Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli

Jasmine Randhawa likes everyone to think she has it all—great job, perfect Seattle apartment, and a handsome boyfriend. But she’s not as confident or successful as she seems, and her relationship is at a breaking point. 

 

When Jasmine finds herself single and tagging along on her parents’ vacation, she’s not sure her life can get any farther off course. It's a nightmare for someone who's been so fiercely independent to find herself on a cruise full of family friends who’ve judged her since childhood. Things only get worse once the ship leaves the harbor and she realizes that this is a seniors’ cruise, and the only other person under fifty on the entire boat is her childhood acquaintance, cocky and successful Jake Dhillon.

 

Jasmine and Jake clash right away, with Jasmine smarting over how their South Asian community puts him on a pedestal as the perfect Indian son, whereas her reputation as a troublemaker precedes her. Except they can’t avoid each other forever during the ten-day cruise, and they soon recognize a surprising number of similarities, especially in how many secrets they’re keeping hidden from their families. Their restlessness seems to disappear whenever they’re together, but is this relationship strong enough to last on land?

Publisher: Berkley  | Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5

This was my first Sonya Lalli book and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this book and I found myself rooting for Jasmine.

 

Here’s what’s going on: Jasmine’s just split from her boyfriend (again); she’s living with her best friend (across the hall from her ex) and forced into using her vacation days at work. Calling her mother’s bluff, she invites herself to join the Alaskan cruise her parents are taking with all the Aunties and Uncles. Expecting the kids she knew growing up to be tagging along, she’s shocked when she discovers this is a seniors cruise but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when she discovers that Jake, someone she knew from her youth, was onboard as well. While Jake’s the perfect son, Jasmine’s been known as a bit of a screw up, which makes for an interesting time. Although, surprisingly, the two have more in common than what they thought and something seems to be brewing between them.

 

I had such a good time with this book. Don’t go into this one thinking it’s a full blown romance because it’s so much more than that. I would almost say this is women’s fiction with the added joy of romance and I really enjoyed the deeper tone of this book. Can we just pause for a moment to admire how much character growth was in the book?

 

Jasmine’s life has been a bit of a wreck and she needs to do a bit of self-discovery to find out who she really is and what she wants to do. While she spent some of the cruise getting to know Jake, she spent a lot of the cruise figuring herself out and I really enjoyed how the book explored that avenue. It took me a minute to warm up to Jake and, while I liked him, I don’t really feel as though I got to know him. I would have liked something from his POV.

 

The romance in this book was such a sweet romance and very much a slowburn romance, which worked because both Jasmine and Jake are figuring out who they are. I feel like the romance was very realistic in the way it came together and showed Jake and Jasmine growing as people and as a fledgling couple. A few of my reviewer friends have called this an ‘age gap’ romance but, honestly, it was only five years so it wasn’t that much of a gap.

 

There’s also the rebuilding of the relationship between Jasmine and her parents. They’ve had a bit of a rocky relationship and it’s caused some self-worth issues with Jasmine so I glad to see everyone taking time mending this relationship.

 

This does follow A Holly Jolly Diwali but I had no problem jumping straight into this book.

 

Overall, this was such a great romance/women’s fiction. It had everything that I loved: romance, witty banter, sparks, humor, a stellar setting, and character growth.   

A Quiet Retreat by Kiersten Modglin

It all begins with a simple invitation.

For five authors, it’s meant to be the start of a restful week, filled with free food, drinks, and like-minded company. But shortly after their arrival, things take an unsettling turn.

Broken property, missing items, and strange noises are just some of the odd occurrences that have each member questioning their companions. As suspicions mount, the authors are pitted against each other.

Whom can they trust in a house full of strangers?

With tensions rising, the writers find themselves in the middle of their own mystery. Death, terror, and despair are common elements in their books, but at Black Hills Manor, the murders being plotted are their own...

Publisher: Dreamscape Media | Narrator: Carly Robins | Length: 5 hours 50 minutes | Genre: Psychological Thriller | Source: Purchase | Rating: 3

When five mystery writers accept a mysterious invitation to spend a week at a writers retreat in the secluded Black Hills of South Dakota, they expect a week of writing and relaxation. What they didn’t expect was appliances breaking, personal items going missing, and the feeling of being watched. Are they wrapped up in their own mysteries or are they in danger from a real threat and, if so, is it one of them or someone else and how far are they willing to go?

 liked the premise of this one: five mystery writers trapped in a secluded manor while strange, possibly dangerous, things are happening around them but I don’t think it reached its full potential.

The story weaves through two perspectives and two timeframes. Blakely, present day, is one of the mystery writers at the retreat and something traumatic has happened in her past. She’s not sure why she’s been invited on this retreat but she’s wanting to use the time to work on finishing her latest mystery. The five writers are at various stages in their careers and the events happening around them are causing tension and unlikely friendships. Lessa’s from ‘before’ and we don’t know much about her other than she comes from a wealthy family but has fallen in with a guy that her family doesn’t approve of.

I’m normally a fan of dual timelines but I don’t know if it was the best thing for this book as it felt off kilter. Lessa’s storyline was overly detailed where I feel like the present day storyline could have been more fleshed out. The characters could have been introduced a bit more and the relationships could have been developed on the page rather than something that was just touched up in a sentence or two at the end.

This was my first time reading Kiersten Modglin and I’ve heard that this book wasn’t her best so I’m curious to see what her other books are like.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, it wasn’t the best book, but it was a decent read. While the flow of the plot is uneven, and I did find my focus drifting during Lessa’s POV, this was a nice change from the heavier thrillers and suspense books I’ve been reading.

Witches Get Stuff Done by Molly Harper

Riley Denton-Everett always felt like something was missing in her life—and her
numerous odd jobs and short-lived relationships haven’t brought her any closer to finding it. Everything changes when receives a mysterious message: You’re a Denton. You belong on Starfall Point. Once you’re here, I’ll tell you everything you need to know.

When Riley arrives on the Island, she learns her aunt has left her a historic mansion brimming with haunted antiques. Turns out, that’s not the only thing she’s inherited. Riley also hails from a long line of witches whose magic is critical to protecting the living.

Edison Held, the town’s frustratingly hot librarian, is completely unaware of the ghosts in Riley’s ancestral home and is determined to convince her to open it up to the public. Riley starts to wonder if Edison’s knowledge of the Island’s history can help her get a handle on her new powers—but can she trust him with her secrets? And can she trust herself with the simmering attraction brewing between them?

Series: Starfall Point #1 | Publisher: Audible  | Narrator(s): Amanda Ronconi & Teddy Hamilton  | Length: 8 hours 23 minutes  | Genre: Paranormal Romance | Source: | Rating: 3.5

I’m always excited when Molly Harper has a new release, so when I was eager to give this one a go but, sadly, it wasn’t one of my favorites.

Here’s what’s going on. When Riley receives an invitation to visit her aunt (she never knew about) and learn more about her mother and her family history, she jumps at the chance although she wasn’t expecting her aunt to pass before her arrival. Now she’s found herself the heir of a historical mansion that’s filled with haunted items and just discovered that she’s a witch. To make matters more intriguing, the hot guy she got into an argument with on the ferry ride over to the island just so happens to be the person who’s been itching to get inside the mansion and she just so happens to be falling for him.

I’m not going to lie, I had a hard time getting into this one. Normally her paranormal and contemporary romances pull me in so I was surprised I found myself drifting while trying to focus on this one. Oddly enough, I had a hard time getting into Better Homes and Hauntings as well so I’m guessing that I don’t mesh with Molly Harper’s ghostie books as well as her other paranormals.

Riley kind of reminded me of Miranda Puckett (from Driving Mr. Dead, one of my favorites from Molly Harper) so I didn’t feel like she was an entirely new character but rather one that was recycled although I still found myself liking Riley. She’s been through a lot and she’s trying to figure herself out. I found Edison to be childish at times and downright annoying. Yes, he’s been through some things but I just didn’t care for his disposition and I found it hard to believe he was so eager to change his ways.

The romance between Riley and Edison was a bit of a letdown and felt forced. The relationship could have developed a bit more on the page. I feel like I blinked and they went from strangers to an established relationship; it felt too quick even for instalove. I wanted a little bit more.

I really enjoyed how Riley’s aunt set the wheels in motion for Riley to meet and connect with her new friends, and I feel like the friendships were more at the heart of the plot rather than the romance. The house with its haunted items was interesting as well and I found myself paying more attention to the haunted items that were being discovered rather than what was happening between Riley and Edison. The mystery in this was a bit of a letdown and different from her previous books.

What I’ve always loved about Molly Harper’s books is the signature snark and laugh-out-loud humor and, sadly, because both Riley and Edison were dealing with great losses this one had a more somber and emotional tone and I was expecting something more light and fluffy. This one just seemed like it was lacking so much of what I love in Harper’s books.

As always, the narrators (Amanda Ronconi, Teddy Hamilton) were great and brought the characters to life.

Overall, this wasn’t one of my favorites but it was okay. I’m on the fence about finishing the series. On one hand, I want to know how it unfolds but on the other, I don’t know if it will be a priority for me. I think this one left me just wanting more of everything. 

The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

It’s New Year’s Eve 1999. Y2K is expected to end in chaos: planes falling from the sky, elevators plunging to earth, world markets collapsing. A digital apocalypse. None of that happens. But at a Blockbuster Video in Linden, New Jersey, four teenage girls working the night shift are attacked. Only one survives. Police quickly identify a suspect who flees and is never seen again. 

Fifteen years later, in the same town, four teenage employees working late at an ice cream store are attacked, and again only one makes it out alive.

Both surviving victims recall the killer speaking only a few final words... “Goodnight, pretty girl.”

In the aftermath, three lives intersect: the survivor of the Blockbuster massacre who’s forced to relive her tragedy; the brother of the original suspect, who’s convinced the police have it wrong; and the FBI agent, who’s determined to solve both cases. On a collision course toward the truth, all three lives will forever be changed, and not everyone will make it out alive.

 Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks | Genre: Crime Fiction| Source: Purchased  | Rating: 3.5

When this was first release, it had me curious then I had more than a few reviewer friends say that it was a bit of a letdown so I ended up passing on this one. Then I spotted the paperback copy a few weeks a back and decided to give it a go.

 

Here’s what’s going on. It’s December 31, 1999 and there’s been a mass murder in Linden, New Jersey at Blockbuster with only one survivor. Fast forward 15 years and another mass murder has occurred in Linden, this time at the local ice cream shop. Again, there’s only one survivor but the killer whispers the same words to her the Blockbuster survivor heard. As the past collides with the present 3 people: the first survivor, the brother of the original suspect, and an FBI agent are thrown together as they attempt to unwind the events and look for solid connections.

 

Going to be honest, I thought there was going to be a bit more from 1999 in this given the way the synopsis read, so I was a little disappointed with the short little snippets that were included. I did get the briefest hints of nostalgia but I wanted a bit more of 1999.

 

This book is told through 3 POVs. Ella is the first survivor and she has some issues due to both the traumatic event she’s lived through and the way she was raised. There’s the brother of the original suspect and there’s some secrets he’s keeping, which prove to be interesting but also has me questioning just how he’s hidden certain things for so long. The third person is Agent Keller, she’s a heavily pregnant FBI agent that been sent to work on the original case and figure out possible connections. They were an interesting and flaw group and they seem to do a lot of questionable things. We also get the briefest snippets from the most recent survivor who seems to have a very interesting story to tell.

 

The investigation aspect almost becomes its own character, which isn’t surprising considering this is labeled as ‘crime fiction’ but I found myself questioning how some clues were overlooked, especially when it came to the evidence that could link the cases together. I also questioned the reality of how much evidence was concealed from the files. While I did like the investigation aspect, I was a little disappointed that I had this figured out from the start.

 

For a mystery/thriller/crime book, this was okay. The chapters are short and quick. The pacing is fast although the start does linger a bit, especially when reading from Ella’s POV, but the pacing does even out. There were a few twists, which I did see coming but one was slightly surprising. While this was a quick read, it wasn’t the most thrilling of books and I found I was slightly bored in spots and I think that had to do with the amount of repetition it had. I didn’t need to be constantly reminded that Agent Keller was pregnant. I didn’t need a recap of what happened two chapters before.

 

I did give this one a 3.5 although this would be one that I would round down because, while it wasn’t bad, it was just a bit meh, I feel like it could have been better and there could have been more to the story. I also would have liked more of what happened after the mystery ended. There is a snippet but I don’t feel like it went into enough detail to really close out their stories.

 

Overall, this was a slightly nostalgic, final girl’s type of police/crime fiction with a slight mystery. It wasn’t the worst but it wasn’t the best. It reminded me a lot of a Lifetime movie. 

The Push by Ashley Audrain

Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had.

But in the thick of motherhood’s exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter–she doesn’t behave like most children do.

Or is it all in Blythe’s head? Her husband, Fox, says she’s imagining things. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well.

Then their son Sam is born–and with him, Blythe has the blissful connection she’d always imagined with her child. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth.

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books/Viking  | Genre: Psychological Suspense | Source: Publisher (unsolicited review copy) | Rating: 3

I had this book on my shelf since before it was released and I wasn’t sure when I was going to get to it so I decided to throw it in my 23 Books in 2023 TBR Jar and it ended up being the first one I pulled.

While the book was fast paced and lyrical in flow it was tense and heavy. I went into this book thinking it was more of a thriller or horror (not sure why people labeled it as either of those) so I found myself waiting for something to happen before I realized it was more of a psychological suspense.

Blythe never wanted to be a mother, so when she finds herself saying yes to her husband’s wishes to start a family she’s determined to be the mother she never had although, from the start, she notices that something’s not right with her daughter. While Violet seems like the perfect daughter to Fox, Blythe can’t help but to see the darkness in her daughter, although everyone seems to think it’s all in Blythe’s head. When their young son dies in a horrible accident, Blythe knows her daughter had something to do with it, which drives a wedge between her and her husband.

Throughout the book, we also peer into the lives of Etta and Cecelia (Blythe’s grandmother and mother).

If you’re going into this book expecting to like the characters and get a definitive answer about what’s going on then you’ll be disappointed. No one was likable, most of the characters were actually painful to read about, and I found myself questioning Fox’s choice to keep some events to himself regarding their daughter. I also found myself questioning whether Violet’s actions were due to her nature or the way her mother seemed to resent her from the moment she was born. Then there was the ending, which left more questions than answers.

There was a lot going on in this book but most of it comes down to this being a book about horrible mothers passing their inadequacies to mother down to their daughters. This book also brings up the debate of nature vs. nurture. Was Violet born bad or was she the result of her mother not knowing how to mother? Unfortunately, the author never provides us with an answer regarding Violet’s actions.

I’m on the fence about rating this one. Originally, I had it marked as 3.5 but I’m thinking this is more of a 3. While the book was fast paced and had a lyrical flow, there were a lot of things that felt like filler just to give this book a frantic and desperate tone. This could have been a novella rather than a full-length.  I also wasn’t a fan of the ending and felt like it could have been handled better.

Overall, this was an easy book to get into but it was heavy. I am glad that I finally got around to reading it but reading it once was more than enough. It had the feel and tone of a Lifetime movie (think The Bad Seed).