Carries Book Reviews

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Title: Jackpot Summer

Author:  Elyssa Friedland

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: June 11, 2024

Page Count:  382

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

After the Jacobson siblings win a life-changing fortune in the lottery, they assume their messy lives will transform into sleek, storybook perfection–but they couldn’t be more wrong.
 
The four Jacobson children were raised to respect the value of a dollar. Their mother reused tea bags and refused to pay retail; their father taught them to budget before he taught them to ride a bike. And yet, now that they’re adults, their financial lives are in disarray.
 
The siblings reunite when their newly widowed father puts their Jersey Shore beach house on the market. Packing up childhood memories isn’t easy, especially when there’s other drama brewing. Matthew is miserable at his corporate law job and wishes he had more time with his son; Laura’s marriage is imploding in spectacular fashion; Sophie’s art career is stalled while her boyfriend’s is on the rise; and Noah’s total failure to launch has him doing tech repair for pennies.
 
When Noah sees an ad for a Powerball drawing, he and his sisters go in on tickets while their brother Matthew passes.  All hell breaks loose when one of the tickets is a winner and three of the four Jacobsons become overnight millionaires. Without their mother’s guidance, and with their father busy playing pickleball in a Florida retirement village, the once close-knit siblings search for comfort in shiny new toys instead of each other.
 
It’s not long before the Jacobsons start to realize that they’ll never feel rich unless they can pull their family back together.

Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland is a women’s fiction story that takes a humorous family drama and mixes in some contemporary romance into it. The story in Jackpot Summer is one that does change the point of view between the characters during the story.

The Jacobson siblings grew up with parents who pinched pennies and knew the value of a dollar but they also enjoyed summers at their Jersey Shore beach house too. Now with all four siblings dealing with lives problems they all need to head to the family beach house and begin sorting through memories.

As Matthew, Laura, Sophie and Noah begin to pack they all wish they could change their father’s mind on selling. Each has too many other things in life though to put up much of a fight until Noah sees an ad for a Powerball drawing and on a whim three of the siblings pitch in for tickets and actually win the jackpot.

Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland spun from the idea of lottery winners often find themselves blowing through their winnings or in worse shape than before the win. This idea wove into the story of these four siblings and their problems and how life was before and after the jackpot which lead to a lot of family drama that unfolds in a more humorous way than one would expect drama to which I really enjoyed and with a little romance on the side this made for a fun tale.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Elyssa Friedland attended Yale University, where she served as managing editor of the Yale Daily News. She is a graduate of Columbia Law School and subsequently worked as an associate at a major firm. Prior to law school, Elyssa wrote for several publications, including Modern Bride, New York magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, CBS MarketWatch.com, Yale Alumni Magazine, and Your Prom. She grew up in New Jersey and currently lives in New York City with her husband and three young children.

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The Prince She Kissed in Paris
Scarlett Clarke
(Harlequin Romance)
Publication date: June 25th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

What happens when an architect has to work with the far-too-tempting prince she shared one magical evening with in Paris? Find out in Scarlett Clarke’s debut for Harlequin Romance!

ONE STARLIT NIGHT IN PARIS…

Architect Maddie is still thinking about her steamy kiss with a stranger when she walks into her meeting the next morning… And finds her new client, Nicholai, is that stranger and a prince! No matter how incredible the attraction, he’s now completely off-limits. He’s her boss, a dutiful royal and she’s sworn off men. But when their inevitable second kiss is caught on camera, there’s only one solution to the impending scandal—faking their engagement!

From Harlequin Romance: Be swept away by glamorous and heartfelt love stories.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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DEAR READER

Dear Reader,

THE PRINCE SHE KISSED IN PARIS is my debut royal romance with Harlequin Romance. Kicking off the story in Paris was a no-brainer; it was my husband’s and my first international trip together. I fell in love with the old architecture, the iconic landmarks, and just the overall feel of the city.

It was a lot easier to write the chapters set in Paris than creating the country of Kelna, although I learned so much about world-building throughout this process! Kelna was inspired by the country of Croatia, a stunning setting that is now on my travel bucket list.

I also want to give a shout-out to my incredible sister-in-law Rachel, for helping bring Madeline and her passion for architecture to life. Rachel is an architect in the Pacific Northwest and has worked on everything from museums to embassies. She was a wonderful resource on how design processes, site visits, and construction work, and let me get away with some twisting of how an actual timeline would progress!

I hope you enjoy Madeline and Nicholai’s romance. Happy reading, and have a wonderful summer!

Love, Scarlett

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EXCERPT:

Prince Nicholai Adamović braced his arm against the balcony doorframe as the wrought iron beams of the Eiffel Tower lit up with hundreds of sparkling white lights. The display no doubt dazzled the hordes of tourists who, despite the late hour, would be thronging the Pont d’léna and surrounding streets to snap the perfect picture.

He’d seen it plenty of times, had frequently dismissed it as nothing more than a cheap trick to attract visitors and romantics.

But tonight, he, too, watched the show.

When would he have the freedom to be in his own hotel room alone again? Without security guards or press or his family lurking about?

Or worse, a wife.

The lights performed one last dance before settling into a steady golden glow. A beacon for all of Paris to look to. One of hope, history and love.

He snorted. Love was for books, movies and the occasional lucky sap who stumbled upon their soulmate. For people like him, love was not always an option. Especially when the law of his country required that he have a wedding ring on his finger before accepting the crown.

 

Author Bio:

From sneaking behind the shelves of her local library to read a few pages of romance to absconding with her mom’s copy of A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss, Scarlett has loved romance for as long as she can remember. By day, she works in public relations. By night, she powers through her most hated chore (laundry) and writes sweet, contemporary romance with strong heroes and the fierce heroines who make them realize true love really is possible.

When she’s not reading or writing, she’s wrangling her two little ones while trying yet again to plant a vegetable garden, visiting her husband at the fire station, or sitting on her front porch savoring a cup of hot tea and the sight of the Midwestern countryside.

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Hotheaded Heart
Anna Alkire
(Waterfall Canyon, #1)
Publication date: June 25th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A fun sexy story, with a dash of suspense, about not hiding from yourself and letting love in. This steamy, laugh-out-loud, enemies to lovers romance pits an annoying prankster, turned small town cop, against the woman forced to live with him.

I’m finally back in Waterfall Canyon, after leaving for a decade, when one-night changes everything. I sort of snapped and beat up my stalker with yard debris. That creep didn’t know who he was messing with. Except, I was the one put in the patrol car.

Sometimes the worst mistake of your life calls for desperate measures—like accepting help from one of the cops that arrested you.

Beau Martin is a police officer, a slob, and also a man that’s promised to never settle down. He’s my best friend’s older brother. We had a history—of him tormenting me ten years ago. Now he leaves me flirty notes, wants me to believe he’s always liked me, and thinks we should blow off some steam.

Torn between Beau and an unrequited work crush, pursued by my increasingly creepy stalker, and fighting to save my career from the fallout of my mistake, I stumble into organizing a bachelor auction for charity. Everything depends on the support of our small town—and how much I can sacrifice for my own heart.

From award winning author Anna Alkire, comes an unforgettable new series that mixes the spice of Meghan Quinn’s A Not So Meet Cute, and the unexpected fun of Lucy Score’s Things We Never Got Over. Anyone looking for banter, cuteness, and a bit of suspense will find it in this steamy contemporary romance with a romantic comedy spin. Grab your copy of Hotheaded Heart today!

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

A little adrenaline set in when I thought of my underwear getting tossed around for every soul to see—Beau and Mason would be there any minute. I started stuffing garbage bags as fast as I could move in my bedroom, shuddering at how wrinkled and smashed my pretty lingerie would all be.

“Raven?” Beau called from the front door.

“Yep,” I shouted. “Be out in a sec…”

My hands moved faster but my slinky collection of undergarments kept slipping from my fingers and landing on the carpet.

“Hey,” Beau said from the door, while I frantically shoved a teddy and garter belt set into the bag. “Good news. I bribed Chuck and AJ into helping out…”

“That’s great. I owe you big time for this.”

He walked closer. I glanced over my shoulder, hunching forward to hide my naughty bag.

Beau crouched over and picked up a red lace G-string. “Dropped this,” he croaked. He bit the knuckle of his other hand.

I snatched it away from him, my ears burning. “Give me a damn minute. And scrub that out of your head.”

He punched his chest and stumbled backward. “Never.”

 

Author Bio:

Anna Alkire has been a long-term college student, a business owner, and a world traveler. Now “settled”—with a sigh and a cup of decaf—Anna lives in Washington state, where she splits her time between a husband who thinks the North Pole would be a great place to live, chasing her hurricane of a son, learning new handicrafts, and creating worlds full of the kind of romance and fun she most wants to read. Find more about her (and grab a freebie or two) at her website, annaalkire.com.

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The Accidental Sereph
Maci Aurora
(Carran Hollow Fated Mate, #1)
Publication date: June 25th 2024
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

When Atlas Black, a bad boy with a reputation in Carran Hollow, walks into The Hole-in-the-Wall bar investigating a demon sighting, it’s mostly business as usual until he comes face-to-face with his calix—his fated-mate. Except Ivy Day, oblivious to the world of seraphs and demons, thinks she’s stranded in Carran Hollow because a stupid bus has broken down. She just needs a ride to get to the next bus in order to get to her sister across the country. While the guy in the bar hitting on her is hotter than any human has the right to be, unless he’ll give her a lift, she doesn’t have any patience for anything else. But little does she know, Atlas is about to take her on the ride of her life—that is, as long as they can get through the demons.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

[Rome] pulls his phone from his pocket and glances at it. “Bus coming into the Hollow.”

Samson and I groan. Buses mean tourists. Obnoxious tourists drag in the demon riff-raff hiding among them, and they aren’t usually the organized kind, but rather the fledgling demons or the deserters attached to the taedae, unsighted humans.

“Not it,” Samson says.

“How’s that injury?” Rome asks me.

“Not an injury,” I repeat. “How many times do I have to say it?”

Rome looks me over, eyes narrowed, as if he can see beyond my skin and bones. “Fine,” he relents. “You go into town. Wait for the bus to roll in, see if any demons have hitched a ride.” He points at me. “But don’t engage, not without backup.”

I’m already walking over to the cabinet, pulling on my harness, sliding a sharpened dagger into a sheath, along with another into my boot. “Me? Engage?” I glance at my bow but leave it, knowing I probably won’t need it. Those off the bus are rarely difficult to dispatch. I glance at Rome with a smile. “Never.”

Samson laughs.

I shrug into my black leather jacket and grab my helmet before I’m out the door, headed for the heart of town. After driving past Lowry’s Gas and Sundries, where the bus stops, and seeing the hulking, metal can is already empty, I ride down Main. I park my bike, cross to the other side, and duck into The Hole in the Wall, a small bar sandwiched between a diner called The

Getaway, and a witchy souvenir shop that sells Carran Hollow guidebooks. One of these three establishments is often the first stop for tourists, and thereby their parasitic demons, when they reach town.

My eyes adjust to the dark. There’s an older guy playing guitar near the door. The shiny wooden bar is on the left and runs the length of the room. There are a few people lined up along the counter, atop barstools. Booths—mostly empty—line the right wall, and in between is a stretch of space big enough to walk between the two. I’ve been here before. I have been in every single shop in Carran Hollow, every single home—though the owners haven’t known I was there. The Hollow is my town.

The locals glance at me then look away, giving me a wide berth. They might know me. They might know I’m a Black. If they don’t, they feel it—that sensation skittering across their skin telling them danger is near. That’s all that’s needed.

 

Author Bio:

Romance author.

Lover of stories.

Maci Aurora has been writing stories since she was a child. When she was eleven, she fell in love with reading Sunfire Historical Romances about girls who made a difference in their lives and still fell in love. In high school, a friend introduced her to Lavyrle Spencer and Judith McNaught, and from there, her writing journey was cemented in telling stories about love. Having already published many novels (all of which are threaded with romance as upper YA and New Adult titles) under the pen name, CL Walters, Maci Aurora wanted to write stories that offered the same attention to story and characters but with additional steam.

Maci writes in Hawaiʻi where she lives with her husband, their children, and their fur-babies.

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The Rumble and the Glory
JA Huss
Publication date: June 27th 2024
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Deep in the hills of West Virginia, three small towns have found a way to flourish in the face of extreme poverty. Disciple runs a side-show tent revival that brings in millions of dollars a year. Bishop flaunts traditional ways in the vein of Colonial Williamsburg, luring weary city people to the slow-living lifestyle. And Revenant offers them an experience of sin filled with tattooed bikers and live-music dive bars.

It’s a sacred trinity that worships the almighty dollar and everyone plays their role like a well-trained Broadway actor. But these hills have secrets, and so do the people.

Collin Creed is a killer, but he’s Lowyn’s killer. And after a twelve-year separation, she wants him back. To the untrained eye, Lowyn is the good girl to Collin’s bad-boy reputation. But to those in the know, she’s just like everyone else up in these hills—not as wholesome and pure as she looks.

*****

The Rumble and the Glory is a cinematic and spicy second-chance romance wrapped up in a cloak of mystery and suspense. It honors the themes of found family, redemptive anti-hero, and is filled with bigger-than-life, morally-grey characters against a backdrop of deceit and deception.

TROPES:

Morally Grey

Enemies to Lovers

Found Family

Anti-Hero

Small Town Secrets

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Author Bio:

JA Huss is a scientist, New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, and a cowgirl who rides English. Five of her books were optioned for TV/film, several of her audiobooks have been nominated for the Audie and SOVA Awards, and she was a RITA Finalist in 2019. She has been an indie author in both fiction and non-fiction for seventeen years and lives on a ranch in Colorado with her family, horses, dogs, goats, donkeys, and chickens.

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