Carole V. Bell's Blog, page 5
December 5, 2019
Review: An Unseen Attraction
An Unseen Attraction by K.J. Charles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An Unseen Attraction is the first installment in the Sins of the Cities series by K.J. Charles, three closely interconnected books centered on a messy, deadly interfamilial feud over succession to an earldom and one of England’s greatest fortunes. In addition to an engrossing central mystery, which
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An Unseen Attraction is the first installment in the Sins of the Cities series by K.J. Charles, three closely interconnected books centered on a messy, deadly interfamilial feud over succession to an earldom and one of England’s greatest fortunes. In addition to an engrossing central mystery, which
Review: The Bromance Book Club
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved the idea of this book. I liked its execution. The Bromance Book Club is a second chance love story with a twist. Gavin and Thea, the couple at the center of this story, love each other, but they met and married young, had twin girls and never took the time necessary to get to know each other
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved the idea of this book. I liked its execution. The Bromance Book Club is a second chance love story with a twist. Gavin and Thea, the couple at the center of this story, love each other, but they met and married young, had twin girls and never took the time necessary to get to know each other
December 4, 2019
Review: Muffin Top
Muffin Top by Avery Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Fat Heroines don't necessarily herald fat acceptance. This lesson was reinforced for me in spades with a spate of reading I did recently including Muffin Top by Avery Flynn. This is a story of Lucy, a fiercely smart but secretly insecure fat young woman (that's the language she uses) and Frankie, a hunky fireman,
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Fat Heroines don't necessarily herald fat acceptance. This lesson was reinforced for me in spades with a spate of reading I did recently including Muffin Top by Avery Flynn. This is a story of Lucy, a fiercely smart but secretly insecure fat young woman (that's the language she uses) and Frankie, a hunky fireman,
December 3, 2019
Review: Muffin Top
Muffin Top by Avery Flynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Fat Heroines don't necessarily herald fat acceptance. This lesson was reinforced for me in spades with a spate of reading I did recently including Muffin Top by Avery Flynn. This is a story of Lucy, a fiercely smart but secretly insecure fat girl and Frankie, a hunky fireman, who’s tiring of being thought of as
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Fat Heroines don't necessarily herald fat acceptance. This lesson was reinforced for me in spades with a spate of reading I did recently including Muffin Top by Avery Flynn. This is a story of Lucy, a fiercely smart but secretly insecure fat girl and Frankie, a hunky fireman, who’s tiring of being thought of as
December 2, 2019
Review: If I Never Met You
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If I Never Met You is easily one of my favorite comic novels in a while.* Author Mhairi McFarlane is endlessly witty and deceptively sophisticated, and her sixth book is full of exactly the kind of quotable, wry social observation that I love. My kindle overflows with the highlights to prove it. The
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If I Never Met You is easily one of my favorite comic novels in a while.* Author Mhairi McFarlane is endlessly witty and deceptively sophisticated, and her sixth book is full of exactly the kind of quotable, wry social observation that I love. My kindle overflows with the highlights to prove it. The
November 28, 2019
Review: Red, White & Royal Blue
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m grateful for great books and great love stories. Today I revisited one of the best—Casey McQuiston’s Red White and Royal Blue. Red, White & Royal Blue is the story of first and lasting love between two impossibly handsome, intelligent and privileged young men from different countries and
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’m grateful for great books and great love stories. Today I revisited one of the best—Casey McQuiston’s Red White and Royal Blue. Red, White & Royal Blue is the story of first and lasting love between two impossibly handsome, intelligent and privileged young men from different countries and
November 26, 2019
Review: Lord of Scoundrels
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love this book. This came as a bit of a shock to me when I first read it. I had a hard time just getting past the cover which for the uninitiated gives not a hint of the wickedly smart contents enclosed. As someone who had always been skeptical of traditional historical romance novels, especially those
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love this book. This came as a bit of a shock to me when I first read it. I had a hard time just getting past the cover which for the uninitiated gives not a hint of the wickedly smart contents enclosed. As someone who had always been skeptical of traditional historical romance novels, especially those
November 23, 2019
Review: Open House
Open House by Ruby Lang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wouldn’t have expected a love story that's set in New York and revolves around gentrification to be this sweet and realistic at the same time, but this one was and it works. I love the messy, challenging, multicultural, multiracial world Ruby Lang has created here. I like it because I recognize it. As a struggling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wouldn’t have expected a love story that's set in New York and revolves around gentrification to be this sweet and realistic at the same time, but this one was and it works. I love the messy, challenging, multicultural, multiracial world Ruby Lang has created here. I like it because I recognize it. As a struggling
November 17, 2019
Review: Pretty Reckless
Pretty Reckless by L.J. Shen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not a fan. I found this book deeply disturbing and not in a smart, thoughtful way. In the end I mostly felt soured by the experience of reading it. For now my concerns are primarily communicated in the highlights if you’re interested in why. I gave it three stars for technical proficiency. The prose is fine and
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not a fan. I found this book deeply disturbing and not in a smart, thoughtful way. In the end I mostly felt soured by the experience of reading it. For now my concerns are primarily communicated in the highlights if you’re interested in why. I gave it three stars for technical proficiency. The prose is fine and
November 15, 2019
Review: If I Never Met You
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I Never Met You is easily one of my favorite comic novels in a while.* Author Mhairi McFarlane is endlessly witty and deceptively sophisticated, and her sixth book is full of exactly the kind of quotable, wry social observation that I love. My kindle overflows with the highlights to prove it. The
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I Never Met You is easily one of my favorite comic novels in a while.* Author Mhairi McFarlane is endlessly witty and deceptively sophisticated, and her sixth book is full of exactly the kind of quotable, wry social observation that I love. My kindle overflows with the highlights to prove it. The
