PLBR Book Reviews 2018 - ELLES BOOK BLOG

ELLES BOOK BLOG

LOVE YOUR LIFE BY SOPHIE KINSELLA

10/27/2020

Love Your Life is filled with Kinsella's trademark humor and I found myself loving this one to pieces! If you enjoy a book about love and dating then this should be your next read.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: October 27, 2020
Genre: Chick Lit, Romantic Comedy.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 432 pages
Format: eBook. I received an ARC from the publisher.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I Owe You One, an utterly delightful novel about a woman who ditches her dating app for a writer's retreat in Italy--only to find that real love comes with its own filters

"As close to perfect as romantic comedies get."--Jenny Colgan, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop on the Corner

Call Ava romantic, but she thinks love should be found in the real world, not on apps that filter men by height, job, or astrological sign. She believes in feelings, not algorithms. So after a recent breakup and dating app debacle, she decides to put love on hold and escapes to a remote writers' retreat in coastal Italy. She's determined to finish writing the novel she's been fantasizing about, even though it means leaving her close-knit group of friends and her precious dog, Harold, behind.

HEART BONES BY COLLEEN HOOVER

10/19/2020

Colleen Hoover is one heck of a writer and I find myself completely immersed in every story she writes. Heart Bones is an exquisite, new adult romance with all the emotion.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: August 19, 2020
Genre: New Adult Romance.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 338 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed with Kindle Unlimited.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Verity and It Ends With Us delivers another breathtaking novel with a magnetic suspense that will keep you glued to the pages.

Life and a dismal last name are the only two things Beyah Grim's parents ever gave her. After carving her path all on her own, Beyah is well on her way to bigger and better things, thanks to no one but herself.

With only two short months separating her from the future she's built and the past she desperately wants to leave behind, an unexpected death leaves Beyah with no place to go during the interim. Forced to reach out to her last resort, Beyah has to spend the remainder of her summer on a peninsula in Texas with a father she barely knows. Beyah's plan is to keep her head down and let the summer slip by seamlessly, but her new neighbor Samson throws a wrench in that plan.

THE GUEST LIST BY LUCY FOLEY

10/14/2020

Lucy Foley has written a near perfect thriller with The Guest List and I devoured each page. The atmospheric setting and the killer plot twist are insanely good!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Genre: Murder Mystery. Psychological Thriller.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 319 pages
Format: Hardcover. BOTM box.

A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party.

The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the

CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 BY LISA UNGER

10/6/2020

Lisa Unger has set up a good, twisty thriller in Confessions on the 7:45. However, I found the book to be very slow. This type of book would be a better fast paced thriller.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: October 6, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller. Suspense.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 418 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

From master of suspense Lisa Unger comes a riveting thriller about a chance encounter that unravels a stunning web of lies and deceit.

Be careful to whom you tell your darkest secrets…

Selena Murphy is commuting home from her job in the city when the train stalls out on the tracks. She strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat, and their connection is fast and easy. The woman introduces herself as Martha and confesses that she’s been stuck in an affair with her boss. Selena, in turn, confesses that she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny. When the train arrives at Selena’s station, the two women part ways, presumably never to meet again.

But days later, Selena’s nanny disappears.

ONE TO WATCH BY KATE STAYMAN-LONDON

9/30/2020

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London just may be my absolute favorite book of 2020! I was enthralled and captivated by this tale of reality tv and love. I highly recommend it!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Genre: Chick Lit. Romantic Comedy.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 418 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER • Real love . . . as seen on TV. A plus-size bachelorette brings a fresh look to a reality show in this razor-sharp, “thoroughly charming” (Hillary Clinton) debut.

Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers—and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?

Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition—under no circumstances will she actually fall in love.

WELL PLAYED BY JEN DELUCA

9/21/2020

While I found the premise for Well Played to be cute, I found the plot to be a little dry. I was expecting a lot of happiness and excitement but it was too few and far between.

Rating: ★★★
Release Date: September 22, 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy.
Series: Well Met #2 (Can Standalone).
Pages: 332 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Another laugh-out-loud romantic comedy featuring kilted musicians, Renaissance Faire tavern wenches, and an unlikely love story.

Stacey is jolted when her friends Simon and Emily get engaged. She knew she was putting her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick mother, but it's been years now, and even though Stacey loves spending her summers pouring drinks and flirting with patrons at the local Renaissance Faire, she wants more out of life. Stacey vows to have her life figured out by the time her friends get hitched at Faire next summer. Maybe she'll even find The One.

When Stacey imagined "The One," it never occurred to her that her summertime Faire fling, Dex MacLean, might fit the bill. While Dex is easy on the eyes onstage with his band The Dueling Kilts, Stacey has never felt an emotional connection with him. So when she

FRAGILE HEARTS BY AMBER KELLY

9/15/2020

Fragile Hearts is the 4th interconnected standalone in the Poplar Falls series. Ladies, this is a must read romance novel/series! I fell head over heels for these two and quite frankly, each and every book in this series. I recommend them all!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: September 8, 2020
Genre: Small Town. Contemporary Romance.
Series: Poplar Falls series #4 (can stand alone)
Pages: 252 pages
Format: eBook. Arc.

Who says a girl can’t have it all?

I had my life and career all planned out. That was until I was betrayed by someone I trusted and my perfect opportunity was stolen from underneath my nose.

So here I am, back on Stoneyridge Ranch in Poplar Falls licking my wounds. I love being home with my family and friends, but I am determined to move past my anger and build my career. I have goals and plans too big for my hometown.

When Brandt Haralson, the new Vet in town, offered me a job, it was the perfect opportunity for me to plan my next move and get some experience. He’s brilliant, driven and sexy as sin, but he is also not interested in getting involved with anyone. I can learn a lot from him and I don’t have to worry about any romantic

THE SETUP BY MEGHAN QUINN

9/8/2020

The Setup by Meghan Quinn is a quirky friends to lovers, college romance and I loved it to pieces! As with most of Meghan's books, you get a cast of sensational characters and a plot that will make you smile HARD! I highly recommend it!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: September 10, 2020
Genre: College Romance. Friends to Lovers.
Series: Part of a greater series. Can Stand Alone.
Pages: 312 pages
Format: eBook. Arc.

I’ve fallen victim to a heinous act.

An act so vile, so downright dirty, that I’m not sure as a twenty-year-old man I'll ever recover. Brace yourself, because what I’m about to tell you might have you gasping in secondhand horror.
Ready? Here it goes . . .

I’ve recently become the pawn of a meddling mom.

Yes . . . A MEDDLING MOM--who's been trying to set me up all summer.

Now, I understand it’s not a crime for a mother to want her child to fall in love, but when she makes it her relentless MISSION, the heinous act should be classified as a misdemeanor at least.

Of course, my mom, the evil matriarch in the devil’s leggings, made

ONE BY ONE BY RUTH WARE

9/6/2020

One By One is a chilling murder mystery and I devoured this book from beginning to end. Ruth Ware has one again proven why she is a pro in the mystery/suspense genre.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: September 8, 2020
Genre: Murder Mystery. Suspense.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 383 pages
Format: eBook. Arc.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Turn of the Key and In a Dark Dark Wood returns with another suspenseful thriller set on a snow-covered mountain.

Getting snowed in at a luxurious, rustic ski chalet high in the French Alps doesn’t sound like the worst problem in the world. Especially when there’s a breathtaking vista, a full-service chef and housekeeper, a cozy fire to keep you warm, and others to keep you company. Unless that company happens to be eight coworkers…each with something to gain, something to lose, and something to hide.

When the cofounder of Snoop, a trendy London-based tech startup, organizes a weeklong trip for the team in the French Alps, it starts out as a corporate retreat like any other: PowerPoint presentations and strategy sessions broken up by mandatory bonding on the slopes. But as soon as one shareholder upends the

DRIVE ME WILD BY MELANIE HARLOW

8/28/2020

Drive Me Wild is the first book in a brand new series from Melanie Harlow and I am LOVING IT! This is a small town romance with a grumpy mechanic and the lady who lands at his feet (literally).

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: August 24, 2020
Genre: Contemporary. Small Town Romance.
Series: The Bellamy Creek series #1
Pages: 312 pages
Format: eBook. Arc.

When Blair Beaufort literally crashes into Bellamy Creek wearing a ball gown and a tiara, I should have towed her car, said goodnight, and sent her packing.

I’m a mechanic, not a hotel manager. I've got enough on my plate trying to keep my shop from going under, my overbearing mother off my back, and my baseball team in contention for the league championship. I don’t have time for a former debutante with zero street smarts and a cash flow problem, even if she is crazy beautiful.

Problem is, she’s stranded in my small town, and I’m hiding a protective streak underneath my broody exterior that runs deep. So I offer her a place to stay and keep my hands to myself.

For exactly one night.

IOU BY KRISTY MARIE

8/15/2020

IOU by Kristy Marie has it all! It's a hilarious, new adult, college romance, with a roommates to lovers trope! I fell head over heels for this couple and am looking forward to more!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: April 29, 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy. College Romance.
Series: None (yet). Standalone.
Pages: 266 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.

“You will never mention me or my favors, nor will you disclose what favors we trade. I am a ghost to you.”
Or a genie. I think a genie is way less scary, don't you?

It’s official.
I, Ainsley James, am crazy.
Desperate and crazy.
It’s the only explanation as to why I’m nauseous, standing outside Maverick Lexington’s door.
I mean, it’s possible the stories about his deck of playing cards—with the words IOU scrawled across the back—are just rumors of the ruthless quid pro quo deals he barters.
But the flutters in my stomach know better.
Maverick is as cold as they come.
But, I need one of those cards.
I NEED to owe Maverick Lexington a favor…

THE GIRLS WEEKEND BY JODY GEHRMAN

8/10/2020

The Girls Weekend is a suspenseful murder mystery and I loved it! This is a must read book for the summer and fall!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: August 11, 2020
Genre: Thriller. Murder Mystery. Suspense.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 320 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Their reunion just became a crime scene . . .

June Moody, a thirty-something English professor, just wants to get away from her recent breakup and reunite with girlfriends over summer break. Her old friend and longtime nemesis, Sadie MacTavish, a mega-successful author, invites June and her college friends to a baby shower at her sprawling estate in the San Juan Islands. June is less than thrilled to spend time with Sadie--and her husband, June's former crush--but agrees to go.

The party gets off to a shaky start when old grudges resurface, but when they wake the next morning, they find something worse: Sadie is missing, the house is in shambles, and bloodstains mar the staircase. None of them has any memory of the night before; they wonder if they were drugged. Everyone's a suspect. Since June had a secret rendezvous with Sadie's husband, she has plenty of reason to suspect herself. Apparently, so do the cops.

THAT SWOONY FEELING BY MEGHAN QUINN

8/9/2020

The final book in the Getting Lucky series by Meghan Quinn is now live! That Swoony Feeling is an excellent romantic comedy with a mix of sweet and spice! I loved this book so much and am so sad to see the series ending.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: August 6, 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy.
Series: The Getting Lucky series #4 (can stand alone)
Pages: 298 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn brings more humor and heart with the fourth novel of her Getting Lucky series: a story about breaking curses and finally finding that swoony feeling.

I'm single . . . so single it's painful.

Yup, ladies, Brig Knightly--that's me--is still a lonely bachelor, stumbling through the streets of Port Snow, looking for the girl he's supposed to end up with.

That is until my brother, Rogan, presents me with the opportunity of a lifetime. The Summer of Love, a secret pen pal program in Port Snow is looking for applicants and I'm the perfect fit.

I couldn't sign up fast enough.

EXODUS BY KATE STEWART

8/6/2020

Exodus is the mind blowing conclusion to the Ravenhood Duet by Kate Stewart. This is a must read, epic romance filled with emotion and twists and turns! I loved it!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: August 1, 2020
Genre: New Adult Romance. Suspense.
Series: The Ravenhood Duet #2 (not a standalone).
Pages: 423 pages
Format: eBook. ARC.

Can you live a lie?

It’s a ghost town, this place that haunts me, the one that made me.

It’s clear to me that I’ll never outgrow Triple Falls or outlive the time I spent here.

I can still feel them all, my boys of summer.

Even when I’d sensed the danger, I gave in.

I didn’t heed a single warning. I let my sickness, my love, both rule and ruin me. I played my part, eyes wide open, tempting fate until it delivered.

There was never going to be an escape.

YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER BY SARAH HOGLE

8/3/2020

A hilarious novel about the complications of miscommunication! I devoured this book and loved every minute of it. I recommend it to all readers who want a good laugh!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: April 7, 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy. Chick Lit.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 367 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.

Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They’re preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him.

Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

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