The Marriage Test – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Marriage Test

Author:- Ellie Monago

Date published:- will be published on 3rd September 2024

No. of pages:- 380 pages

Genre;- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

One tropical island. Four couples. They believe they’re on a TV show to save their marriages. But the people behind the cameras know all their secrets. They’re going to be revealed, one by one. Because everyone has something to hide…

An incredibly successful surgeon and her gorgeous partner enjoy a life of luxury. To get it, one of them had to hide a dark past…

A young couple are expecting their first child. Has one of them been unfaithful?

High school sweethearts, missing their two young children. But the suburban dream is becoming a nightmare…

A husband and wife running a successful business together. But with both their marriage and company failing, what is really happening behind closed doors?

But their secrets aren’t the only thing coming out under the bright lights. Because some of the people on this island have met before.

And one of them has a secret they’d kill to protect…

Who will pass the marriage test? And who will survive?

Four couples in a reality TV show, to save their marriage an filmed in a tropical island. But what supposed to save their marriages becomes a nightmare when one of them gets murdered during the TV show and that one of them could be the suspect…

The plot of the story is interesting and intriguing. A reality TV show, couples with questionable past, lies, cheat deceit…it all adds up to a juicy TV show. Plus the fact that a murder takes place also seemed interesting. However, even though I liked the plot of the story, I found the whole story to be slightly slow burn and not interesting. The snippets of the interview between the detective and the producer is interesting although the first part of the book was boring. The characters are all unreliable and are told in different POVs. I do like the concept of using unreliable characters in the story but I felt it didn’t really go well with the whole story. Despite the negativity, I do like the author’s style of writing.

Overall this is worth 3 stars.

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

Ellie Monago is the pen name of a novelist and practicing therapist. She’s also a wife and mother, and when you add it all up, she doesn’t wind up with much time for hobbies. But she’s an avid tennis fan, a passionate reader of both fiction and nonfiction—especially memoir (nothing’s as juicy as the truth!)—and she relishes a good craft cocktail. She spent most of her life living in the U.S. and now resides in Western Canada with her family.

The Villa – Book Review

Title:- The Villa

Author:- Rachel Hawkins

Date published:- January 3rd 2023

No. of pages:- 279 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

This is the second Rachel Hawkins book I have read, the first one The Heiress which I gave a four star rating.

This book follows two friends Emily and Jessica. Jessica known as Chess is a famous author and when she starts inviting Emily to the Villa in Italy, Emily willingly follows her to Italy. But the Villa has a dark history. In 1974, an up and rising rock star was found murdered in the villa and the rock star’s girlfriend Mari had written an infamous novel named Lilith Rising, based loosely on the murder.

The story is medium paced and I like all these newspaper articles, snippets of writing from Mari’s published novel and of course Mari’s POV in 1974. It was slightly boring at first but then things got started interesting when Emily discovers Mari’s published book. I didn’t really like Emily’s POV part much although I did think it got interesting when Emily discovered Mari’s diary . I also like the descriptions of Italy that made me did feel like I was in Italy. However, I feel entertained throughout the story and I actually did enjoy reading the book, though not as much as I did with the Heiress. Overall, in my opinion, it wasn’t really a great book but then it was an OK thriller.

Overall this book worth 3 stars.

Spooky Season Book List

September means the beginning of the Spooky Season! From the beginning of September till the beginning of November, I will be reading selected books that is most suitable for spooky season. Here is the list of books that I am planning to reaD

The September House – Carissa Orlando

One of the most anticipated books that I have always wanted to read and specifically reserved to read during the spooky season.

The Pet Semetary – Stephen King

Currently started reading and so far a little eccentric but waiting for the best bits to come…

3. Theme Music – Marie Vandelly

A disturbing horror thriller which I am dying to read

The Hacienda Isabel Canas

I seemed to be having an infatuation towards Mexican horror novels after reading Mexican Gothic so looking forward to read this one.

Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier

I have read this book long time ago but I decided to reread it again

The Whistling – Rebecca Netley

The plot sounds…creepy and definitely a must read for spooky season

There are other books but for now, I will be reading these books

What are the books you are going to read for spooky season?

The Serpent and the Wings of Night – Crowns of Nyaxia Book 1 – Book Review

Title:- The Serpent and the Wings of the Night

Author:- Carissa Broadbent

Date published:- August 30th 2022

No. of pages:- 504

Genre:- Fantasy/Romance/Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4.5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Being a thriller fan girl, I can’t believe that I have been reading a lot of fantasy novels lately. The Serpent and the Wings is one of those fantasy novels that seemed to have so much hype on Booktoks and Instagram and which I have always wanted to read.

If you are a fan of ACOTAR series, then check this book out.

The Serpent and the Wings follows a young human girl named Oraya who is adopted by the vampire father Vincent who is the King of Nightborn. Oraya then takes part in a legendary tournament known as Kejari organized by the Goddess Nyaxia. It is said that the winner of Kejari tournament will have their wish granted by the Goddess herself. In the tournament, Raihn is a notorious vampire and quiet a dangerous vampire too. Oraya knew that being a human, she should not trust any of the contestants including Raihn but she finds herself drawn to him and become teammates with him.

I actually liked the setting of the story. The story is divided into five parts, outlining the parts of the games. The story also builds a friendship and relationship between Oraya and Raihn and also the father-daughter relationship between Oraya and Vincent. Oraya is ruthless, courageous and brave human girl determined to win the tournament at any cost. The writing was great and I was instantly drawn into the story that I couldn’t put the book down. The ending…that was completely unexpected and this little cliffhanger in the end made me want to read what is going to happen next between Oraya and Raihn!

If you haven’t started on this series yet, I suggest you start reading immediately–if you are fans of ACOTAR then definitely you will love this book–worth 4.5 stars

I’ve been concerning teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance.

When I’m not writing, I’m working at my day job in cybersecurity marketing, watching too many movies, or drawing. I live with my fiance, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in Rhode Island.

An Irish Bookshop Murder – Book Blog Tour

Title:- An Irish Bookshop Murder

Author:- Lucy Connelly

Date published:- 22nd August 2024

No. of pages:- 290 pages

Genre:- Cozy Mystery

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

An utterly gripping cozy crime murder mystery

Meet Ireland’s newest daring she’s a bookstore owner, a coffee lover, and a crime writer. Now Mercy McCarthy needs a little Irish luck as she takes on her first case!

After receiving unexpected inheritance from her grandfather, Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie are now the proud owners of a charming antique bookshop in the tiny Irish village of Shamrock Cove. But before they can take in the beautiful view of the sea, one of their neighbors drops dead!

Mercy finds the Judge, a well-respected man who lives next door, dying on his own doorstep. She rushes to help, but with his final words, he accuses Mercy of murder! Most of their new neighbors hear his words and, with suspicion pointing at Mercy, she decides to investigate the case to clear her name.

Searching amongst the Judge’s old books, Mercy uncovers letters proving several of the townsfolk had reason to dislike the judge—but was it the local pub landlord, the kindly cook or neighborly knitter who killed him?

Then Mercy’s chief suspect turns up dead and she receives a threatening note, typed on paper from her own bookstore… Ireland was supposed to be a fresh start for Mercy and Lizzie, but dead bodies keep turning up.

Does Mercy have what it takes to nail the culprit or will the killer close the book on her time in this charming Irish village?

Mercy McCarthy received a very unexpected inheritance gift from her grandfather–a charming antique bookshop located in a small scenic Irish village. Mercy and her twin sister Lizzie moves to Ireland to become the proud owners of the bookshop. However, their neighbor the judge turns up dead and soon Mercy becomes involved in a murder investigation.

This is a cute read. This is the first book of the Mercy McCarthy series and I actually enjoyed it. There are so many suspects in the story as the judge had known making enemies and author keeps dropping hints so us readers could figure who the real suspect can be! It was interesting, unputdownable with so many likable characters that trail along the book. Not only that–the vivid descriptions of the seaside village in Ireland makes me felt like I was actually in Ireland trying to solve the mystery.

I liked the ending and as such, I actually enjoyed reading the first book of the Mercy McCarthy series and couldn’t wait to read more. Overall a great read that is worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. Thank you Bookouture for making me a part of the blog tour. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Bestselling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards and National Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Candace runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers and teaches comprehensive writing classes. She does film reviews with Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.

https://www.lucyconnelly.com/

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https://www.instagram.com/Candace_Havens

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The Couple on the Train – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Couple on the Train

Author:- Claire Cooper

Date published:- 23rd August 2023

No. of pages:- 356 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

I look at where the woman was sitting. There’s a scrap of paper tucked into the gap between the seats. With shaking hands, I pick it up. The note Help me.

At first glance, the couple on the train look normal. She’s dressed smartly, a floral patterned bag on her lap. But her hands are clenched, her fingers white. The man with her has his arm looped through hers, but not in a comforting way. He’s holding her too tightly.

She catches my eye and I see desperation there. I’m opening my mouth to speak when the train grinds to a halt and the man stands, hauling her away. She looks at me again, then at the seat behind her, her face pale.

I find the message she left behind. Help me .

When I call the police, there’s no sign of the couple on CCTV. The kind detective gently suggests that it’s not surprising, with my history, that I am imagining things. Wanting to save someone.

I know what I saw. If no one will believe me, I’ll find her myself.

But as I search, what I find seems personal. Little things that remind me of what happened ten years ago. And I think I’m being followed, that someone broke into my flat.

The hunt for the woman on the train is leading me somewhere I should never go. Can I save her, or will I be next?

Laura sees a couple in the train– they look like typical couple. However the woman looked anxious and frightened and before leaving she slips a note to Laura with only one sentence- Help me. However when Laura goes to the police the couple was nowhere to be seen and no one believes Laura. Laura must prove that she wasn’t imagining before it is too late.

This was a slow burn thriller and Laura is a typical unreliable narrator. The story started out slow not much of twists and turns and a but boring to begin with. However the ending got little interesting and this made me gice the book a three star rating.

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

Good Bad Girl – Book Review

Title:- Good Bad Girl

Author:- Alice Feeney

Date published:- August 29th 2023

No. of pages:- 311 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things. Alice Feeney, returns with another thrilling mystery filled with drama and her trademark surprises.

Twenty years after a baby is stolen from a stroller, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.

Edith may have been tricked into a nursing home, but at eighty-years-young, she’s planning her escape. Patience works there, cleaning messes and bonding with Edith, a kindred spirit. But Patience is lying to Edith about almost everything.

Edith’s own daughter, Clio, won’t speak to her. And someone new is about to knock on Clio’s door…and their intentions aren’t good.

With every reason to distrust each other, the women must solve a mystery with three suspects, two murders, and one victim. If they do, they might just find out what happened to the baby who disappeared, the mother who lost her, and the connections that bind them.

In the style of Daisy Darker and Rock Paper Scissors, Good Bad Girl is a thriller in which nobody can be trusted and the twists come fast and furious.

This is the third Alice Feeney book I have read–my favorite so far being Rock, Paper and Scissors, which I couldn’t put the book down. Good Bad Girl follows the story of three women named Clio, Patience (which is not really her real name) and Frannie who all got embroiled in each other’s lives and got involved in murders–three suspects, two murders and one victim. It also follows about an incident that happened twenty years ago when a six-month old baby was abducted during the mother’s day.

The story is told in the POV’s of Clio, Patience, Frannie and Edith. They are nearly all unreliable characters with history. Edith is a resident at a care house, Patience works at the care house and is known as Ladybug by Edith, Clio is the daughter of Edith and Frannie is the mother of Patience, whose name is Nellie. There is some sort of connection between the four women and the whole story begins when a care manager at the care home was murdered. The story is a little bit slow paced but towards the middle of the book, it got fast paced. Not many twists or turns but this book is actually a page turner. However, in my opinion, this book wasn’t great as her previous books Rock, Paper and Scissors, His and Hers, which I simply couldn’t put the book down. However, I feel this was actually an OK thriller and not really her best.

Overall, this book worth 4 stars in my opinion.

Alice Feeney is a New York Times million-copy bestselling author. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages, and have been optioned for major screen adaptations. Including Rock Paper Scissors, which is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown. Alice was a BBC journalist for fifteen years, and now lives in Devon with her family. Good Bad Girl is her sixth novel.

You can follow Alice on Instagram or Twitter: @alicewriterland

For the latest book and TV news, and to sign up for Alice’s free newsletter, please visit her website: www.alicefeeney.com

The Second Mrs. Strom – Book Blog Tour

Title:- The Second Mrs. Strom

Author:- Kaira Rouda

Date published:- 16th August 2024

No. of pages:- 284 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating;-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

I don’t want the perfect marriage. I want revenge…

If you had met me a year ago, you wouldn’t have noticed me. A beautiful woman, but a struggling nobody in a tiny apartment, invisible…

Meeting Paul changed that.

And now here I am in Paris, after a whirlwind courtship and a stunning beach proposal. I smile at my handsome husband, my eyes shining in the candlelight, my huge diamond ring sparkling on the starched white tablecloth. Other women look at me in envy. They see a couple completely in love.

They’re wrong.

Despite this incredible luxury vacation, my husband and I can’t escape our problems. I can’t get over what he did with that woman just after our wedding, and my bright smile can’t hide the hardness in my heart.

I wonder if Paul knows the truth. That our first meeting, when we fell in love, wasn’t the coincidence he thinks it was. That what I want from him has nothing to do with his money.

And now that he’s wronged me, I’ll stop at nothing to get it…

This is an intense psychological thriller that is unputdownable and a page turner.

Paul and Cecelia are celebrating their first year wedding anniversary in Paris. Paul suspect that Cecelia is having an affair while Cecelia is having something in her mind. Both are gold diggers and both would do anything to get the inheritance of a lady who had passed away recently, even if it involves murdering one of them.

I didn’t know this was a sequel but then I read this book as a standalone. Paul and Cecelia are typical gold-diggers each greedy with their own agenda. The writing was great, intense and the atmosphere created by the author in the book is also very intense. This was a page turning thriller, unputdownable full of twists and turns and some drama involved in the story. Overall, reading this whole story will make you feel like you are watching an action paced thriller movie.

This book is a five star read for me.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. Thank you Bookouture for making me a part of the blog tour. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Kaira Rouda is an award–winning, USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her novels of domestic suspense include The Widow, Somebody’s Home, The Next Wife, The Favorite Daughter, Best Day Ever, All the Difference, Beneath the Surface – optioned for a feature film – and Under the Palms. Her next novel, The Second Mrs. Strom, is out in August 2024, and Only the Nanny in November 2024. To date, Kaira’s work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. Three of her novels have been named Amazon Editor’s Picks for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. The Next Wife was named a Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award, and a 2022 Silver Falchion for Best Suspense Novel and a 2022 Silver Falchion first runner-up for Best Book of the Year.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is working on her next novel. Please sign up for her newsletter to learn about new releases and exclusive content on her website, and follow her on social media.

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Everyone Here is Lying – Book Review

Title:- Everyone Here is Lying

Author:- Shari Lapena

Date published:- July 25th 2023

No. of pages:- 336 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot;-4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Welcome to Stanhope – a safe neighbourhood. A place for families.

William Wooler is a family man, on the surface. But he’s been having an affair, an affair that ended horribly this afternoon at a motel up the road. So when he returns to his house, devastated and angry, to find his difficult nine-year-old daughter Avery unexpectedly home from school, William loses his temper.

Hours later, Avery’s family declare her missing.

Suddenly Stanhope doesn’t feel so safe. And William isn’t the only one on his street who’s hiding a lie. As witnesses come forward with information that may or may not be true, Avery’s neighbours become increasingly unhinged.

Who took Avery Wooler?

Nothing will prepare you for the truth.

I always make a point of reading all of Shari Lapena’s books and this book is no exception.

Everybody Here Is Lying involves people living in the neighborhood of Stanhope, a quiet safe neighborhood. William Wooler is a successful doctor with a family–but he has a secret. He was having an affair and when his lover, Nora Blanchard wanted to end the things, he went back home. He was hoping for alone time but he finds his nine-year-old daughter Avery had returned home from choir practice. She has been kicked out of the practice and has walked home alone. An argument happens between Avery and William with William ending up hitting Avery. William instantly regrets of hitting Avery and he left the house. And then he receives a frantic call from his wife–Avery is missing.

Each of these characters have a secret–and quiet unreliable characters, except in my opinion, Erin who seemed to be the only reliable character. The story is intense, where everyone is a suspect and everyone is hiding a secret. It was fast paced and also quiet unputdownable as the main question was–what really happened to Avery? Did she run away or was she kidnapped by a random stranger? I was literally hooked into the story, wondering what is going to happen next. The ending in my opinion was unexpected and twisted with a small cliffhanger in the end.

I always love Shari Lapena’s books and this was no exception–worth four stars.

Only if You are Lucky – Book Review

Title:- Only If You’re Lucky

Author:- Stacy Willingham

Date published:- January 16th 2024

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

Lucy Sharpe is larger than life. Magnetic, addictive. Bold and dangerous. Especially for Margot, who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in South Carolina. Margot is the shy one, the careful one, always the sidekick and never the center of attention. But when Lucy singles her out at the end of the year, a year Margot spent studying and playing it safe, and asks her to room together, something in Margot can’t say no—something daring, or starved, or maybe even envious.

And so Margot finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls, Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one, the three of them opposites but also deeply intertwined. It’s a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she’s been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered… and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace.

A tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense.

I actually had high expectations for this book, as I read two previous books by the same author and which I enjoyed most. But this book didn’t live up to my expectations although it wasn’t bad as per-se

Margot is still trying to overcome the death of her best friend Eliza and attends Rutledge the college that she was planning to go with Eliza. While at the college, she meets Lucy Sharpe, whose personality reminded Margot of Eliza. So when Lucy who notices Margot asks her to be roommates with her and two other girls, Sloane and Nicole, Margot couldn’t really believe her luck. Their house is adjacent to the fraternity house. While at the party, Margot meets Levi, who was the last person to see Eliza alive. Margot hated Levi and then one night, while on the island, Levi was found dead. Lucy was last seen with Levi but then a few days later, Lucy also mysteriously disappeared.

Unlike her two previous books, this was actually slow burn and it was actually a bit boring to me at first. The audience for this book was also different, aimed towards college students. However, towards the end of the book, things started getting interesting and unputdownable which made me increase my rating from two stars to a three stars. We know that each of the characters are carrying a secret and Lucy Sharpe doesn’t seem to be who she is. The twist at the end was quiet unexpected.

Although I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I did with her two previous books, nevertheless, I cannot wait to read her fourth novel. Worth three stars.

Stacy Willingham is the New York Times, USA Today and internationally bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark, All the Dangerous Things and Only If You’re Lucky.

Her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, was a 2022 finalist for the Book of the Month’s Book of the Year award, Goodreads Choice Best Debut award, Goodreads Choice Best Mystery & Thriller award, and ITW’s Best First Novel award. Her work has been translated in more than thirty languages.

Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her B.A. in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and M.F.A. in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

She currently lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako.