Tropical Girl Reads

The Life She Wants – ARC Book Review

The Life She Wants: A totally unputdownable psychological thriller by [J.M. Hewitt]

You want to save your marriage. She wants to destroy it.

Paula worries that her marriage to Tommy is hanging by a thread. She loves how safe her husband makes her feel, but lately, it seems like he’s pulling away from her, and he keeps avoiding a much-needed conversation about finally having children.

When Tommy suggests a cruise getaway for the two of them, Paula is thrilled. He’s fighting for this marriage, and he’s even promised that they will talk about growing their family. It’s Paula’s dream come true. Until the couple meets beautiful Anna.

From the moment Anna appears in their lives, things start to go wrong for Paula. She finds herself trapped in a sauna. Her hair is destroyed at the salon. Money goes missing from her cabin. At first, Paula thinks she’s paranoid in suspecting Anna is turning her dream holiday into a nightmare. But soon, it becomes clear that Paula may not be the only woman fighting for Tommy’s affections.

How far will Anna go to get what she wants? What lines will Paula cross to protect her marriage? And whose dark past will return to destroy them first?

No. of pages:- 240 pages

Date published:- will be published on 8th July 2021

Publisher:- Canelo

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:- 2.5/5

The plot line sounded interesting to me initially. However, as I read the book, I realize that this is not my cup of tea.

One of the things I like in a thriller is the pace–if it’s fast paced, then that would be a plus one for me. Unfortunately, the book started slow, not much fast paced like I would normally expect from in a thriller
Another thing about the thrillers would be the number of twists and turns and unpredictablity–twists and turns would make a good thriller in my opinion. In this one however, the plot is too direct, not many twists and turns and is too predictable to me.
Characters are not very likable in my opinion. One person wants to destroy the marriage–the reason not very clear and the other person wants to make the marriage working.
The book was too slow and overall bland to me. The ending was OK to me.

I don’t normally give bad reviews but to me, this book was a bit of a disappointment–worth 2.5 stars in my opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

J.M. Hewitt is the author of five crime fiction novels. Her work has also been published in three short story anthologies. Her books usually incorporate twentieth and twenty-first century events and far flung locations, and her novels explore the darker side of human behaviour.
In contrast to the sometimes dark content of her books, she lives a very nice life in a seaside town in Suffolk with her dog, Marley.

When she was ten years old she’d read all the books she owned, all those on her mother’s bookcase and everything the library had to offer. She decided the only course of action to take was to write her own stories. Thirty years later, she is still writing them.

Our Darkest Night – Book Review

Our Darkest Night: A Novel of Italy and the Second World War by [Jennifer Robson]

To survive the Holocaust, a young Jewish woman must pose as a Christian farmer’s wife in this unforgettable novel from USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Robson—a story of terror, hope, love, and sacrifice, inspired by true events, that vividly evokes the most perilous days of World War II.

It is the autumn of 1943, and life is becoming increasingly perilous for Italian Jews like the Mazin family. With Nazi Germany now occupying most of her beloved homeland, and the threat of imprisonment and deportation growing ever more certain, Antonina Mazin has but one hope to survive—to leave Venice and her beloved parents and hide in the countryside with a man she has only just met.

Nico Gerardi was studying for the priesthood until circumstances forced him to leave the seminary to run his family’s farm. A moral and just man, he could not stand by when the fascists and Nazis began taking innocent lives. Rather than risk a perilous escape across the mountains, Nina will pose as his new bride. And to keep her safe and protect secrets of his own, Nico and Nina must convince prying eyes they are happily married and in love.

But farm life is not easy for a cultured city girl who dreams of becoming a doctor like her father, and Nico’s provincial neighbors are wary of this soft and educated woman they do not know. Even worse, their distrust is shared by a local Nazi official with a vendetta against Nico. The more he learns of Nina, the more his suspicions grow—and with them his determination to exact revenge.

As Nina and Nico come to know each other, their feelings deepen, transforming their relationship into much more than a charade. Yet both fear that every passing day brings them closer to being torn apart . .

No. of pages:- 377 pages

Date published:- January 5th 2021

Publisher:- William and Morrow

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:-

Films to See Before You Kick the Bucket - Rotten Potatoes Film Reviews

First of all, I know I have been posting the blog after a long time but I am back again!

Now, to the book review, if the book is based on

World War II
Holocaust

Then the book is for me. Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson falls into that category and after getting rejected in the Netgalley, I got an opportunity to listen to the audiobook!

The story though is fictional with fictional characters are based on true horrific events that happened during the WWII. The story takes place in Italy, when Italy is an ally to Germany and is under German rule. Antonina is a Jewish woman, living in Venice and is studying to be a nurse and her father is a well reputed doctor. Antonina takes care of her mother. So when Italy starts imposing racial laws, her father, through the connection of Father Bernard who was cured by Antonina’s father helps Antonina to escape by posing as a bride to another man, named Nico Gerardi. Nico meanwhile was studying to be a priest and does not agree with the fascist rule. Antonina changes her name to Nina and together with Nico move to a remote farming village to live with Nico’s family. Meanwhile, a local Nazi who does not get along with Nico becomes suspicious about Nina.

Let’s talk about the plot first. The plot, just like any Holocaust books were interesting and the author did a good job, doing well research into Italy and its culture as well as the farming life. The narrator also did a good job with the narration as well. I like how Nina who is actually a city girl initially struggled to adjust to the farming life and soon became a favorite among Nico’s family. The first part of the book mainly talks about how Nina slowly adjust to the farming life and without her parents with her and Nico eventually developing into a romantic relationship. The second part of the book is where the story gets intense–the rounding of Partisans, Nina getting caught and of course the horrific conditions in labor camps and of course the Nazi treatment towards the Jews. Despite the fact that the story is fictional, the events are real and as a reader, I was drawn into that era with Nina and Nico and imagined myself in that place with the character. The story is mainly told from Nina’s perspectives using as a third person.

As for characters, except for the Nazis, nearly all the characters in the book are likable–I liked how the romantic relationship developed between Nina and Nico, how Nina grew a close bond towards Rosa, Nico’s sister and the other members of the family, painting us a vivid picture of a happy farming family. I also like the description of the life in a farming community, which seemed too real.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book–an emotional, heart wrenching story and a story that you wouldn’t want to put down–worth five stars!

An academic by background, a former editor by profession, and a lifelong history geek, I am lucky enough to now call myself a full-time writer. I’m the author of three novels set during and after the First World War: Somewhere in France, After the War is Over, and Moonlight Over Paris, and a contributor to the forthcoming anthology Fall of Poppies…Stories of Love and the Great War.

I first learned about the Great War from my father, acclaimed historian Stuart Robson, and later served as an official guide at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial at Vimy Ridge, France. I studied French literature and modern history as an undergraduate at King’s College at the University of Western Ontario, then attended Saint Antony’s College at the University of Oxford, where I obtained my doctorate in British economic and social history. While at Oxford I was a Commonwealth Scholar and SSHRC Doctoral Fellow.

For a number of years I worked as an editor but am now fortunate enough to consider myself a full-time writer. I am represented by Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Agency.

I live in Toronto, Canada, with my husband and young children, and share my home office with Ellie the sheepdog and Sam the cat.

Sleepless – Book Review #bookreview #blogtour @romyhausman @quercusbooks @joechristie #sleepless

Sleepless: the mind-bending new thriller from the bestselling author of DEAR CHILD by [Romy Hausmann]

It’s been years since Nadja Kulka was convicted of a cruel crime. After being released from prison, she’s wanted nothing more than to live a normal life: nice flat, steady job, even a few friends. But when one of those friends, Laura von Hoven – free-spirited beauty and wife of Nadja’s boss – kills her lover and begs Nadja for her help, Nadja can’t seem to be able to refuse.

The two women make for a remote house in the woods, the perfect place to bury a body. But their plan quickly falls apart and Nadja finds herself outplayed, a pawn in a bizarre game in which she is both the perfect victim and the perfect murderer . . .

Dark secrets past and present collide in this haunting novel of guilt and retribution from the internationally bestselling author of Dear Child.

No. of pages:- 336 pages

Date published:- 26th June 2021

Rating:-

First of all, thank you Joe Christie, Quercus and Romy Hausmann for giving me a privilege to be a part of the blog tour.

Nadja Kulka was convicted of a crime and has been in prison for a long time. So after being released from the prison, all Nadja wants is to live a normal life with a nice flat, steady job and friends. But when one of her friends Laura asks Nadja’s help to bury a body, who happened to be the lover of Laura by going to a remote place for burial, soon, get embroiled into a tangle when the plan falls and Nadja was being used as a pawn in a game where she is both a perfect victim and a murderer.

I have not read her books before but I have read reviews from her previous books which actually prompted me to try out the book. And the plot line of the story sounds interesting as well. The book despite the fact that it had twists and turns, was a bit slow paced and a bit confusing and complicated so you have to read this book with full attention to it. Nonetheless, it is packed with suspense, chill and scary at times that would make a perfect psychological thriller! Characters in the book are a bit complex particularly the main character Nadja and there are different storylines and timeless but then I was so hooked into the story. The book covers many different dark topics that actually left you questions about yourself.

Overall, the book is packed with suspense and chill that will keep you at the edge of the seat which is the perfect combination of a good psychological thriller–worth five stars!

Romy Hausmann was born in East Germany in 1981. At the age of twenty-four she became chief editor at a film production company in Munich. Since the birth of her son, Romy has been working as a freelancer in television. Her thriller debut, DEAR CHILD, became a number one bestseller in Germany and is being published in twenty countries. SLEEPLESS is her second thriller. Romy lives with her family in a remote house in the woods near Stuttgart.

Heidi’s Guide to Four Letter Words – Book Review

Heidi's Guide to Four Letter Words by [Tara Sivec, Andi Arndt]

Nothing good ever comes from drinking a box of wine alone. So when I decided to entertain my drunken self by setting up some hand-me-down podcasting equipment and reading the steamy parts from romance novels, I never thought anyone would actually listen. The fact that I admitted my huge crush on my sexy next door neighbor made the whole thing even more mortifying. But sometimes life surprises you, and that’s how my podcast, Heidi’s Discount Erotica, was born.

Now I, Heidi Larsen, a sweet former kindergarten teacher in Waconia, Minnesota, lead a scandalous double life reading erotic novels to the listening world. And with each episode, I find myself embracing my new alter ego more and more. Now I’m starting to feel more comfortable in my own skin and do things I never would have dreamed of – like kissing my neighbor.

Look out, Waconia, because Heidi’s on the loose! She’s in your ears, in your hearts, and down your pants…wait, that didn’t sound as good as it did in my head. Well, you get the picture, don’tcha know!

No. of pages:- 296 pages

Date published:- December 3rd 2019

Genre:- Comedy/Romance

Rating:-

Heidi Larsen leaves her job behind as a teacher and then gets a job as an administrative assistant in a place called Eden Media where they make audiobooks for…erotic books. And Heidi whose mother is very particular about Heidi’s job keeps her job a secret. And in the meantime, Heidi has a crush on her neighbor Brent and is working out to talk to him and also has started her own podcast.

If you really like cheesy funny romantic story line, then this book will be for you. The story is short and quick to read and the writing was good that the authors did a good job drawing the reader into the story. There were some parts in the book that will actually make you burst into laughing and overall, despite the fact that it’s an unrealistic and predictable book, I quiet enjoyed reading the book. I felt like I was actually watching a soap opera on the TV that I actually enjoy while reading the book. As for the characters, the book is completely based on Heidi’s perspectives and as a character, Heidi is actually a likable character. I enjoyed reading Heidi’s podcasts that seemed to be funny and liked the growing romantic relationship between Heidi and her neighbor Brent.

Overall, this is a cheesy hallmark kind of romance story that you will enjoy reading and laughing at the same time–worth four stars!

Little Girl Taken – ARC Book Review

Little Girl Taken: An absolutely gripping and heart-pounding crime thriller (Detective Madison Harper Book 3) by [Wendy Dranfield]

Rain rattles through the trees as she leans into the car, careful not to touch anything. Two pretty blue eyes stare back through the dark, wide with relief, or maybe fear. A baby girl, wrapped up in a pink snowsuit, reaches out a tiny hand. Her mother is nowhere to be found…

An abandoned baby is the last thing Detective Madison Harper expects to find as she drives to her first day back at work since the case that ripped her life apart. But as she cradles the shivering child close, all her instincts tell her there’s something more sinister at play. Then she finds a lone sneaker down a muddy trail nearby, the laces spattered with blood…

In a town as small as Lost Creek, Colorado, the baby and the shoe are quickly identified as belonging to Kacie Larson, a waitress at the local diner who quietly stashed away her tips to make a better life for her daughter. A mother herself, Madison can’t believe that Kacie would just abandon her child, but she also can’t convince her new team. Not for the first time, Madison feels she must go it alone to get the job done.

But when a body is pulled from a nearby lake, and it’s not Kacie, the case takes an agonizing turn. Is this missing mother really who she says she is? Is there a chance she’s still alive? Madison barely has time to think before the sweet little girl she rescued is snatched on a crowded street. Gone, in the blink of an eye.

To break this case and earn her place back on the force, Madison must learn to trust her team, and herself again—and fast. If she doesn’t find this twisted individual in time, a little girl could die…

No. of pages:- 313 pages

Publisher:- Bookouture

Date published:- will be published on July 29th 2021

Genre:- Thriller

Rating :-

Detective Madison Harper returns back with Book 3!

After clearing her name and catching the real murderer in Book 2, Detective Harper joins back the force and in order to gain trust among the coworkers, she gets involved in a case when a baby was left alone in a car with no sight of the mother and soon, the mother is identified that as Kacie Larson, who is working as a waitress at a diner owned by a man named Vince. Vince records podcasts and in one of his last podcasts, he had invited a man named Shane, who is a prolific, crime writer. And Shane has also gone missing on the same night as Kacie had gone missing. Meanwhile, Nate’s friend, Rex is murdered by Father Connor though the San Diego PD firmly believes Nate as the suspect. Time running out, Madison must find Kacie and help her friend Nate by proving him that he was innocent.

Like the previous books, I enjoyed this book and had a roller coaster ride with it! From the first page till the end, I was so hooked into the story as the story was intense, intriguing with twists and turns on the way that you wouldn’t expect! I am not going to give too much spoilers but I am so happy that finally, Father Connor was caught and is sent behind the bars that I almost leaped in joy! The author, again did a good job of making the reader hook into the story and I was so hooked that I couldn’t wait till the end as to what really happened to Kacie. The book is fast paced and I felt like I was in a roller coaster ride getting goosebumps on the way! As for the characters, Madison and Nate would be my favorite characters and was rooting for Madison that her first case will be successful!

Overall, it was a fast paced thriller filled with unexpected twists and turns that you simply wouldn’t want to put this book down–worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC–the review is based on my honest opinion only.

Wendy is a former coroner’s assistant turned crime writer who lives in the UK with her husband and 3 cats.

Her first novel (The Girl Who Died) was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel Competition. Since then she has written two crime series – one follows Officer Dean Matheson on his quest to make detective, and the other is her current series which follows Detective Madison Harper as she tries to reclaim her life after spending six years in prison for a murder she didn’t commit.

As well as crime novels Wendy also has short stories published in various anthologies in the UK and the US, and she has been shortlisted and longlisted for various writing competitions.

No More Words – ARC Book Review

No More Words: A Novel by [Kerry Lonsdale]

Forced to choose between abortion or adoption, Olivia Carson’s younger sister, Lily, runs away from home. Sixteen and pregnant, she never returns. But she writes. Once a year, Lily mails a picture of her son, Josh, to Olivia until his thirteenth year. Then it’s Josh himself who arrives at Olivia’s house, alone, terrified, and in possession of a notarized declaration from Lily. It begins, “In the event I go missing…”

Josh has difficulty talking. He can’t read or write, but he’s a prolific artist, exhibiting skill beyond his age. His drawings are as detailed as they are horrific. Olivia soon realizes Josh’s artwork tells a story. There’s more to his arrival and to Lily’s untimely disappearance than it seems. Using the drawings as a road map, Olivia traces Josh’s path back to his mom. Each drawing sheds light on Lily’s past and reveals a darkness that forces Olivia to question everything she thought she knew about her family.

No. of pages:- 327 pages

Date published:- will be published on 6th July 2021

Publisher:- Lake Union

Genre:- Domestic Thriller

Rating:-

Initially, I was a bit skeptical about this book but soon, I was surprised at how good this book is!

No more words is the first book of the No More series. The story starts with Olivia, gets an unexpected visit from a boy named Josh who is supposed to be her younger sister, Lily’s son. When Lily was pregnant with Josh, she ran away from home and Olivia hadn’t heard from her since then. Josh cannot speak clearly due to an accident that happened to him and is seeking help from Olivia to find his mother. And Olivia finds that Lily has changed her name and must find her sister before it’s too late.

The story divides between the present when Olivia tries to find her sister and the past. The plot was really good and the story starts building its tension and gets intense by the middle of the book. The writing was good and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story. I was so hooked into the story that I couldn’t actually wait to see, what really happened to Lily, when she was forced to choose between adoption or abortion, prompting her to runaway from home at the age of sixteen and that Olivia eventually finds many dark secrets back in the past. The characters to me are likable–I like Olivia as she is a dutiful sister who is concerned about her sister as well as taking care of her only nephew. Neverthless, I enjoyed this story and I couldn’t wait to read the second book of the series!

The book worth five stars for it’s twisty and unexpected turns you didn’t expect!

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union for giving me the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and #1 Kindle bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale writes standalone and series based emotionally charged domestic suspense, family drama, and women’s fiction. Her books have been translated into 26 languages and have reached nearly two million readers. Co-founder of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Kerry resides in Northern California with her husband and two children.

The House in the Cerulean Sea – Book Review

The House in the Cerulean Sea- Book Review

Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He’s tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.

Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is an enchanting love story, masterfully told, about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place―and realizing that family is yours.

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Date published:- March 17th 2020

Publisher:- Tor Books

Genre:- LGBT/ Fantasy

Here’s the thing.

Except for Harry Potter, I am not much into Fantasy genre though lately I have been doing reviews on LGBT genre. I have heard about this book that seemed to be having raving reviews and so decided to try out this book, though I had audiobook. And to my surprise, I actually enjoyed reading this book!

Linus Baker is working in the Department of Magic and was given a task to ensure if the six of the children with magical abilities would be a threat to the world. Arthur runs an orphanage and would do anything to protect those children and he himself has a secret.

Initially, I was a bit skeptical to read this book but gradually, this book grew into me. The plot was really great and unusual–though the names of the children sounds normal, each of the children has a certain magical ability and gifted. Linus eventually develops close relationship with the children and also starts harboring secret feelings towards Arthur. As a result, the characters in the book grew into me and towards the end, I enjoyed reading the book! This book also gives a message to the reader–mostly the book talks about kindness and caring by not judging the people of who they are and accept them into the society for who they actually are! A must read. And it kind of reminds me a little of Harry Potter.

Overall, I give this book five stars!

TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include the Green Creek series, The House on the Cerulean Sea and The Exraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it’s important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.

It’s Summer Time! Books currently reading for summer Part 1

It’s summer time!!!

Best Summer Clip Art #2606 - Clipartion.com

So what are the books you are currently reading or planning to read for summer??? Here’s a list of books that I am planning to read for summer/coming to the blog soon!!! These books are not ARC but already published ones.

Tokyo Ever After – Emiko Jean

Recently I joined Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club and this is going to be the book for the summer discussion! Just started reading the book.

Izumi Tanaka has lived an uneventful seventeen years in her small town, keenly aware of all the ways in which her family is different from most of her classmates’. But then Izumi discovers a clue to her previously unknown father’s identity . . . and he’s none other than the Crown Prince of Japan.

Soon she’s traveling overseas to meet the father she never knew and discover the country she’s only dreamed of. But being a princess isn’t all ball gowns and tiaras. There are conniving cousins, a hungry press, a scowling but handsome bodyguard who just might be her soulmate, and thousands of years of tradition and customs to learn practically overnight. Izzy soon finds herself caught between worlds, and between versions of herself—back home, she was never “American” enough, and in Japan, she must prove she’s “Japanese” enough. Will Izumi crumble under the weight of the crown, or will she live out her fairytale, happily ever after?

2. Little Secrets – Jennifer Hillier

Little Secrets: 'For fans of Shari Lapena, Liz Nugent and Gillian Flynn' Will Dean, author of Dark Pines by [Jennifer Hillier]

After reading Jar of Hearts and The Butcher, Jennifer Hillier became one of the favorite thriller authors and is excited to get a chance to read this book.

All it takes to unravel a life… is one home truth.

Marin used to have it all. She’s married to the love of her life, Derek, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and is admired in her community as head of a loving family. Until the world falls apart the day her son Sebastian is taken…

A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The police search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. With her sanity ebbing, Marin hires a private investigator to pick up where the police left off.

But instead of finding Sebastian, she learns that Derek is having an affair with a much younger woman. This discovery sparks Marin back to life. She’s lost her son; she’s not about to lose her husband. Derek’s mistress is an enemy with a face, which means this is a problem Marin can fix. Permanently.

3. A Summer Scandal – Kat French

When Violet moves to Swallow Beach, she inherits a small Victorian pier with an empty arcade perched on the end of it, and falls in love immediately. She wants nothing more than to rejuvenate it and make it grand again – but how?

When she meets hunky Calvin, inspiration strikes. What if she turned the arcade into an adult-themed arcade full of artisan shops?

Not everyone in the town is happy with the idea, but Violet loves her arcade and business begins to boom. But as tensions worsen and the heat between her and Calvin begins to grow, life at Swallow Beach becomes tricky. Is it worth staying to ride out the storm? And can Violet find her own happy ending before the swallows fly south for the winter?

Sexy, sassy and full of heart, Kat French is back in a new summer sizzler.

4. Life’s a Beach – Portia McIntosh

Life's A Beach: The perfect laugh-out-loud romantic comedy to escape with in 2021 by [Portia MacIntosh]

Sun, sea and inescapable exes…

Peach is excited to hear that her sister, Di, is getting married. Of course, she would have preferred her little sister to be engaged to someone she’s known longer than a week – and the fact that his name is Charles doesn’t bode well – but who is she to judge?! After all, her own love life is non-existent, and who doesn’t love a destination wedding…?

Whisked away to the gorgeous Italian coast, Peach assumes her role as chief bridesmaid and, despite her reservations about the groom, she tries to ensure everything goes to plan.

But weddings are never straightforward affairs… throw in some unexpected guests in the form of ex-boyfriends and one night stands, and soon enough there is more drama than a reality TV show.

Can Peach keep the show on the road, or might she end up in a whirlwind romance of her own…?

5. Invisible Girl – Lisa Jewell

Invisible Girl: From the #1 bestselling author of The Family Upstairs by [Lisa Jewell]

YOU DON’T SEE HER. BUT SHE SEES YOU.

MIDNIGHT. In the bad part of town, where cats prowl and foxes shriek, a girl is watching…

When Saffyre Maddox was ten, something terrible happened, and she’s carried the pain of it ever since. The man who she thought was going to heal her didn’t, and now she hides and watches him, learning his secrets, invisible in the shadows.

Owen Pick is invisible too. He’s never had a girlfriend; he’s never even had a friend.
Nobody sees him. Nobody cares.

But when Saffyre goes missing from opposite his house on Valentine’s Day, suddenly the whole world is looking at Owen.

Accusing him. Holding him responsible for Saffyre’s disappearance…

Well the Part 2 books, I haven’t decided yet so stay tuned for the review of these books!

My Son’s Secret – Book (ARC) Review

My Son’s Secret – Book Review

My Son's Secret: A Heart-Wrenching and Moving WW2 Historical Fiction Novel (Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets Book 1) by [Roberta Kagan]

My beautiful boy…
Created in love… born into hatred.

There were so many terrifying stories about the Jews. People called them useless vermin, filthy, dangerous. Before I met Abram, I was afraid of them too. But I am about to tell you a very different story – a forbidden story.

My love for Abram defied all reason…as well as German law.

Tonight our son giggles with excitement as he blows out the candles on his birthday cake. But our safety is nothing but an illusion. As his candles burn out, a window shatters outside. The room shudders as the synagogue down the street is engulfed in flames.

Kristallnacht has begun.

When my hidden paradise crumbles like a stack of cards, I must do everything in my power to protect that which is most precious to me. My son’s secret must remain hidden.

No. of pages:- 344 pages

Date published:- 10th June 2021

Genre:- Historical Fiction

Rating:- 4.5/5 stars

Many of you all know–I love historical fiction but MUST be based on Holocaust or WWII!! And this book is no exception.

Basically, this story is between two sisters–Kara and Anka. The two sisters come from a dysfunctional family–their father is always drunk and abuses their mother and also towards the sisters, particularly towards Kara. Kara, being the responsible older sister tells Anka stories. One day, Kara goes to the Jewish part of time and meets a Jewish man named Abram, who owns a bookstore and shares Kara some of the books that are forbidden in Nazi Germany. The two eventually fall in love–which is forbidden in the Nazi law and Kara becomes pregnant and secretly lives with Abram and his mother, giving birth to a son Karl. Anka meanwhile marries a Nazi and starts sharing Nazi ideologies with her husband. So when Kristallnacht happens, Kara must hide her son’s identity as a half Jew.

I only have one word to say this book–WOW. This book is simply amazing. Tear jerking and a bit emotional at times to read too, but the romance between Kara a German girl and Abram a Jewish boy was captured beautifully in the book. Despite the fact that the story is a fiction, the situation was realistic that I was drawn to the book and got so engaged into the story that I simply couldn’t put it down! The author has made this book as realistic as possible, probably would have done tons of research about Jews during the Nazi period and Kristallnacht. The ending…ok at first, I thought I have missed a page or something that I thought the ending was abrupt with so many questions hanging in the air–but then I realize that this book was actually a sequel and so the author did a good job leaving the cliff hanger in the end, making the reader thirst and want to know what is going to happen next in the book!!! It was really good!!!

Characters wise, I simply liked both Kara and Abram though I sympathize with Anka–many Germans, particularly the younger ones were brainwashed into believing the Nazi ideologies and the fact that Jews were the problem of everything. It was sad and heartbreaking when you realize that despite the story being fiction, these things did happen in real life.

Overall, I cannot wait for the next book to come out and cannot wait to read more books from this author–worth four and a half stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Roberta Kagan for the book. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

I am an USA Today Best Selling Author of Historical Jewish Fiction mainly set during World War 2. My father was Romany and my mother was Jewish, When I was very young I learned about the Holocaust. I couldn’t understand how something like this could happen. So, I began to research and learn more. I met with survivors. I even met with children and grandchildren of SS officers. But I still had no answers. I cannot say that I have all of the answers to all of my questions even now. But what I do know is that soon all of the survivors will be gone. Their message must be remembered, the sacrifices that they made must not be forgotten. And so I humbly and with the utmost humility I try to tell their stories. It is painful, but I must convey the darkness and horror of the time, However, I also want the world to know and celebrate the unsung heroes. Because there were many ordinary people who acted in heroic ways. I realize that writing these books is a great responsibility. I pray every day that I am able to do this correctly. I am trying to reach out and touch many people, not with the message of the horrors but with the promise of hope. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for considering my work. It is an honor that I never take lightly.

I send you many blessings, Roberta

It Takes Two to Mango – ARC Book Review

It Takes Two To Mango – Book Review

It Takes Two to Mango: A Tropical Island Cozy Mystery (Trouble in Paradise! Book 1) by [Carrie Doyle]

After Plum Lockhart’s job as a travel magazine editor is eliminated in corporate cuts, she decides she’s sick of cold winters in NYC and fruitless swiping on dating apps—what she needs is a dramatic change of scenery. On a whim, she accepts a job as a villa broker and moves to a beautiful Caribbean island.

However, paradise isn’t as perfect as it seems: the slow pace of island life, the language barrier, and a cutthroat office rival make Plum question leaving her old life behind. But when a client is found dead in the jacuzzi of Casa Mango—a property Plum manages—she knows she’s really in a jam. With a killer loose on the island Plum will have to deal with a stonewalling police chief, a string of baffling clues, and a handsome Director of Security to solve this deadly case!

No. of pages:- 277 pages

Publisher:- Poisoned Pen Press

Date published:- will be published on June 28th 2021

Genre:- Cozy Mysteries

Rating:-

This is the first book of the Trouble in Paradise series and after reading her Hampton series, I was tempted to read this one.

Plum Lockhart loses her job as a travel magazine editor due to corporate cuts and she moves to a Carribean Resort to work as a broker. But soon, one of the men who had come for bachelor party turns up dead inside the resort and Plum must work out who the murderer is.

Just like any cozy mystery books, this book was engaging with some funny events in the book that will make you laugh at some parts. The writing was good and the author did a good job making the reader feel like they are in this exotic Carribean island enjoying the sun. Though there were not much unexpected twists and turns you would expect in a fast paced thriller, still, it was quiet enjoyable and unputdownable. The book cover is really cute and whoever designed the book cover did a good job drawing the reader to the book. Plum’s character initially at first I found her annoying but gradually in the book, I got used to her character and began to like her character. Overall, this was a cute mystery book and worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Carrie Doyle is the best selling author of multiple novels and screenplays that span many genres, ranging from cozy mysteries to chick lit to comedies to Young Adult.

A born and bred New Yorker, Carrie has spent most of her life in Manhattan, with the exception of a six-year stint in Europe (Russia; France; England) and five years in Los Angeles. A former Editor-in-Chief of the Russian edition of Marie Claire, Carrie has written dozens of articles for various magazines, including countless celebrity profiles. She is also a screenwriter, and her movie Intern (co-written with Jill Kargman) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Carrie has three books that will be published in 2021: Death on Bull Path (the fourth book of the Hamptons Murder Mystery Series); The Murder Game; and It Takes Two to Mango (the first book of the Trouble in Paradise Series.)

Carrie currently splits her time between New York and Long Island, with her husband and two teenage sons.