Book Review: The Helpline by Katherine Collette

Title: The Helpline
Author: Katherine Collette
Publication: July 23rd 2019
Synopsis: Germaine Johnson may not be all that good with people but she’s great with numbers. Unfortunately, as she discovers after the incident at Wallace Insurance, there are very few openings these days for senior mathematicians.

Then her cousin gets her a job at the council. On the Senior Citizens Helpline.

It’s not the resume entry Germaine wanted—but it turns out Mayor Verity Bainbridge has something more interesting in mind for her. A secret project involving the troublemakers at the senior citizens centre and their feud with the golf club next door. Which is run by the strangely attractive Don Thomas.

Don and the mayor want the seniors closed down.
Germaine wants what Don and the mayor want. But when she’s forced to get to know the ‘troublemakers’—things get more complicated.

A sharp, witty, big-hearted comedy from a hilarious new Australian writer, Katherine Collette’s The Helpline is about people power and brain power—and the difficulty of getting them to work together.

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MY RATING: 4/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Simon Schuster Canada in exchange for a honest review.

This one definitely took a long time for me to finish and it’ll probably take a long time for you too if you’re not a fan of a robust character like Germaine. Similar to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Germaine very much likes routines and hard data and numbers. She doesn’t believe she belongs in the life she’s currently living in. For example, she believes her biological father was a prestigious professor in a big university because that was what her mother made her to believe and it can be the only logical explanation as to why she’s so logical while her mother is..not.

Book Review: Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams

Title: Our Stop
Author: Laura Jane Williams
Publication: June 13th 2019
Synopsis:

Nadia gets the 7.30 train every morning without fail. Well, except if she oversleeps or wakes up at her friend Emma’s after too much wine.

Daniel really does get the 7.30 train every morning, which is easy because he hasn’t been able to sleep properly since his dad died.

One morning, Nadia’s eye catches sight of a post in the daily paper:

To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress. I’m the guy who’s always standing near the doors… Drink sometime?

So begins a not-quite-romance of near-misses, true love, and the power of the written word.

MY RATING: 4/5 STARS

I received a copy from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for a honest review.

Our Stop is definitely going to be one of those books where you absolutely hate it or love it. It gets really frustrating a lot of the times because it plays on the idea of fate. The idea that if you miss one beat or second, you might miss the love of your life.

BOOK REVIEW: Fix Her up by Tessa Bailey

Title: Fix Her Up
Author: Tessa Bailey
Publication: June 11th 2019
Synopsis: A brand new romantic comedy from New York Times bestseller Tessa Bailey!

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World… whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her…

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MY RATING: 4.5/5 STARS

I received an ARC from Harper Collins Canada in exchange for a honest review.

There is a reason why Tessa Bailey is successful and is so popular in the romance genre. This is one clear example of her proving to readers of her talent to craft a story about a clown and an ex-baseball player and make it for you to swoon/sweat over. The story was hot! hot! hot! A lot of the times so do not be fooled by the cute cover and the back stories of each hero/heroine makes you feel oddly connected to them.

Our main heroine, Georgie, is feeling rather left out and not taken seriously in her family. The joke is that it’s because her business is her dressing up as a party clown. Well, it’s also because she’s the youngest and therefore, she’s not capable of having a sensible mind or rational decision making. Her opinions are often discounted and her self-esteem plummets. This also doesn’t help that she’s in love with her older brother’s best friend, Travis.

Book Review: Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan

Title: Confessions of a Domestic Failure
Author: Bunmi Laditan
Publication: May 2nd 2017
Pages: 320
Synopsis:

From the creator of The Honest Toddler comes a fiction debut sure to be a must-read for moms everywhere

There are good moms and bad momsand then there are hot-mess moms. Introducing Ashley Keller, career girl turned stay-at-home mom who’s trying to navigate the world of Pinterest-perfect, Facebook-fantastic and Instagram-impressive mommies but failing miserably.

When Ashley gets the opportunity to participate in the “Motherhood Better” bootcamp run by the mommy-blog-empire maven she idolizes, she jumps at the chance to become the perfect mom she’s always wanted to be. But will she fly high or flop?

With her razor-sharp wit and knack for finding the funny in everything, Bunmi Laditan creates a character as flawed and lovable as Bridget Jones or Becky Bloomwood while hilariously lambasting the societal pressures placed upon every new mother. At its heart, Ashley’s story reminds moms that there’s no way to be perfect, but many ways to be great.

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MY RATING: 4/5

I picked this book on a whim from a thrift shop and immediately purchased it when I read on the back that it was a mixture of Becky Bloomwood from Confessions of A Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella and Bridget jones.

I Have an Odd Reading Problem

 

Obviously, I’m a reader.

I have a blog filled with majority of book reviews and promos. My instagram is dedicated to photos of books. And for the past month, I’ve spent 3 hours each week taking photos of books and I’ve read over 20 books for the month of February.

Reading is a hobby. For some, reading is taken more seriously. I remember for the past two or three years since starting the Goodreads Reading Challenge that it wasn’t just a challenge to read a certain amount of books each year but how many books I can read to surpass my personal goal. Then it went to being competitive against myself and beating my personal best.

BOOK REVIEW: Everless by Sara Holland

Title: Everless
Author: Sara Holland
Publication: January 2nd 2018
Pages: 336
Synopsis:

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

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MY RATING: 4.5/5

Everless by Sara Holland has got to be one of my first fantasy reads of the year. I know, fellow readers, it’s hard to imagine but one glance at my blog and you’ll see that I rarely step out of my comfort zone of YA contemporary and adult romance. I long given up the world of make-believe and ventured into more realistic plots featuring women who fall in love with their billionaire bosses.

Okay, so maybe not so realistic.

BOOK REVIEW: Sweet Captivity by Julia Sykes

Title: Sweet Captivity
Author: Julia Sykes
Publication: September 12th 2017
Pages: 368
Synopsis:

I don’t like to be touched. I’m the hacker-geek-goddess of the FBI. When I’m hiding behind my screen, I’m a safe distance from everyone; isolated, powerful. No man has ever touched me, but when I’m captured by Colombian drug lord Andrés Moreno, I no longer have the right to refuse. He’s scarred and scary, and his cruel brother Cristian has tasked him with breaking me. I try to fight, but I can’t escape his strong arms and harsh discipline. He demands that I accept his touch, and my virgin body can’t help but respond to his masterful manipulations.

The longer I remain trapped with him, the more I come to suspect that I’m not the only captive in his brother’s home. Andrés’ scars go deeper than the wicked furrows carved into his flesh, his pain reflected in the dark demands he imposes upon me. His obsession is twisted and wrong, but maybe I’m twisted, too.

Do I want to be rescued from him? Or is he the one who truly needs saving?

MY RATING: 3/5 STARS

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s be honest. After reading the synopsis, you kind of already know what to expect from Sweet Captivity by Julia Sykes. You’re going to probably get a story that features a heroine who may experience Stockholm syndrome and because this is a romance, you’ll probably expect an implausible ending that will make you feel unsettled.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: Fraternize by Rachel Van Dyken

Fraternize, an all-new sexy standalone from #1 New York Times Bestseller Rachel Van Dyken is LIVE!!

Fraternize by Rachel Van Dyken
Release Date: September 12th

Genre: Contemporary Romance

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken kicks off a brand-new series in which romance is a game and love is a touchdown.

Emerson just made her dream come true as a professional cheerleader for her favorite pro football team. But even though the plus-size athlete is breaking down boundaries, she still has to contend with the massive rulebook. Carbs? Nope. Chocolate? Definitely not. Still, Emerson loves her curves, and she’ll rock the hell out of this job even if it kills her. Except for one mandate that is easier read than done…

No fraternizing with the players.

BOOK PROMO: The Outskirts by T.M. Frazier

The Swamp is about to get a whole lot hotter! The Outskirts by T.M. Frazier is LIVE!

The Outskirts by T.M. Frazier

Release Date: September 12th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Sawyer wants a life of her own.

Finn wants to forget he ever had one.

After a tragedy, Finn Hollis escapes

into the swamp to be alone.

That is until Sawyer Dixon shows up,

all SCORCHING HOT innocence,

claiming she owns the land less than

fifty feet from his front door.

BOOK PROMO: Because of Him by Terri E. Laine

Because of Him by Terri E. Laine
Release Date: September 7th
Genre: New Adult Romance

Because of Him an all-new romance by Terri E. Laine is LIVE!

Past and present intertwine with light and dark to tell a story …Because of Him

Something inside me fiercely craves normal.

Sheltered all my life and taught to be afraid, I want to be bold, fearless.

Up until now I’ve kept myself and my heart safe.

Tade Astor, a guy so hot he steals my breath away, jeopardizes it all.

He isn’t the kind of guy to give up on what he wants—me.

He’s determined to prove my safe world is missing something—him.

Even though he may not be the cocky guy I assumed him to be…

He’s definitely not the guy I should give my heart to.

But each time I see him, he becomes harder to resist.

I want to be brave and give him a chance… though it might come back to haunt me.

At the heart of Because of Him is a love story. But due to certain sensitive topics, it might not be suitable for all readers.