Tropical Girl Reads

The Orphanage by the Lake – Book Review

Title:- The Orphanage by the Lake

Author:- Daniel G. Miller

Date published:- February 26th 2024

No. of pages:- 300 pages

Genre:- Psychological thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A MISSING GIRL

AN ORPHANAGE FULL OF SECRETS

Hazel wants a new life.

She’s thirty years old, single, and her private investigation business is months away from folding.

Her luck takes a turn when Madeline Hemsley, a mysterious socialite, pays Hazel a visit with an offer too enticing to resist. An orphan girl has disappeared from a children’s home—The Orphanage By The Lake, as the locals call it—and Madeline wants Hazel to find her.

At first glance, it appears to be a standard runaway case, but as Hazel plunges into the investigation, she finds signs of something more: unexplained blood stains, cryptic symbols, sinister figures shadowing her every move. The more she digs, the more she realizes that The Orphanage By The Lake holds terrifying secrets, and even worse…

…so does Madeline.

Hazel Cho is a struggling private investigator. One day, she gets the biggest case of her life–a woman named Madeline hires her to find what happened to her god daughter Mia. Mia is a gifted singer who is staying in St Agnes, a privileged orphanage in uptown New York but one day, she disappeared from the orphanage. The initial investigation was Mia could have possibly run away. Hazel, tasked with a deadline and searching for Mia discovers many dark secrets about St. Agnes Orphanage and someone doesn’t want her to find Mia.

This was an interesting read. I like the fact that the main protagonist is Korean-American instead of having a usual white American character. The story is fast paced, there were some twists and turns and overall it was well written. The story’s main focus was on police corruption, money which is the backdrop. I like how the author managed to keep the reader in suspense until the end. I also like the unique friendship between the roommates, Kenny and Hazel.

The ending was totally and completely unexpected and overall I actually enjoyed reading this book. I cannot wait to see what Hazel Cho’s next adventure is going to be. Overall worth 4 stars.

The Locked Door – Book Review

Title:- The Locked Door

Author:- Freida McFadden

Date published:- June 1st 2021

No. of pages:- 313 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

Some doors are locked for a reason…

While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement.

Until the day the police arrived at their front door.

Decades later, Nora’s father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence. Nobody knows her father was a notorious serial killer. And she intends to keep it that way.

Then Nora discovers one of her young female patients has been murdered. In the same unique and horrific manner that her father used to kill his victims.

Somebody knows who Nora is. Somebody wants her to take the fall for this unthinkable crime. But she’s not a killer like her father. The police can’t pin anything on her.

As long as they don’t look in her basement.

I have official become a Freida McFadden’s No. 1 fan. And any book by Freida McFadden is an auto buy for me.

Nora Davis is a successful surgeon. But she has a past. She was back then known as Nora Nierling. When she was eleven-years-old, her father had killing more than thirty women in the basement of their home. His signature is by chopping off the victims’ hands, thus earning him the nickname, Handyman. Her father is now serving life sentences while Nora changed her last name to begin her new life. But someone knows about her past and soon a woman, who was a patient of Nora Davis was found murdered in the similar fashion as her father did nearly twenty six years ago. But her father is in prison and Nora believes that someone knows about her past.

I liked the pacing of the story–the story was fast paced and unputdownable. However, I found the main character, Nora really annoying, conceited and selfish. Not to mention the fact that back when she was a kid, she had a tendency to hurt animals that her own mother was worried about her. I wondered how on earth did Nora end up being an evil kid to a person who is doing good deeds. Most of Freida’s books have annoying and unreliable female characters, which can be either good or bad for the story. In this case, it was somewhat OK.

The ending was completely twisted and unexpected. I did not really expected that ending. Of course, I like all those small twists and turns along the story until that unexpected twist came at the end. And the small cliffhanger in the end–that was really great.

This is really an addictive read, unputdownable and like all her books, you will wait up all night reading this one–worth 4 stars!

The Ex Vows – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Ex Vows

Author:- Jessica Joyce

Date published:- 18th July 2024

No. of pages;- 384 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

Estranged exes must stick close together to save their best friend’s wedding after a string of disasters in this swoony and steamy second-chance romance from the USA Today bestselling author of You, with a View .

Georgia Woodward lives by her lists, none more so than the one about her ex, Eli Mora. It’s full of the ironclad dos and don’ts they’ve been following since she returned to the Bay Area after their cataclysmic breakup five years ago.

With the wedding of their mutual best friend, Adam, looming, and them about to step into their roles as best woman and man, Georgia’s never needed it more. She refuses to threaten their tight-knit friend group with her messy—and still very present—feelings. The rules on that list will keep her cool, calm, and compartmentalized.

What’s not on her list? Eli arriving from New York with a new rule-breaking attitude or the all-inclusive venue burning to the ground, leaving the bride and groom in dire straits. Nor does she anticipate Adam asking her and Eli to help him make a miracle happen. Together.

As Georgia and Eli rush up to Napa Valley to pull off the perfect wedding, their old chemistry comes back in technicolor. Somewhere between cake tastings gone wrong, disastrous DJ auditions, and Eli’s heated attention, Georgia starts recognizing the man she fell in love with before. And if she lets herself break her rules, she might find what they’re building isn’t the something old that ruined them—it’s a chance at something new.

This is the second book I have read from Jessica Joyce and it was a privilege to receive this book as an ARC!

Georgia and Eli were an item. However, they parted their own ways when Eli moved to New York and Georgia remained in San Francisco. Now Eli had returned back to the California, to attend their friend, Adam’s wedding to Grace and they were assigned to arrange Adam’s wedding in Napa Valley. As they reluctantly try to work together, they couldn’t help but feel the chemistry between the two and soon, their love starts blossoming again. But the problem–Eli had resigned his job in New York and wanted to move back to California but Georgia is moving to Seattle for her promotion.

I feel this is better than her debut book, You with a View, which I enjoyed so much and which I couldn’t put the book down. There were some spicy scenes in the book and there were some funny parts in the book as well. I also like the diversity in the book as well. Not only that, I do like the chemistry between Georgia and Eli and really wanted them to be together. The descriptions of the places were felt like I was also there at the place, not to mention that while reading the book, I felt like I was a part of the story too. I also liked the ending really well.

Overall, if you haven’t read her second book, then try this one out–a funny romance novel that will give you a rollercoaster ride–worth 4.5 stars.

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

Business Casual – ARC Book Review

Title:- Business Casual

Author:- B.K. Borison

Date published:- will be published on 18th July 2024

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

Two opposites decide to test their chemistry with one steamy night together. But will once be enough?

Nova Porter isn’t looking for love, and she certainly has no explanation for her attraction to buttoned-up, three-piece-suit-wearing investment banker Charlie Milford. Maybe it’s his charm? Or maybe it’s his determination to help her fledgling business however he can. Either way, she’s distracted every time he’s around. With her new tattoo studio set to open in her hometown of Inglewild, she doesn’t have time for frivolous flirtations.

In an effort to get Charlie out of her system once and for all, Nova offers a proposition. One night. No strings. They’ll kick their uncomfortable attraction to the curb and return to their respective responsibilities. But their explosive night together scatters their expectations like fallen leaves. And with Charlie in town as the temporary head of Lovelight Farms, Nova can’t quite avoid him.

And Charlie? Well, Charlie knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s hoping he can convince Nova he’s worth some of her time.

Business Casual is the fourth (maybe final?) book of the Lovelight Farm series. I have read the first two books, third book yet to read, but I got this as an ARC.

Business Casual follows the love story between Beckett’s sister Nova Porter and Charlie, Stella’s half-brother. The story starts with Charlie shipping off his sister and Luca to the honeymoon and taking over the farm temporary. Nova Porter owns a tattoo shop but refuses to fall in love. Nova makes a proposition to Charlie–Nova wants to get Charlie out of her system and so they decided to spend the night together with no strings attached. However, they cannot seem to avoid each other and the two starts falling in love with each other.

I love reading Lovelight farm series but I feel I like this book more than the first book of the series. Instantly, you can feel the chemistry between Nova and Charlie and as a reader, you actually want them to be together! The writing was great, I also like Charlie’s estranged relationship with his father and his adjustment living in the farm while working as an investment banker. Nova is the female version of Beckett (if you have read the first two books you will understand) . And I really like the ending.

You can read this book as a standalone although if you want to know more about the other characters, you might have to read the first three books. I actually enjoyed reading this book and worth 4.5 stars.

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

B.K. Borison lives in Baltimore with her sweet husband, vivacious toddler, and giant dog. She started writing in the margins of books when she was in middle school and hasn’t stopped.

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The Push – Book Review

Title:- The Push

Author:- Ashley Audrain

Date published:- January 5th 2021

No. of pages:- 307 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family–and a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for–and everything she feared.

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

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

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

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

The Push is a tour de force you will read in a sitting, an utterly immersive novel that will challenge everything you think you know about motherhood, about what we owe our children, and what it feels like when women are not believed.

If you are trying to be a mother or maybe getting married soon, then don’t read this book.

Blythe Connor is determined to be a good mother to her daughter Violet unlike her own mother Cecelia who left her when she was little. But Blythe is not really having a great relationship with Violet. She believes that she has given birth to a psychopath and doesn’t feel any connection with her own daughter. Her husband believes Blythe is just imagining things. When Blythe gives birth to a second child, a son, Sam, she has a strong connection between him and her. But then a tragedy strikes and Blythe wonders if she is really insane or not.

This is actually one of the weirdest and creepiest books I have read. I have always wanted to read this book and I was glad when I got a chance to read this book. Some people have mentioned that this book was boring but I really didn’t find this book boring at all. Along with Blythe’s POV we also have historical parts that talk about Blythe’s own grandmother Etta who suffered mental issues and tortured her own daughter Cecelia and in return Cecelia’s relationship with Blythe. The pacing was great in my own opinion and the suspense is also present in the book–is Blythe really crazy and making things up or is she right?

The ending was a satisfactory ending, making readers guess what had really happened but not going to give way too much.

Overall, I actually liked this book. This book talks about mental issues, abandonment, strained relationships and above all…strained mother-daughter relationship. I feel the author really made this book so realistic and she actually solidified my views about marriage and children in general. Worth reading in my opinion and worth four stars.

A Love Letter to Paris – ARC Book Review

Title:- A Love Letter to Paris

Author:- Rebecca Raisin

Date published:- 8th July 2024

No. of pages:- 266 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

Late at night when I wander the streets of Paris, my thoughts turn to her… How do I tell her how I feel? Perhaps, I need to show her…

The pretty little streets of Montmartre are abuzz with a rumour. Apparently a mystery matchmaker, known only as ‘Paris Cupid’, has somehow helped the city’s most famous bachelor find love.

But old-fashioned romantic Lilou is staying very quiet. She’d just wanted to set up her best friend, and to get on with her life selling whimsical old love letters, in Paris’s famous St. Ouen market.

She hadn’t imagined her little Paris Cupid project could ever have attracted so many people looking for true, heartfelt romance. Though the truth is that Lilou adores helping people find the right person. Even if her own love life is nothing short of disastrous.

But then a message arrives. And it’s just for her. Someone is in love with her. Someone who knows her secret. But they’re keeping their own identity secret too… Could it be from cheerful, talkative, flame-haired Felix? Or quiet, beautifully handsome Benoit? Or even Pascale – who drives Lilou mad every day?

After so long of helping others find their soulmate, is it time for Lilou to find love of her own in Paris herself?

Rebecca Raisin is one of my favorite romance authors and so I am glad when I got a chance to read this book as an ARC.

Lilou helps people find their matches–she has a website called Paris Cupid where she matches people with their soulmates. Lilou also is a seller, selling antique letters and others. However, her website gets famous when a famous French actor announces that he had found his soulmate from Paris Cupid. Not only that, Lilou seem to be having a secret admirer who sends her letters. Lilou starts investigating to see who her secret admirer was.

This is a warm, romance cozy tale. I like the setting as well–France, or rather Paris is a city of romance and so you are destined to find your love. I liked how the author manages to make the reader a part of the story, as we find Lilou helping her friends to find their soulmates through her website. I particularly love the descriptions of the city overall because as a reader and someone who never been to France, I feel like I am in France right now, enjoying reading the book. Rebecca Raisin is a brilliant author and so I really enjoyed reading all her novels. Worth 4.5 stars in my opinion!

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

Just for the Summer – Book Review

Title:- Just for the Summer

Author:- Abby Jimenez

Date published:- April 2nd 2024

No. of pages:- 432 pages

Genre:- Romance/Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing;- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

This is the third book of the Part of the World series but you can read this as a standalone if you haven’t read the first two books yet (like me)

Justin is having a curse and thanks to it, the curse has spread to all over Reddit. Every woman he dates goes on ending up finding their soulmate before breaking up with him. Emma meanwhile is a travelling nurse and she read his Reddit. The two end up exchanging phone numbers and messages until Emma ends up in Minnesota. Justin believes he has finally found the One but Emma though she loves Justin isn’t sure if she is ready to settle down…yet.

This book was actually well written. There were sensitive topics discussed in this case such as parental neglect, depression. The story is mainly told in Justin and Emma’s POV and instantly, I actually liked their chemistry and vouched for both of them. Maybe except for Amber, Emma’s mother, I found most of the characters in the story are likable. Besides all the serious issues, there are some funny parts in the book that actually really made me laugh out loud in some pages. I found Justin’s surveys about dates and after dates really funny and cute. Even though I haven’t read the first two books of the series, as I mentioned earlier, you could read this as a standalone novel even though the characters of the first two books are mentioned as side characters in the book.

If you are looking for a witty, funny romance to read for summer, check this book out. I really enjoyed reading this book and after reading this, I couldn’t wait to read the first two books of the series. Worth 4.5 stars.

Abby Jimenez is a Food Network winner, New York Times best selling author, and recipient of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award for her novel Life’s Too Short. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and, like her books, has amassed an international following.

Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.

Legendary – Book Review

Title:- Legendary (Caraval series Book 2)

Author:- Stephanie Garber

Date published:- May 29th 2018

No. of pages:- 451 pages

Genre:- Fantasy/Young Adult/Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.

This is the second book of the Caraval series. In this book, the main character is Scarlett’s sister Donatella known as Tella. Tella had a debt to pay–all she had to do is take part again in the Caraval games and she must win. And when she wins, she must reveal the true identity of Legend. As she takes part in the games, she becomes embroiled with the murderous heir to the throne, a love story between her and Dante and above all, Scarlett’s secret and finding what really happened to their mother.

This was interesting actually. Tella is courageous and very loyal to her sister and mother, which is shown entirely in the book as she is determined to win the game. The middle part of the book is where things started getting interesting in my opinion and the small cliffhanger at the end tells us that the story is not entirely over but will be in the third and final book of the series Finale. Reading this book made me feel like I was in this magical world with Tella. The writing was engaging and I actually enjoyed this book a lot. Though the first part in my opinion was slightly boring, I liked the book as a whole.

Worth four stars in my opinion.

Love Story – ARC Book Review

Title:- Love Story

Author:- Lindsey Kelk

Date published:- 4th July 2024

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Publisher:- HarperCollins

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4.5/5

he’s a small-town schoolteacher.

He’s a hotshot marketing director.

Together, it’s hate at first sight.

Sophie Taylor has a secret and Joe Walsh thinks he knows it (all). He’s devilishly handsome, incredibly hot – and far too sure of himself.

Unfortunately, Sophie desperately needs his help. She has lost her laptop – and her sequel to the sensational, spicy romance that everybody’s talking about.

Because Sophie is not just hiding something small. She is Este Cox, the mysterious romance author the entire world is desperate to unmask.

When a trip to Sophie’s home town leads to the disgruntled pair sharing a one-bed cottage, it’s a short step to sharing a whole lot more besides… Can Sophie trust Joe with the truth – and be herself?

This is a cute romance novel and I actually enjoyed reading this novel.

Sophie is a school teacher and she has a secret–she is a famous author known as Este and writes mainly spicy romance. Joe meanwhile is a hot handsome publisher. So when Sophie loses her laptop where her sequel to the bestselling novel is written and she needs Joe’s help. Sophie and Joe doesn’t get along but then things changed when Sophie needs Joe’s help and the two had to work together.

I like the banter between Sophie and Joe–their constant banter between each other is actually really funny. Plus, I really like Sophie’s relationship with her parents and also the banter between Sophie and her family. Sophie is a very likable character but then I found all the characters really likable in my opinion. The whole plot line, to me was interesting and intriguing and there were some funny parts in the story that will make you laugh out loud. The ending was what I actually liked about the book but then, everything will be happily ever after afterwards! I also really rooted for Joe and Sophie, despite their hatred towards each other.

Overall this book worth five stars!

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

Lindsey Kelk is the Sunday Times bestselling author of books including the I Heart series, On A Night Like This, The Christmas Wish, and One in a Million, along with the middle grade Cinders & Sparks series.

As well as writing books, Lindsey co-hosts the award-winning beauty podcast, Full Coverage, and Tight and Fights, a pro-wrestling podcast on the Maximum Fun network.

Born and raised in South Yorkshire, Lindsey lived in Nottingham, London and New York before settling in LA, where she lives with her husband and two very rude cats.

In the Blink of an Eye – Blog Tour

Title:- In the blink of an eye

Author:- Kate Hewitt

Date published:- 1st July 2024

Publisher:- Bookouture

No. of pages:- 395 pages

Genre:- Literary/Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5

Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

It only took a moment for everything to go wrong. A little girl is hurt, but who is to blame?

I’m so happy as I walk to pick up my seven-year-old son from the birthday party. It’s his first since we moved here, and I know he’s found it hard settling in. Just as I’ve found it hard to make friends among the mothers at the school gates. But as I turn the corner, my heart stops when I see an ambulance.

I start to run. My son, is all I can think. I have to find my son.

As I race into the garden, desperately searching for my blue-eyed little boy, a fellow parent turns to me, her finger pointed. The words out of her mouth make my blood run cold.

“Your son did this. This is your fault.”

Surely that can’t be true? My son can be difficult, but I’d know if he was capable of hurting someone… Wouldn’t I?

As a little girl is lifted onto a stretcher, I feel my world come crashing down. My heart cracks in two for this poor child, her devastated family. Because there’s no coming back from this. An innocent girl has been hurt. My son is being blamed. But I’m his mother, and I’ll do whatever it takes to find out what really happened…

A totally gripping and emotional novel about trust, female friendship and betrayal. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Susan Lewis.

In the Blink of an Eye is an emotional roller coaster ride with a heartbreaking plot.

Jo and Kieran recently moved to the small town from New York. Eleanor is organizing a birthday party for her daughter Bella. Natalie meanwhile is dealing with the fact that her husband had left her. But then Eleanor’s daughter, Bella gets hurt and then she points the finger at Kieran before she was taken to the hospital. Jo must find out what really happened and saving her son’s name.

This book is realistic and deals with real life topic issues. The story is mainly told in three women’s POV–Eleanor, Natalie and Joanna and how they are each dealing with their own trauma. The book also touches on the topic of ADHD, bullying as well, the author educating the readers about it. Although the beginning was slightly boring, I found the book interesting later on in the book. There were some twists and turns and the ending was completely unexpected!

If you are fans of Jodi Picoult, then I recommend to try Kate Hewitt’s books–worth five stars.

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

Kate Hewitt is the author of many romance and women’s fiction novels. A former New Yorker and now an American ex-pat, she lives in a small town on the Welsh border with her husband, five children, and their overly affectionate Golden Retriever. Whatever the genre, she enjoys telling stories that tackle real issues and touch people’s lives.

https://www.kate-hewitt.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KateHewittAuthor/
https://twitter.com/author_kate

Buy Link:

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0D2HRFK2Ksocial

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you’ll love at: http://ow.ly/Fkiz30lnzdo