Contemporary – Page 5 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: A Nightclub for the Holidays

Title: A Nightclub for the Holidays
Author: Arden Coutts
Genre: Novella, Romance, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Publisher: Independent
Source: Author
Format: Ebook
Release Date: December 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The holidays are approaching, and the gang is back in action! Join Gray, Hannah, and their loyal friends as they race against time to reopen the beloved Club Midnight before the festive season kicks off.

But it’s not all tinsel and mistletoe as they face unexpected hurdles. The local mafia has other plans, throwing dangerous roadblocks in their path. As tensions rise and the clock ticks down, our favorite crew must navigate treacherous waters to make their dream a reality.

Meanwhile, Gray harbors a secret that could change everything.

Will Club Midnight shine bright for the holidays? Can they outwit the mob and save their dream?

Prepare for a heartwarming, pulse-pounding holiday adventure filled with friendship, love, and a touch of danger. ‘A Nightclub for the Holidays’ promises to be the most thrilling celebration of the year!

Review:

Christmas is approaching, and the mobster Demitri is finally behind bars. Despite the traumatic memories from Club Midnight, Gray wants to buy it at auction and turn it into a better club. Hannah also has plans to start a new career path away from the hospital. However, Demitri’s friends want to stop Gray from restarting the nightclub. Gray must figure out how to defeat these villains while also preparing to ask Hannah a very important question.

This was a fun holiday novella about the characters from The Fall Trilogy. I loved revisiting Hannah and Gray, who were the couple from the first book in the series. Even though this is a short story, there were some spicy scenes. I liked how this story kept the suspense from the original trilogy, while also ending on a heartwarming Christmas note.

A Nightclub for the Holidays is a fun holiday novella!

Thank you Arden Coutts for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read A Nightclub for Christmas? What did you think of it?

Review: Let It Glow

Title: Let It Glow
Author: Marissa Meyer, Joanne Levy
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Aviva Davis and Holly Martin meet at the holiday pageant tryouts for their local senior’s center, they think they must be seeing double. While they both knew they were adopted, they had no idea they had a biological sibling, let alone an identical twin! The similarities are only skin deep, though, because while Aviva has a big personality and even bigger Broadway plans, Holly is more the quiet dreamer type who longs to become a famous author like her grandfather.

One thing the girls do have in common is their curiosity about how the other celebrates the holidays. What better way to discover the magic of the holidays than to experience them firsthand? The girls secretly trade lives, planning to stage a dramatic reveal to their families at the pageant. Two virtual strangers swapping homes, holidays, and age-old traditions–what could possibly go wrong?

Review:

When Holly Martin and Aviva Davis sign up to perform at a holiday pageant at a senior’s residence, they discover that they are identical twins. Both the girls know they’re adopted but they didn’t know that they had a twin. Holly’s family celebrates Christmas and Aviva’s family celebrates Hanukkah. They are both curious about each other’s holidays, so they decide to switch places for a few days until they can reveal their identities at the pageant. However, the girls don’t know much about each other, so they have to work hard to hide their identity in their new families.

This was such a fun holiday story! The Parent Trap is one of my favourite movies, and this story was like a holiday version of it. My family celebrates Christmas so I knew the Christmas traditions that Holly’s family did. I liked learning about Hanukkah in this story. Aviva was also learning about her family’s traditions, so her and Holly were both being taught throughout the story.

Let It Glow is a fun middle grade holiday story!

Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read Let It Glow? What did you think of it?

Review: The Kiss Curse (The Ex Hex #2)

Title: The Kiss Curse (The Ex Hex #2)
Author: Erin Sterling
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 22, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Spooky Season!! The follow-up to Erin Sterling’s New York Times bestselling hit The Ex Hex features fan favorite Gwyn and the spine-tinglingly handsome Wells Penhallow as they battle a new band of witches and their own magical chemistry.

Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She, her mom, and her cousin have formed a new and powerful coven; she’s running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked; and she’s started mentoring some of the younger witches in town. As Halloween approaches, there’s only one problem—Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow.

Wells has come to Graves Glen to re-establish his family’s connection to the town they founded as well as to make a new life for himself after years of being the dutiful son in Wales. When he opens up a shop of his own, Penhallow’s, just across the street from Something Wicked, he quickly learns he’s gotten more than he bargained for in going up against Gwyn.

When their professional competition leads to a very personal—and very hot—kiss, both Wells and Gwyn are determined to stay away from each other, convinced the kiss was just a magical fluke. But when a mysterious new coven of witches come to town and Gwyn’s powers begin fading, she and Wells must work together to figure out just what these new witches want and how to restore Gwyn’s magic before it’s too late.

Review:

Gwyn runs the successful witchy shop, Something Wicked, in her hometown of Graves Glen. The grumpy descendent of the town’s founder, Wells Penhallow, arrives in the town for a new start. Wells starts his own shop, Penhallow’s, across from Something Wicked. Gwyn wants to shut it down, but as she spends more time with Wells, she starts to fall for him. When her magic begins to fade, Gwyn and Wells must figure out what’s causing it before it’s completely gone.

Gwyn was one of my favourite characters in The Ex Hex, so I was excited to read her own story. I loved the grumpy/sunshine pair, though Gwyn could be more grumpy than sunshine at times. There were some funny moments, just like in the first book. I listened to the audiobook as well as reading the physical book, and it was really well done!

The Kiss Curse is a cute witchy rom com!

Other books in the series:

The Ex Hex (The Ex Hex #1)
The Wedding Witch (The Ex Hex #3)

Have you read The Kiss Curse? What did you think of it?

Review: The Christmas Countdown

Title: The Christmas Countdown
Author: Holly Cassidy
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 22, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of The Christmas Wager comes a charming holiday rom-com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.

She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She’s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested.

As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?

Review:

Callie was recently dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and she still has to see him at work everyday. She doesn’t want to go home for the holidays because she’ll have to see him and his family. To cheer her up and remind her how much she loves Christmas, her sister, Anita, creates an advent calendar for Callie filled with childhood memories and activities to get her out of her shell. Callie decides to follow the calendar. She meets a charming baker who eagerly participates in the activities with Callie and makes her believe in love again.

This was such a cute holiday romance. I loved the way Callie’s sister incorporated so many of their childhood memories into the advent calendar to remind her of the joy of Christmas. Callie and Marco, the baker, had a natural romance that developed throughout their Christmas adventures.

The Christmas Countdown is a fun holiday romance!

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

Have you read The Christmas Countdown? What did you think of it?

Review: We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders #1)

Title: We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders #1)
Author: Richard Osman
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking
Source: Book of the Month box
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve…

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job…

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?

Review:

Steve Wheeler is a retired investigator who is enjoying his quiet life. His daughter-in-law is a private security officer whose current job is protecting the famous author Rosie D’Antonio. After three influencers and celebrities who share the same management company die mysteriously, Amy is certain Rosie will be next. She enlists the help of Steve to join her on a chase around the world to discover the killer.

This was my first read from Richard Osman and I really enjoyed it. I liked the unconventional relationship between the main characters. Steve was Amy’s father-in-law, and I don’t think I’ve read a story with two main characters with that relationship before. There were a few times that I laughed out loud. I listened to the audiobook, which was very good. It was a little confusing at times because there were so many characters to keep track of, but I liked the narrator’s voice.

We Solve Murders is a great new mystery!

Content warnings: death, gun violence

Have you read We Solve Murders? What did you think of it?

Review: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore (Dream Harbor #2)

Title: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore (Dream Harbor #2)
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: One More Chapter
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 29, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of the Sunday Times bestseller and viral TikTok phenomenon, The Pumpkin Spice Café, comes a brand new spicy romance set in Dream Harbor!

When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazelcan’t understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues… she just need someone to help her out.

Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he’s been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help!

Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells…

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store is a cozy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:
• opposites attract
• small town
• forced proximity
• he falls first

Review:

Hazel is the manager of The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore. One day, she finds a highlighted message in a romance book as she is putting it away. Noah, a fisherman, shows up after she finds the message, and he suggests they follow the clue together. Hazel is going to turn 30 soon and she regrets not having a wild time in her 20s. She decides she can have some fun with Noah, who’s known for only having flings. Hazel and Noah spend a lot of time together, but they start to fall for each other, despite their agreement that it will just be a summer fling.

This book was a spicy romance! It was spicier than the first book in the Dream Harbor series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, because Hazel and Noah already knew each other at the beginning so their romance could begin right away. I liked that the romantic couple for the next book was set up in this one. I’m excited to continue this series.

The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is a spicy summer romance!

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for providing a digital copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe (Dream Harbor #1)
The Christmas Tree Farm (Dream Harbor #3)

Have you read The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore? What did you think of it?

Review: Cruel Winter With You

Title: Cruel Winter With You (Under the Mistletoe Collection #1)
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Novella
Publisher: Amazon
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

For two former childhood friends, a blustery winter storm stirs some frosty—and scorching—memories in a delightful short story by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

All newly minted pediatrician Jamie Malek wants is to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, that requires her to interact with Marc—her best friend’s troublemaking brother, who’s now a tech billionaire. He’s the one who got away. She’s the one who broke his heart. Outside, a howling blizzard. Inside, a crackling fire. Suddenly, being snowbound with the man she never expected to see again might not be such a bad way to spend a winter’s night.

Ali Hazelwood’s Cruel Winter with You is part of Under the Mistletoe, a stirring collection of December romances that thrill and tingle all the way. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

Review:

On Christmas Eve, Jamie Malek’s father sends her to her childhood best friend’s house to borrow a roasting pan. When she gets there, her best friend’s younger brother Marc is the only person there. Since it’s a bad storm and too dangerous for Jamie to walk all the way home, she ends up staying the night, allowing them to confess all the romantic feelings they’ve been holding onto all of their lives.

This was a friends to enemies to friends to lovers romance, and also a bit of a second chance romance. These kinds of romances always feel so emotional to me. The characters and their backstory was well developed in this short novella.

Cruel Winter With You is a perfect holiday novella!

Other books in the series:

Merry Ever After (Under the Mistletoe Collection #2)
All by My Elf (Under the Mistletoe Collection #3)
Merriment and Mayhem (Under the Mistletoe Collection #4)
Only Santas in the Building (Under the Mistletoe Collection #5)

Have you read Cruel Winter With You? What did you think of it?

Review: The Good Bracelet

Title: The Good Bracelet
Author: Jasmine Golden
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Independent
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

What if a simple bracelet could change your life?

It’s been six months since the accident that turned 12-year-old Jayna’s world upside down. When Jayna receives a bracelet from a mysterious sender that promises to change her life forever, she is skeptical at first. Then good things start happening—coincidences too perfect to ignore. With her best friend, Isa, by her side, Jayna sets out to uncover the bracelet’s secrets:

– Who sent it to her?

– Is it really magic?

– Who is the other girl wearing the same bracelet?

The Good Bracelet is more than just a story—it’s a guide for young girls to discover their inner strength and realize that they have the power to change their lives. Perfect for readers who are ready to explore the magic within themselves, this book will inspire, uplift, and empower.

Review:

Six months ago, twelve-year-old Jayna’s mother died suddenly, leaving Jayna to look after her young sister while her dad works. One morning, she opens the front door and finds a package addressed to her with no return address. Inside the package is a bracelet with the word “good” on it, with a note saying that the bracelet has magic and will allow the wearer to only see the good in every situation. At the same time, another girl named Amanda receives the same bracelet with the same note from her Aunt Hope. When both girls wear the bracelets, their lives start looking up and good things begin to happen to them. They want to figure out the magic of the bracelet and how they can share it with their friends.

This is such a great middle grade story. It’s short and fast paced so I read it in one sitting. It has a great message for young readers. You can change your situation in life by having a positive outlook. The girls believed good things would happen while they wore the bracelets because the notes said they would. Your state of mind and outlook on life can have an influence on your success and happiness.

The Good Bracelet is a great middle grade story with an important message!

Thank you Jasmine Golden and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book for a paid campaign.

Content warnings: death of parent

Have you read The Good Bracelet? What did you think of it?

Review: A Curse of Mayhem (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #2)

Title: Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #2)
Author: Sunayna Prasad
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Independent
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

History, like magic, has a habit of repeating itself.

It’s been six months since thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy left magic behind for good. Or so she thought…

Then the enchanted objects that protected her disappear. Now a skeleton named Errol has cursed her with magical powers that keep getting her in trouble. Suddenly strange things are happening with disastrous effects, and if Alyssa can’t remove the magic, she will lose everything she holds dear.

In order to get rid of her unwanted wizardry, Alyssa will have to boost her bravery and confidence and determine who Errol really is. But every time Alyssa uses an enchantment, Errol is one step closer to getting his flesh back and becoming alive, and he will do anything to achieve his goals…even if it means destroying Alyssa’s happiness.

Review:

Alyssa McCarthy has left magic behind since moving in with her godfather, Alex. When the magical items that had been left in her care disappear, Alyssa discovers that she now has magic powers. However, she can’t control them, so she gets in trouble at home and school for using magic. Every time Alyssa uses her magic, an evil skeleton named Errol gets one step closer to getting his body back, so she must quickly figure out how to get rid of her powers.

This is a great sequel in the Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions series. This story was quite different from the first one. Alyssa had new friends in this book, because she had moved from New Jersey to Chicago. I liked that this introduced new characters to help Alyssa on her mission.

A Curse of Mayhem is a great middle grade fantasy!

Thank you Sunayna Prasad and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book for a paid campaign.

Content warnings: death of parents (off page)

Other books in the series:

The Frights of Fiji (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #1)
The New Enchantress (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions #3)

Have you read A Curse of Mayhem? What did you think of it?

Review: Fall Into Me (The Fall Trilogy #2)

Title: Fall Into Me (The Fall Trilogy #2)
Author: Arden Coutts
Genre: Romance, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: CEI Media LLC
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 4, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A night of passion, a world of vengeance, and a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Will Marcus and Kee fall for each other or fall to the dangers around them?

Kee and Marcus have been playing a game of emotional cat and mouse and have finally surrendered to their desires. After a passionate night together, they find themselves falling for each other. However, their newfound happiness is abruptly shattered when Marcus disappears without a word.

Confused and hurt, Kee wonders why Marcus would leave her without any explanation or information about his whereabouts. Little does she know, he has embarked on a dangerous mission.

As Marcus plunges into the treacherous world of vengeance, he faces numerous obstacles and life-threatening situations. He relies on his cunning, physical prowess, and unwavering determination to navigate the murky waters of retribution.

Meanwhile, Kee struggles with her conflicting emotions—torn between worrying for Marcus’s safety and feeling betrayed by his sudden departure. She embarks on her own journey of self-discovery as she seeks answers about Marcus’s motives and contemplates the nature of their relationship.

Will Marcus survive the perils he faces along his path of revenge? Will he find redemption and make it back to Kee? And can Kee find it in her heart to forgive him for leaving her in the dark?

Review:

Following the events of Fall Into Midnight, Kee and Marcus have fallen for each other. After a night of passion, Marcus runs away to Russia without telling Kee. He’s on the hunt for his nemesis Dimitri’s daughter, who was connected to Marcus’s father’s murder. Kee joins Marcus’s friends to travel to Russia and save him.

This was such a great sequel in the Fall Trilogy. The characters were all introduced in the first book, so the action started right away. There’s romance but there’s also a lot of danger that the characters face. I’m excited to read the third book soon!

Fall Into Me is a great suspenseful romance!

Thank you Arden Coutts for sending me a copy of this book.

Content warnings: death, kidnapping, torture, blood, sexual assault

Other books in the series:

Fall Into Midnight (The Fall Trilogy #1)
We All Fall (The Fall Trilogy #3)

Have you read Fall Into Me? What did you think of it?