review: betrayal by gregg olsen

When a foreign exchange student is murdered at a high school Halloween party, both the killer and the motive are unclear. Many in the town find the behavior of the girl who hosted the party and her boyfriend to be suspect. Although Brianna claims to have been friends with Olivia, she's more concerned with not being able to get clothes from her bedroom which is the crime scene. During questioning at the police station, she tweets and later does some yoga poses. That's when I realized Gregg Olsen was using Amanda Knox as his inspiration which seemed in poor taste, especially since Brianna was a horribly spoiled brat with absentee parents. Furthermore, there are lingering questions regarding Meredith Kercher's death. Although Envy was based on a true crime as well, cyberbullying is unfortunately common enough not to spark an immediate connection. Betrayal used far too many of the specific details from Kercher's murder. At one point Olivia's father even made an incredibly distasteful comment that Olivia would've been safer in Perugia.

As with the first book in the Empty Coffin series, Betrayal smacks of trying too hard. Trying too hard to make a social commentary. Trying to hard to be "teenage." And oh, the adjectives. Why must there be so many adjectives? Everything was described, but the description bogged down the story rather than bring the scenes to life.
1/5
Review copy provided by Book It Northwest.

review: another little piece by kate karyus quinn

Almost one year ago Annaliese disappeared during a high school party, but then she’s found far from her New York home in Oklahoma. She has no memory of her life, but is quite certain she’s not the real Annaliese although DNA shows otherwise. As Annaliese’s parents (who she refers to as “the mom and the dad”) try to transition her back into their family, she begins having memories of a past that cannot possibly be hers.

With Annaliese’s “memories” coming in fragments, Another Little Piece is initially quite confusing. It takes more than half the book for the plot to come together as pertinent information is withheld for a long time. Although it’s slow to unfold, it does so for the reader at the same time it does for Annaliese. That combined with the poems written by Annaliese that start each section create sympathy for her which is necessary once the truth is revealed. The poems were particularly important as they provided glimpses into the real Annaliese. The end, which was a surprise, made the earlier confusion worth it. This is definitely one that deserves a re-read in order to put all the pieces together.
4/5
Review copy from Amazon Vine.

review: marry me, cowboy by lilian darcy

The second novella in the Copper Mountain series features the new characters of Chet, Tegan, and Jamie. Chet and Tegan are set for a green card wedding when Chet suddenly announces he can’t marry Tegan. As Tegan faces returning to Australia and her estranged family, Chet’s secret brings her and Chet’s best friend Jamie together. The romance between Tegan and Jamie develops easily through their shared love of the rodeo and distance from their respective families. The characters in this cute and touching story had depth that made them instantly relatable. Lilian Darcy's Marry Me, Cowboy also introduces the characters who will be at the center of the third novella, C.J. Carmichael's Promise Me, Cowboy.
5/5
Review copy provided by BookSparksPR.

review: tempt me, cowboy by megan crane

The first of four novellas set in Montana that are written by four popular romance authors, Tempt Me, Cowboy by Megan Crane features prim teacher Chelsea and the motorcycle-riding Texan Jasper. Jasper arrives in town after purchasing the historic depot that Chelsea’s mother wanted to make a museum. They are set up to hate each other so of course, Jasper convinces Chelsea to start dressing sexier and then the pair hook up much to the chagrin of all who know Chelsea. There’s little character or relationship development in Tempt Me, Cowboy which means Chelsea and Jasper go from adversaries to lovers in the blink of an eye. The story is cute and the bedroom scenes are well-written, but there’s nothing much beyond the romance.
3/5
Review copy provided by BookSparksPR.

review: fireworks over toccoa by jeffrey stepakoff

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Fireworks Over Toccoa starts in 2007, but quickly flashes back to Toccoa, GA during World War II when a wealthy young woman married to a man working for Coca-Cola overseas falls for a man who makes fireworks. The time Lily and Jake have together is brief, but it’s intense; however, it’s also an extramarital affair which is never really addressed. Throughout the romance, Jeffrey Stepakoff inserts little reminders—neighbors drive past, the phone goes unanswered—that Lily is doing something she shouldn’t. While that rightfully disrupts the enchanting tale, the conclusion allows Lily to live out her life in Toccoa without gossip from the townspeople.
4/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, St. Martin’s Press.

review: forever, interrupted by taylor jenkins reid

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A whirlwind romance results from Elsie and Ben’s chance meeting at a pizza place on New Year’s. The pair marry only a few months later, but then tragedy strikes. Ben is killed only nine days after the wedding. For reasons that are explained as Forever, Interrupted unfolds, Ben never told his mother about Elsie. The elder Mrs. Ross is absolutely shocked when she meets a woman claiming to also be Mrs. Ross. The two embark on a contentious relationship that evolves as they deal with their grief.

Forever, Interrupted is a rollercoaster with Taylor Jenkins Reid telling the present-day sad story then having Elsie flashback to a happier time just as the tears were streaming. I loved every second of it; it’s a beautiful, but heartbreaking story. I completely got Elsie and I hope people like her and Ben really exist.
5/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Washington Square Press.

review: better than chocolate by sheila roberts

Samantha had known for a while that her stepfather was doing a terrible job managing the family chocolate business, so his sudden death brings her relief mixed with guilt over that relief. While Samantha and her two sisters try to support their grieving mother, Samantha also makes a terrible discovery—Waldo wasn’t paying any of the bills and the bank has called in the loan. With the help of her sisters, Samantha rallies their tourist town to hold a chocolate festival in hopes of saving the business that’s been in the family since Great-Grandma Rose dreamed up the first recipe.

Sheila Roberts nicely juxtaposes strong-willed Samantha with her mother, who has “no head for business” and always relies on a man (her daughters were not surprised when she married soon after their father’s death). As Better Than Chocolate progresses, both women change. Samantha finally gets out of her own head long enough to recognize the antagonistic and attractive bank manager is actually trying to work with her while Muriel walks away from the lecherous mayor who could solve their problems. Although the women are under a lot of stress, Better Than Chocolate is fairly light-hearted with lots of humorous moments. The first full-length Icicle Falls story (there’s an earlier novella that introduces some of the characters) shows how a family pulls together in times of struggle.
4/5
Review copy provided by the publisher, Harlequin.