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adogmomsbookishlife's reviews
454 reviews
Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.
Bright Lights, Big Christmas is the perfect holiday read! It takes place on the Tolliver family’s Christmas tree stand in NYC. Their Christmas tree farm is in NC, so this story has a big city setting with a small town feel.
I liked the main female character, Kerry. She has a big heart and is trying to find her way in life. However, Murphy, her brother, is an insufferable pain in the ass. His story (assuming there will be one) will have quite the character arc I’m sure, but he was way too grumpy (with not enough redeeming qualities) for me to like him. But I adored his English Setter, Queenie!!
I didn’t love the romance between Kerry and Patrick. I love their characters, but the emotional and physical connection fell flat for me. I did like the shared custody arrangement he had with his ex wife and how they handled co-parenting their son, Austin.
Then, there’s Heinz. The grumpy, old man of the bunch who wandered into their lives and was adopted first by the dog, Queenie, and then by the young boy, Austin. What’s his story? Is he homeless? Does he have family? By the end of the story you learn the answer to those questions, but I would absolutely love to hear his story from his point of view.
That leads me to my favorite part of the book. I loved the found family theme, and even though Kerry’s “real family” is front and center on the page, she seemed to have way more connection to her found family in comparison to the blood relatives. The friendship between Kerry, Austin, Queenie, and Heinz is perfection! They are the most random group of individuals and yet they are family. They take care of each other, and it’s so beautiful!
This is my first Mary Kay Andrews book but it will not be my last! I highly recommend this one to bring your soul a little bit of joy.
Bright Lights, Big Christmas is the perfect holiday read! It takes place on the Tolliver family’s Christmas tree stand in NYC. Their Christmas tree farm is in NC, so this story has a big city setting with a small town feel.
I liked the main female character, Kerry. She has a big heart and is trying to find her way in life. However, Murphy, her brother, is an insufferable pain in the ass. His story (assuming there will be one) will have quite the character arc I’m sure, but he was way too grumpy (with not enough redeeming qualities) for me to like him. But I adored his English Setter, Queenie!!
I didn’t love the romance between Kerry and Patrick. I love their characters, but the emotional and physical connection fell flat for me. I did like the shared custody arrangement he had with his ex wife and how they handled co-parenting their son, Austin.
Then, there’s Heinz. The grumpy, old man of the bunch who wandered into their lives and was adopted first by the dog, Queenie, and then by the young boy, Austin. What’s his story? Is he homeless? Does he have family? By the end of the story you learn the answer to those questions, but I would absolutely love to hear his story from his point of view.
That leads me to my favorite part of the book. I loved the found family theme, and even though Kerry’s “real family” is front and center on the page, she seemed to have way more connection to her found family in comparison to the blood relatives. The friendship between Kerry, Austin, Queenie, and Heinz is perfection! They are the most random group of individuals and yet they are family. They take care of each other, and it’s so beautiful!
This is my first Mary Kay Andrews book but it will not be my last! I highly recommend this one to bring your soul a little bit of joy.
Since the Day We Danced by Kerk Murray
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is Kerk’s debut romance novel, and it is so good! It’s a true five star for me. I related to the female main character, Emma, in so many ways! Her vegan representation is something I’ve not come across in a book before, and I found it to be very thought provoking. (Side Note: There are vegan recipes in the back of the book that I’m excited to try out.) The male main character, Luke, has ALL of the golden retriever energy I love in a sweet, book boyfriend! He reminds me of my real life boyfriend A LOT. I’m blessed to have found “my Luke,” and I loved being a part of Emma’s journey to find hers. And Riley … the ACTUAL sweet, golden retriever who is as energetic and goofy as you would expect this breed to be. I loved him so much! Oh!!!! The scum ex-husband, Chad …. Well, I won’t spoil it, but he gets what he deserves.
I completely appreciated this was a second chance romance in a non-traditional sense of the term. The same goes for the 3rd act breakup and how all of it unfolded. I loved the time I spent in Hadley Cove, and I can’t wait for this series to continue.
The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.
I was not prepared for this emotional roller coaster, although I should have been. Katherine Center has done it again! She gave us the perfect example of a romcom! She simultaneously brought me joy and broke my heart without fear of losing the happily ever after. I will trust her with my heart every time! She can do no wrong! This story is pure delightful perfection! It played out in my mind like a movie, and I think I would be fabulous on the big screen!
I’ll share more details closer to pub date, but be sure to pre-order this beauty so you don’t lose a minute getting started on it! It’s so worth it!!
I was not prepared for this emotional roller coaster, although I should have been. Katherine Center has done it again! She gave us the perfect example of a romcom! She simultaneously brought me joy and broke my heart without fear of losing the happily ever after. I will trust her with my heart every time! She can do no wrong! This story is pure delightful perfection! It played out in my mind like a movie, and I think I would be fabulous on the big screen!
I’ll share more details closer to pub date, but be sure to pre-order this beauty so you don’t lose a minute getting started on it! It’s so worth it!!
All the Feels by Olivia Dade
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this advanced copy.
All the Feels can be read as a standalone novel from the Spoiler Alert series, but I believe I enjoyed it a lot more having read the first book in the series, Spoiler Alert, prior to reading this one.
I found the banter between Lauren and Alex to feel genuine. I didn’t like the 3rd act breakup AT ALL, but I do think both parties apologized and communicated appropriately after the fact. The steamy factor that Olivia Dade writes is off the charts! Chapter 26 in this novel is definitely worth diving into!
I still have the 3rd book in this series to read, and I’m looking forward to that storyline very much!
All the Feels can be read as a standalone novel from the Spoiler Alert series, but I believe I enjoyed it a lot more having read the first book in the series, Spoiler Alert, prior to reading this one.
I found the banter between Lauren and Alex to feel genuine. I didn’t like the 3rd act breakup AT ALL, but I do think both parties apologized and communicated appropriately after the fact. The steamy factor that Olivia Dade writes is off the charts! Chapter 26 in this novel is definitely worth diving into!
I still have the 3rd book in this series to read, and I’m looking forward to that storyline very much!
The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I loved the #ownvoices representation in this novella (re: autism). I really appreciated the diabetic representation as well. I haven’t read any books with either of these representations at the forefront of the story, and Chloe executes both flawlessly. I adored both of these characters and their authentic conversations towards the end of the novella. I think they both really learned a lot about the other; it was a HEA all the way around. The only part that didn’t really work for me was just the pace with this being a novella. With a longer story, I think I would have felt more of a connection between the two characters. I think this is a personal issue I have with novellas and short stories and not what will be reflected by the majority of readers.
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
I both listened to and read the physical copy of this book interchangeably. This is one of the few “fat female lead” romances I’ve read, but it’s the only one that has made me feel SEEN the way it did. I loved hearing how much the MMC worshiped the FMC’s full figure. I loved hearing how the FMC fought for the self love she has for herself and how she stood up for her own self worth. This is a couple I completely ship!!
The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read for me was the fan fiction sections. They didn’t translate well on audio so it took me out of the zone of the story when I didn’t have the physical copy on me. **NOTE: However, after reading this story, I read the second in the series (All the Feels), and I can see how important those sections are for the building of the characters and the plot for book 2.** I’m looking forward to finishing the rest of the series, as well as devouring anything else Olivia Dade writes.
The only reason this wasn’t a 5 star read for me was the fan fiction sections. They didn’t translate well on audio so it took me out of the zone of the story when I didn’t have the physical copy on me. **NOTE: However, after reading this story, I read the second in the series (All the Feels), and I can see how important those sections are for the building of the characters and the plot for book 2.** I’m looking forward to finishing the rest of the series, as well as devouring anything else Olivia Dade writes.
Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura
adventurous
slow-paced
2.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this advanced copy.
Unfortunately, I did not find myself as exhilarated with this story as I had hoped. The reading pace felt slow for an adventure rom com, and I found the chemistry between the two main characters to feel a bit immature. It’s a little hard to put into words, but it felt like “lust at first sight mixed with a second chance,” but I didn’t feel the chemistry. I kept waiting for an intimate scene with a side “character,” Barney, that never happened. I found myself more than a bit disappointed this was not written in.
Overall, I think my opinion on this book will not be the majority opinion. I can see where this story and writing will appeal to many. I was mentally excited to dive into holiday reading so it is very possible I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for this story at the time. My bookclub is chatting with the author in January 2024, and I look forward to reading future novels by her.
Unfortunately, I did not find myself as exhilarated with this story as I had hoped. The reading pace felt slow for an adventure rom com, and I found the chemistry between the two main characters to feel a bit immature. It’s a little hard to put into words, but it felt like “lust at first sight mixed with a second chance,” but I didn’t feel the chemistry. I kept waiting for an intimate scene with a side “character,” Barney, that never happened. I found myself more than a bit disappointed this was not written in.
Overall, I think my opinion on this book will not be the majority opinion. I can see where this story and writing will appeal to many. I was mentally excited to dive into holiday reading so it is very possible I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for this story at the time. My bookclub is chatting with the author in January 2024, and I look forward to reading future novels by her.
The Good Part by Sophie Cousens
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley Penguin / Putnam Group for this advanced copy.
I adored this book! I completely binged it! I felt entirely seen as a woman who has survived major heartbreak. A good friend of mine said she has never felt more seen as a mother. This story is going to resonate with SO MANY people!!! It's such an eye opening book that really makes you think. If you could skip to the good part, would you?? I can’t wait to hear other people’s thoughts, but this was my favorite read for the month! I added all of Sophie Cousens' backlist to my TBR!
I don't want to list any spoilers, but definitely research the trigger warnings on this book if you're a sensitive reader. There are a couple of topics that could be troublesome for some readers.
I adored this book! I completely binged it! I felt entirely seen as a woman who has survived major heartbreak. A good friend of mine said she has never felt more seen as a mother. This story is going to resonate with SO MANY people!!! It's such an eye opening book that really makes you think. If you could skip to the good part, would you?? I can’t wait to hear other people’s thoughts, but this was my favorite read for the month! I added all of Sophie Cousens' backlist to my TBR!
I don't want to list any spoilers, but definitely research the trigger warnings on this book if you're a sensitive reader. There are a couple of topics that could be troublesome for some readers.
The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy.
This novella was so much fun! The over the top drama coming from a small town theater group was just a riot. I laughed more than I thought I would and found myself highly entertained! The story did have an Agatha Christie feel, and I’d for sure describe this as a cozy mystery.
This novella stems from the original book, The Appeal. I have not read it, but I had no problem following this story. However, it does make me wonder what I missed. The Appeal is now officially on my TBR!
I loved that the story was told via emails, texts, and online messenger chats. This was a unique was to read the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
This novella was so much fun! The over the top drama coming from a small town theater group was just a riot. I laughed more than I thought I would and found myself highly entertained! The story did have an Agatha Christie feel, and I’d for sure describe this as a cozy mystery.
This novella stems from the original book, The Appeal. I have not read it, but I had no problem following this story. However, it does make me wonder what I missed. The Appeal is now officially on my TBR!
I loved that the story was told via emails, texts, and online messenger chats. This was a unique was to read the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
2.0
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this advanced copy.
The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia had so much potential! A magical Little Red Riding Hood retelling … yes, please!! However, as a short story, it did not do anything for me.
I found myself frustrated in the beginning as things the pace and scenarios were moving so rapidly it almost didn’t make sense. A certain phrase was repeated several times and it took me a minute to realize the repetition was done intentionally and not by mistake. I mean, I should have realized that, but with ARCs sometimes the reader DOES catch errors like that. Towards the end of the story, I knew what was going to happen, but then the story just ended. Poof! Just like that! The ending felt very abrupt and the entire plot line felt way too rushed and thrown together. It only took me about 1.5 hours to read, but I think so much more could have been done with this story as a full length novel instead of a short story.
The Lover by Silvia Moreno-Garcia had so much potential! A magical Little Red Riding Hood retelling … yes, please!! However, as a short story, it did not do anything for me.
I found myself frustrated in the beginning as things the pace and scenarios were moving so rapidly it almost didn’t make sense. A certain phrase was repeated several times and it took me a minute to realize the repetition was done intentionally and not by mistake. I mean, I should have realized that, but with ARCs sometimes the reader DOES catch errors like that. Towards the end of the story, I knew what was going to happen, but then the story just ended. Poof! Just like that! The ending felt very abrupt and the entire plot line felt way too rushed and thrown together. It only took me about 1.5 hours to read, but I think so much more could have been done with this story as a full length novel instead of a short story.