Book Review: One Night on the Island

By Melissa Amster

Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is not what dating columnist Cleo Wilder wanted, but she plans a solo retreat―at the insistence of her boss―in the name of re-energizing herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island she’s booked is a far cry from London, but at least it’s a chance to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some self-care while she figures out the next steps in her love life and her career.

Mack Sullivan is also looking forward to some time to himself. With his life in Boston deteriorating in ways he can’t bring himself to acknowledge, his soul-searching has brought him to the same Irish island to explore his roots and find some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both have reserved the same one-room hideaway on exactly the same dates.

Instantly at odds, Cleo and Mack don’t know how they’re going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. But as the days go by, they no longer seem to mind each other’s company quite as much as they thought they would.

Written with Josie Silver’s signature charm, One Night on the Island explores the meaning of home, the joys of escape, and how the things we think we want are never the things we really need. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I somehow missed One Night on the Island when it first released, but I am glad I finally got a chance to check it out! If you are looking for a cozy read while stuck indoors during a snowstorm, you can't go wrong with this one. Perfect for reading under a warm blanket with a cup of hot cocoa!  It's not about a tropical island, like the title leads you to believe. It takes place on a small island in Ireland, and there is a village with wonderful, friendly people right down the road. 

This was a sweet story. I loved the setting and there were great supporting characters in the nearby village. I wasn't sure where things would go over time and was pleasantly surprised. The dialogue and banter flowed nicely and there was a good range of emotions. I loved the concept of self-marriage in the way of just loving yourself first and foremost. 

I had a couple small concerns. One was strange timing at one part, as Mack's kids went to the lake for a week in the middle of autumn during the school year. I don't know of schools that give a fall break in the US and how would it be warm enough to swim in the northeast? Also, something worked out too neatly for one of the characters and it didn't feel as realistic to me. 

Overall, this was a really enjoyable novel and I'm glad I read it. It made me realize that I need to read the rest of Josie's books now. 

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.)

Movie casting suggestions:

Cleo: Mollie Winnard

Mack: Brandon Sklenar

Delta: Charlie Murphy

Dolores: Michelle Fairley

Raff: Ian Beattie

Susie: Britt Robertson

More by Josie Silver:

One Day in December

A Winter in New York

Slow Burn Summer

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TW: Death of parent (off page), parental neglect (off page), divorce

Spotlight and Giveaway: I'm Looking for a Man in Finance

Introduction by Melissa Amster

I will admit that when I first heard about Sabrina Waldorf's debut novel, I'm Looking for a Man in Finance, my interest in it stemmed from my Ghosts crush, Trevor, a Wall Street finance bro who died in 2000. However, it sounds like a fun enemies-to-lovers read and we're excited to celebrate the publication today! Thanks to Alcove Press, we have TWO copies to give away!

Sparks fly when a journalist seeking the most eligible man on Wall Street goes head-to-head with the finance bro determined to get in her way. 

Journalist Hallie Woods has a new assignment: date the hottest guy on Wall Street and document every moment for the magazine she works for. The only problem? Finance bros couldn’t be further from Hallie’s type. 

But as Hallie reluctantly flirts her way through the Financial District, there's one annoyingly handsome 6'5", blue-eyed man who keeps getting in her way. 

James Rossi is a typical finance bro on paper, but a hopeless romantic at heart. After being burned by an ex-girlfriend who used him for his money, he's also fiercely protective of himself and his friends. So when he realizes the new regular at his favorite bar is flirting with his colleagues as fodder for an article, he decides to sabotage her plans. 

Hallie and James clash at happy hour every week. But soon their dislike for each other turns into something unexpected, and Hallie questions whether she wants her personal life spread across the pages of a magazine. 

Hallie might have found her man in finance, but she also has a choice to make: publish the article or risk her career and invest in true love. 

“Balancing playful banter and steamy moments . . . The result is a flirty rom-com.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Heartwarming and fun.”
—Red Carpet Crash

Sabrina Waldorf is a hopeless romantic. After years of looking for her real-life man in finance, she decided to put pen to paper and create her own. When she’s not busy dreaming up new story ideas, she can be found curled up in her apartment with a coffee and a good book. 

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Giveaway ends February 15th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Better Mother

By Jami Denison

Women surrender their bodily autonomy when they become pregnant. From strangers patting their belly without permission, neighbors asking about the cat, in-laws weighing in on daycare decisions, mothers are considered public property and everyone has an opinion. The best-case scenario is nosy baristas commenting on coffee orders. The worst case is women like Adriana Smith, whose doctors ignored her headache until she was braindead, then used her corpse as an incubator until the baby was born months later, premature and desperately ill. No wonder motherhood is prime real estate for fiction, from historical to horror and every genre in between. 

Into this fertile territory, debut author Jennifer van der Kleut has delivered her first thriller, The Better Mother. The mom is question is Savannah Mitchell, a 34-year-old marketing account executive in San Francisco. She was ready to become a mom, but her longtime boyfriend balked at the prospect and left her. Months later, she finds herself pregnant by a casual fling, Matt… and when she gives Matt the news, he announces that he just reconciled with his ex-girlfriend Madison. Instead of being angry at Matt’s infidelity, Madison is excited about the baby and wants to help Savannah in any way she can.

Madison is a perky Stepford wife in green-and-pink plaid and headbands. She criticizes Savannah’s eating and exercise habits, the state of her apartment, and her job, insisting that all she cares about is the health and well-being of “their” baby. At first Savannah is merely annoyed, but when someone breaks into her apartment and important text messages disappear from her phone, she starts to suspect that Madison has more sinister motives in mind. If Madison can prove that she’s the better mother, will Savannah lose her baby to her? 

The Better Mother has the elements that domestic suspense fans love: babies, boyfriends, best friends, and the slow burn in the beginning where the protagonist questions her own reactions.  The twist is in its perspective: ordinarily, this book would be told from the point-of-view of the cheated-on wife/girlfriend, with the pregnant mistress the villain character. Flipping this genre expectation on its head provides a refreshing take.

While the tone was off at times—the first scene is funny, not scary, and later on characters go so far off the deep end that it becomes comical—the book delivers the roller coaster ride that readers want. It’s predictable, but that doesn’t lessen the fun. The only thing that was missing for me was an “a ha” moment for Savannah and a confrontation. 

Sadly, the current political environment toward pregnant women provides ample material for thriller writers like van der Kleut. At times, Madison seemed like a stand-in for big government, wedging itself into a woman’s most personal choices and judging her for them. Unfortunately, domestic suspense writers can continue to get inspiration from government and health policies that treat women like possessions. For women like Adriana Smith, their real-life horror is more terrifying than anything that fiction writers can create.  

Thanks to BookSparks for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: This Book Made Me Think of You

By Allyson Bales

Twelve books. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. But mainly because Joe died five months ago....

When she goes to pick up the present, Alfie, the bookshop owner with kind eyes, explains the gift—twelve carefully chosen books with handwritten letters from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

At first Tilly can’t imagine sinking into a fictional world, but Joe’s tender words convince her to try, and something remarkable happens—Tilly becomes immersed in the pages, and a new chapter begins to unfold in her own life. Monthly trips to the bookstore—and heartfelt conversations with Alfie—give Tilly the comfort she craves and the courage to set out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to share her journey with others, her story—like a book—becomes more than her own. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“The right book in the right hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever.”

What a thoughtful, emotional, and thought-provoking opening line to a story.  I spent last weekend completely immersed in Libby Page’s newest book and to say it was a warm hug that I am still thinking about would be an understatement.  This story touched my heart, and will be one I will think of for some time. I definitely think it should be on your February TBR immediately!

You get to meet Tilly, a lovely woman that just lost her husband and doesn’t really know what to do with that grief.  Her fiance leaves her the best gift at a local bookstore, where you also get to meet Alfie, the bookstore’s owner.

I was immediately invested in Tilly’s character.  I found her to be so relatable and vulnerable.  I really, really connected with her struggles and triumphs and can’t remember the last time I rooted so hard for a character.  Tilly gave me a lot of hope and I know she’ll be a character I will want so many others to meet!  I also really loved the flashback scenes where you get to know her fiancé Joe better.  This really added so much depth to the story and made me really think about my own wife and relationship.

This story reminded me why I am a book lover and why I love indie bookshops so much.  This is more of a predictable read, but one that will make you feel uplifted and inspired.  I loved so many of the characters and love all of the book recommendations that you get with each chapter!

I would also really recommend the audio version of this one. Zadeiah Campbell-Davies narrated the story beautifully and I loved how she brought Tilly to life.

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase it here.

More by Libby Page:
Mornings with Rosemary
The Lifeline
The 24-Hour Café

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Game, Set, Match

Today we are featuring Jennifer Iacopelli's latest sports rom-com, Game, Set, Match, which released this week. Even if you don't know much about tennis, this story is sure to dazzle. Thanks to Lavender PR, we have TWO copies to give away!

All of Penny Harrison’s hard work is finally paying off. At 21 years old, she’s a tennis icon in-the-making, with massive sponsorship deals and legendary status on the horizon, if she can just nail the upcoming Grand Slam in Paris. Until then, there’s no room for mistakes.

When she returns to the prestigious Outer Banks Tennis Club to train, though, she comes face to face with the biggest mistake she ever made: Alex Russell. With piercing blue eyes and irresistible charm, the bad boy tennis star is the only guy who ever broke Penny’s heart.

To keep her head in the game—and her mind off Alex—Penny leans on two of the club’s other rising stars. Jasmine Randazzo and Indiana Gaffney are both balancing exploding careers with their own off-the-court romances, and their drama might be enough to keep Penny distracted. 

But as days tick down to Paris, Penny seems to always find herself across the court from Alex. She knows that winning it all means laser focus…so why can’t Penny stay away from the one guy who ruins everything? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Praise for Jennifer's writing:

“I flew through this book. I was rooting for Audrey and the rest of Team USA the whole time—for their health, for their friendship, and of course for their gymnastics. Reading Break the Fall is the closest I’ve ever come to the thrill of competing at the Olympics—and I didn’t even have to do a single push-up to get here.” 
—Leila Sales, author of This Song Will Save Your Life

“Finding Her Edge captures the magic of a second-chance romance and tosses it into the pressure-cooker of world-class ice skating along with an irresistible combination of fake dating, family drama, and a shot at winning a life-changing gold. There is no one better than Jennifer Iacopelli when it comes to providing a realistic glimpse into the lives of elite athletes while crafting a romance chock full of heartbreak and hard work.”  
—Sarah Henning, author of It's All In How You Fall

Credit: Madison More

Jennifer Iacopelli writes about ambitious girls with big dreams. Her novels include Game, Set, Match; Break the Fall, and Finding Her Edge along with a co-edited anthology, Out of Our League. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and Finding Her Edge has been adapted for television by Netflix. As a high school librarian, she frolics all day with her students, books, and computers and writes at night while cheering on her beloved Yankees. 

Visit Jennifer online:
Website * Instagram * BlueSky

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Giveaway ends February 10th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Island

By Becky Gulc

‘YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE CAPABLE OF UNTIL THEY COME FOR YOUR FAMILY.

After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter. A working vacation overseas seems like the perfect way to bring the new family together, but once they’re deep in the Australian outback, the jet-lagged and exhausted kids are so over their new mom.

When they discover a remote Dutch Island, off-limits to outside visitors, the family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far from the reach of iPhones and Instagram. But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is run by a tightly knit clan of locals, everything feels wrong. Then a shocking accident propels the Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare.

When Heather and the kids are separated from Tom, they are forced to escape alone, seconds ahead of their pursuers. Now it’s up to Heather to save herself and the kids, even though they don’t trust her, the harsh bushland is filled with danger, and the locals want her dead.

Heather has been underestimated her entire life, but she knows that only she can bring her family home again and become the mother the children desperately need, even if it means doing the unthinkable to keep them all alive.’ (Synopsis courtesy of Orion Books.)

I got hold of The Island without really knowing what to expect, other than a recommended thrilling read which was enough for me! Wow. This was indeed one of the most gripping books I’ve read in a long time. I’m sure I stopped breathing at multiple points, I was so on edge! From fairly early on the tension is up there and stays up there throughout, which can’t be easy to write. Every time you think things can’t get worse, they do.

As the synopsis outlines, the story follows a family holiday that goes suddenly and drastically wrong. I found myself whizzing through this novel as I just couldn’t put it down; the pace is fast and it’s just gripping. 

It does get quite gory in places so this won’t be for everyone if you’re squeamish. Whilst I wouldn’t want to read this kind of novel all the time, I found this okay and it added to the tension.

My only criticism is that after such an intense book, once everything came to a head, I was left wanting to know more about the aftermath – this seemed quite brief. 

The ‘island’ is truly claustrophobic and the whole novel felt very cinematic so it wasn’t a surprise to read this is being adapted and I look forward to watching it one day. This is a tense, fast-paced thriller that’s hard to put down and perfect if you’re in the mood for something dark and dramatic! 

More by Adrian McKinty:
The Chain
Fifty Grand 
Falling Glass

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Spotlight and Giveaway: It's Not Her

We're excited to celebrate the publication of Mary Kubica's latest thriller, It's Not Her! Mary is one of Melissa's go-to thriller authors and she has this at the top of her five-book pile. Thanks to HarperCollins, we have one copy to give away!

A scream shatters the silence…

Courtney Gray’s peaceful vacation turns into a nightmare when she discovers her brother and sister-in-law dead in their lakeside cottage. Her niece Reese is missing. Her nephew Wyatt is asleep upstairs—unharmed.

A town full of secrets…

As police swarm the quiet resort, dark truths about Courtney’s family—and the town itself—begin to surface. Is Reese a victim… or the killer?

A truth no one saw coming…

With everyone hiding something, Courtney races to uncover the terrible mystery. But the closer she gets, the harder it is to know who—or what—to trust. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“A family vacation turns unspeakably grim. I relished every page. Tantalizing, terrifying and all too real. I couldn’t put it down.” 
—Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author of She Didn’t See It Coming

“Compulsively readable and impossible to put down, this book starts with a bang and doesn't let up. It’s Not Her is both a terrifying, twisting thriller, and a glimpse into the heart of a family both before and after a tragedy. Mary Kubica is an absolute master of suspense!” 

—Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of You Belong Here

“A gripping thrill ride with razor sharp tension and a whiplash ending I never saw coming. Kubica is a masterful storyteller!” 

—Jeneva Rose, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Credit: Sarah Jastre

Mary Kubica is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous suspense novels, including The Good Girl, Local Woman Missing, and Just the Nicest Couple. A former high school history teacher with degrees in History and American Literature from Miami University, she lives outside Chicago with her husband and two children. Her books—translated into over thirty languages and selling more than five million copies worldwide—have earned accolades from People, Kirkus Reviews, and the Chicago Tribune, and have been recognized by Goodreads, Amazon, and LibraryReads. (Bio adapted from Mary's website.)

Visit Mary online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Giveaway ends February 8th at midnight EST.

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