WWII, and Ivan decides to help fight injustice in their new country, even if it goes against all his instincts as a fighter.

When Ivan and Sofie meet, they realize that their pasts are intertwined and—with the sparks that fly between them—perhaps their futures will be too. With everything in their society lined up against them, will Sofie and Ivan be able to beat the odds? Or will their chance at love be destroyed by the tumultuous times they live in?

My Review

A spectacular read that had me engrossed in the characters lives and the stressful environment they lived. This is a historical romance that bought the issues of race, equal rights and differences of religion to the forefront. I’ll be honest and say that stories about historical race relations tends to get me upset because the truth of people encountering such situations was and still is real.

Ms. Cole’s telling of Sofie and Ivan’s story was both heart-breaking and inspiring. The story had me on pins and needles wondering just how it would end. I was satisfied with how it turned out.

I give this book five out of five boxing glove shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from Amazon UK on sale for $0.99 which I think is still going on.

Prah, Constantine, and Baryeh Review: Wedding at Mistletoe Chalet by Dani Collins

Happy Holidays! Welcome to the last review of 2019. We read a Christmas story to help get us in the mood for the festive season. This month, it's only Constantine and I reviewing (Baryeh will join us again next year) so make sure stop by Constantine's blog to see what she thought of the book.




The Blurb
Eager for a home-style Christmas while she considers a career shift, Kristen Benz leaps on the temporary job at Mistletoe Chalet. Soon she’s wrapping presents, trimming the tree, and helping her new boss’s tween daughter plan a Christmas Eve vow renewal for her parents. The holiday is imbued with a magical glow—especially when Kristen’s high school sweetheart appears on the doorstep.

After years of medical school, Finn Garrett has promised his parents he’ll be home for the holidays. His detour to see his first love is supposed to provide closure, not rekindle their long-ago romance.

Can a matchmaking tween and the magic of Mistletoe Chalet spark the happily ever after that eluded them in the past?


My Review
The story did a fantastic job of nudging me towards the Christmas spirit with descriptions of the charming chalet, gorgeous scenery, decorations, and festive activities.

I found that the book was more about Kristen's experiences with the other characters, learning how to run a small inn, and preparing for the wedding. The romance between Kristen and Finn didn't feature  enough to make me a happy romance reader, although what did happen between them was very sweet. They tended to remember more of their past relationship than building their current one.

I give this book three out of five Christmas tree shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Review: Meant to Be (Sweetbriar Cove #1) by Melody Grace

Happy Autumn everyone. May the season be filled with awesome reads. Remeber to hop on over to Constantine and Baryeh's blogs to see what they thought about the book.

                                                         The Blurb

Poppy Somerville believes in happily-ever-after. It’s the reason her romance novels have won devoted readers all over the world—and why she’s broken off her engagement just weeks before the wedding instead of settling for less than true love. Escaping to her aunt’s beach cottage in Sweetbriar Cove, Poppy is looking for inspiration to end her writer’s block and finish her new book. She just wasn’t counting on the handsome, gruff contractor making such a racket next door…

Cooper Nicholson doesn’t believe in soul-mates. He thought he’d found his forever once, and the world proved him wrong, so when the cute brunette comes storming over and demands he keep the noise down, romance is the last thing on his mind. But his new neighbor is full of surprises, and soon, their chemistry is too hot to ignore.

As they grow closer, they discover fiction has nothing on the plot twists life has in store. But will Cooper find a way to let go of the past and risk his heart again? And can Poppy find her happy ending — on and off the page?

My Review

The romance was set in a picturesque tourist town that sounded like an amazing place to be.

I liked the concept of the heroine being a successful romance novelist. I was also happy that she found the courage to break off her engagement before the wedding day. I wasn’t so crazy about the fact that it took her so long to do it when she’d been feeling antsy about the engagement for a while. I didn’t appreciate that it took her no time to get over it. I felt really bad for her jilted ex, even though she’d made the right decision to leave him.

Cooper was an interesting character. I liked his determination to finish his construction project and the passion he had for restoring houses. I didn’t care for his immature way of treating Poppy when things got too heavy between them.  

I got into the book quickly, but found that things slowed down. I kept wondering what was keeping the hero and heroine apart. I didn’t find the conflict compelling enough to drive the story along.

I give this book three out of five hammer shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Reviews: Raining Men and Corpses (Raina Sun Mystery 1) by Anne R. Tan

I hope you’re having a fantastic summer and that the books you’re reading are leaving you happy. We chose a cozy mystery this round. Stop by Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to see what they thought about it after reading my review.   

The Blurb
A contemporary humorous mystery set in the fictitious small college town of Gold Springs, California. Raina Sun is a typical graduate student trying to keep her head above water as the bills roll in from a lawsuit disputing an inheritance from her dysfunctional family. Then her dashing college adviser cons her out of several months of rent.

Her quest to get her money back sets into motion a streak of bad luck. First, she finds the dead body of an ex-lover and becomes the prime suspect to his murder. The only man she ever loved reappears as the lead detective to the case and wants to reignite their passion (or at least he’s sending out smoke signals).

Her life careens out of control as her best friend does whatever it takes to get the inside scoop for the town’s newspaper. And her grandma moves into Raina’s postage-stamp-sized apartment, dragging a red suitcase and trouble. The family secret Raina has been running away from is now staring at her across the dining room table every morning.

Raina must figure out how to extract herself before things get dicey. There is no place for an amateur when it comes to murder.

The eclectic cast of characters in this amateur sleuth mystery will have you scratching your head and laughing until the end.

My review

Cozy mysteries tend to be cute, and this one fit the description. Raina is an interesting amateur sleuth with friendship and man issues that she had to contend with along with attempting to help solve a murder. Her grandmother was hilarious. She provided the comic relief that the book needed. The mystery aspect was interesting even though it moved slowly.

It took my quite a few chapters to get into the story, and even then the book dragged for me. I wasn’t fond of the relationship between Raina and Matthew. The author took her time revealing their past history together and even when it was all out in the open I wasn’t happy with why he behaved the way he did. The relationship annoyed me, just like the one she had with her best friend.

I give this book three out of five plant shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK.

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Reviews: Maggie for Hire (Maggie MacKay, Magical Tracker 1) by Kate Danley

Happy May everybody. The rains are falling and the flowers are blooming. Spring is lovely. So are urban fantasy books with kick ass heroines. I’m just saying.

Remember to head over to Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs once you have finished reading my review of Maggie for Hire.

The Blurb

When monsters appear on Earth, Maggie MacKay is on the job. No one is better at hauling the creepy crawlies back where they belong. No one, that is, except Maggie's dad, who vanished in the middle of an assignment. Now, an elf named Killian has shown up with a gig. Seems Maggie's uncle teamed up with the forces of dark to turn Earth into a vampire convenience store, serving bottomless refills on humans. Ah, family...

The only hope for survival lies in tracking down two magical artifacts and a secret that disappeared with Maggie's dad.

WARNING: This book contains cussing, brawling, and unladylike behavior. Proceed with caution. 

My Review

I liked the concept of Maggie being a magical tracker. It reminded me of female bounty hunter books, only she was really adept at her work. The story entertained me, making me laugh in parts. I appreciated that Maggie wasn’t invincible, knew it, and acted accordingly. 

I didn’t see any chemistry between Maggie and Killian even though it was intimated by several of the secondary characters (who I loved). The two seemed more like they would be good friends than anything else, and they definitely worked well together. Killian was a sweetie where Maggie had a hard as nails edge to her. As an elf, I thought he would have been more powerful, and dare I say it, helpful.

I really liked the way the book ended. That’s all I’m saying about that. 

I give this book three and a half church shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK

Prah, Constantine, and Baryeh Reviews: Truth or Beard (Winston Brothers #1) by Penny Reid

Happy March! 2019 is doing its best to fly by. I don’t have much else to say because I really want you to get to the review. I’m sure that tells you how excited I am to tell you about this book. After you read my review remember to head over to Constantine and Baryeh’s  blogs to see what they thought. I can’t wait.

The Blurb

Beards, brothers, and bikers! Oh my! 

Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life.

His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her…

But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain; therefore she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.

Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?

My Review

This book was hilarious. The characters, especially the brothers, were just so well developed and individualistic.  They had such different personalities and yet were really close. I developed a crush on one of them (Billy), and wanted to hang out extensively with the others because they were just so cool, especially Cletus – that man was just too clever for his own good and knew it. I’m looking forward to reading each of their stories.

The romance between Duane, the dark brooding brother who took no nonsense from anyone  (one of my favorite Winstons) and Jessica, who was smart and had the best sense of humor, began with a jump start (no pun was initially intended, but I like the way it worked out). From the beginning of the book until the end I wanted these two together.

Ms. Reid understands how to pile on drama without making the story overdramatic. Just when I thought one issue had been settled, Bam! Another one worked its way into the plot, setting both the characters and myself off balance. It was brilliantly done.

This book definitely has my stamp of approval and I hope the others in the series are just as entertaining.

I give this book five Mustang (the car, not the horse) shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Review: Twelve Nights (Blue Moon Lake 1.5) by Sharon Struth

This is our last review for 2018. Please wipe your tears because we’ll be back next year with more for you. In the meantime enjoy your holiday festivities. Hopefully you won’t be too busy to find time to read. Remember to stop on by Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to see what they thought of the book.

The Blurb

True love waits forever…

For Erik Lindholm, it’s been a long climb to the top of his company. Now, as president he has the power to bring his vision to life and speed his company in bold new directions. If that means a complete staff overhaul, so be it. If that means firing the woman who left his heart in tatters fifteen years earlier, it’s a business decision, not personal…

Beryl Foster is highly competent and respected by everyone at the office. But rumors of a big shake-up are rampant and—surprisingly, scarily—Beryl’s job as CFO is on the line. Fifteen years ago she made a decision to put her career before everything else. It was also the last time she and Erik shared a life together. Every Christmas is a reminder. This one could be a second chance… 

My Review

Second chance romances are a hit or miss with me depending on the reason why the couple initially broke up. Erik and Beryl had a legitimate reason for separating that first time and I wasn’t sure if they’d make it through as a couple the second time they got together. They had quite a bit going against them, their past being a major contributing factor. Their careers still being another.

I’ll be honest. I was angry with Erik on Beryl’s behalf in the beginning of the book. I didn’t understand how he could have just left her. I understand the motivation of getting ahead in his career, but I didn’t like it. Especially not when there were other options he could have taken. For a while I wanted him to suffer and not end up with her (not really, but my pissed off mind wasn’t really being rational).

There was an amazing park scene that made me sigh when I read it from her perspective. Learning about Erik and just how romantic he could be helped me to eventually get over my anger with him and I started wanting to see them together. I kept wishing it hadn’t taken fifteen years for them to get there. On the other hand it may have been the time apart that they needed to make them better individuals and because of that a strong couple. It certainly gave Beryl time to establish herself in both the workplace and her marvelous hobby.

I give this book four out of five Christmas tree shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK.

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Review: Mail Order Bride : Mail Order Mayor (Brides of the Western Reach) (A Western Romance Book) by Ashley Walter

Happy Autumn everyone! I can’t believe it’s been two months since the last review. I’m glad to be back. This time we went for a sweet Western romance which was a different subgenre than we’ve read before.  Remember to check out Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to see what they thought of the book.

Blurb

Some mail-order brides have secrets... sometimes, so do their husbands.

Cadence Fairbanks was supposed to be a mail-order bride, until things went wrong.
She’d left her old life behind her and tried to start over, but the man she was supposed to marry is back.

He wants a second chance.

Cadence doesn't know if she loves him anymore.

Or does she?

Austin Wilkes has to prove himself to her.
But he’s got his own secrets, and he's still mourning for his first wife and child.
She's not sure she can trust him, but he's not sure he can trust her.

When the women of Angel's Reach start to go missing, Cadence vows to hunt down their kidnapper.
Austin promises to help her, and the two embark on a journey that will teach them
things aren't always what they seem.
Can Cadence and Austin find the missing women before she becomes one herself? 

My Review

I really enjoyed this historical Western romance. This book was completely sweet and I loved it. Cadence was a unique character with a physical issue that she dealt with well, even though she was stubborn about accepting help when she needed it. Austin’s backstory with his first wife and child was heart wrenching. I appreciate the way the way the author dealt with it.

I presume that Cadence and Austin initiated their relationship during the first book of the series (which I want to read) because the main conflict started due to their prior time together. It worked for the story, but I would have liked to have known more about that relationship and how they had initially met.

The secondary characters of the novel were marvelous. I hope each of the women get their own happily-ever-after.

I give this book four out of five apple shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK.

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Review: Her Perfect Catch by K.L. Brady

Hi everyone. I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying life. The books keep coming, which is always a good thing. This month we’ve chosen a sweet romance to entertain ourselves with. Remember to check out Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to see what they thought about this lovely story.

The Blurb

Melanie is a struggling, nerdy sports writer with the power to change Jet's image.

Jet is a bad-boy NFL star receiver with the power to change Melanie's career.

Dylan, Melanie's sexy best friend, has the power to throw a monkey wrench in everybody's plans.

When the three connect in a chance meeting at the Super Bowl, none of their lives will ever be the same.

My Review

For the first time in a long time, I had to skip to the end of the book to see how it ended. Once I knew the outcome of the triad I could relax and enjoy the book, which I totally did. I don’t give spoilers so you’ll have to read it yourself to find out. You won’t be disappointed, that’s for sure.

This sweet romance entertained me with Melanie’s incredible sense of humor. She scared me at some points with her antics and had me wanting to jump in the book to advise (or yell at) her. To be honest both Jet and Dylan were great guys, but I was happy that she ended up with one she did.

That cover is so incredibly adorable. 

My single complaint is that I wish the chapters hadn’t been labeled. Chapter numbers alone would’ve done just fine. 

I give this book four out of five football shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Reviews: Crane (The Legends Saga #1) by Stacey Rourke

The calendar tells us that it’s officially spring, but the weather says otherwise. Nothing to do about it, but read, read and read some more. This month we went for something spooky which is not normally my thing, but dang, this book was amazing. Remember to stop by Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to see what they thought about it.

The Blurb

The Horseman is unending,
his presence shan’t lessen.
If you break the curse,
you become the legend.

Washington Irving and Rip Van Winkle had no choice but to cover up the deadly truth behind Ichabod Crane’s disappearance. Centuries later, a Crane returns to Sleepy Hollow awakening macabre secrets once believed to be buried deep.

What if the monster that spawned the legend lived within you?

Now, Ireland Crane, reeling from a break-up and seeking a fresh start, must rely on the newly awakened Rip Van Winkle to discover the key to channeling the darkness swirling within her. Bodies are piling high and Ireland is the only one that can save Sleepy Hollow by embracing her own damning curse.

But is anyone truly safe when the Horseman rides? 

My Review

First of all I must mention how brilliant the writing is. This story was the perfect example of what ‘show not tell’ was all about. I could see everything happening as if it was a movie rather than words on a page. Ms. Rourke is incredible with her descriptions, scene setting, and dialogue.

I’m not normally a mystery or thriller reader, but this book made me do a one-eighty. I was amazed at how quickly I read it. Ireland was funny as hell with her sarcastic sense of humor and tough ass manner. Let me tell you that she goes through a lot in Sleepy Hollow, but it was all so cool. The gore and the pain wasn’t so appetizing, but everything else was. Especially how she embraced her curse- I didn’t see that coming at all and yet if fit the story so well.

I had two issues with this story, which didn’t take away from me loving the book. First of all it flopped back and forth between Ireland and Ichabod’s stories, which was frustrating because I wanted to see what happened to both of them. I would almost hold my breath when a chapter ended because I didn’t know whose story would be told even though I knew whose story I wanted continued. It was a tad bit frustrating.

My second issue, very minor, was that I didn’t understand the purpose of the first death in the story. I don’t recall the guy being mentioned again, but maybe I was so enthralled with everything else going on that I missed it.

No matter what I saw as the minuscule shortcomings of this book, it was amazing. If I could rate it higher than a five I totally would.

I give this book five out five sword shaped chocolate bars and a huge round of applause.

I purchased my copy from AmazonUK

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Review: The Broken Hearts Book Club (Luna Bay 1) by Lynsey James

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Valentine’s Day to come! Yes it’s been a while since we’ve shared our reviews, but now we’re back. Remember to check out what Constantine and Baryeh thought of the book.

The Blurb

Secrets never stay buried for long...

Lucy Harper has always been good at one thing: running from her past. But when her beloved Nana Lily passes away she has no choice except to return to the one place in the world she most wants to avoid...

Luna Bay hasn't changed much in the eight years she has spent in London. The little Yorkshire village is still just as beautiful, but the new pub landlord is a gorgeous addition to the scenery!

Lucy only intended to stay for a day, yet when she discovers that Nana Lily has not only left her a cottage but also The Broken Hearts Book Club, Lucy is intrigued. Her Nana never have mentioned the club and Lucy can't wait to get started, but walking into her first meeting she is more aware than ever that her past is finally catching up with her.

One way or another, Lucy must finally face the secrets she's kept buried for so long-or spend the rest of her life on the run…

My Review

A wonderful book. It had all of the components I look for in a good story. It was funny, there was growth in the characters, and the romance was just right. Lucy’s issues with her past were deep and it didn’t help that someone in her hometown hadn’t gotten over her pain and so continued to make Lucy rehash the past every chance she got. The whole situation was rather tragic for everyone involved, especially Lucy.

The book was well written and flowed easily. Although I really enjoyed the novel, for once I would have liked it better if everything didn’t end up so perfectly in the end. Because it didn’t read like a true romance to me, a loose end or two would’ve made it seem more realistic. But that’s my humble opinion.

I give this book four out of five book shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased this book from AmazonUK.

Remember to stop by Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to read their reviews.

Prah, Constantine, and Baryeh Reviews: Can't Miss Christmas (Mirror Lake #3.5) by Miranda Liasson

Happy holidays fabulous readers. I’m pretty sure you’re all busy preparing for the Christmas season, but I hope you get some time to read a little, too. This month we kept it light and short with a Christmas novella.

Remember to stop by Constantine and Baryeh's blogs to see what they thought of the book.

Have a fantastic and safe holiday!

The Blurb

Here comes a charming standalone Christmas novella by Amazon bestselling author Miranda Liasson. Fans of both Mirror Lake series will recognize familiar elements and people along the way.

It’s two days before Christmas and bestselling children’s author Grace Alberts needs to fulfill a promise—to make it to a book signing for the kids at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the place that did so much for her during a very rough time. But the weather’s getting awful and all flights are cancelled out of Boston, where she’s wrapping up her book tour. Then in walks her annoying but extremely sexy ex-husband, who (as usual) thinks he’s got all the answers.

Graham Walker just stopped by to get a book signed for Grace’s biggest fan, his niece, and wish Grace a Merry Christmas—why not? But he soon finds himself troubleshooting her dilemma. He’s got a Range Rover that can plow through a hundred-year Nor’easter. He’s even headed home to Philly. Trouble is, Grace's and his past is a disaster, something he has no intention of reliving while driving through a winter storm, no matter how much he once loved her. And maybe still does.

Bad weather has a way of bringing out the best and the worst in people, and when a run in with some deer antlers leads them to a forced stop in Mirror Lake, Connecticut, anything can happen, naughty or nice. Maybe a bit of enforced alone time and some Christmas magic can be just what it takes for them to face their past—and each other—once and for all.

My Review

I’m not the biggest fan of second chance romances, but this novella had me rooting for the couple. The reasons they got divorced two years ago was understandable and forgivable on both sides. After the changes they went through during their lives apart, I’m pretty sure there will be a greater chance of them staying together the second time around. A lovely Christmas read.

I give this book four out of five book shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased this book from Amazon UK.

Prah, Constantine, and Baryeh Reviews: The Afterlife Coach by Susan E. Paul

Happy October! We're officially into autumn, for me one of the prettiest seasons of the year. Until everything dies. I’m leading into the book we chose for this month (aren’t I clever?). We stepped away from romance this month and for me it was a good venture. I’m curious to find out what Constantine and Baryeh thought about the book.

The Blurb

Imagine waking up to find Napoleon Bonaparte, Janis Joplin and Count Dracula in your kitchen eating Froot Loops. 

For Claire Anderson, this crosses the line. 

To make matters worse, they’re on the lam and can’t be returned to sender until In Between, the afterlife way station, can arrange transportation to pick them up. In the meantime, Claire tries to contain this motley crew, hoping to stave off an international incident. How do they manage to walk among us? Will Claire succeed in repatriating them? And at what cost? 

The Afterlife Coach is a humorous tale of second chances, self-awareness and, for those among us who make bad choices, demonstrates just how hard it is to die happily ever after. 

My Review

The simplicity of the cover and the engaging blurb roped me into reading the novel. An afterlife coach is a concept I have never hear of, until this book. Very interesting. Claire was very likeable and I felt sorry for her at the beginning of the book. I cheered her on as the book progressed. In the end I was glad she’d found the trio sitting at her kitchen table because she’d found, or rather re-found, her true calling and found peace.

I did find the story a little slow in the beginning, but then it picked up and the novel flew by. I don’t know anything about heaven or the afterlife, but I like the way Ms. Anderson described it and why people ended up back on earth. She definitely has a way with words and the images leapt from the page into my head as I laughed at the antics the crew got into.

I give this book four out five guitar shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased my book from AmazonUK

Remember to stop over at Constantine and Baryeh's blogs to see what they thought of the story.

Prah, Constantine and Baryeh Reviews: Deliver Me by Farrah Rochon

Boo hoo! Summer is ending (I'm holding out for the autumn solstice to call it to a close). I hope you had a good one and that fall will be even more spectacular. This month we chose a contemporary romance to delve into. Remember to stop by Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to find out what they thought about the book.

The Blurb

After being dumped by her boyfriend and passed over for yet another promotion, Monica Gardner moves to New Orleans, determined to make a name for herself as the new attending ER physician at Methodist Memorial Hospital. As for men--she's through with them. But when given the chance to chair the hospital's annual charity banquet, Monica must elicit the help of gorgeous Ob-gyn Elijah Holmes.

Eli will do anything to thwart his matchmaking Mama's plan to reunite him with his high school girlfriend. So, when the sexy new ER doc asks for his help in planning this year's charity banquet, Eli devises the perfect scheme: He'll help put on the best banquet the hospital has ever seen, if Monica poses as his new girlfriend. But when Eli finds himself falling in love, he realizes convincing Monica of his true feelings may be his greatest delivery yet.

My Review

The story between Eli and Monica was lovely. They each had their own past issues to contend with and it progressed well throughout the novel. I didn’t quite understand Eli’s motivations when it came to asking Monica to pose as his girlfriend. In my opinion his mother wasn’t so demanding for him to have to go to such lengths. I think his subconscious wanted Monica for real to begin with and didn’t know how to sidestep his rule of not dating doctors. His heart knew.

The supporting characters were entertaining. Monica’s best friend, Nia, was hilarious and Eli’s brothers kept him on his toes.

With a few of the good aspects stated I’d like to mention that there was a side story with another couple, Jeffrey and Amanda, within the book. I kept waiting for the purpose of this to reveal itself because I don’t think it added to the story at all. It made the book longer and for me it took me out of the romance between Eli and Monica which was why I’d read the book.

I will be reading more Holmes Brother’s stories.

I give this book three out five stethoscope shaped chocolate bars.

I got my copy from Amazon.

I'm heading over to Constantine and Baryeh's blogs to see if they enjoyed the book. 

Prah, Constantine and Prah Reviews:The Librarian by Christy Sloat

 

August is here and I hope the sunshine has remained steady and pleasant for you. If you haven’t yet gone on vacation have a good one, and remember to take along a good book. This month we chose a paranormal and as the title suggests, books were a major part of the story.

Remember to hop over to Constantine and Baryeh’s blogs to see what they thought.

The Blurb

He’s from 1892 England, she’s in a small library in 2017. And that's just the start of their troubles.

Emme never meant to stay in Maine. She'd come only to find a librarian for her Gram's library, a custodian for the collection of mysterious books she'd promised to protect. On a dark, wintery night, alone in the library, she takes her first glance into one of the antique novels and finds herself transported to 1892 England staring into the eyes of handsome and dashing hero Jack Ridgewell. As each chapter passes she learns you can truly fall in love with a character in a book, that book boyfriends are real and Emme must choose between the real world, and his.

When the last page is read he's gone and Emme feels the cold loneliness of lost love. Will she find Jack again, or will their love be forever lost? The answer lies within the pages… 

 My Review

Time travel is never an easy concept to tackle in a book. Someone, usually the reader, tends to end up with a headache. In this case the heroine ended up with one as well. In every time travel book, movie or show I’ve experience where the past is involved there is always the concept of not disturbing the present time because if they did then the future would be changed. It takes Emme a long time to grasp this. And I couldn’t understand why – especially since she mentioned it herself when she’d initially woken up in the past.

There were quite a few things I couldn’t understand in story. I wasn’t clear about the purpose of the Librarians – history had been recorded for years without their observations and I’m still boggled as to how they could go back in time and observe the past without influencing it.

Emme seemed like a nice young woman, but I couldn’t relate to her. At least not until she started behaving in a sensible manner. I wasn’t a fan of the insta-love that took place between the hero (one of them) and heroine. One minute she’s meeting Jack Ridgewall, and the next she wants to stay in his time period, forgoing everything she knows for a man she’s met a few times for a few hours. I wasn’t buying it. There were a few scenes in the book where I had to wait in order to understand the purpose or meaning of why they'd been written in.  I’m still waiting.

I give this book three out of five book shaped chocolate bars.

I purchased this book from AmazonUK.

Here’s the AmazonUS link. 

Prah, Constantine, and Baryeh Reviews: Snow White Red-Handed (Fairy Tale Fatal Mystery #1) by Maia Chance

We are officially in the midst of summer and I hope you’re all enjoying the gorgeous weather as much as I am. This month we went the way of a mystery. Nothing hard core and gloomy, more of a cozy mystery. I’m looking forward to seeing what Constantine and Baryeh thought of the story. Remember to head over to their blogs once you’re done reading my review.

The Blurb

Miss Ophelia Flax is a Victorian actress who knows all about making quick changes and even quicker exits. But to solve a fairy-tale crime in the haunted Black Forest, she’ll need more than a bit of charm…

1867: After being fired from her latest variety hall engagement, Ophelia acts her way into a lady’s maid position for a crass American millionaire. But when her new job whisks her off to a foreboding castle straight out of a Grimm tale, she begins to wonder if her fast-talking ways might have been too hasty. The vast grounds contain the suspected remains of Snow White’s cottage, along with a disturbing dwarf skeleton. And when her millionaire boss turns up dead—poisoned by an apple—the fantastic setting turns into a once upon a crime scene.

To keep from rising to the top of the suspect list, Ophelia fights through a bramble of elegant lies, sinister folklore, and priceless treasure, with only a dashing but mysterious scholar as her ally. And as the clock ticks towards midnight, she’ll have to break a cunning killer’s spell before her own time runs out…

 

My Review

There are four components that came together in this book to make it work: the historical aspect, fairy tale elements, mystery element, and has the tiniest bit of romance. The best part about the novel was that when I finally figured out who the killer was, it was too late (for me as an amateur sleuth) because the book was almost done. For that I give Ms. Chance a standing ovation.

The characters were very likable, but there were a couple of situations in the story that had me asking questions about if such a thing would actually happen. These moments didn’t have anything to do with the fairy tale aspect of the story. All the activity and intrigue in the book made reading the story fly quickly.

Ophelia is a scrapper and a survivor. A strong character who went to great lengths to help her friend, and eventually herself. Her backstory is fascinating and the things she applied from her past to help solve the mystery added a fascinating depth to the story, especially in a horseback riding scene- I loved it.

I give this story four out of five cottage shaped chocolate bars.

Ms. Chase gave me a real, hold in my hot little hands paperback for an honest review.

 The book can be purchased at Amazon.