Contemporary – Page 8 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Hannah Tate Beyond Repair

Title: Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair
Author: Laura Piper Lee
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Union Square and Co.
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Hannah Tate can hardly believe her sleep-deprived eyes when she finds an engagement ring hidden in the closet. Killian, her super responsible, incredibly attractive boyfriend—and the father of her new baby, Bowie—is finally going to propose. But a romantic night out goes horribly wrong when Killian reveals he’s dumping Hannah, not proposing.

Furious and heartbroken, Hannah takes Bowie and moves in with her mama and stepdaddy in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia. Hannah realizes that her parents’ cabin has vacation property gold written all over it—and could save her mama from going broke. Again.

Only problem? The cabin’s décor is . . . mildly terrifying and it’s in desperate need of renovation. Hannah hires the hot carpenter living in the treehouse next door to fix up the place. Not only does River respect Hannah’s business acumen, he looks at her like she’s a woman, not a hot mess. And Hannah can’t deny that River awakens something new inside her.

Can Hannah embrace a future that looks different from the picture-perfect family she once dreamed of . . . and maybe start living life on her own terms?

Review:

Hannah Tate is the mother to a newborn baby, Bowie. When she finds an engagement ring in her boyfriend’s closet, she’s excited that he’s finally going to propose. However, instead of proposing, Killian says he thinks they should break up instead. On top of that, Hannah has been fired from her job while on maternity leave. Hannah is devastated so she moves in with her mom and stepdad. Her parents are starting up an Airbnb, but the cottage desperately needs a makeover, so Hannah takes over that job. She hires River, the hot carpenter who lives next door, to help her with the renovations. Even though she’s freshly out of a relationship, Hannah feels an undeniable attraction to River. She wants to welcome this new romance, while also working hard to make the Airbnb a success.

This was a sweet slow burn romance. It was an unconventional romance, since it started out with Hannah with a newborn baby, and then breaking up with her boyfriend. There were a few different kinds of relationships in this book. Hannah and her ex were co-parenting their son. Hannah’s mom was married to a good man who she found later in life after many bad relationships. Hannah’s two best friends were a same sex couple who had a baby daughter. These relationships were all at different stages in their lives, which was nice representation in a romance.

Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair is a great romance!

Thank you Union Square and Co. for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: heart attack, childbirth complications

Have you read Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair? What did you think of it?

Review: High Society

Title: High Society
Author: Daniel Kalla
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 28, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From internationally bestselling author Daniel Kalla comes a twisty psychological thriller about a pioneering psychiatrist hiding dark secrets, in the vein of The Golden Couple by Hendricks and Pekkanen and Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty.

At sixteen, Holly Danvers barely survived the car accident that killed her father. While she has no memory of the crash, it took an ayahuasca treatment, a native plant-based psychedelic therapy, in the jungles of Peru for her to emotionally recover. Twenty years later, Holly is a sought-after psychiatrist determined to use her expertise with psychedelics to treat patients suffering from addictions. Ignoring the risks, she embarks upon an unproven new protocol with miraculous results. But her success in probing the traumas of her patients and the secrets they keep is short-lived.

When one celebrity client goes public with his recovery and another overdoses after accusing Holly of improprieties, her world is turned upside down. With her career on the line, Holly reaches out to her mentor—and estranged husband—Dr. Aaron Laing, for advice and comfort. But he has a different agenda, and it soon becomes clear that it will be up to Holly alone to figure out why her clients are relapsing and dying. To accomplish that, she will have to risk her life and revisit her own deep-seated trauma.

Review:

At sixteen, Holly Danvers was in a car accident that killed her father. Her grandfather took her on a trip so South America where she was given psychedelics to recover from the trauma, which inspired her future work as a psychiatrist. Now, twenty years later, Holly is working with a group of patients to use psychedelics to overcome their addictions. It’s a risk because it isn’t an official treatment. However, after one experimental treatment, one of her patients accuses Holly of abusing her. The patient overdoses before she can go public with her accusations. Holly suspects there’s something more to the sudden overdose, which is followed by more suspicious behaviour from her patients. Holly must figure out what’s happening with her patients before her career is ended.

This was such a great thriller! I don’t like medical things in books, so I was a little skeptical about this one, but the medical scenes were fairly short. The chapters were short, which made it a fast paced read. I was surprised at the ending because the person I suspected wasn’t behind everything. I highly recommend this thrilling page turner!

High Society is a great thriller!

Thank you Tandem Collective and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Content warnings: addiction, overdose, suicide, murder, needles, hallucinations, fire, car accident

Have you read High Society? What did you think of it?

Review: One Perfect Couple

Title: One Perfect Couple
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A high-tension and ingenious thriller following five couples trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them.

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.

A fast-paced, spellbinding thriller rife with intrigue and characters that feel so true to life, this novel proves yet again that Ruth Ware is the queen of psychological suspense.

Review:

Lyla is a scientist who is struggling with her research. When her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, asks her if she wants to go on a reality show with him, she reluctantly agrees. They travel to an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean to film the new reality show, One Perfect Couple. Lyla expects to be voted off the show first, since she doesn’t like reality shows. After a storm the first night, everything goes wrong. Their communication from the rest of the world is cut off, and they have limited supplies. Now, the couples don’t have to worry about being eliminated from the show. They must worry about surviving.

This is my new favourite Ruth Ware book! It was so creepy and intense. There was a bit of a behind the scenes look at the making of a reality show, but most of the book was about survival. I couldn’t guess what would happen next so I was really kept on the edge of my seat!

One Perfect Couple is an intense summer thriller!

Thank you Tandem Collective and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, murder, suicide, blood, drowning, diabetes

Have you read One Perfect Couple? What did you think of it?

Review: As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)

Title: As Good As Dead (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3)
Author: Holly Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The finale to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. By the end of this mystery series, you’ll never think of good girls the same way again…

Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle… and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears…

Review:

Pip is ready to go to college, but she can’t stop thinking about her last two cases. It doesn’t help that Max Hastings, who should be in prison, is suing Pip for defamation. When Pip starts to get threats, she finds connections to a serial killer, the Duct Tape Killer. However, the DT Killer has been in prison for six years. Pip must figure out if the wrong man is in prison, with the real killer still out there, before she becomes his next victim.

This was a great finale to the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. The mystery in this book was connected to both of the other books. The second half of the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I would have been too scared to do the things that Pip did, but she had to do them for the best outcome. She had to make her own justice when the authorities wouldn’t listen to her.

As Good As Dead is a great finale!

Content warnings: death, murder, drugging, blackmail, gaslighting, blood

Other books in the series:

Kill Joy (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5)
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1)
Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2)

Have you read As Good As Dead? What did you think of it?

Review: The Paris Affair

Title: The Paris Affair
Author: Pip Drysdale
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 28, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

She thinks love can kill you. It turns out she might be right. The dark and sexy new thriller from the author of The Next Girl and The Strangers We Know .

Harper Brown is an expert at picking locks, breaking her way out of car trunks, and talking her way out of trouble. She could run a masterclass on escaping relationships—her record for losing a guy is three minutes flat. She’s addicted to true crime podcasts and is the genius behind a micro-column called “How to not get murdered”.

After having her heart broken helping her ex follow his dreams, Harper has moved to Paris to fulfill hers. She’s talked her way into a job as an arts journalist, a stepping stone to her dream role as an investigative journalist. And she’ll do whatever it takes to get there. But then one night she meets the artist Noah X, and everything she thinks she knows is turned upside down.

Soon Harper finds herself entangled in a web of lies, hot on the trail of a murderer and the scoop of a lifetime. This is the story that could make her career—if the killer doesn’t catch her first.

Review:

Harper Brown is an expert at getting out of relationships and picking locks. She loves true crime podcasts, so she knows how to avoid becoming a victim herself. She’s just moved to Paris to be an arts journalist, which isn’t what she wants to do but it’s a step in the right direction. One night, she meets Noah X, a new emerging artist, and Harper’s life is changed. She ends up entangled in a murder investigation, which she must solve before she becomes the next target.

This was a slow burn, intense thriller. The actual “thriller” part didn’t start until quite a few chapters into the story, but somehow it was still creepy. This story shows a dark side of Paris, with missing and murdered women, who aren’t given the investigation they deserve. I loved how clever and adaptable Harper was in dangerous situations. She didn’t give up searching for answers, when most people would have.

The Paris Affair is a great thriller!

Thank you Tandem Collective and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Content warnings: murder, abduction, stalking

Have you read The Paris Affair? What did you think of it?

Review: Love at First Knight

Title: Love at First Knight
Author: Megan Clawson
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Avon
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 25, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A second royal rom com from the author who had readers falling hard for royal guards, coming Spring 2024.

She’s no damsel in distress, and he’s certainly not wearing shining armour. But one knight can change everything…

Daisy Hastings has always thought she was born in the wrong era. So when she bags a summer job at the Tower of London helping to run their Knight school, it feels like a step in the right direction.

Theodore ‘Teddy’ Fairfax is a loose cannon. A disgraced distant relative of the royal family, he’s tall, dark and now (begrudgingly) helping with the Tower of London’s summer programme – and there’s nowhere he’d like to be less.

When Teddy’s oath to be an obstruction almost gets Daisy fired, she declares war. But as the two cross swords, they start to discover they both need a little rescuing…

And that maybe, just maybe, love can bloom, even on a battlefield…

Review:

Daisy Hastings loves LARPing with her family, wearing costumes and acting out fantasy stories. When she gets a job at a knight camp at the Tower of London, it seems like the perfect job for her. She’s partnered up with Viscount Teddy Fairfax, the King’s nephew who’s always in the tabloids. Teddy is always doing things to get Daisy in trouble at work, but she can’t seem to stay away from him. Daisy must try to keep her job without being distracted by the Royal who she’s falling for.

I really liked Daisy and her family who dressed up and did role playing together. They had characters and storylines they always followed. It sounded so fun! Teddy and Daisy didn’t get along from the moment they met. They went from hate to love really quick. I would have liked to see more of their romantic time together after they started to fall for each other.

Love at First Knight is a cute rom com!

Thank you Frenzy Books for sending me a copy of this book!

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

Review: The Return of Ellie Black

Title: The Return of Ellie Black
Author: Emiko Jean
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective Global
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 7, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

“I stayed up late into the night turning the pages until I learned the truth of what happened to Ellie—and gasped when Jean delivered a truly jaw-dropping twist.” —Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive and Bright Young Women

It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.

Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.

But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

Review:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister disappeared and was declared dead, when they were teens, and since then she’s been looking for missing girls. Teenage Ellie Black, who disappeared two years ago, is found wandering in the woods. Chelsey questions Ellie about where she’s been, but Ellie won’t give any answers. Chelsey worries that other girls could be connected to Ellie’s disappearance so it’s crucial that she find out where she was kept as soon as possible.

This was a great fast paced mystery. It alternated between the current story in third person, and flashbacks from Ellie’s perspective where she was held captive. A lot of things that happened when Ellie was held captive were disturbing, but implied rather than described in detail. I guessed one person who was involved, but I was surprised at the whole explanation at the end.

The Return of Ellie Black is a great thriller!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Tandem Collective Global for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, divorce, cancer, rape, kidnapping

Have you read The Return of Ellie Black? What did you think of it?

Review: A Girl Named Harper

Title: A Girl Named Harper
Author: Kara Jefferies
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: 6 Dogs Publishing
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 15, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the fast-paced world of auto sales, Harper Atwood has always had to fight twice as hard to prove herself. As a woman navigating the male-dominated industry, she’s determined to overcome her dysfunctional past and the fear of judgment that has haunted her since childhood. Fresh out of a tumultuous marriage, Harper focuses on building a new life and career.

But fate has other plans when Harper discovers a stranger named Gabe in her apartment, a chance encounter that soon unravels into a twist of destiny. Little does she know, Gabe is not just a random face – he’s her new co-worker. Charming, outgoing, and adored by everyone, Gabe is the polar opposite of Harper, who guards her privacy with fierce determination, trusting only her cousin and one close friend.

In this compelling romance novel, join Harper on her journey of self-discovery and healing as she grapples with her past, navigates the complexities of workplace relationships, and discovers that, sometimes, the heart knows what the mind refuses to admit. Will Harper finally let go of her fears and open herself up to the possibility of love, or will the shadows of her past continue to dictate her future?

Review:

Harper Atwood has had to overcome a tough childhood and a troubled marriage to become the woman she is today. When she moves into her first apartment on her own, she’s rescued by Gabe after falling asleep in her car. This unusual meet cute is disrupted when Harper gets mad at Gabe for staying in her apartment. Then she starts a new job at a car dealership, and discovers Gabe works there too. Harper can’t escape him, as they keep ending up in the same places. Gabe wants to be with Harper, but she’s reluctant to let anyone inside her life. Harper must overcome her fears to open herself up to a potential love story with Gabe.

This story was so fast paced. It was a quick read, at under 200 pages. The romance felt like a whirlwind. A lot of this book was emotional, when Harper talked about her struggles throughout her childhood. There were also a couple of spicy scenes. I liked that the epilogue showed Harper and Gabe many years in the future, so we can see how their lives turned out.

A Girl Named Harper is an emotional romance.

Thank you Kara Jefferies and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

Content warnings: alcoholism (off page), abuse (off page), infidelity (off page)

Have you read A Girl Named Harper? What did you think of it?

Review: Punk Rock Karaoke

Title: Punk Rock Karaoke
Author: Bianca Xunise
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A debut young adult graphic novel from Ignatz Award-winning and nationally syndicated cartoonist, Bianca Xunise.

When life gives you guitars, smash them!
School is out for summer and Ariel Grace Jones is determined to make it one for the books! Together with their bestie bandmates, Michele and Gael, Ariel believes they’re destined to break into the music industry and out of Chicago’s Southside by singing lead in their garage punk band, Baby Hares.

But before Baby Hares can officially get into the groove, the realities of post grad life start to weigh on this crew of misfits. Ari begins to worry that it’s time to pull the plug on their dreams of making it big.
Just when all hope feels lost, a fellow punk and local icon takes an interest in their talent. It seems like he might be the only one Ariel can rely on as frustrations between bandmates reach at an all-time high.

Punk Rock Karaoke is a coming-of-age tale that draws upon the explosive joy of the underground scene, while raising questions about authenticity, the importance of community and what it means to succeed on your own terms.

Review:

Ariel Grace Jones has a band with her best friends Michelle and Gael. It’s finally summer and she wants to break into Chicago’s music industry with her band Baby Hares. When April meets her local music idol, Clyde McLaren, she falls in love with him and thinks he will help her with her music career. However, Ariel will only succeed if she can truly be herself and believe in her own worth.

This was a fun graphic novel! Most of the characters came from diverse backgrounds and gender identities. I liked that when each character was introduced there was a brief bio including their pronouns. This story showed how easy it is now, and has been throughout history, for cis white singers to steal the music or art of people of colour or queer people. Unfortunately many famous singers have stolen music in this way, but this graphic novel showed how Ariel was able to save her music.

Punk Rock Karaoke is a great graphic novel!

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

Have you read Punk Rock Karaoke? What did you think of it?

Review: When You Were Mine

Title: When You Were Mine
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 18, 2022
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of One Italian Summer and In Five Years comes an intensely romantic modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told—narrated by the girl Romeo was supposed to love.

What’s in a name, Shakespeare? I’ll tell everything.

Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her—and when he finally does, it’s perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose’s best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit wild…and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn’t even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet’s instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob’s heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends.

Review:

Rosaline Caplet knows she’s destined to be with Rob Montag, her best friend and next door neighbour. When they go on a date at the beginning of their senior year, Rose is certain her life is falling into place. Then, Rose’s cousin Juliet Caplet moves back to town. As soon as Juliet gets ahold of Rob, he ditches Rose to be with Juliet. Rose is devastated at the loss of her best friend and potential boyfriend. However, rumors of Juliet’s instability and suicide attempts make Rose worry about Rob’s life. Rose has to come to terms with the fact that her future isn’t going the way she planned.

Romeo and Juliet is one of my favourite plays, so I was excited to read this adaptation. This retelling of Romeo and Juliet focuses on a character who isn’t actually in the play. Rosaline was the girl who Romeo was in love with before Juliet. This story was set in contemporary California, but most of the main plot points of Romeo and Juliet were the same. I really liked seeing Rosaline’s perspective on Romeo and Juliet’s whirlwind romance.

When You Were Mine is a great Romeo and Juliet retelling.

Content warnings: infidelity (off page), suicide, car accident (off page)

Have you read When You Were Mine? What did you think of it?