Tag: ARC

Book Review: Legend Has It by DJ Slater

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Book Review

Legend Has it by DJ Slater

Available: September 16, 2025

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Thank you Rowan Prose Publishing for the ARC. The following is my honest review.

For those of you who know me, you’ll know that horror is definitely not my genre of choice. I typically read one horror book a year, around Halloween, with my book club. However, the more I heard about DJ Slater’s Legend Has It, the more I wanted to read it. And I’m so glad I did.

Legend Has It follows a group of college kids who are looking for a legendary haunted house. Rumor has it, the house is the ultimate haunt, ten stories of scares, and Seth and his friends feel it would be the perfect way to close out the haunted house chapter of their lives. What follows is an edge of your seat adventure.

When I was in my twenties, my husband and I would go haunted house hopping, chaperoning the youth group. Reading this book was a nostalgic dip into my past. Of course, none of the haunted houses we visited were as, let’s just say, intense, as the one Seth and his friends encounter. If you’re weak of stomach, I would tread lightly, but if you’re looking for a book that will raise your heart rate, you should definitely pick this one up.

While several horror books I’ve read in the past have gone off the rails and caused me to roll my eyes and reluctantly finish the books (you can scroll through my past reviews to see which books I’m specifically referring to) around the last three quarters of the book, this book didn’t. In fact, make sure you have time set aside to sit and read, because once you’re in the last twenty-five percent of the book, you’re not going to want to put it down. When I finished the book, I longed for more.

With Spooky Season just around the corner, do yourself a favor and add Legend Has It to you TBR. You seriously won’t regret it.

Decoding the Heart
The London Detective Agency

Book Review: The Art of Overthinking by Ellen Zheng

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Book Review

The Art of Overthinking by Ellen Zheng

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I received an ARC from Rowan Prose Publishing, but the opinions are my own and unbiased.

The Art of Overthinking by Ellen Zheng is a YA Novel that deals with mental health and finding your place in the world. The main character, Isla Wu, is a sixteen-year-old high school Junior who has a lot of pressure placed on her by her parents to succeed. She doesn’t feel like she really fits in with her friend group, and she is spiralling.

Amidst all this internal turmoil, she meets a super cute new boy, Slater. He’s immediately welcomed into the popular crowd and yet, he is really interested in Isla. As they get closer, things with Isla start coming to a head. And what comes next is probably some of the most real writing about being a teenager in this day and age that I’ve read in a long time.

The Art of Overthinking is probably one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. Being inside Isla’s head felt super relatable and incredibly real. I couldn’t put this book down. I wanted to keep reading and find out what happened next with Isla. The relationship between Isla and Slater felt so real. It had all the awkwardness of first love and all that came with it, and I just wanted everything to work out for them.

The first generation American, child of immigrants aspect was so well done. And there are parts in the book, I won’t spoil them, where Isla found her voice, and I audibly cheered for her. The book deals with racism very well and very realistically.

Most of all, I applaud the author for how she dealt with the mental health of teenagers, and mental health in general. The message she sends is loud, it’s clear, and I love that she includes tools so that if a teen is reading this book and recognizes themselves in the characters, they can have an idea on how to start working on themselves.

I highly recommend that you read this book. You really won’t regret it.

The London Detective Agency

Book Review – Simply to Die For by Maxine Douglas

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

Simply to Die For by Maxine Douglas

Release Date: March 11, 2025

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Thank you Rowan Prose Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Simply to Die For by Maxine Douglas is a romantic suspense book about a former adult film star turned candy store owner trying to outrun a stalker. Even though it’s less than three hundred pages long, Douglas manages to pack in enough intrigue and romance to keep the reader wanting to turn the pages.

All Char wanted to do was forget about her life in LA and quietly make chocolate in her hometown in Wisconsin. When she gets word that one of her friends and former coworkers was nearly killed at her former studio, she rushes to LA and headlong into the investigation. What follows is a tale with twists and turns and a lot of romance.

It took me a while to get into the book. The love interest’s name is Jimmy, which is my husband’s joke name for everything, so it took me a minute. I also felt like the story read like a sequel for the first bit, I actually had to look Douglas up and make sure it wasn’t. I also had a hard time with how rushed everything felt, but because of the short page count, I was able to let that go.

What I really liked about the book was the suspense aspect. I honestly had no idea who was stalking Char. I thought I had figured it out fairly early, but I was really glad when I found out I was very, very wrong. The last quarter of the book had me on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what happened next.

If you’re looking for a quick read that is jam packed with suspense, this is definitely the book for you.

The London Detective Agency

Book Review – I’ll Call You Mine by Sharon L. Clark

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

Title – I’l Call You Mine

Author – Sharon L. Clark

Release- December 3, 2024

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I’ll Call You Mine by Sharon L. Clark is a romantic suspense novel that will not only have you on the edge of your seat, it will have you rooting for Ben and Katie.

Katie Parker is returning to her hometown of Enderlin, Iowa after being away in San Francisco. While it may seem she is moving back due to her career stalling out, the true reason is someone is stalking her, threatening her life. Now, back in small-town Iowa, Katie is hoping a new job and new scenery will be the fresh start she needs. But, when the stalker makes himself known and she meets Ben, her sexy co-worker, Katie soon realizes that nothing is going to be easy until the man who is tormenting her is caught.

Clark expertly blends the suspense of the stalker and the budding romance between Katie and Ben. The characters are rich and well developed and leap off the page. You find yourself rooting for Katie and Ben while also fearing that Katie is not going to survive the book. Clark will have you at the edge of your seat several times throughout the book. Just when you have let your guard down and forgotten about the stalker, he will pop right back up. Clark’s writing will have you wanting to keep reading to figure out what will happen next.

If you are a fan of suspense and romance, you shouldn’t hesitate to pick up this book.

Book Review – PS I Hate You by Lauren Connolly

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

Title – PS I Hate You

Author – Lauren Connolly

Release Date – December 3, 2024

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

PS I Hate You by Lauren Connolly is a book that will break your heart and piece it back together again slowly, just like the puzzles Maddie loves to put together. The story of Maddie and Dom is rich, full of layers, and as they all reveal themselves, you’ll find it impossible to put the book down until everything has been revealed.

When her brother dies, Maddie is devastated. They were close, she was all she really had. When his best friend, and the person who broke her heart at the age of 19, Dom, reveals that they’re to embark on a journey together across eight states to scatter his ashes, she is initially reluctant. There are many things she would rather do than be stuck with Dom.

But, as they take on this final request from her brother, Maddie finds she doesn’t hate Dom as much as she initially thought. Through saying goodbye to her brother, she and Dom find a connection neither of them thought was still there.

Connolly beautifully blends the romance between Maddie and Dom with the grief of losing a loved one. Not only that, she intricately weaves in a story of hope and fear of abandonment through the entire book.

PS I Hate You broke my heart, and I found myself reaching for the tissues often. At one point I had to take my glasses off and wipe my eyes. The prose is rich, the storyline complicated and Maddie and Dom are two people you can root for. If you enjoy a rom com with complicated depths, this is definitely the book for you.

Book Review – Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

Title: Her Knight at the Museum

Author: Bryn Donovan

Release Date: November 12, 2024

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read the ARC. My review is my honest opinion.

Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan is a romance that will have you turning the page. Was the book a little corny at times? Yes. Did that make me love it any less? No. Donovan has done her research about Medieval Times, and even with the stretches she made to make the plot points work, as a historian, I was very satisfied.

The love story between Griffin and Emily felt a little rushed and instalove, but that didn’t detract from anything. Their chemistry was great, the spice levels in the book were high, and I was rooting for Emily to fall just as hard as Griffin for the entirety of the book.

I am a huge fan of time travel romances, and it’s very rare that you find one where the historical man is brought forward in time. Watching Griffin try to make sense of the modern world was definitely my favorite part of the book. I need to find more books with this premise, and read them.

There was a storyline involving the FBI and art theft that definitely kept me stressed out throughout the story, but it was a good stress, if that makes sense.

If you love time-travel romances, this is definitely the book for you. I also heard rumors this is going to be turned into a Hallmark movie, if that is true, sign. me. up.

Book Review: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

Release Date: August 6, 2024

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC. This is an honest review.

Whenever I see a Native author with a mainstream published book, I go out of my way to read it. The fact that this time it’s a Rom Com?! My favorite genre?! Score. I’m so lucky that I could read an early copy of Nava’s debut novel. The book was funny, hit all the romance beats nicely, and even though it was a tad predictable, was a very enjoyable read.

Ember wants to be an accountant and to bring herself out of poverty, so she tells a few lies to get a well-paying job. At her new job, she meets sexy IT Guy Danuwoa. The two instantly hit it off, but Ember can’t seem to stop telling little white lies. As their romance blooms, and she advances at her job, Ember has to juggle the lies she told with the truth she wants to live.

The romance in this book was top-notch. You could feel the chemistry between Danuwoa and Ember immediately. Rooting for them was easy. The tension at Ember’s work as she navigated the lies she told in order to get the job was uncomfortable, and I think it was meant that way. The side characters were great, and I actually wish we got to see a few of them more than we did. I would have liked more interactions between Joanna and Ember and even between Sage and Ember. Native culture was prominent and Nava really could give social commentary almost subtly. I loved the way she wove in the racism and misogyny into the storyline.

The book has a lot of miscommunication between Danuwoa and Ember, which is my least favorite romance trope, which is the reason my rating was brought down a little. Plus, I was able to call out some of the book’s end game fairly early on. But really, if you don’t mind the miscommunication trope, this book was nearly perfect. This was a spectacular debut novel. I look forward to reading more from Nava in the future.

Book Review: Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

HAPPILY NEVER AFTER by LYNN PAINTER

RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2024

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter is a rom-com about two people who have the side gig of breaking up weddings for people who otherwise can’t cancel the wedding themselves. They are The Objectors. And they are freakin’ adorable.

Max and Sophie meet when her best friend hires him to object to her wedding after she finds out her fiance had been cheating on her. Sparks fly, in a platonic way, and they soon become a team of objectors. They both have kind hearts and want to help people, and it’s so very wholesome. Soon, they use their friendship in an almost fake-dating sort of way (I’m such a sucker for this trope) to help themselves in their professional lives. And of course, we romance readers know what happens next….

Sophie and Max’s relationship is probably one of my favorite I’ve read in a long time in a rom-com. Their chemistry feels so natural, and fun. I genuinely had a smile on my face through their interactions. I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other.

If you enjoy witty banter, fake-dating, and well-rounded characters, this book is definitely for you!

Book Review: Heartsong by TJ Klune

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

Heartsong by TJ Klune

Release Date: January 30, 2024

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Thank you Tor books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The third book in the Green Creek series, and the third time I’ve gotten to read and review and ARC of it, Heartsong is just as good as the first two books in the series.

Following Robbie Fontaine and Kelly Bennett, at first, the book did not win me over. The book starts off a little confusing. I thought I was reading a flashback. However, after a couple of chapters, I caught on with what Klune was doing, and I was hooked. How else could I finish a nearly five hundred page book in a day? Well, a snow day helps, but also the compelling plot, the rooting for the success of the Bennett Pack.

As always, Klune’s language is beautiful, and like the previous books, this is full of angst. However, it is a romance, so you can expect a happily ever after in the end. You’ll simply have to ride the waves and shed some tears along the way.

The last chapter of the book sets up the final book in the series beautifully, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

While you may be tempted to read this book based on this glowing review, it is book three in a series, and you will not really understand what exactly is happening if you jump in right here. I suggest you start with the first book, Wolfsong, and go from there. But do read these books. They’re wonderful.

Book Review: Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
Book Review

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Release Date: December 5, 2023

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy. The following review is my honest opinion.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura is a fun rom com adventure. It really reminded me of the recent Sandra Bullock movie, The Lost City. Both had the same vibes.

Raiders follows two rival archaeologists, Corrie and Ford, as they go in search of the long lost remains of Corrie’s ancestor. What follows is a textbook enemies-to-lovers bickering/flirting relationship. However, it’s not all by the numbers with this trope. You get a jungle backdrop, an intense backstory, and an adventure worthy of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft.

The book will leave you wanting more. It’s impossible to put down as you want to see more of their adventure, and more of the steamy relationship. And let it be known: there is steam.

If you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers, archaeological adventures, and ancient mysteries, this book is definitely for you!