Carries Book Reviews

3 Wishes by Peggy Jaeger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Chloe runs her own candy shop and Valentine’s Day is her busiest time of the year. Chloe is also soon to be turning thirty, her birthday falls on Valentine’s Day so she’s used to working right through and not taking time for herself. Her huge Italian family is always asking when she’ll settle down and get married.

When a handsome man walks into her store right before the holiday she’s immediately taken by him because he shares a rather odd trait with Chloe, they both have each eye a different color. Thinking he’s buying candies for a wife or girlfriend Chloe shrugs off the encounter until the two run into each other again.

This installment of the Candy Hearts Romance series should come with a warning label that it just may wreck any New Year’s dieting resolutions you may have made. My mouth was just watering not only when Chloe is describing the things she sold in her store but then with the big Italian family of course they had tons of mouth watering food in their get together!

If the food isn’t reason enough to fall in love with this great little story you also have a cute budding romance between the characters. Chloe had wished for her perfect man as a child and here he walks right into her life. Great story and would definitely recommend this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nookietown by V.C. Chickering
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After leaving her failed marriage the last thing forty something Lucy wants is to get married again but being two years since her divorce she misses physical contact. When out to lunch with some of her married friends the subject of sex is brought up with some joking around about how their husbands want too much of what Lucy isn’t getting and they’re too tired themselves to give it to them. Lucy took the entire conversation as a joke but afterwards her friend Nancy approaches her and asks if she would consider sleeping with her husband.

After Lucy agrees to go with Nancy’s plan thing pick up for Nancy in her own marriage. Nancy then comes up with the idea that the pair should start a service for all their married and divorced friends. The duo end up with what they refer to as The Program which takes off more than they ever expected.

Nookietown is another book that I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I picked it up but something about it seemed intriguing and I just love finding something out of the ordinary, I wasn’t disappointed in the least in that aspect. I found it to be quite thought provoking and quite interesting overall. Whether you agree with the characters in this book or are completely against their opinions and actions it leads you to really think just what would I do if I were them?

The story itself is about sex but it’s not overly graphic in nature to where it would be considered erotica either. The characters are all close friends in various types and stages of relationships and places in their own lives. Their interactions are sometimes quite humorous which was fun to read.

There’s also a lot of controversy of course with what is going on so it made for an interesting read, although I do think the ending was a tad predictable with the way the author highlighted certain things in the beginning of the book. Still a good read though and would recommend it.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Only Yours by Nancy Fraser
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rebecca Winston has been dating Garrett Langley for years but the two have settled into a more best friends feeling than love. When Garrett’s father has a health scare his brother Wyatt comes to stay with the family and finds himself having an instant attraction with his bother’s girlfriend. With both families expecting Rebecca and Garrett to eventually marry the two need to have a serious heart to heart.

Another good read from the Candy Hearts Romance collection of stories. Normally I’m not a huge fan of romance reads that feature siblings being in a love triangle type of situation, this particular story however worked it in a way that worked well with a feel good family vibe instead of pitting the brothers against one another.

Again, I recommend any romance fans should look into the Candy Heart Romance collection as it’s full of these delightful little gems that take place just before Valentine’s Day.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Life After Dane by Edward Lorn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dane Peters is a serial killer that is being executed by the state of Arkansas for his crimes. He was dubbed The Rest Stop Dentist due to the fact that all of his victims had their teeth removed before their death. Dane through all his trials and interviews almost bragged of what he’d done and said it made him happy.

Ella is Dane’s mother, she blames herself for Dane’s crimes since she stood by while Dane was growing up as his father beat and punished him being scared for her own well being. She’s spent her life savings and mortgaged her home to attend Dane’s trials and execution but after Dane’s funeral she starts seeing him turn up again in various places and thinks she’s going crazy.

Life After Dane alternates between a view of Ella in the present just after Dane’s execution and a look back over the years of Dane’s childhood. It’s really a toss up as to what is more gruesome in this stories, Dane’s murderous side or the child abuse while he was growing up. Definitely not a book for those that can’t stomach graphic violence.

A great horror read with a supernatural twist. Plenty of chilling, cringe worthy moments all throughout the story and an ending that I certainly didn’t expect. One I’d recommend for the horror fans.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Marry Me by Heidi Wessman Kneale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Marry Me takes place in 1905 in New York City. Millie Moore is being courted by a man that she really doesn’t like but her family keeps insisting she spend time with him. Millie’s mother keeps telling Millie that she is going to be “on the shelf” soon as she is twenty one and should have already gotten married.

Raymond Wilson sees Millie watching a bunch of protesters on the streets one day and knows this is the girl for him. Only one problem, Raymond has a stutter and is afraid to talk to Millie so he gives her a candy heart to express how he feels.

Marry Me was an OK read, it was a cute old fashioned tale of being courted by admirers when they are interested in you. I really didn’t quite grasp the magic aspect being added into the story though. I suppose a few details would have to have been done differently but with it being a short read you just don’t get enough explanation of how or why the magic takes place or even who can practice magic.

Also, I’ve mentioned in my reviews before I’m not a fan of even a short story not having any kind of chapters or significant breaks to them, this is another that doesn’t which reflects a bit in my rating. It is a short read and perhaps that wouldn’t bother others as it doesn’t take away from the story but it’s just a preference of mine.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.