Women’s Fiction

The Thing About Love by Julie James

~ Megan ~ Leave a comment

5 Stars

I’ve never read Julie James before, but I will definitely be reading more from her. The Thing About Love felt like a perfect beach read. I love “hate-to-love” books and this was one was so much fun.

I do want to note, that if you are a romantic suspense reader, you might be a tad disappointed. It is a romance first, with a small crime fighting element. The undercover case was very weak and obviously just included as a means to get this couple together. I’m not complaining though, I loved the book, so it worked for me.

I’m not sure why I liked this book so much other than it just made me happy. I couldn’t put it down and found myself smiling as I read it. I still wish I had read this a couple of months later, so I could have enjoyed it while lying on the beach. The great thing about finding a new author is that there is a backlog of books for you to enjoy. I’ll probably pick up one of those up for any beachy adventures this summer.

Buy THE THING ABOUT LOVE Here – (Kindle)

Buy THE THING ABOUT LOVE Here – (Paperback)

Buy THE THING ABOUT LOVE Here – (Audible)

I received an advance review copy of this book that I have chosen to review.

Hex on the Beach by Gina LaManna (The Magic and Mixology Mystery Series #1)

~ Megan ~ Leave a comment

4 Stars!

I LOVED this book. It just made me happy and giddy, and put me in a good mood. It is a fantasy, but a humorous type of fantasy set in a contemporary world. This book is currently part of the “Prime Reading membership”, so I was able to read it for free through my Amazon Prime membership. It was well worth the time spent reading it, and I’m considering picking up a copy to own.

I picked up this book on the recommendation of two different bloggers I follow. I’ve heard it described as Stephanie Plum meets Harry Potter, but I think you will be disappointed if you go in expecting Harry Potter. This is definitely a light book, and  a “chick lit” version of magic. BUT if you go in expecting a light, silly, magic-ish romance then you will be happy.

Buy HEX ON THE BEACH Here – (Kindle) <– also available through Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reading

Buy HEX ON THE BEACH Here – (Paperback)

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a funny PG-13 romance with a touch of magic.

First Comes Love by Emily Giffin Book Review

~ Megan ~ 1 Comment

4 Stars

I didn’t know what I was getting into with this book. I did that one thing you’re not supposed to do — I judged this book by its cover — and assumed it was going to be a light summer romance. It is actually in the women’s fiction genre, a genre that I pretty much avoid. The big surprise here though, is that I really enjoyed it. I stayed up late 2 nights to get it finished and was thoroughly satisfied at the end.

First Comes Love is written in dual point of view, a literary device that I almost always enjoy, and this time was no exception. It follows the lives of sisters, Josie and Meredith, who have a tenuous relationship at best. They’ve never really gotten along, but after the death of their brother 15 years ago their family fractured and never healed. I adored Josie, but found Meredith hard to stomach. As the tale progresses you begin to see why she’s so harsh and by the end I no longer hated her. If Meredith had been the sole point of view, I doubt I would have finished the book because once you got behind the gorgeous, put together facade of her life, her story was sad.

Josie was not without her faults, but for the most part she made me smile. An excerpt from Josie’s inner monologue on the first day of school:

I’m so excited to get to know each and every one of you, and the includes you, Edie Carlisle. Did your father tell you that he dumped me right before he married your mother and had you? I will do my best not to hold this against you, but please show a little mercy and keep your happy-home anecdotes to a minimum.

First Comes Love is a story about sibling love and loss, secrets, heartaches and forgiveness. It would be an excellent book club choice because there are so many subjects to discuss that everyone should have something to say about it. I found it beautifully put together and I left it feeling warm and fuzzy. My favorite way to end a book.

First Comes Love is being released June 28, 2016.

Buy FIRST COMES LOVE Here – (Kindle)

Buy FIRST COMES LOVE Here – (Hardcover)

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.