Review: Happily Ever Afters (Happily Ever Afters #1)

Title: Happily Ever Afters (Happily Ever Afters #1)
Author: Elise Bryant
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Jane the Virgin meets To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before in this charming debut romantic comedy filled with Black Girl Magic. Perfect for fans of Mary H. K. Choi and Nicola Yoon, with crossover appeal for readers of Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert romances.

Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson has never felt like the protagonist in her own life. She’s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place she’s a true leading lady is in her own writing—in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.

When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she’s excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just…gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And she’s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa’s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.

But as Tessa checks off each item off Caroline’s list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares about—including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street. She’s well on her way to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all?

Review:

Sixteen-year-old Tessa Johnson is a romance writer, but she’s never experienced a true romance herself or seen herself in the pages of published romance novels. When she moves to Long Beach and starts attending an arts high school, Tessa experiences one of the worst things a writer can have: writer’s block. Her friend from her old town has the perfect solution. She suggests that Tessa find her own romance to give her inspiration to write. Luckily, one of the students in her class looks like the dreamy main character in one of her stories. However, as Tessa spends more time with that guy, she starts to turn into a different person, lying to everyone around her. Her neighbour, Sam, is someone who she’s never afraid to be herself with, but he isn’t her type. Tessa has to figure out what her real love story is so she can get her writing groove back.

I loved this book so much. I could relate to Tessa. I also loved to write as a teen. I didn’t know much about writing back then so I wouldn’t have been able to do a program like Tessa did, though I would love it now!

Tessa experienced some realistic relationship problems in this story. There were a lot of red flags with one of the guys that Tessa liked. I recognized these red flags right away, but Tessa tried to brush them off. I would have and did try to ignore some of the problematic things that friends or boyfriends did, so that I could still be with them, but now I realize that was harmful to myself. I loved that this aspect of problematic and toxic relationships was explored in this book, because I wish I had learned that lesson sooner in life.

Happily Ever Afters is a great YA romance! I can’t wait to read the sequel!

One True Loves by Elise Bryant

Serendipity by Marissa Meyer

Other books in the series:

  • One True Loves

Have you read Happily Ever Afters? What did you think of it?

Review: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

Title: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife
Author: Ashley Winstead
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: August 3, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Six friends. 

One college reunion.

One unsolved murder.

Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller has been invited back to her university for a reunion and she is obsessed with dazzling everyone with her beauty and success. This time when they see her, it has to be perfect because she is perfect. Not the girl she was when she left campus, back when Heather Shelby’s murder fractured everything, including the tight bond linking the six friends she’d been closest to since freshman year.

But there’s more at stake than the delicious envy of her peers—not everyone is ready to move on. Not everyone can let Heather’s murder go unsolved. In fact, someone has orchestrated the whole weekend to trap the real killer. As the weekend unfolds and they get closer to the truth, the group finds there was more than murder hidden amongst them on campus.

Told in racing dual timelines, with a dark campus setting and a darker look at friendship, love, obsession and ambition, In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is an addictive, propulsive millennial thriller you won’t be able to put down.

Review:

Ten years after graduation, Jessica Miller returns to Duquette University for their reunion. She wants everyone to see how confident and beautiful she is, not the ordinary girl she had been in school. However, when she’s reunited with her friends, they’re confronted by the brother of their friend Heather. Heather was murdered during their senior year. Though all evidence pointed to Heather’s boyfriend at the time, there wasn’t enough evidence for a conviction. The group of six remaining friends must figure out all the secrets and lies that were told that fateful night to determine who really killed Heather.

This story was intense and emotional. Everyone had dark secrets and had betrayed someone at some point in the past. The story was told through alternating timelines. Jessica told her own narrative in the present, but she was unreliable because of her secrets and her inability to remember the night Heather was killed. The chapters alternated between the present and their time in school, to show exactly what they were doing back then.

There are some potential triggers in this story. There was murder, rape, homophobia, abuse, and affairs. I think these topics were addressed and punished appropriately, for the most part. Though this was an emotionally charged story, it was an intense and intricate plot.

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife is an intense thriller!

The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison

Have you read In My Dreams I Hold a Knife? What did you think of it?

Review: All Her Little Secrets

Title: All Her Little Secrets
Author: Wanda M. Morris
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: November 2, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

In this fast-paced thriller, Wanda M. Morris crafts a twisty mystery about a black lawyer who gets in over her head after the sudden death of her boss. A debut perfect for fans of Attica Locke, Alyssa Cole, Harlan Coben, and Celeste Ng, with shades of How to Get Away with Murder and John Grisham’s The Firm.

Everyone has something to hide… 

Ellice Littlejohn seemingly has it all: an Ivy League law degree, a well-paying job as a corporate attorney in midtown Atlanta, great friends, and a “for fun” relationship with a rich, charming executive—her white boss, Michael.

But everything changes one cold January morning when Ellice goes to meet Michael… and finds him dead with a gunshot to his head.

And then she walks away like nothing has happened. Why? Ellice has been keeping a cache of dark secrets, including a small-town past and a kid brother who’s spent time on the other side of the law. She can’t be thrust into the spotlight—again.

But instead of grieving this tragedy, people are gossiping, the police are getting suspicious, and Ellice, the company’s lone black attorney, is promoted to replace Michael. While the opportunity is a dream-come-true, Ellice just can’t shake the feeling that something is off.

When she uncovers shady dealings inside the company, Ellice is trapped in an impossible ethical and moral dilemma. Suddenly, Ellice’s past and present lives collide as she launches into a pulse-pounding race to protect the brother she tried to save years ago and stop a conspiracy far more sinister than she could have ever imagined…

Review:

Ellice Littlejohn has worked hard to become a corporate lawyer in Atlanta, but she has secrets. When she goes to her office to meet her boss, who she’s also having an affair with, she finds him dead in his office. Ellice doesn’t want to be brought into any investigation because her past would be uncovered, so she leaves and pretends she didn’t see anything. However, when Ellice gets promoted to replace her boss, the spotlight is put on her. She finds some documents that point to some shady business, and puts her in an ethical dilemma. The investigation becomes personal when parts of Ellice’s past is brought into question. Ellice has to face her history coming back to haunt her, while trying to save herself.

This was a fast paced thriller! I was hooked on it right from the first page. This was one of those books that I didn’t want to rush through because, even though I wanted to know who did it, I also didn’t want it to be over. It was a wild ride!

There was a lot of discussion of racism, white supremacy, and misogyny. Ellice was the only Black executive at the office, and she was only one of two women in the executive department. It was clear early on in the story that the other executives were treating Ellice differently because she was a Black woman. There was a deeper conspiracy at play, but that dynamic represents many offices in the world. I appreciated that racism was addressed in this novel, because I haven’t seen it in many contemporary thrillers.

All Her Little Secrets is a thrilling debut!

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Have you read All Her Little Secrets? What did you think of it?

Review: The Maid

Title: The Maid
Author: Nita Prose
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 4, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?

Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.

Review:

Molly Gray is a twenty-five-year-old maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. She often struggles to read social cues, but she is meticulous about cleaning. One morning, she walks into a suite to find the wealthy Charles Black dead. Because of the unusual way that Molly behaves, misreading social cues and taking everything to have a literal meaning, she is targeted as the main suspect in the murder of Mr. Black. Molly must find support in some surprising friends to untangle the mystery that she has become involved in.

I knew this story was going to be great before I read it, and it didn’t disappoint! It is told in an unusual style. Molly is an unreliable narrator because she misunderstands a lot. She doesn’t recognize when other people are sarcastic or lying to her, though it was obvious most of the time. The narrative would go back and forth throughout time, depending on what needed to be told in the moment. This was an unconventional style, but it left clues for the reader and filled in gaps in time where they were needed.

The story was fast paced and very difficult to put down. I was certain that I knew what had happened, but I was still excited to read the story. However, I was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. This story had a great ending that was surprising yet made sense.

The Maid is an amazing debut mystery!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Lucky by Marissa Stapley

Woman on the Edge by Samantha M. Bailey

Have you read The Maid? What did you think of it?

Review: Amal Unbound

Title: Amal Unbound
Author: Aisha Saeed
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 8, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

The compelling story of a girl’s fight to regain her life and dreams after being forced into indentured servitude.

Life is quiet and ordinary in Amal’s Pakistani village, but she had no complaints, and besides, she’s busy pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher one day. Her dreams are temporarily dashed when–as the eldest daughter–she must stay home from school to take care of her siblings. Amal is upset, but she doesn’t lose hope and finds ways to continue learning. Then the unimaginable happens–after an accidental run-in with the son of her village’s corrupt landlord, Amal must work as his family’s servant to pay off her own family’s debt.

Life at the opulent Khan estate is full of heartbreak and struggle for Amal–especially when she inadvertently makes an enemy of a girl named Nabila. Most troubling, though, is Amal’s growing awareness of the Khans’ nefarious dealings. When it becomes clear just how far they will go to protect their interests, Amal realizes she will have to find a way to work with others if they are ever to exact change in a cruel status quo, and if Amal is ever to achieve her dreams.

Review:

Amal had dreams of becoming a teacher in her small village in Pakistan. Her life changes when her mother has her fifth baby. Amal suddenly has to take responsibility for her younger sisters. She’s under a lot of stress, giving up her future and looking after her family. This leads to an incident with the son of the village’s landlord. As punishment for talking back to him, Amal is taken from her family to work as a servant. Amal has many enemies when she arrives at their home, separated from her family and friends. Then, Amal discovers some dangerous business that the family is involved in. Amal has to figure out how to save her village and her own future.

This was a tragic story with an uplifting ending. Amal was treated unfairly in many ways. Since she was the oldest child, she was expected to look after her younger sisters. She was also expected to stay home because she was a girl. When she had an incident with the son of a wealthy man, she was sent to work for them because she was lower class and required to pay off the debt for insulting him in public. Amal’s position in society set her up to fail at achieving her dreams.

Though Amal was treated unfairly, her story was not as tragic as it could have been. She ended up making friends at the home where she worked and being treated well by most of the people there. In reality, this probably wouldn’t have been the case. Even without a tragic ending, this story shows a life that many children in Western countries are probably not familiar with, so it is an important read.

Amal Unbound is a great middle grade story! I’m excited for the sequel to be published next month!

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

Once Upon an Eid edited by S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed

Have you read Amal Unbound? What did you think of it?

Review: Ace of Spades

Title: Ace of Spades
Author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Usborne
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 1, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. 

Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. 

Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. 

Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…

Review:

Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo are chosen to be school prefects at Niveus Private Academy. It isn’t a surprise for overachieving Chiamaka, but Devon is surprised at being chosen. Soon after they’re chosen, anonymous texts are sent to everyone in the school, revealing secrets about Chiamaka and Devon. These texts, from the anonymous Aces, threaten to ruin their futures. As more texts are sent, the stakes of secrets become more dangerous. Chiamaka and Devon have to work together to figure out who Aces is, before their lives are completely destroyed.

This was a disturbing story. The best comparison titles for this book would be Gossip Girl meets Get Out. It was fast paced and suspenseful. I truly couldn’t figure out what was happening, and I couldn’t put the book down for the last 200 pages.

This story addressed some serious issues. There was homophobia and racism, as well as sexual assault and violence. Many of the disturbing scenes seemed exaggerated for the story, yet it also felt like it could happen in real life. I don’t want to give away what happens, but this story had a creepy, realistic quality, which made it even more disturbing.

Ace of Spades is a disturbing look at racism and homophobia that everyone should read.

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Have you read Ace of Spades? What did you think of it?

Review: Compass to Vinland

Title: Compass to Vinland
Author: Dani Resh
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: Warren Publishing Inc.
Source: Author
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 7, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Wren Larkin has a lot of things working against him-too tall, too thin, and living in a house that looks like an old boot. His only friends are a group of noisy crows that are always bringing him random trinkets. Needless to say, he’s not the most popular kid in town.

But things change when a girl named Maria moves to town and instantly befriends Wren. She continues to do the unexpected when she defends Rusty, the resident bad boy, who might not be as rebellious as Wren thought. Wren learns that it isn’t just coincidence that brought the three of them together when he discovers a shoe workshop under the heel of his house that’s holding-or hiding–three pairs of magical shoes intended for each of them.

When strangers arrive on Wren’s doorstep looking for the shoes, Wren and his new companions have no choice but to flee to Underfoot, an underground settlement full of magical creatures. In just a matter of days, Wren is immersed into a whole new reality that’ll take him on an incredible journey and reveal a lineage that might be better left secret.

Review:

Wren Larkin has never understood why he lives in a house shaped like a shoe. It was his mother’s childhood home, but he now lives there with his father while his mother is in a coma. His father is distant and never has time for Wren. One day, a new girl, Maria, arrives at school and they instantly become friends. She makes a scene when she defends Rusty, the bad boy in class. An accident brings Wren, Maria, and Rusty to Wren’s home, where they discover a mysterious and magical shoe workshop hidden beneath it. However, dangerous people have been searching for this workshop, and are willing to do anything to get to it. The three friends have to use the pairs of magic shoes to flee to a magical world called Underfoot. Wren has to figure out how much of his life was a lie, and how many of the fantasy stories he heard growing up were actually true.

This was a fun fantasy story. Wren had to discover that the secret magic that his family had was hiding in his house the whole time. There were hints of magic in their family, since his aunt would tell him stories of Vinland, but he never guessed that the stories were real. This classic storyline of discovering secret magical family history never gets old.

I would have liked the beginning to be more fast paced. There was a lot of description of Wren’s life at home and his time at school for the first few chapters. It took a while for the real action to begin. Once the magical aspects began, it was a really exciting story!

Compass to Vinland is a great start to a new series!

Thank you Dani Resh for providing a copy of this book.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Revenge of Magic by James Riley

Have you read Compass to Vinland? What did you think of it?

Review: Monday’s Not Coming

Title: Monday’s Not Coming
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: May 22, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried. When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year’s rumors and not with her grades on the line. Now Claudia needs her best—and only—friend more than ever. But Monday’s mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday’s sister April is even less help.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?

Review:

Monday and Claudia have always been inseparable. When Monday doesn’t show up for their first day of eighth grade, Claudia knows something is wrong. Their friendship was deeper than anyone knew. Monday would defend Claudia from bullies and rumors, and helped her keep her grades up. When Claudia asks her mom, Monday’s sister, and the school staff for help, they all brush her off. No one helps Claudia on her search, so she has to take matters into her own hands.

I’ve heard a lot about this book over the past couple of years. It has recently been banned by some school boards in the United States. The story itself was entertaining and suspenseful, but it also has an important message within it. This story shows the dark side of childhood, with many children left behind by the systems that are meant to protect them.

The premise and plot of this book were intriguing but it was put together in an intricate story. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it, and I couldn’t read the story fast enough. This was one of those special stories where after learning the ending, you can flip through the book to see where all the clues and breadcrumbs (as Claudia’s mom would say) left a trail throughout the story. It truly is a masterpiece of a plot.

Monday’s Not Coming should be required reading for everyone.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Have you read Monday’s Not Coming? What did you think of it?

Review: Sliding Home

Title: Sliding Home
Author: Joyce Grant
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Lorimer
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 1, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Miguel hasn’t missed El Salvador since arriving in North America with his mother and sister. But with his father still in El Salvador and gangs shaking down the old neighborhood, life isn’t easy for Miguel.

When his father’s situation becomes critical, Miguel becomes desperate to bring him to North America. But he can’t even afford to join his baseball team on a road game–how can his family possibly pay his father’s way? A solution comes from Miguel’s teammate, who proposes a big baseball fundraiser. As the team learns about the hard realities some new immigrant kids face, Miguel and his family learn to trust their neighbors and teammates.

Review:

Three years ago, Miguel moved to Canada from El Salvador with his mother and sister. His father remained in El Salvador, looking after their bakery, but he is constantly terrorized by gangs. Thirteen-year-old Miguel has to work as a babysitter to help support his family. He plays baseball with a local team, but he’s constantly reminded of how much less his family has when his teammates get new equipment and are able to afford to go to an out-of-town tournament. Miguel has to find a way to bring his father to Canada, which may mean opening up to his teammates about his problems.

This is a great baseball story. Though it was mostly about Miguel playing baseball, there were some important issues addressed. Miguel had to work, which his friends and teammates didn’t understand. He was constantly worried about his father and had to help his mother figure out how to bring his dad to Canada. Miguel had to deal with a lot of adult issues that his friends never thought about before Miguel told them about his life.

Sliding Home is a great short middle grade novel! Be sure to look out for Joyce Grant’s upcoming book about spotting fake news for young readers, which is releasing later this year.

Thank you Lorimer Books for providing a copy of this book.

Tagged Out by Joyce Grant

Have you read Sliding Home? What did you think of it?

Blog Tour Review: Love at First Spite

Title: Love at First Spite
Author: Anna E. Collins
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Graydon House
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 4, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

They say living well is the best revenge. But sometimes, spreading the misery seems a whole lot more satisfying. That’s interior designer Dani Porter’s justification for buying the vacant lot next to her ex-fiancé’s house…the house they were supposed to live in together, before he cheated on her with their Realtor. Dani plans to build a vacation rental that will a) mess with his view and his peace of mind and b) prove that Dani is not someone to be stepped on. Welcome to project Spite House.

That plan quickly becomes complicated when Dani is forced to team up with Wyatt Montego, the handsome, haughty architect at her firm, and the only person available to draw up blueprints. Wyatt is terse and stern, the kind of man who eats his sandwich with a knife and fork. But as they spend time together on- and off-site, Dani glimpses something deeper beneath that hard veneer, something surprising, vulnerable, and real. And the closer she gets to her goal, the more she wonders if winning revenge could mean losing something infinitely sweeter…

Review:

After breaking up with her cheating fiancé, Sam, Dani wants revenge. Since her fiancé didn’t buy the extra lot next door to their home like she asked him to, she decides to buy it along with her cousin and her new landlady. Dani decides the best way to get back at Sam is to build a rental home that will block the view he loves. To build the house, Dani asks her coworker, Wyatt, a serious and unfriendly architect, to help her draw up the blueprints. As they spend time together, Dani realizes Wyatt isn’t as unlikeable as he seemed. Dani doesn’t want the project to end, because then she wouldn’t have a reason to spend time with Wyatt. She has to prolong the project, and maintain her new relationship with Wyatt, before they both end in disaster.

This was a great enemies-to-lovers revenge story. There was also some forbidden romance, since Dani and Wyatt worked together and had to keep their romance a secret in the office. These were really well developed romance tropes.

The ending was suspenseful and thrilling. It was a little predictable, but still exciting. I won’t give away what happened, but I think Dani’s goal of getting revenge had a satisfying ending.

Love at First Spite is a great revenge story!

Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book.

Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

About the author:

Anna E. Collins is a Seattle-area author who writes stories about the lives and loves of women. Once upon a time she was a teacher, and she has a master’s degree in educational psychology. LOVE AT FIRST SPITE is her first novel.

Have you read Love at First Spite? What did you think of it?