The Butterfly Effect by Kelly Elliott

Thank you for Grey's Promotions and Kelly Elliott for giving me an ARC to read and review.

This was my first book by Kelly Elliott. I am hoping to read more books by her in future. 

I fell in love with the cover of The Butterfly Effect. The cover is just so gorgeous, it melts my heart. I liked the blurb, too. For once I actually read the blurb. 

The Butterfly Effect is a first book of a brand new series, Boggy Creek Valley. The book is set in small fictional town in New Hampshire. The book is well written, the story flows forward on it's on own pace. Nothing feels rushed. The characters made mistakes and felt real most of the time. The story itself was okay for me, I am not a big fan of small-town romances. 

Willa is newly divorced mom of a baby boy. She manages her family's Apple Orchard and she's almost perfectly happy with her life. One night she meets Aiden again. She has loved Aiden since she was 15 years old. Now they might have a new chance to find each other again. 

This romance has many reasons to read it; a war-hero, best friends sibling/siblings best friend, single mom. I liked the dual POV, loved the Apple Orchard and military hero. There were few things that didn't fit me, but over all it's a solid read. So three stars for a story and the fourth for the Apple Orchard. 

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Butterfly Effect by Kelly Elliot

K. Elliot Enterprises, INC

2021

Back in the Burbs by Avery Flynn & Tracy Wolff

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Valentine PR, NetGalley and authors Avery Flynn and Tracy Wolff for giving me an ARC to read and review!

Back in the Burbs hit my Kindle at 9 pm in Thursday night. I started reading it immediately and couldn't put it down until I had finished reading it. Luckily I didn't need to work today, so I could sleep in. 

In the book we meet Mallory, who has lost herself in past years. She hasn't been living the life she had wanted. So when the opportunity to move comes she takes her chances. She moves to suburbs to her a house that her great-aunt left her. First time in a long time she doesn't do what everybody around her wants her to do, but does what she wants to do. 

The house is in far worse shape than she thought, but luckily she meets a contractor who's willing to help her to get the house fixed. There's also a hot neighbor, who is very active to pointing out all the HOA violations her house is having. 

Slowly, but surely Mallory is getting back on her feet. She battles with too tall grass, she battles with her ex about divorce, she battles with her parents, she battles with income and she battles with her feelings towards men around her.

I believe that there are tons of Mallorys out there. Those people who have lost their selves in order to make someone else happy. That's a sad thing. I was incredibly happy to see how Mallory finally stood up for herself. I liked the way how Mallory found herself again. It made me happy.

This is a romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud. It gives you joy and melts your heart. You feel warm and happy after reading. It's a quick summer read. The characters are well written, the story flows forward. The authors manage to get some feelings out of the readers, feelings like announce towards Mallory's family, happiness because Mallory is finally doing what she wants. That's a sign of a good book. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Back in the Burbs by Avery Flynn & Tracy Wolff

Entangled Publishing

2021

The Last Piece of His Heart by Emma Scott

Thank you for Valentine PR and Emma Scott for giving me an ARC to read and review!

The Last Piece of His Heart is the third and the final book of The Lost Boys -series. I have read both of the previous books and loved them. This book was a perfect ending for the series and I am afraid that no matter what I write on my review it won't do justice to the book. I don't know how it's possible, but every book by Emma Scott is better than the previous one and she makes me love her writing even more after every book she writes. 

We get to meet the both of the main characters in previous books and boy, how much I had fallen in love with Ronan already. He's the bad boy with tattoos and silent persona. I always fall for the bad guy 😍 Shiloh is this pretty girl with some serious life goals. She is extremely talented and has decided that making jewelry is what she wants to do with her life. 

Both of them have their demons. The past is what haunts both of them with different ways. One lashes out and other one closes everything inside. They are both determined to not to get involved with anyone. But as they meet the pull towards each other is too strong to ignore. 

Love is a messy thing. It doesn't ask questions or ask if you want to experience it. Love just comes your way and you try your best to navigate through your life with love in it. Love is also something we all want and need, love from family, friends, partner and pets. We also need to give love, because life without love can be extremely lonely.

I don't know what to say. I don't want to spoil this book. This book has a great world and great characters. It felt that I had waited for ages to read Ronan's story and I couldn't put the book down. I missed sleep, because of this book, but I'm not sorry. Only thing I am sorry for is the fact that now it's over, the story of the lost boys. Now we know what happened them, I miss them already!

This book contains some heavy subjects and it's meant for readers over 18 years old. This is a wonderful coming of age book. The characters in this book feel so real. Their feelings and actions are raw and real. The characters love and hate themselves, they lash out, fight, laugh, cry and above all feel and grow together. 

I have said this in every book review in this series, but Emma Scott knows how to write an emotional romance. She has an amazing talent to bring characters alive. She makes you feel and she breaks your heart with her beautiful writing. I cried so many times that I lost count, but the last pages is what completely broke me down. I couldn't stop crying and even now, few hours later I have tears in my eyes. 

This is one the books that I hope I could own a signed copy of. I don't know if I ever get a chance to actually have it, but I sure hope so. 

I hope that everyone reads this book. It's all I can say. I might need to go back and read few favorite chapters again. I absolutely adored this book! If I could, I would give this book a thousand stars. I can already say that this will be one of my top reads in this year! 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Last Piece of His Heart by Emma Scott

2021

Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan

Thank you for Montlake, Grey's Promo and Kristen Callihan for giving me an ARC to read and review.

I had no expectations while I started reading this book. Make It Sweet really managed to surprise me. I really enjoyed reading this book. Hoping to read a lot more books by Kristen Callihan.

In Make It Sweet we get to meet Emma, who is this really popular actress, however the life she has learned to love isn't like it used to be. She decides that she needs some time for herself so she heads to Rosemont, which is owned by her grandmother's friend.

In Rosemont Emma meets Lucian Osmond, the retired hockey player with great body. Lucian has been hiding from life in Rosemont. He's helping his grandma with Rosemont's upkeeping. 

Where as Emma is sweet and trying to stay positive, Lucian is grumpy and not-so-positive. Their attraction is instant, but they try their best to resist it. During the days they spend together they start to fall for each other. But it isn't always easy to fall in love. There are previous experiences and the expectations that are weighing you. There are the people around you and your head and thoughts, hopes and ideas. 

This book was sweet, fast and really sexy book. Perfect read for summer day (and why not for a winter day, too). I really liked how it was written, the first POV and male POV are always great to me. Great book with sweet HEA.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan

Montlake

2021

When We Met by Marni Mann

 Thank you for the ARC to Valentine PR and Marni Mann!

This was the first book by Marni Mann that I've read and I am kind of sad because of it. I've actually met Marni Mann. It was in September 2019 and the place was London. I had a huge privilege to meet her at Rare 19 London -event. I had a paperback copy of When Ashes Fall with me and she signed my copy. I had to tell her that I had not yet read her book, but I had a strong will to read the book. 

A few weeks before Rare 19 London I participated this discussion about ugly cry books in one of the book groups I belong. Michelle, my bookfriend, told me that When Ashes Fall was the saddest book that she has ever read. I had just bought the book and after Michelle's confession I was too afraid to read the book. Michelle asked me that if I actually get to meet Marni Mann I would tell her how much she loved the book and how much she still thinks about the hero. I was able to tell Marni Mann what Michelle asked me to tell and Michelle was so happy after hearing this. I promised to Michelle that I'll read the book. Sadly, few months after this Michelle passed away and I still haven't read the book. Every time I see the book on my shelf I feel a bit sad. I really need to read it sooner rather than later.

But back in this book, When We Met. I went in blind and I strongly recommend that to everyone who reads this book. It's absolutely the best way to start reading this awesome book. I really try to keep my review a spoiler free. 

In this book we meet Whitney and Caleb. They meet and fall in love. They struggle and try their best to navigate in the sea of life. That's basically all I can say without spoiling something. This book is a really great reading experience and I mean experience, because there's something happening in this book I haven't seen before. It confused me a bit, but in the end everything seemed obvious and I felt stupid.

This book is about love, the true love -kind love. The other important themes in this book are trust, happiness, finding your own path, staying true to yourself and telling how you feel to the people around you.

I really liked the way the book is written, it flows forward smoothly. This is a really unique book. I hope that you will read this book. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

When We Met by Marni Mann

Independently Published

2021

Rachel Out of Office by Christine Hovland

 I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. Thank you for letting me read this.

Rachel, Out of Office was my first book by Christine Hovland. The book is romantic comedy -kind of book. The book is about Rachel, who is a single-mom with a business. Rachel struggles with her life, she wants to be a perfect mom and she really wants to make her work perfectly. 

I think that the most of the moms out there recognize these same problems. Every mom wants what's best for her children and they do their absolute best to provide it to their children. Rachel has some problems with his ex-husband. She has problems with her work. She has the same problems we, the moms in real world, have. It made Rachel very likable and I could easily relate to her. 

I liked how the book had very little drama. I liked how the family worked, it felt real family. The tension and passion between Rachel and Travis was believable. I liked the twins and I really, really liked Travis. 

There were moments I found a little unbelievable, but nothing major. My main problem was the fact that the book was written in third POV, but that's just my problem. 

I really liked the ending and the fact that Rachel learned something that we all need to learn, no one is perfect and no one needs to be perfect.

This was a nice read with likable characters and plot. I can recommend this. 

⭐⭐⭐½

Rachel, Out of Office by Christine Hovland

2021

In The Penalty Box by Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount

 An ARC received for an exchange of honest review. Thank you!

In The Penalty Box is a sweet YA -hockey romance. 

Willow is a figure skater with an injury. She was on a path to win gold metal in Olympic games. Now she doesn't know what to do, when all she knows and loves has taken away from her. So she joins in hockey team to rehab her achilles. Not all of the players want her to in their team, but Brody sure wants to. I liked how strong Willow were, both mentally and physically. 

Brody is the hockey star, the one player all adores. Even the arena has his name on it. On the outside everything seems to be perfect and in place in his life. But that couldn't be more wrong. Brody has his own battles that no one knows about. I liked Brody's way of living, I liked how he put his little brother on first place. 

Willow and Brody meet and sparks fly. Hockey teams coach has stated "no fraternizing" -rule that Willow and Brody do their best to follow. You can guess how well they manage to follow that rule. They had to make decisions that affected people around them. 

This is a sweet YA-romance with little drama.  You can read this book in one sitting, just like I did. Or you can read few chapters now and then, but I guarantee that you'll enjoy this book.

I liked the characters, I liked how much hockey there were in this book, I liked how their life were presented in; their feelings and actions truly felt teenagers. But still being teenagers these characters knew what they wanted and what was important in life, it was wonderful to read about these two. I liked the side characters. I just liked this book, okay?

⭐⭐⭐⭐

In The Penalty Box by Lynn Rush and Kelly Anne Blount

2020