Carries Book Reviews

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: Love You, Mean It

Author:  Jilly Gagnon

Publisher: Dell

Publication Date: April 30, 2024

Page Count:  300

My rating: 2 1/2 stars

About the book:

A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia

Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father’s death five years ago called her home to run the family’s decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, the very existence of Greco’s Deli is suddenly in jeopardy.

She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm that is about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).

With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée . . . and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people, they might both get what they want: an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, she reluctantly agrees.

And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is, until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiancée, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, but she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between a blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon is a new contemporary romance novel. The story in Love You, Mean It is full of romance tropes such as enemies to lover, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attracting and fake dating.

Ellie Greco always had dreams of becoming a costume designer but five years ago her father passed away leaving the family in need of someone to help run the family business, Greco’s Deli. Returning to her hometown of Milborough Ellie has since put everything she has in the deli.

Now however the deli is being threatened when Ellie learns the Taylor family who are the local landlords are set up to offer a space to a huge box store that may put them out of business. Ellie vows to meet with Theo Taylor and see if there is anything she can do to stop tha deal but before she knows it she is in a fake relationship with Theo to possibly benefit them both.

Considering that fake dating is one of my top tropes in romance I really went into Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon thinking I would absolutely love this story. However, this one starts off with a lot of “white privilege” being tossed around which really turned me off of the main character. I just don’t enjoy this type of heavy real world hot topics with racism being brought into something that is meant to be light and fun and from that moment I just couldn’t bring myself to really root for the romance. Overall, I’ll give this one two and a half stars, some will love it but it just wasn’t for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Jilly Gagnon lives in Salem, Massachusetts, but is originally from Minnesota, a fact she’ll likely inform you of within minutes of meeting you.

In the past, Jilly has written humor, news, essays, and op-ed pieces for Newsweek, Elle, Vanity Fair, The Huffington Post, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, The Onion, and The Toast, among others.

Jilly loves terrible TV and excellent Manhattans. She often carries on far-too-involved conversations with her cats.

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: To the Tome of Murder

Author:  Lauren Elliott

Publisher: Kensington Cozies

Publication Date: October 26, 2021

Page Count:  291

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

Three weeks before Thanksgiving, bookshop owner Addie Greyborne already has a full plate—and a killer on her case . . .
 
Addie’s determined to turn a seemingly ordinary November in coastal Greyborne Harbor into one for the books. The windows of her shop display carefully curated works by American writers, including a rare selection of traditional holiday recipes from the influential 19th-century publication Godey’s Ladies Magazine. And then there’s the town’s Civil War-era themed cooking and baking competition, with a hefty cash prize and free publicity going to the winning dish . . .
 
But when she finds her cousin’s boyfriend murdered, a stunned Addie reluctantly realizes she may be the only person who can blow the cover off a grisly crime. With so many unanswered questions surrounding the victim’s death, Addie must figure out the strange connection between a mysterious vintage briefcase, the disappearance of a first edition copy of Sarah Josepha Hale’s famous nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and a dangerously well-read culprit . . . 

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott is the seventh book in the cozy Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series. Each book of this series contains it’s own mystery to solve so they can be read as a standalone or in any order if choosing to do so. Of course there is some character development that carries over from book to book for those that follow the series from the beginning.

In the first book of this series, Murder by the Book, readers were introduced to Addison Greyborne who had returned to her hometown, a small New England town that had been named for her ancestors back in Colonial times, Greyborne Harbor. Addie had been still recovering from the murder of her fiance, her father dying in a tragic accident and then had found out a long lost aunt had also died but left her whole estate to Addie.

Addie’s inheritance had given her the opportunity to start over and continue to work with books after leaving her job at the Boston Public Library. With her aunt having so many rare books in her collection and the funds to open a shop Addie decided to open Beyond the Page bookstore. Now as Addie is preparing for Thanksgiving that is quickly approaching she stumbles into yet another murder. Addie is the one that finds her cousin’s boyfriend murdered and with a rare edition book as part of the clues Addie feels she may be again the only one to be able to track down the murderer.

I have been following the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series from the beginning and enjoy each trip back to Greyborne Harbor. I wouldn’t say this series is quite as humorous and over the top quirky as some I enjoy but being an avid reader I love the main character’s knowledge of books and that books are involved yet again in another mystery. Of course there’s yet another twisty murder plot to follow and that always keeps the pages turning too.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Lauren Elliott is the USA Today bestselling author of the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery Series. She grew up devouring Nancy Drew, graduated to Agatha Christie, and then began writing her own mysteries, as well as bringing her passion for storytelling to careers in professional theater and journalism. She can be found online at LaurenElliottAuthor.com. 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

LightFall
Elsa Jade
(The Dreadmarked Dragon, #1)
Publication date: April 8th 2024
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

He is the Dragon Prince, chained by the ghosts of sacrificed auras to a savage dragon. From solitary confinement in his obsidian tower, he flies out with the dragon to fight the demon horde—cursed by fate to give his soul and someday his life for the Living Lands.

Me… I’m nothing.

Or not quite nothing. I’m a good thief, clever with my great-grandfather’s animdao blade and my wayward tongue, which has kept me alive when no one else could be bothered—but which only get me in trouble when the Dragon Prince rescues me. He wasn’t rescuing just me, of course. There’s a fine lady and a brave soldier and a shy little shepherd, and also a holier-than-me cleric and a king, and some people who didn’t deserve to be rescued, truth be told… Neh, it’s a long story.

But every day is getting shorter, the nights colder as winter comes and whispers swirl of demonic verges splitting across the kingdom, freeing more ghastly spawn from the Lost Lands and threatening all that is bright and beautiful.

If that isn’t bad enough, the mystical binding on the dragon has begun to fray, and the scars that wound the Dragon Prince are bleeding where no one else but me can see. When only a Devouring will sate the monster’s hellish hunger, one waver off the path of auric purity will doom the Living Lands. Awful place for a thief, really.

Now the prince is threatening me as if this is my fault—although it may be partly my fault because I’ve never been able to keep my fingers to myself—and we’ll have to find our way through ancient tomes and fabled talismans and terrible battles before the kingdom crumbles. But I might be falling too—falling for the dreadmarked prince. He did save me, after all, so I might just save him in return.

+ + +

Enter the exciting world of the Living Lands in LIGHTFALL, book one of The Dreadmarked Dragon duology, an epic adventure romantic fantasy, where noble intrigue and demonic war are equally fatal, where one touch in the dark may lead to desire or damnation—and love might be most dangerous of all. For fans of slow-burn romantasy who thought The Lord of the Rings needed a few more kisses.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

 

Author Bio:

Paranormal romance and science fiction romance for everyone who howls at the moon or looks up at the stars to dream. Learn more about Elsa Jade and the worlds of the Mating Season, Mating Fever & Intergalactic Dating Agency — and sign up for the New Release Alert — at http://elsajade.com

Latest News: See the profiles of the sexy aliens of the #IntergalacticDatingAgency in the free sneak peek at Instafreebie. http://instafreebie.com/book/15688

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

After a very busy couple of years we got some great news on my mom’s health which was a huge sigh of relief so you guys may have noticed the huge push to do some catching up lately. With that push to get my reviews flowing again comes the urge to see my percentage go up on Netgalley but I’ve yet to be able to see it move once! All the time I wasn’t overly trying to behave I did awesome but now that I’m motivated to behave more than ever to get more outgoing than incoming books I seem to keep picking up quite a few, this week it’s seven more titles! At least it wasn’t a total fall off the wagon fail but as soon as I share these to tempt others it’s off to more review writing. 😂

As always clicking the covers will take you to the book on Amazon!**

New additions from Netgalley Apr 7th  – Apr 14th

And Then There Were None meets The Last Breath in this tense and suspenseful locked-room thriller that takes place inside a hyperbaric chamber from the author of the “brilliant, twisted, and oh so clever” (Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author) novel The Last Thing to Burn.

Six experienced saturation divers are locked inside a hyperbaric chamber. Calm and professional, they know that rapid decompression would be fatal and so they work in shifts, breathing helium, and surviving in hot, close quarters.

Then one of them is found dead in his bunk.

With four days of decompression to go before the locked hatch to the chamber can be safely opened, the group must watch one another’s backs at all times. And when another diver is discovered unresponsive, everyone is on edge. What…or who…is taking them out one by one? And will any of them still be alive by the time the four days is up or will paranoia, exhaustion, suspicion, and pressure destroy them all?

USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan returns with a heartfelt story of friendship, finding yourself, and the surprising ties that bring us together.

To the outside world, Imogen is a marketing dynamo. Her colleagues don’t know that while her high-achieving professional image is real, the happy childhood stories she spins are as fake as her pretend enthusiasm for Christmas. Working 24/7 has always been her solution to surviving the festive season—until burnout leads to a catastrophic blunder.

Suddenly, Imogen is handed a holiday gift she definitely doesn’t want: enforced time off work to recuperate. Then an invitation arrives from her favorite client, Dorothy, to stay at her guest cottage in the Cotswolds. From the thatched roof to the cozy open fireplace, Holly Cottage is a picture-perfect haven… Can it provide the fresh start Imogen so desperately needs?

For Dorothy, helping Imogen offers a longed-for chance to make reparations for her own past. But as her daughter Sara keeps reminding her, it brings risks, too. Yet Dorothy knows that only a leap of courage will allow her family to grow and heal. And perhaps this Christmas, with Dorothy’s help, the new life that Imogen is slowly piecing together could be better than anything either of them could imagine…

Two couples. One twisted game of love and obsession. A dark domestic thriller about the dangerous secrets that come to light when a wild fantasy turns sinister. . .

When young couple Elena and Adam are offered the chance to house-sit in their dream neighborhood for a few months, they jump at the opportunity. The leafy South London enclave is a world away from everything they know, complete with grand homes, lush gardens, and quaint local coffee shops.  

Soon Elena crosses paths with the beautiful and enigmatic artist Sophia and her husband, Finn, and she and Adam are pulled into their orbit. Sophia is everything Elena isn’t—glamorous, alluring, successful—and Finn exerts a mysterious pull on Elena that she can’t seem to shake.

Elena’s infatuation with Finn grows stronger by the day, and when Sophia proposes a thrilling game to her new friend—to swap partners in secret—Elena quickly agrees. It’s not long before Elena experiences a sexual awakening that blossoms into an illicit love affair, but Sophia’s plans are far more dangerous than Elena could ever have imagined. . .

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Identity presents a suspenseful new novel of tragedy and trauma, love and family, and the evil that awaits.

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.

Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse—because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them—and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…

New motel owner Dee Stern has checked out of the familiar comforts in the Studio City and checked in to the quaint village of Foundgold. Running a rustic getaway in the woods sure beats LA traffic—until murder ruins the peace and quiet . . .

Down-on-her-luck sitcom writer Dee Stern is flipping the script. Twice divorced and wasting her talents on an obnoxious kids’ show, the lifelong Angeleno embraces the urge to jump in her car and keep driving. It’s a road trip with no destination—until she pulls into a mid-century motel filled with cobwebs and retro charm. Nestled in the shadow of a national park, it’s a time capsule of a place that, like her, could use some work. So, in the most impulsive move of her life, Dee teams up with best friend, Jeff Cornetta—who happens to be her first ex-husband—to transform the aging ranch into the Golden Motel-of-the-Mountains, a hiker’s oasis on the edge of the wilderness . . .

But Dee and Jeff soon realize there couldn’t be two people more unprepared for the hospitality business. There’s also the panic-inducing reality of prowling bears and a general store as the only shopping spot for miles. Living and working in the middle of nowhere takes some getting used to—especially when a disrespectful guest ends up murdered! Now, with the motel duo topping the suspect list, Dee must steer clear of a meddling park ranger, face her past in show biz, and determine if the killer is a local or tourist. Because as she quickly finds out, there are many things worse than a one-star review.

Bailey Briggs adores her year-round Halloween-themed town of Elyan Hollow, Oregon, but when she takes over her grandfather’s beloved bookshop, Lazy Bones Books, she accidentally discovers the town’s secret dark side . . .

 Normally, spooky season is Bailey Briggs’ favorite time of year, and her Halloween-themed small town’s time to shine. But between managing Lazy Bones Books, working on her graphic novel-in-progress, and running the Spooky Season Literary Festival, Bailey hardly has a moment to enjoy Elyan Hollow’s spot-on seasonal vibes. Not to mention, at every turn she seems to be tripping over the contentious crew of Gone Ghouls, a ghost-hunting reality TV show currently filming around town. Bailey tries to stay focused on the Lit Festival, which is supposed to kick off Elyan Hollow’s annual Halloween Fair; instead, this year’s festival begins with a murder . . .

It’s bad enough Bailey discovered the victim, but now, as a lead suspect with some (admittedly) damning evidence pointing her way, she’s got to clear her name! With the help of her librarian friend, Colby, and Jack Skeleton, her world-class bookshop dog (and the absolute bestest boy ever), Bailey sets out to solve a murder . . .

As her investigation weaves through family secrets, professional rivalries, and town feuds, the list of suspects is growing fast . . . and unfortunately, so is the list of victims. If Bailey doesn’t find the killer soon, Elyan Hollow’s haunted reputation will get a little too real . . .

Empathetic to a fault, librarian Alice Pepper always had a natural talent for figuring out people and puzzles in the small Oregon town of West Hazel. But as a mystery permeates the quiet Pacific Northwestern community, murder is a challenge she’s not prepared to solve . . .

Down-on-her-luck Alice had hoped to retire before turning sixty-five, not struggle to keep her cozy home and dependable job. But even after divorce leaves her golden years a mess, the pieces always come together with a little help from her friends—a fun-loving crew who thrive on jigsaws over coffee, cocktails, and gossip. So, when it’s time to defend close confidant Ruby Milliner, she springs into action. Only, in this case, supporting Ruby means proving she didn’t murder her cheating husband!

Ruby never wanted to kill George, although anger can make a person say questionable—and incriminating—things. And scheming, deceitful George made a lot of people angry. A quick investigation reveals the man was blackmailing whoever he could for a quick payday, from his mistress to the most prominent residents in town . . .

Alice dives into a secret search to exonerate Ruby, fiercely committed to cracking the crime and patching up torn relationships along the way. Despite using her unassuming persona to fly under the radar, slimming down a massive suspect list and restoring peace to West Hazel is a real gamble. Because if successful, Alice will meet a vengeful killer whose game she doesn’t yet know how to play.

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: Darling Girls

Author:  Sally Hepworth

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 

Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Page Count:  361 

My rating: 5 stars

About the book:

SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER… Sally Hepworth’s new novel has it all.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

A thrilling page-turner of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth.

Darling Girls is yet another winner from author Sally Hepworth! This thrilling and suspenseful tale of a decades old murder being uncovered is told by changing the point of view and by switching from a past timeline and the current timeline.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia met as children as they all past through the foster care system and were eventually all placed with their foster mother, Miss Fairchild. The girls time with Miss Fairchild was tough to endure but bonded the trio as sisters who are now adults and forced to look back at their past.

After receiving a call from the local police near their old foster home Jessica, Norah, and Alicia travel together to face the past. After the old home was torn down bones of a child were discovered underneath. The women are asked to help police determine just how that child came to be there and who it could possibly be.

It might be a little obvious that Sally Hepworth is an author that I absolutely love returning to after enjoying all the books I’ve read from her so far. Darling Girls quickly showed it would rate right up there with her past novels as it drew me into the story and just wouldn’t let go. This book is one that is obviously not going to be for everyone with child abuse being the main theme or the story but if the dark theme is one that will pull you in I highly recommend checking this one out and hold tight until the very end!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Good Sister and The Soulmate. Her latest novel, Darling Girls, was released in Australia in September 2023, and will be released in North America in April 2024.

Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone. They are available worldwide in English and have been translated into twenty languages.

Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her three children and one adorable dog. She has recently taken up ocean swimming (or to put it more accurately, ocean dipping)