Tropical Girl Reads

My Darling Boy – ARC Book Review

Title:- My Darling Boy

Author:- Helen Cooper

Date published:- will be published on 13th June

No. of pages:- 336 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

The perfect night. I had been so excited for our big New Year’s Eve party. Hosting with my best friend Alice and our two beautiful boys – my Leo and her Robbie, who had grown up together like brothers. A shocking death. But then I heard the terrible crash. I remember the flashing lights of the ambulance and how everyone then turned on Leo. Saying that Robbie was dead because of my son. Who is to blame?The boys had argued, but Leo still won’t tell me why. I know he’s keeping a secret from me. I need to find out the truth, need to clear the name of my darling boy before something terrible happens to him, too. But I also need to make sure no one finds out the truth about me…

Praise for Helen ‘An absolute must-read for all thriller I LOVED it!’ Sarah Bonner‘Will have you salivating for more’ Mira V Shah‘Unrelenting tension’ KL Slater‘Smart writing . . . so clever, so engaging’ L.V. Matthews‘Gripping, teasing, intricately plotted’ Cath Weeks

Alice and Chrissy were best friends. In 2021, on the night of their New Year Eve party, Chrissy’s son Leo pushes Alice’s son Robbie resulting in Robbie’s death. The two friends’ relationship then fall apart after the incident and Leo was sent to prison. Now few years later, Leo is being released from the prison. Alice sends an email to Chrissy, asking Chrissy not to send her son Leo to the pub and that it would be better if both mother and son leave the village. Chrissy ignores the threats that she is receiving from the villagers. As she goes to the prison to pick Leo up, she was surprised to learn that Leo has already left the prison. Chrissy gets worried when she receives a call that Leo has failed to show up at the parole officer. Eventually she finds out that Leo has been abducted. Who is responsible?

The book is divided into many POV’S–Alice’s Chrissy’s a woman named Georgie where in the end you will find her connection to the main protagonist, Leo. You can feel both the women’s emotional trauma going through as mother–Alice for losing her son and Chrissy because her son went to prison. The book is well written and there are some twists and turns in the story which made the story a little bit more interesting. Not to mention Leo’s meeting with a prisoner named Frank. The ending was unexpected and twisted and it was actually good. Though this in my opinion wasn’t her best, still I enjoyed this thriller. Worth four stars.

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

The Teacher – Book Review

Title:- The Teacher

Author:- Freida McFadden

Date published:- February 6th 2024

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

From the New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a chilling story of twisted secrets and long-awaited revenge.

Lesson #1: Trust no one.

Eve has a good life. She wakes up each day, kisses her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except…

Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal involving a student-teacher affair, with one student, Addie, at its center. But Eve knows there is far more to these ugly rumors than meets the eye.

Addie can’t be trusted. She lies. She hurts people. She destroys lives. At least, that’s what everyone says.

But nobody knows the real Addie. Nobody knows the secrets that could destroy her. And Addie will do anything to keep it quiet…

This is I think fifth book I am reading from Freida McFadden. And I think I like this book but again not as much as the Housemaid’s Secret.

The story follows a teacher named Eve and a student named Addie. Eve is a math teacher at the high school where Addie is attending. To many Eve is happily married to Nathan Bennett but inside, Eve has a shoe fetish fever where she tries to buy expensive branded shoes and seemed to be having an affair with someone named Jay who is working at the shoe store. Addie meanwhile has been rumored to be having an affair with her former teacher who was fired from the school. She was being bullied because of that. However, Addie enrolls into Mr. Bennett’s class and she soon gets closer to Mr. Bennett.

But Addie has deep secrets of her own too.

The story is told in Eve’s and Addie’s POV. Overall it was fast paced and entertaining read but the biggest twist you will find is towards the middle of the book. The book is also quiet a page turner (most of the time Freida’s books are page turners) and I was literally hooked into the book. Both the characters are unreliable and untrustworthy–who can be trusted? The ending of the story was what blew me away–it was really an unexpected twist.

I make it a point of buying all Freida’s books and I wasn’t disappointed with it. Worth four stars.

Such a Good Family – ARC Book Review

Title :- Such a Good Family

Author:- Caitlin Weaver

Date published:- Will be published on June 12th 2024

Publisher:- Storm Publishing

No. of pages:- 369 pages

Genre:- Contemporary

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

An unforgettable and emotionally charged story of two mothers whose lives are changed forever by a devastating accusation – and how far they’ll go to protect those they love.

I was so happy when my son, Knox, began dating my best friend’s daughter. Our kids grew up together and we used to joke, as we sipped wine and watched them play, that they’d get married one day. But when Knox came home late after a party, zipping his hoodie up to hide the scratches I caught a glimpse of on his collarbone, a chill went down my spine.

That night, our whole world shattered. Now, I hardly recognize my husband as he sweeps into action, calling in a hot-shot lawyer to defend our boy.

I love my son, but what if I don’t know him at all? It turns out, everything I thought I knew about my perfect family is a lie. And I’m about to discover just what I’ll do to stop it from falling apart.

This addictive novel will draw you deep into the heart of seemingly happy families and expose the dark secrets that lie within them. Fans of Liane Moriarty, Jodi Picoult and Celeste Ng will be utterly gripped by Such a Good Family.

If you are fans of Jodi Picoult then this book is worth reading. Such a Good Family talks about how two families got devasted by an incident that involved their children.

Lorrie and Eden are best friends. Lorrie’s son Knox and Eden’s daughter Summer are dating. But one night, Summer accuses Knox of raping her. That’s when the story starts to unfold.

The story itself is beautifully written, engaging and is also emotional to read. You can actually relate the anger that each of the mothers are going through regarding about their child. Eden feels protective of her child, angry that justice system isn’t working while Lorrie wanted to protect her son. The story also outlines how one incident could actually cause division within the family. The author does a good job by writing the POVs of the character, so as a reader we would get to know what each of these characters are actually feeling and the emotional stress that each of these characters are going through. Overall, I actually liked this story and I cannot wait to read more books from this author. Worth four stars.

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

Ready or Not – Book Review

Title:- Ready or Not

Author:- Cara Bastone

Date published:- February 13th 2024

No. of pages:- 400 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating;-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A surprise pregnancy leads to even more life-changing revelations in this heartfelt, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance of found family and unexpected love.

Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life. Her apartment in Brooklyn is cozy and close to her childhood best friend Willa, but far from her midwestern, traditional family who never really understood her. While her job is only dream- adjacent , she’s hoping her passion and hard work will soon help her land a more glamorous role. And sure, her most recent romantic history has consisted of not one but two disappointing men named Derek. At least she always knows what to expect…until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.

The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with Willa is feeling off , right when she needs her most. And it’s Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is… suddenly kinda hot? Then there’s the baby’s father, who is supportive but conflicted. Before long, Eve is rethinking everything she thought she knew about herself and her world.

Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.

This is such a cute romance novel and also an unusual plot setting which I actually enjoyed.

Eve Hatch is working in New York, Her best friend Willa and her husband and Willa’s brother Shep also live in New York. But Eve finds out that she was pregnant and the father of the child is none other than Ethan, with whom she had one night stand at a bar. The story follows Eve’s pregnancy and how her friends support her including Shep. And Eve finds herself slowly fall in love with Shep.

The story is nicely written and is also engaging. The book is also quiet unputdownable. The story is divided into first, second and third trimester and how Eve goes through the pregnancy and how Shep seems to be supporting her during the pregnancy. I actually do love Eve’s chemistry with Shep and I was actually hoping that she and Shep would end up together in the end! The whole story is actually well written and I ended up liking the story. Not to mention that I actually like the front cover of the book.

If you haven’t read the book yet, check this book out! Overall this book worth four stars!

Hi, I’m Cara!
I’m a full time writer living and writing in Brooklyn with my husband, son, and an almost-goldendoodle. My goal with my work is to find the swoon in ordinary love stories.

I’ve been a fan of the romance genre since I found a grocery bag filled with my grandmother’s old Harlequin Romances when I was in high school. I’m a fangirl for pretzel sticks, long walks through Prospect Park, and love stories featuring men who aren’t crippled by their own masculinity.

The Other Woman – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Other Woman

Author:- Holly Down

Date published:- will be published on 7th June 2024

No. of pages:- 254 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

There are three of us in this marriage. One of us has to go…

David and I used to be the golden couple that everyone wanted to be. But as I sit in the dark corner of a crowded bar and watch his arm wrap around the waist of his beautiful younger colleague, Nina, my worst nightmare is confirmed: my husband is having an affair.

I swear to do whatever it takes to save my marriage. But when David doesn’t come home one evening, I drown my sorrows. I wake up with a pounding headache, no memory of the night before, and no idea where David is. As I desperately try to piece the night together, my blood runs cold when I hear the news that something awful has happened to Nina.

I have to find out the truth about what happened last night, even if that means betraying my husband. Because David isn’t the only one with secrets in this marriage, and I’ll do anything to stop mine from being discovered.

An utterly addictive and twisty read about obsession that will have you racing to the end! If you love Lisa Jewell, The Girl on the Train and Behind Closed Doors, you won’t be able to put this down!

David and Kitty seemed to be having a happy married life–or so it seems until Kitty finds David in the arms of another woman, who happens to be his colleague, Nina. Kitty then start drinking and stalking Nina. Then one night, Nina was found murdered in her apartment. David was the last person to see Nina…or is it Kitty?

I like that the POVs are set in David and Kitty’s characters. They are both unreliable characters and as a reader you don’t know who to actually trust. However, even though the first part of the story was interesting, intriguing and a page turner, the second part of the story, to me, was a little confusing with the addition of another main character, Catherine. I felt that twist was a complete turn over from the actual story line. It also started to get little boring, confusing and above all, I thought it kind of ruined the whole plot line. The ending to me was a little unsatisfactory to me.

This could have been a good domestic thriller but the ending was unsatisfying. Worth 3 stars.

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

The Last Invitation – Book Reviw

Title:- The Last Invitation

Author:- Darby Kane

Date published:- December 6th 2022

No. of pages:- 403 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

Darby Kane, the author of the critically acclaimed and #1 International Bestseller Pretty Little Wife, has crafted another gripping and twisty suspense about an invitation to an exclusive club that comes with deadly consequences.

They meet the second Tuesday of every month and vote…and then someone dies.

Over the last few years, prominent people—a retired diplomat, beloved basketball coach, the CEO of an empire—have died in a series of fluke accidents and shocking suicides. There’s no apparent connection, no signs of foul play. Behind it all is a powerful group of women, the Sophie Foundation, who meet over wine and cheese to review files of men who behave very, very badly, and then mete out justice.

Jessa Hall jumped at the mysterious, exclusive invitation to this secret club. The invite comes when she’s at her lowest, aching for a way to take back control. After years of fighting and scratching to get ahead, she’s ready for a chance to make the “bad guys” lose. Jessa soon realizes, though, just how far she’s willing to go and how dangerous this game has become.

Once in the group, it’s impossible to get out. She has nowhere to turn except former friend Gabby Fielding who is investigating the mysterious death of her ex-husband. Aligned in their goal to take down the Foundation, Gabby and Jessa need each other but working together doesn’t mean they trust each other…or that either will survive to tell the truth.

This is the third book I have read of this author. I enjoyed reading Pretty Little Wife and so I almost read nearly all her books.

For the past few years, elite and wealthy men die with what happens to be suicide. Behind their deaths, a foundation is responsible for their deaths as these men had been involved in spousal abuses and the foundation believed in justice. It is an elite foundation and to be a member, you need to have a special invitation. Jessa Hall is an upcoming lawyer who gets one way ticket to join the foundation although she has second thoughts after joining the foundation. Gabby Fielding meanwhile suspect that her ex-husband Baines did not commit suicide and that a foul play maybe involved. Together, the two women try to uncover the secrets of the foundation.

Honestly, the first half of the book was actually interesting. It was actually a slow burn thriller but there is some pacing. Not many twists and turns but still, there is a flow to the story. However the second half of the book wasn’t good as the first half, which made me give a lower rating. However, I do like the premise of the book–revenge and seeking justice from the wealthy men is too good to be true! Overall, this is not really her best book but worth reading–worth three star.

Darby Kane is the pseudonym of HelenKay Dimon a former trial attorney and current award-winning romantic suspense author. A native of Pennsylvania, Darby now lives in California and runs from the cold. When she’s not writing she can be found watching suspense, thrillers, and mysteries.

One Italian Summer – Book Review

Title:- One Italian Summer

Author:- Rebecca Serle

Date published:- March 1st 2022

No. of pages:- 255 pages

Genre:- Holiday/Contemporary

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: two weeks in Positano, the magical town Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.

And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.

Katy Silver’s mother Carol dies from cancer and Katy is devastated at her death. Her mother has always been Katy’s best friend. Katy and her mother has been planning a trip to Italy and so Katy for the first time in her life decides to go on a solo trip to Italy to a small town called Positano. As Katy arrives, she feels her mother’s energy around the town and starts experiencing new things in her life.

This is a short romance story so for anyone who is looking for a quick read, then this book is perfect. I do like all the descriptions of Amalfi Coast, and Positano and Naples that makes me reader feel like I am in Italy with the main character Katy. I really like Katy’s strong close relationship with Carol, her mother. I like the concept the fact that Katy is transported back to the time when her mother was a young woman and carefree woman and that she gets to experience her mother’s life.

If you are looking for a emotional and loves a mother-daughter relationship set in beautiful coast of Italy, read this book. Overall worth 4 stars.

Rebecca Serle is the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years, The Dinner List, and the young adult novels The Edge of Falling and When You Were Mine. Serle also developed the hit TV adaptation Famous in Love, based on her YA series of the same name. She is a graduate of USC and The New School and lives in Los Angeles. Find out more at RebeccaSerle.com.

Nice Work Nora November – ARC Book Review

Title:- Nice Work Nora November

Author:- Julia London

Date published:- will be published today 4th June 2024

No. of pages:- 368 pages

Genre:- Women’s Fiction/Contemporary

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5

Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

After a near death experience, one woman creates her “reverse” bucket the things she wants to do after death.

Nora November was living life on autopilot before she nearly died in a surfing accident. When she recovers, she realizes how close she came to the end of her life and regrets that she let so many wishes and dreams go undone. There are reasons for that–a pressure-filled career working for her impossible-to-please father and chronic depression to name a few. But with a renewed sense of vigor, she sets out to do all the things she never did before she died. Her “reverse bucket list” includes ordinary aspirations like learning how to cook and cleaning out her late grandpa’s garden. But it also includes finding the man she was unexpectedly locked for hours with in a backroom while being held hostage in a corner store holdup . . . the one who got away.

From New York Times bestselling author Julia London comes an uplifting and heartwarming story of second chances and the power of finding out what makes life worth truly living.

Nora November had a near death experience. And when she comes back again alive, she realizes that she has been missing certain things in her life. Nora has been trying to please her stoic father by becoming a lawyer and working alongside him, while unknowingly she suffers from depression. But after her near death experiences- Nora decides to try on certain things which includes learning how to cook and then trying to revive her grandfather’s garden back.

This book was an interesting premise with an interesting plot. Nora clearly didn’t want to become a lawyer and that she only became one to satisfy her father. Nora soon turns her interest towards cooking and gardening. In other words, the book as a whole teaches us valuable lessons in general. There are trigger warnings in this book as it also talks about depression in general. Also there were emotional and heartbreaking parts in the story that will make you cry as Nora makes decisions to make her life more improved.

Overall, this is a good read and worth three stars.

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

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon

Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe – ARC Book Review

Title:- Second Chances at the Board Game Cafe

Author:- Jennifer Page

Date published:- will be published on 7th June 2024

No. of pages:- 416 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

The next warm and uplifting instalment in The Little Board Game Café series, perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Christie Barlow.

In the cosy Yorkshire village of Hebbleswick, single mum Taylor dreams of a fashion design career, but she spends her days fixing zips, hemming skirts and worrying about her son, Max.

At the local board game cafe, railway enthusiast Harry, still recovering from a painful breakup, dreams of fatherhood. When Taylor and Harry cross paths, sparks fly, but Harry’s confidence issues and Taylor’s concerns for Max threaten their budding romance.

Can they find a second chance at love where they least expect it?

This is the third book of the Little Board Game cafe series and the story follows a woman named Taylor Sweet who dreams of becoming a fashion designer but currently does nothing but fixing zippers and worrying about her son Max.

I go an invitation to review this book and here are my thoughts.

I actually liked this one more than the first two book of the series. Taylor Sweet is a struggling single mom, who is struggling to meet the ends meet and I like how the author had made the character more realistic as possible. Then we also meet another character Harry who is a quiet person and who seemed to have had bad experiences with women. By chance Taylor accidentally cuts Henry’s jeans by six inches, leading her to upcycle the jeans and her sewing method had become so famous in the small town that orders of upcycling starts flooding towards Taylor, even though she is living in a cramped apartment. Henry meanwhile secretly falls in love with Taylor even though he was a little afraid of showing off his feelings. The story itself is beautifully written and although I am not much of a romance fan, this book was actually good. I enjoyed this book, I thought I really liked the chemistry between Harry and Taylor. I am wondering if there is going to be another book in the series and cannot wait to read the next one. Overall this book worth 4.5 stars.

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

Jennifer Page lives near Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire with her husband Hermi and his very – no, make that extremely – large collection of board games. Her debut novel, The Little Board Game Cafe will be published on 13th April 2022. Jennifer writes light-hearted, cosy romantic fiction which was initially inspired by her own dating adventures. Before she met Hermi, she was single for 13 years and had pretty much given up on meeting The One.

When she isn’t writing, Jennifer can usually be found playing board games; since she met Hermi, she’s become even more obsessed with them than he is! She also loves cooking (though she’d never claim to be any good at it!), caravan holidays and walking in the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.