Rhoda Baxter's Blog, page 8

Book review: Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

This book made me so hungry!
Reena loves to bake. She doesn’t particularly love being out of work though, or the fact that her parents are trying to set her up with a husband. Again. Only this time, he lives across the landing from her and the first time she met him (before she knew her parents were intending for her to marry him), she liked him.
Nadim likes a lot of things. Reena, for one. Also, bread. He really likes food.
When Reena’s career hits a snag, she spots a cooking competition that ...

Book review: The Library at Wagtail Ridge by Janet Gover

Lou was happy living in Sydney with the adopted parents. She rarely gave a thought to the birth mother who gave her up. Until her mother, Luca, dies and leaves Lou an unusual inheritance. A small cottage in the rural village of Wagtail Ridge and a mobile library.
Luca also left her friends, particularly handsome and kind Jake, instructions. A set of letters which force Lou to take the library out to the rural towns and villages. As Lou learns more about the library and the people it serves, s...

Book review: A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

I’ve really enjoyed every book in this series so far, so when I spotted this on Netgalley I pounced on it immediately.

Colton Wheeler is a very handsome and very famous country and western star. Gretchen Winthrop is human rights lawyer who defends people who are being deported and separated from their families. She’s the grumpy one, he’s the sunshiney one. Opposites attract etc.

I enjoyed this book a lot. Colton’s not my favourite of the bros – that’s Vlad – but he’s fun. It was nice t...

Book review: Becoming Crone by Lydia M Hawke

I spotted this on Netgalley and requested it out of sheer curiosity. (‘The Crone Wars’ – how could I resist?!)

Claire has spent her life making herself small and fitting in around her husband and son. But turning sixty coincides with the dawning of her powers.

I enjoyed finding out about Claire’s powers (although, I got a bit impatient with her standing around going ‘what?’ at key moments). The magical aspects were entertaining and interesting. The gargoyle and the wolf-shifter were gr...

Would you like your name to be in a book?

Rather short notice, but if you hurry, you can bid in a book auction that I’m helping to run. We’re raising money for the East Yorkshire Food Bank. There are a whole bunch of things you can bid on to win – signed books (lots of different genres – romance, crime, fantasy, saga, women’s fiction, even colouring books), feedback on your writing from published authors, even … the chance to have your name given to a character in a romcom. Whoever bids the highest, gets the item. The books are mos...

Book review: Hex Appeal by Kate Johnson

I absolutely loved this book! I raced through it in a day (which isn’t something that happens often). It’s the sort of book where I read it while I was cooking, read it while I was waiting in line, just to keep reading.

Essie is a witch and lives in Beldam house with a coven of other witches – There’s Blessing who is a fertility witch and qualified midwife, Avery who helps manifest people’s desires (and makes medicines), Prudence who is a ghost and Maude who knits the future (maybe affect...

Book review: The Breakup Agency by Sheila McClure

This book was so adorable! I LOVE Gus! American Dan is an absolute gem, too, but Gus the dog really stole the show for me. In my head, American Dan looked like Chris Evans, so that’s saying something.

Ellie runs Softer Landings – a service for gently breaking up relationships so that the dumpee is not destroyed. This all started when she had to let down lovely American Dan, who was dating her friend Thea. Then Dan left, leaving Gus the dog with Ellie. And now he’s back … which means Ellie...

Book review: Killers of a certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

This book was a hoot! I kept reading well past my bedtime to find out what happened.

Four elite assassins – all part of the all-female team Project Sphinx – are on a cruise to celebrate their retirement, when they realise they are now the target of the same company they used to work for. They can run and hide, for a while, but there’s only one way to really get the target off their backs. Kill or be killed.

I love how the four women are so different to each other. They are all super co...

Book review: Marple (collection of short stories)

I used to really enjoy Miss Marple stories, so when I saw this on Netgalley, I snapped it up. This book does exactly what it says on the cover – twelve new Miss Marple mysteries, written by established crime writers. They were all different, but captured the essential spirit of Miss Marple, whilst providing a short mystery, neatly wrapped up by the end of the story. Since the stories were short, you could read them one a day (which is what I did – it was a lovely way to wind down at the end ...

Book Review: The Practice Kiss by Sara Martin (My K-Drama Life Book 1)

I picked this up after reading an article about books influenced by K-Drama. I love K-dramas, but when I watch one, it takes up all my concentration. I’m a bit busy right now, so I figured I’d get a quick K-drama hit by reading this book.
Chloe goes to Korea for a job – which turns out to be a scam. Penniless and drunk, in the rain, she gets spotted by a talent scout and offered a job. She’s cast in a K-drama alongside a handsome actor … who knew her when she was a teenager.
I wanted a quick K...