Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book.
Title: Miss Lattimore’s Letter Author: Suzanne Allain Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Berkley Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: August 10, 2021 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The woman who never made a match of her own is making matches for everyone else in this hilarious comedy of manners from the author of Mr. Malcolm’s List.
Sophronia Lattimore had her romantic dreams destroyed years ago and is resigned to her role as chaperone for her cousin. Still, she cannot sit idly by when she becomes aware that a gentleman is about to propose to the wrong woman. She sends him an anonymous letter that is soon the talk of the town, particularly when her advice proves to be correct. Her identity is discovered and Sophie, formerly a wallflower, becomes sought after for her “expert” matchmaking skills.
One person who seeks her out is the eligible and attractive Sir Edmund Winslow. As Sophie assists Sir Edmund in his pursuit of a wife, she wishes she could recommend herself as his bride. However, she vows to remain professional and uninvolved while aiding him in his search (especially since the gentleman surely does not return her affections).
Three unexpected arrivals soon show up at Sophie’s door—the man who once broke her heart, a newlywed who is dissatisfied with the match Sophie made for her, and the man madly in love with Sophie’s cousin—all wanting her attention. But when her onetime beau and Sir Edmund both appear to be interested in her, Sophie can’t figure out if she’s headed for another broken heart or for the altar. How can she be expected to help other people sort out their romantic lives when her own is such a disaster?
Review:
Sophie Lattimore is a twenty-eight-year-old spinster who lives with her aunt and cousin. Her cousin, Cecilia, is having her first season out, and Sophie is meant to be her chaperone. When Sophie overhears a man talking about proposing to the wrong woman, she sends a letter to him so that he can marry the right woman. Sophie becomes the talk of the town when everyone hears about her successful matchmaking skills, more people want her help. Sir Edmund is a charming man who wants Sophie to assist him in finding a match, and Sophie begins to fall for him. Then, the man who was the love of Sophie’s life, before he married someone else, shows up, confusing her feelings. One of the women who was the subject of Sophie’s matchmaking also shows up, disappointed in her marriage. On top of that, Sophie has to help her cousin find an appropriate match, but now she doubts her matchmaking skills. With all of these conflicting romantic relationships, Sophie has to wonder if love is for her or if she should stay a spinster forever.
This regency romance story showed a different side of the typical romance. Most stories show a couple getting together and getting married at the end, but not what comes after. Sophie hadn’t gotten married at the end of her coming out season, so she was considered a failure and a spinster who was now too old to get married. She had to deal with the fallout from the marriages that she had arranged but weren’t working out well. This story shows what could go wrong in a regency romance.
I would have loved to see more action in the story. There was a lot of describing things that happened, rather than showing them happen in real time. Some conversations were condensed, when I would have liked to see them happen on the page. I really enjoyed the story, and would have liked even more of it.
Miss Lattimore’s Letter is a fun regency romance.
Thank you Berkley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain
To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters
Have you read Miss Lattimore’s Letter? What did you think of it?
This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!
What I just finished:
This weekend I finished Miss Lattimore’s Letter by Suzanne Allain.
What I’m currently reading:
I’m currently reading The Renegade Reporters by Elissa Brent Weissman.
What I’m reading next:
Next I will be reading Such a Good Wife by Seraphina Nova Glass.
What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?
The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.
This Sunday I’m reading Miss Lattimore’s Letter by Suzanne Allain.
Goodreads Synopsis:
The woman who never made a match of her own is making matches for everyone else in this hilarious comedy of manners from the author of Mr. Malcolm’s List.
Sophronia Lattimore had her romantic dreams destroyed years ago and is resigned to her role as chaperone for her cousin. Still, she cannot sit idly by when she becomes aware that a gentleman is about to propose to the wrong woman. She sends him an anonymous letter that is soon the talk of the town, particularly when her advice proves to be correct. Her identity is discovered and Sophie, formerly a wallflower, becomes sought after for her “expert” matchmaking skills.
One person who seeks her out is the eligible and attractive Sir Edmund Winslow. As Sophie assists Sir Edmund in his pursuit of a wife, she wishes she could recommend herself as his bride. However, she vows to remain professional and uninvolved while aiding him in his search (especially since the gentleman surely does not return her affections).
Three unexpected arrivals soon show up at Sophie’s door—the man who once broke her heart, a newlywed who is dissatisfied with the match Sophie made for her, and the man madly in love with Sophie’s cousin—all wanting her attention. But when her onetime beau and Sir Edmund both appear to be interested in her, Sophie can’t figure out if she’s headed for another broken heart or for the altar. How can she be expected to help other people sort out their romantic lives when her own is such a disaster?
Title: The Temple House Vanishing Author: Rachel Donohue Genre: Thriller Publisher: Algonquin Books Source: Thomas Allen and Son (book distributor) Format: Paperback arc Release Date: July 6, 2021 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
An Irish Bestseller and finalist for the Irish Book Awards Newcomer of the Year
Louisa is the new scholarship student at Temple House, a drafty, imposing cliffside boarding school full of girls as chilly as the mansion itself. There is one other outsider, an intense and compelling student provocateur named Victoria, and the two girls form a fierce bond. But their friendship is soon unsettled by a young art teacher, Mr. Lavelle, whose charismatic presence ignites tension and obsession in the cloistered world of the school.
Then one day, Louisa and Mr. Lavelle vanish without a trace, never to be found. Now, on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the disappearance, one journalist—a woman who grew up on the same street as Louisa—delves into the past, determined to uncover the truth. She finds stories of jealousy and revenge, power and class. But might she find Louisa and Mr. Lavelle, too?
Told in alternating points of view, The Temple House Vanishing is tense, atmospheric, and page-turning . . . with a shocking, ingenious conclusion.
Review:
Louisa was a scholarship student at Temple House, a Catholic boarding school on the edge of a cliff. She became friends with Victoria, an intriguing girl who had a close relationship with their art teacher Mr. Lavelle. One day, Louisa and Mr. Lavelle vanished without a trace. The school soon closed and the case was never solved. Now, 25 years after they disappeared, a journalist begins her own investigation into what really happened to Louisa and Mr. Lavelle.
This was a slow burn thriller. It was told through alternating perspectives, from the journalist in the present and Louisa in the past. This provided an outsider view of the investigation and Louisa’s firsthand account of what happened in the months leading up to her death. Though it wasn’t fast paced, it was an unpredictable story in this format.
The writing was very descriptive. The settings were all described in detail, so I felt like I was right there with the characters. Boarding schools are one of my favourite settings in books. Temple House was the perfect, spooky setting for this story.
The Temple House Vanishing is an evocative thriller.
Thank you Thomas Allen and Son for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
The Finishing School by Joanna Goodman
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware
Have you read The Temple House Vanishing? What did you think of it?
Title: The Gentleman and the Thief (The Dread Penny Society #2) Author: Sarah M. Eden Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery Publisher: Shadow Mountain Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: November 3, 2020 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
A gentleman scribes penny dreadful novels by night and falls in love with a woman who is a music teacher by day—and a thief at night.
LONDON 1865
From the moment Hollis Darby meets Ana Newport, he’s smitten. Even though he’s from a wealthy, established family and she isn’t, he wishes he could have a life with her by his side. But Hollis has a secret: the deep coffers that have kept his family afloat for generations are bare, so he supports himself by writing penny dreadfuls under a pseudonym. If not for the income from his novels, he would be broke.
Ana Newport also has a secret. Though she once had a place in society thanks to her father’s successful business, bankruptcy and scandal reduced his fortune to nothing more than a crumbling town house. So Ana teaches music during the day, and at night she assumes the identity of the “Phantom Fox.” She breaks into the homes of the wealthy to reclaim trinkets and treasures she feels were unjustly stolen from her family when they were struggling.
When Hollis’s brother needs to hire a music tutor for his daughter, Hollis recommends Ana, giving him a chance to spend time with her. Ana needs the income and is eager for the opportunity to get to know the enigmatic gentleman. What neither of them expects is how difficult it will be to keep their respective secrets from each other.
When a spree of robberies rocks the city, Ana and Hollis join forces to solve the crimes, discovering that working together deepens the affection between them. After all, who better to save the day than a gentleman and a thief?
Review:
Hollis Darby is a gentleman with the secret job of writing penny dreadful books under a pseudonym. He comes from a wealthy family, who no longer has any money, so he must support himself with his books. Hollis was attracted to Ana Newport, a music teacher, as soon as they met. Ana is also from a wealthy family, but they lost their money and belongings when her father went bankrupt. Ana has a secret: she steals back the belongings that the elite families took from her family when they were struggling. These small robberies begin to draw attention in the city, earning the thief the name, “Phantom Fox.” Hollis and his friends at the Dread Penny Society investigate the robberies, though he isn’t prepared for what he discovers.
Hollis and Ana appear to be in different levels of society but they have similar backgrounds. Ana is working class and Hollis is upper class. However, both of their parents made mistakes that lost their family money. The difference is that Hollis kept up the appearance of wealth, whereas Ana had to work to survive.
This story also includes short penny dreadful stories, told in chapters throughout the book. These are stories that are written by characters under their pseudonyms. I love that these stories also relate to the plot and what is happening in the main narrative. These short stories are a great addition to this Victorian novel.
The Gentleman and the Thief is a fun historical romance!
Thank you Shadow Mountain for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Title: When Elephants Listen With Their Feet Author: Emmanuelle Grundmann, Clémence Dupont Genre: Picture Book, Nonfiction Publisher: Pajama Press Source: Publisher Format: Hardcover Release Date: March 16, 2021 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Explore the wild and wonderful world of animal senses! Featuring engaging text from ethologist Emmanuelle Grundmann, inviting art from illustrator Clemence Dupont, When Elephants Listen with Their Feet is a lively nonfiction book that encourages curiosity about – and respect for – the animals with which we share our planet.
Humans experience the world through sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. But what if you had the compound eyes of a fly, the whiskers of a cat, or a whale’s ability to sense magnetic north? There’s a whole world of surprising senses out there, and fascinating adaptations that have allowed animals to make use of them. We can’t interpret the faint vibration of an elephant’s faraway stomp, but learning how they keep in touch with family across the wide savannah helps us understand that we are more alike than different.
Review:
This picture book is about the amazing things that animals can do with their bodies. It goes through all five senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell) and the unique ways that animals use the senses to interact with the world around them.
There are some animals, such as the golden mole, who don’t have eyes, but are able to “see” the world around them with scent. Elephants can communicate with stomping their feet and sending vibrations through the ground across long distances. Felines use their whiskers to sense the environment around them in the dark. Foxes use the earth’s magnets to hunt, always facing north-east to jump on their prey.
I didn’t know most of these fun animal facts before reading this book, so I found it fascinating. I think adults and children will enjoy this beautiful picture book!
Thank you Pajama Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Sunny Days by Deborah Kerbel and Miki Sato
Have you read When Elephants Listen With Their Feet? What did you think of it?
TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.
My pick this week is This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Darkness blooms in bestselling author Kalynn Bayron’s new contemporary fantasy about a girl with a unique and deadly power.
Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants from tiny seeds to rich blooms with a single touch.
When Briseis’s aunt dies and wills her a dilapidated estate in rural New York, Bri and her parents decide to leave Brooklyn behind for the summer. Hopefully there, surrounded by plants and flowers, Bri will finally learn to control her gift. But their new home is sinister in ways they could never have imagined–it comes with a specific set of instructions, an old-school apothecary, and a walled garden filled with the deadliest botanicals in the world that can only be entered by those who share Bri’s unique family lineage.
When strangers begin to arrive on their doorstep, asking for tinctures and elixirs, Bri learns she has a surprising talent for creating them. One of the visitors is Marie, a mysterious young woman who Bri befriends, only to find that Marie is keeping dark secrets about the history of the estate and its surrounding community. There is more to Bri’s sudden inheritance than she could have imagined, and she is determined to uncover it . . . until a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family.
From the bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead comes another inspiring and deeply compelling story about a young woman with the power to conquer the dark forces descending around her.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
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