Carries Book Reviews

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Title: The Unwedding

Author:  Ally Condie

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date: June 4, 2024

Page Count:  329

My rating: 3 1/2 stars

About the book:

The White Lotus meets Agatha Christie in this bold novel from a #1 New York Times bestselling author: a recent divorcee’s exclusive Big Sur resort vacation unravels when she discovers a dead body on the day of a wedding, in this “clever, witty and fast-paced whodunit.” (Harlan Coben)

Ellery Wainwright is alone at the edge of the world.
 
She and her husband, Luke, were supposed to spend their twentieth wedding anniversary together at the luxurious Resort at Broken Point in Big Sur, California. Where better to celebrate a marriage, a family, and a life together than at one of the most stunning places on earth?
 
But now she’s traveling solo.
 
To add insult to injury, there’s a wedding at Broken Point scheduled during her stay. Ellery remembers how it felt to be on the cusp of everything new and wonderful, with a loved and certain future glimmering just ahead. Now, she isn’t certain of anything except for her love for her kids and her growing realization that this place, though beautiful, is unsettling.
 
When Ellery discovers the body of the groom floating in the pool in the rain, she realizes that she is not the only one whose future is no longer guaranteed. Before the police can reach Broken Point, a mudslide takes out the road to the resort, leaving the guests trapped. When another guest dies, it’s clear something horrible is brewing.

Everyone at Broken Point has a secret. And everyone has a shadow. Including Ellery.

Author Ally Condie is best known for her young adult novels but The Unwedding is now her first attempt at adult fiction. The Unwedding is a locked room mystery of sorts with it being set at a remote luxury resort at Broken Point in Big Sur, California with a contained cast of characters.

Ellery Wainwright was about to be celebrating her twentieth wedding anniversary with a trip planned to Big Sur when her husband, Luke, decided he’d rather get a divorce. It was Luke who then suggested that Ellery go ahead and take the time and the trip to herself to digest this huge bomb in her life.

After arriving at Broken Point though Ellery finds the one thing she really wouldn’t have wanted at all, a wedding taking place while she mourns her own marriage. Trying to make the best of it all though Ellery continues her solo trip doing her best to avoid the wedding until the night Ellery discovers the body of the groom floating in the pool and finds a mudslide has cut off any chance of help arriving to find the murderer.

As much young adult I do read even now into my adult years Ally Condie’s popular Matched series is one that has continued to remain on my TBR so I had no experience with her work going into The Unwedding. The story did seem to be a solid effort at an adult novel with having an intriguing plot to follow. It did seem there were a lot of characters to follow along with which kind of made the pacing seem a little slow getting to know them all. When finished with this story I would rate this first adult effort at three and a half stars overall and definitely give this author another go into he future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Ally Condie is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Matched trilogy and its companion novel, The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe. She is also the author of the novel Summerlost, an Edgar Award Finalist for Best Juvenile Mystery, the New York Times bestselling novel Atlantia, and the co-author of the Darkdeep middle grade series. A former English teacher, Ally lives with her family outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. She has an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is the founder and director of the nonprofit WriteOut Foundation.

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Title: For the Love of Summer

Author:  Susan Mallery

Publisher: MIRA 

Publication Date: June 4, 2024

Page Count:  414

My rating: 5 stars

About the book:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes an unforgettable beach read about the unbreakable bond between mothers and daughters and finding friendship with the unlikeliest person, perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Emily Giffin…

As the owner of Twisted, Seattle’s best salons, Erica knows that the sharpest cuts come from the people we love. She’s terrified that she’s losing her teen daughter, Summer, to her “other” family, especially to her stepmom, Allison.

All it takes to blow up Allison’s happy life is one collect call. From prison. Her beloved husband, Peter, has been arrested, leaving Allison pregnant, broke, scared and alone with a toddler. But when her stepdaughter ferrets out the truth, the teen rushes to the last person Allison wants to ask for help—her husband’s battle-ax ex.

Erica would do anything for Summer, even take in the woman her daughter loves like a second mom. Allison feels intimidated by Erica—a woman who would never let herself become so dependent on a man. But the more time they spend together, the more Allison realizes what Erica truly needs is a friend. Can two women who married the same man move beyond their complicated past and rethink what it means to be family?

For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery is a women’s fiction title that deals with friendship and family drama and with a slight side of romance to the story. The story in For the Love of Summer is one that does change the point of view between the characters involved but does take place in the present timeline.

Erica was once married to Peter and they share their wonderful teenage daughter, Summer. After their divorce Peter went on to marry Allison and start a second family with her which includes their young toddler, Jackson, and another baby on the way but they always include Summer in their lives welcoming her to their family too.

Since the divorce Erica was motivated more than ever to continue to bring her business, Twisted, Seattle’s best salons to the top and doesn’t really want a man in her life permanently again. What Erica never expected though was to bring Allison and Peter’s new family into her life but when Peter is arrested Allison is left with nothing and no where to turn and Summer is determined she and her mother need to help “family”.

I’ve read several of Susan Mallery’s books before and always enjoy them so I was looking forward to diving into For the Love of Summer. Thankfully I was right when I expected to enjoy this one but even more so I really loved the creativity to this whole new twist to what family means. Just how many people would step into Erica’s shoes and what she does in this book is probably an extremely low number but it worked for this book and really pulled me into the characters lives and struggles. Definitely a book I’d recommend checking out if you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary that is truly a thought provoking read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:
Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women’s lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan’s books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on “the new queen of romantic fiction.” (Walmart) Booklist says, “Romance novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling,” and RT Book Reviews puts her “in a class by herself!”

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her popular series, the Fool’s Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, a ragdoll cat, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they’re an integral component to a happy life. Visit Susan online at http://www.SusanMallery.com.

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Title: You, Me, Her

Author:  Sue Watson

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: June 3, 2024

Page Count:  390

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

Three people. One marriage. One murder.

YOU: My handsome husband Tom. You’ve given me everything – our beautiful son and our perfect new seaside home. I want to trust you, but I know you haven’t been honest about why you really wanted to move here. I haven’t been honest with you either…

ME: I make a secret promise as Tom kisses me and pours a glass of ice-cold wine to toast the first night in our dream house: I’m going to forget about his past. For the sake of our son, I’ll keep this family together, no matter what.

HER: Chloe is the only friend I’ve made since the move. I love our long lunches, even though she asks prying questions about my marriage. Tom hates me spending time with her, but I ignore his warning to stay away. I’ve seen the way he looks at her. It’s better to keep your enemies close…

You may think you know what’s going on in my marriage, but you’ll be wrong. Only three things are true: Someone is a liar. Someone is in danger. Someone is a killer.

Fans of The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl on the Train will love this absolutely jaw-dropping psychological thriller. With twist after twist, you won’t be able to put this book down!

You, Me, Her by Sue Watson is a domestic psychological thriller novel set in Cornwall. You, Me, Her is told in the first person perspective by the main character in the present timeline but does slowly reveal some past events over the course of the book.

Rachel is happily married to her husband Tom and the two have their lovely little boy, Sam, together. Rachel inherited a huge sum of money and Tom convinced her it was time to get out of Manchester and move to Cornwall. The house that Rachel and Tom bought definitely needed a lot of renovating though so Tom moved on ahead to Cornwall while Rachel stayed behind with their son.

Now Rachel is finally joining Tom in Cornwall in their new home but the repairs and purchase have put yet another financial strain on them despite Rachel’s inheritance so Tom begins to travel again for work. Being left in a new town Rachel finds herself getting close to their realtor despite Tom warning her away from Chloe when they first met, surely her husband is wrong about the lovely new neighbor?

Sue Watson is an author that I have read many many times before and I always enjoy returning to her somewhat fast paced twisty thriller novels so I was excited to pick up You, Me, Her. It didn’t take any time at all to virtually travel over to Cornwall and get completely engaged in this story and this was the fast paced twisty tale that I expected. I was torn between wanting to munch on some popcorn as it all unfolded and throwing my popcorn at the character to get her to watch out for the reveal that was surely coming. Definitely an author I’ll continue to return to in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:
Sue Watson was a TV Producer at the BBC until she wrote her first book and was hooked.

Now a USA Today bestselling author, Sue has sold almost 2 million books and explores the darker side of life, writing psychological thrillers with big twists. Originally from Manchester, she now lives with her family in leafy Worcestershire where much of her day is spent writing – and procrastinating. Her hobby is eating cake while watching diet and exercise programmes from the sofa, a skill she’s perfected after many years of practice.

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Rough Edges
Elsa Jacobs
Publication date: April 25th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Two teenage boys ’shared love for basketball brings their single parents together.

Laura Fields, a spirited head nurse, juggles the demands of her work life and the tough work of single motherhood. Her history with relationships isn’t great. But maybe the secret crush she has on a colleague will be different…

Bennett Keller, a ruggedly handsome supervisor at the local paper factory, sports inked skin that tells a tale of love, loss, and a vow to never love again.

So when their boys become fast friends on the court and off, the parents find themselves seeing a lot of each other. As Laura and Bennett’s lives entwine, they navigate the delicate balance of new love while honoring the memories that shaped them. In Meadows Creek, with its tranquil charm and supportive community, two people find themselves with a second chance at love. But will they take the risk of getting hurt again?

Get ready for a love story with a slam dunk!

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

I wish I had a booty call on speed dial.

Amanda hummed, her bright pink lips shining in the low light, and her crystal blue eyes narrowed. “Want to go out and find a big dick to satisfy your craving?”

Emily gasped and dramatically fluttered her thick black lashes, but I burst out laughing. My best friend knew me inside and out. It had been years since I had any satisfying manly action. “I would even take a small, skillful one.” I giggled. “Or we could go shopping for something where I can choose the size.”

Amanda snorted. “Last time we went shopping, you bought a toy that made your pussy itch for weeks.”

“I’m cursed,” I breathed.

“You’re not cursed. One-night stands don’t agree with you; you need more. Someone you’ll see often, who can learn every intricate instruction of your body,” Emily said with a finger raised.

“Instruction of my body?” I gritted my teeth. “You make it sound like I’m a complicated spaceship that needs an engineer to operate.”

“You are,” Amanda stated.

“Fuck you, Mandy.”

“I would if I wasn’t married.” She laughed.

I snorted. Amanda and Nicole had had an on-and-off relationship since college. They had tied the knot after a decade of breaking up and reconciling. It was a joyous occasion to witness Amanda finally committing to Nicole after years of being scared to get married.

“Do you think I’m that complicated?”

The question slipped out of my mouth before I sealed my lips. Silence answered me, and damn it be, for shame rose in my gut. I missed having a man the most during those times, my horny times. Since my husband’s death, I hadn’t found a man who brought me to climax.

Not a single one.

Even though I was open and communicative in the bedroom, I seemed to lack something… or had too much of it? I didn’t see myself as hard to please, but maybe I was wrong.

“Babe, it’s not like that,” Amanda responded, but I didn’t believe her.

Shame poured over me like acid rain, and I choked back a sob.

I was complicated.

“Want to go out somewhere new and exciting?” Emily suggested, her radiant smile coating my discomfort with sweetness.

“I heard about a place in Albany called The Sultry Lounge where one might stumble across a DTF gentleman,” Amanda added.

I sighed and weaved my fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp.

I’ll have to go to his place, though. “Okay. Let’s find me some spice for tonight!” I blurted.

Looking at myself in the tiny mirror of my compact, I brushed my hair, put on some glossy lipstick, added a touch of mascara, and smiled. I might be as complicated as a spaceship, but I was a damn fine one. A flirty kiss to my reflection later, we were on our way to The Sultry Lounge.

 

Author Bio:

I’m Elsa Jacobs, an indie author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense/thriller. I write unique love stories with a substantial amount of twists, turns, and spices.

Let me tell you how it all started. A few years back, I was battling brutal insomnia that just wouldn’t quit. Nights were a blur of characters and plots swirling around in my head, refusing to let me catch some shut-eye. It was maddening. Writing became my escape hatch—I had to get these stories out of my head.

In less than a year, I wrote four drafts, all because I needed an outlet for the chaos that was keeping me up at night. Publishing wasn’t even on my radar; I just needed some peace of mind. But then, something unexpected happened. I sent a chapter to an editor, not really expecting much to come of it.

But instead of a brush-off, I found myself teaming up with that editor to bring my first novel to life.

It was a game-changer. That’s when I decided to take the plunge and share the rest of my drafts, bit by bit, with the world.

My stories might have been born out of sleepless nights, but they’ve become my sanctuary, and I hope they become yours too.

Cheers,

Elsa.

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Chosen by the Fae King
C.A. Worley
(Brides of Falcondale, #1)
Publication date: May 28th 2024
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

In the fae Kingdom of Falcondale, Prince Nox ascends the throne under the ominous cloud of his father’s assassination. Beneath the veiled guise of enacting the bride trials, Nox, a brooding and often callous male, hopes to find much more than just a wife.

In an attempt to save her closest friend from the treacherous trials, Aeryn volunteers to take her place, hoping to save her friend from the clutches of the coldhearted king. Her impulsive act backfires and both females are thrown into the contest for the king’s hand.

Aeryn bucks against the archaic tradition—only to end up awakening an irresistible attraction between her untamed spirit and Nox’s enigmatic allure. As the boundaries of deception and desire are blurred, the pair must navigate the dangers together or fall prey to sinister forces that threaten not only their lives, but control of the kingdom.

While this story is not dark romance, it does contain elements of violence and mature situations some may find uncomfortable. Recommended for readers 18+.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

“I have nothing else to offer,” I told him.

“That’s not true. In fact, I know what I want and only you have it.”

Nox shifted closer, his arm behind me now. Not touching, but close.

I didn’t move. Could hardly breathe.

“If you don’t want my mouth on her body, then I’ll have it on yours instead.”

Muscles I didn’t know I had clenched between my legs. Butterflies flew around in my belly. My body was betraying me in the worst of ways.

“Just your mouth?” I checked.

Shit. Was I actually entertaining his smarmy request?

“Unless you ask for more.”

“And just kissing? On my mouth?”

The tilt of his lips was a wicked, wicked thing. “Again, unless you ask for more.”

“Fine,” I agreed, closing my eyes. “Get it over with.”

“I have to say, this is a first for me,” Nox mused.

“Same.”

“You’ve not bargained for mouth-only kisses?” he jested.

My eyes popped open. “No. I’ve never had to bargain with my body to get something I want.”

Nox stilled, something feral stared out at me from deep within his eyes, a beast coming to life in his psyche. It called to the wildness inside me, the untamed voice I’d always kept buried deep.

Uh oh.

“Spread your legs, Aeryn.” His pitch fell so low I felt it vibrate across my skin.

Alarm bells went off in my mind. “But—”

“I agreed not to go beyond a kiss. Now spread your fucking legs.”

Tentatively I pulled my knees wider. The skirt of the dress shifted, fabric dropping between my legs like it was making room for the king.

Nox lowered to the floor, kneeling between my legs. Bending his face to just inches above the juncture of my thighs, he inhaled deeply.

Goosebumps broke out across my skin.

A low rumble echoed from his chest as his spine straightened, his face closing in on mine. The king’s hands landed on the back of the couch, on either side of my head.

Unable to look away, I watched his mouth descend. Soft and oh so gentle, his lips brushed mine. Electricity sparked between our flesh. I gasped and his tongue probed carefully. My abdominals tightened, breasts turned heavy.

Then he was gone. Confused, I looked up and found him twenty feet across the room.

Nox waved a dismissive hand. “Go,” he ordered, “and pray I’m in a forgiving mood when next we meet.”

I sat there in stunned silence, face burning.

“Sofiya is safe from me. Now get out.”

I stared at him for a long moment before standing and stalking from the room.

 

Author Bio:

C.A. Worley is the alter-ego of Romance Author Cass Alexander. Where Cass tends to focus on humor in her publications, C.A. loves to write fantasy. She chose to write under the two different monikers so as to not confuse (or tick off) her readers.

C.A. currently resides in the Midwest, but was born and raised in the South. She spends her days working from home and her evenings are spent shuttling her kids to and fro. Her dinners are subpar, but she makes a mean dessert.

When she’s tired of living her sons’ travel sports schedules, C.A. enjoys a glass (or four) of wine. She needs the liquid courage to click the publish button for her fantasy romance novels.

Her motto is, “Be Brave,” and she tries to live it every day. It takes a healthy dose of courage to get through this thing we call life.

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