A Magical New York Christmas

A Magical New York Christmas: A Novel by Anita Hughes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Corny Christmas romance. Girl meets boy in New York’s iconic Plaza Hotel. And of course, there is a twist… a subject of false identities, Sabrina assumes that her midnight cute meet is a grand English lord, and Ian takes Sabrina for a wealthy guest of the hotel.

The situation with the assumed identities was just so silly, they could have corrected each other multiple times. The part that annoyed me the most was when Sabrina got mad at Ian for lying about who he was when she was the one who assumed that he was an English royalty. Ian just played along. Nevertheless, Sabrina was the one who knowingly mislead Ian into thinking who she really was… however, I guess without this mishap there would not be a story to read. I did enjoy the dual timeline and Graysons’ story. That was a great touch. And Tara Thompson’s reference was amazing. I love her.



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The Guilty Wife

The Guilty Wife by Nina Manning

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been reading a lot of Nina Manning’s novels in the past three months. I enjoy her style of writing and the plot of her novels.

Every year when the calendar comes close to the day when her brother was killed – Frankie falls into the web of sorrow. The guilt over her brother’s death haunts her. This year is different. It marks twenty years from that fatal night. And that’s when strange things began to happen. Is it a coincidence? Or is it all in Frankie’s head?

I enjoyed the story. However, the title of the novel is a bit confusing. The fact that Frankie is a wife has nothing to do with the accident that has happened twenty years prior. Nevertheless, the author managed to surprise me with the twist at the end, it was indeed unexpected. The connection between all the characters was great, I liked the link between Frankie’s husband and her best friend. The dual timeline was a great touch to the story as well. Love books that go back and are worth in time. This was a great and easy read. Looking forward to reading more of Nina Manning’s books.



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One Night, New York

One Night, New York by Lara Thompson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book has it all: corruption, abuse, drugs, romance, murder, revenge. It’s a dark thriller, set in a dark time in a crime-wrapped NYC.

A few short years after the worst day in the history of New York, the big city is thriving and growing at a rapid speed. But the streets of New York are dangerous. the day Frances has followed her brother’s footsteps and arrived in New York, she has realized – she is not in Kansas anymore. But the bright lights, fancy parties, and new friends didn’t save young Frances from heartbreak. After stumbling upon her dead brother’s body, all Frances could think of was revenge.

Besides the gripping yet tragic story of a Kansas girl, I’ve enjoyed the good old New York: the author was able to describe the city in such a great way. I felt like I was walking thru the dirty and smelly streets of new york, having drinks in an illegal speakeasy, listening to old-school jazz, and dancing my night away. A captivating read, perfect for historical book lovers. Thank you NetGalley and Virago publisher for a free and advanced copy of the novel.



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Call Me Elizabeth Lark

Call Me Elizabeth Lark by Melissa Colasanti

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Parents’ worst nightmare has come upon the Barkley family. Their young daughter has gone missing from the beach, minutes away from their home. Twenty years have passed, people gave up the home for the missing girl to come home. One night, a mother with a small son entered Baekley’s Inn, and that’s when Myra knew… her daughter finally came home.

This novel was like no other. At first, I thought I had it all figured out. But the imposter card was very well played here. The twists behind the story are phenomenal. Strong plot, loved how all characters were thoroughly connected. It was a fast read. There were times that the novel slowed down, but it picked up the pace fast with many many many shocking turns. I absolutelyly recommend this read to any psychological mystery lovers.



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The Christmas Party

The Christmas Party by Karen Swan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ah how much I’ve missed Karen Swan’s novels. I kick myself for taking a large break in our love affair. But I am back and can’t get enough of Mrs. Swan’s Christmas novels.

After the sudden death of their father, three sisters: Ottie and Pip, and Willow come to a very grim reality check. Their beloved castle, just like their late father’s title has come to the end of its glory. Each daughter was left with a part of the estate and their rights to do what they wish with it. Surprisingly, Willow, the prodigal daughter has inherited the castle. But without money for its upkeep, she is forset to do the unthinkable – to sell it. The decision came naturally to Willow, however, the family disagreed with her final choice. As each sister fights their own battle they come to realize a very important lesson: you don’t know what you have until you lose it.

Karen Swan is not an ordinary romance writer. The main reason I love all her novels is the strong storyline. Her books do not carry the tacky love mushy stories. Each book has deeper content, another amusing mystery behind the romance. This novel, as many others’s surprised me by its plot. Instead of one main character – we have three who are fighting their own demons but come together to win the war. I was happy to find that each sister ended up with an equally happy ending. Also, loved the location of the novel and the history behind it.



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Finding Mrs. Ford

Finding Mrs. Ford by Deborah Goodrich Royce

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mrs. Ford is living a quiet, but wealthy and elegant life. But this is the life she has married into. Behind the glorious Mrs. Ford, there is a scary young woman, with dangerous secrets which are about to catch up with her.

I came thru this novel absolutely accidentally and the synopsis didn’t really catch my attention. But I saw great reviews and decided to give it a try. And wowza, I am happy I did it?? This novel has multiple twists and turns. I was shocked by Mrs. Ford’s character and her storyline. She has changed so much through the time of the novel. A person who has been bitten by life found the strength to survive, and not once, but multiple times. Of course, there are parts of the novel that are overdone, but the story is intriguing.



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The Golden Couple

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is easy to judge other people’s choices. It is far more complex when the choices are your own.

Infidelity brings the golden couple Marrisa and Matt to the snarky family consultant Avery. All it takes is ten sessions and lots of determination to fix Bishop’s marriage. Will they make it? Avery is ready to take on the challenge. But besides Bishop’s project, Avery has multiple clients and a few serious enemies to deal with. Will she be able to keep her head in a game?

Now, let’s chat about the plot. It took me a while to figure out the villain of the novel. Bravo to the authors, and that’s what 5 starts are for. The rest of the plot… First of all – Bishops – I’m confused about Marissa’s infidelity. She seems to be so devoted to her family, it just didn’t make sense for her to cheat. And Matt, I had a hard time understanding him. He has a sharp character, but I was surprised by his genuine love for his family, and honestly, between the two – I expected Matt to be an adulterer. And Marissa’s assistant – that girl gave me creeps. Her final explanations didn’t excuse some weird stuff she’s done throughout the novel. And at last, saving the best for last – Avery. Man, this girl takes her job seriously! All the stalking she does on her clients, and the research is beyond the normal grounds. She is all in her client’s business, no wonder she grew a long list of enemies. Overall, this is an intriguing read. Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen had done it again! Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press publishers for an advanced copy of the novel!



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