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Review: Alex and Eliza (Alex and Eliza #1)

Title: Alex and Eliza (Alex and Eliza #1)
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 11, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history.
1777. Albany, New York.
As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball.
Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

Review:

Eliza Schuyler is descended from one of the most important families of the American revolution. Her and her sisters are some of the most eligible young ladies at their family’s grand ball. However, when her father receives bad news, Eliza and her sisters are placed in a dire situation. Alexander Hamilton is the mysterious assistant to George Washington. Eliza is excited to meet him at the ball, but after Alex delivers the bad news to her father, she never wants to see him again. A misunderstood note leads Alex to Eliza, and begins their famous love story.

I don’t know much about Alexander Hamilton or his wife Eliza, so I was excited to read this story to learn more about them. This was an adorable love story. It was had an “enemies to lovers” type of romance, since Eliza didn’t like Alex after finding out that he delivered the bad news to her father but then eventually fell for him. That’s one of my favourite romance tropes.

Though this was a historical story, the historical descriptions weren’t heavy. The writing style emulated that time period, but was easy to read for a modern audience. Alex and Eliza were in the midst of the Revolutionary War, but that didn’t overpower their story. It was an important part of their lives, but they were able to explore their romance as well.

This was a beautiful historical romance!

Other books in the series:

Love and War
All for One

Have you read Alex and Eliza? What did you think of it?

‘Waiting on’ Wednesday – December 16

This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.

The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is You Have a Match by Emma Lord. The expected publication date is January 12, 2021.

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Goodreads Synopsis:

From the beloved author of Tweet Cute comes Emma Lord’s You Have a Match, a YA novel of family, friendship, romance and sisterhood…
When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.
But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.
When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents—especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.
The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby’s growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.
But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

What books are you waiting on this week?

Review: An Alaskan Christmas (Wild River #1)

Title: An Alaskan Christmas (Wild River #1)
Author: Jennifer Snow
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In Alaska, it’s always a white Christmas—but the sparks flying between two reunited friends could turn it red-hot…
If there’s one gift Erika Sheraton does not want for Christmas, it’s a vacation. Ordered to take time off, the workaholic surgeon reluctantly trades in her scrubs for a ski suit and heads to Wild River, Alaska. Her friend Cassie owns a tour company that offers adventures to fit every visitor. But nothing compares to the adrenaline rush Erika feels on being reunited with Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds.
Gone is the buttoned-up girl Reed remembers. His sister’s best friend has blossomed into a strong, skilled, confident woman. She’s exactly what his search-and-rescue team needs—and everything he didn’t know he craved. The gulf between his life in Wild River and her big-city career is wide. But it’s no match for a desire powerful enough to melt two stubborn hearts…

Review:

Erika Sheraton is a head surgeon who has never had a vacation. After some complaints at work, she’s sent on a two week vacation. She goes back to her hometown of Wild River to see her childhood best friend, Cassie. Cassie’s brother, Reed Reynolds, works as part of the search and rescue team for the mountains around Wild River. He’s surprised to see Erika has grown into a beautiful woman, but she seems like too much of a snob for him. Eventually they have to give in to the chemistry between them, but they have to wonder what will happen when Erika’s vacation ends.

Before reading this book, I didn’t know anything about search and rescue operations in Alaska. I’ve never been interested in outdoor sports and I’ve never been skiing before. I loved the intensity that this added to the story. There were some serious life and death situations that were scary to read about and imagine. I learned a lot from this story.

The romance was steamy right from the beginning. It started soon after the main characters met, so there wasn’t any waiting for the romance. The stakes were high for Erika and Reed, because they had issues with their parents that they were working through as well. I loved the romance between Erika and Reed.

This is a steamy holiday romance!

Thank you Harlequin for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other books in the series:

Under an Alaskan Sky
A Sweet Alaskan Fall

Have you read An Alaskan Christmas? What did you think of it?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books on My Winter 2021 TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Books on My Winter 2021 TBR. Here’s my list:

1. One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite (pub date: January 5)

2. Glimpsed by G.F. Miller (pub date: January 5)

3. The Meet Cute Project by Rhiannon Richardson (pub date: January 12)

4. The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon (pub date: January 26)

5. The Project by Courtney Summers (pub date: February 2)

6. Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher (pub date: February 16)

7. You Have a Match by Emma Lord (pub date: January 12)

8. Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price (pub date: April 6)

9. The Dating Plan by Sara Desai (pub date: March 16)

10. Slingshot by Mercedes Helnwein (pub date: April 27)

(All book covers from Goodreads)

What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?

Happy Pub Day – December 15

Happy Pub Day to all of these new books!

Warmaidens by Kelly Coon

The Last to See Her by Courtney Evan Tate

The 4% Fix by Karma Brown

This is How We Fly by Anna Meriano

What books are you most excited for this week?

Review: The Sea Gate

Title: The Sea Gate
Author: Jane Johnson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: November 17, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A broken family, a house of secrets—an entrancing tale of love and courage set during the Second World War.
After Rebecca’s mother dies, she must sort through her empty flat and come to terms with her loss. As she goes through her mother’s mail, she finds a handwritten envelope. In it is a letter that will change her life forever.
Olivia, her mother’s elderly cousin, needs help to save her beloved home. Rebecca immediately goes to visit Olivia in Cornwall only to find a house full of secrets—treasures in the attic and a mysterious tunnel leading from the cellar to the sea, and Olivia, nowhere to be found.
As it turns out, the old woman is stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her house is made habitable again. Rebecca sets to work restoring the home to its former glory, but as she peels back the layers of paint and grime, she uncovers even more buried secrets—secrets from a time when the Second World War was raging, when Olivia was a young woman, and when both romance and danger lurked around every corner…
A sweeping and utterly spellbinding tale of a young woman’s courage in the face of war and the lengths to which she’ll go to protect those she loves against the most unexpected of enemies.

Review:

After Rebecca’s mother dies suddenly, she finds letters from her mother’s elderly cousin, Olivia. Olivia needs help renovating her home so she can move back in after breaking her leg. While Rebecca is fixing Olivia’s home, she finds some mysterious things, including a human finger bone, which makes her curious about her cousin. When Olivia was a young woman during WWII, she fell in love and had to make some tough decisions. Rebecca slowly uncovers Olivia’s past as she fixes up her house.

This was such a powerful story about love and loss. The story opened with Rebecca losing her mother suddenly, but she discovered her distant relative, Olivia. Olivia suffered some tragic losses during the war, but she also found love.

Olivia was treated horribly during the war and later in life. She was left with strangers after her father went to fight and her mother went to London. When she saw injustices happen, she tried to fight them but wasn’t believed and earned a negative reputation. This carried on throughout her life. It was so disappointing to see a young woman treated this way, just because she was a woman.

There was some possibly triggering content in this story. There was a rape, assaults, and murder. These scenes were brief, but could be triggering to some readers.

I loved this story. I couldn’t put it down! This is a beautiful and powerful historical story.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? – December 14

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 The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson.

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading An Alaskan Christmas by Jennifer Snow.

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading Christmas at the Second Chance Chocolate Shop by Kellie Hailes.

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?

Jill’s Weekly Wrap-Up – December 13

Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) ★★★★★
Christmas from the Heart ★★★★
The Last to See Her ★★★★
Screech! ★★★★
A California Christmas (Silver Springs #7) ★★★★
The Ravens (The Ravens #1) ★★★★★

I did 9 weekly blogging memes:

How was your week? What did you guys read?

Sundays in Bed With… The Sea Gate

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 The Sea Gate by Jane Johnson.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A broken family, a house of secrets—an entrancing tale of love and courage set during the Second World War.
After Rebecca’s mother dies, she must sort through her empty flat and come to terms with her loss. As she goes through her mother’s mail, she finds a handwritten envelope. In it is a letter that will change her life forever.
Olivia, her mother’s elderly cousin, needs help to save her beloved home. Rebecca immediately goes to visit Olivia in Cornwall only to find a house full of secrets—treasures in the attic and a mysterious tunnel leading from the cellar to the sea, and Olivia, nowhere to be found.
As it turns out, the old woman is stuck in hospital with no hope of being discharged until her house is made habitable again. Rebecca sets to work restoring the home to its former glory, but as she peels back the layers of paint and grime, she uncovers even more buried secrets—secrets from a time when the Second World War was raging, when Olivia was a young woman, and when both romance and danger lurked around every corner…
A sweeping and utterly spellbinding tale of a young woman’s courage in the face of war and the lengths to which she’ll go to protect those she loves against the most unexpected of enemies.

What book are you in bed with today?