Format: Audiobook

Review: Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score

Posted May 8, 2023 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Maggie Moves On by Lucy ScoreReviewer: Holly
Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score
Narrator: Emma Wilder
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: June 21, 2022
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 416
Length: 13 hours and 41 minutes
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Can these opposites turn up the heat… without burning down the house?
House-flipping sensation and YouTube star Maggie Nichols can’t wait to dig into her next challenge. Arriving in tiny Kinship, Idaho, with only a cot and a coffeemaker, Maggie is prepared to restore a crumbling Victorian mansion in four months or less. She has her to-do lists, her blueprints, and her team. What she doesn’t have is time for sexy, laid-back landscaper Silas Wright.
The man takes flirtation to a whole new level. And he does it shirtless…sometimes pants-less. He and his service school-dropout dog are impressively persistent. But she’s not interested in putting down roots. Not when fans tune in to watch her travel the country turning dilapidated houses into dream homes. A short-term fling on the other hand could fit nicely into her calendar. After all, Maggie remembers what fun is like. Vaguely.
As their summer gets downright steamy, Silas manages to demolish the emotional walls she’s spent years building, sending Maggie into a panic. He’s the wrench in her carefully constructed plans. With the end of the project looming, she has a decision to make. But how can she stay when her entire career is built on moving on?

Maggie Moves On is a single-title romance by Lucy Score. I wanted something to listen to on my daily commute, so I requested the audiobook from the library. I ended up purchasing the ebook because I got impatient to finish the story. I didn’t love the narrator. Her voices for secondary characters were amazing, but I didn’t love her regular narration.

Maggie Nichols has made a name for herself as a YouTuber who flips houses. Her latest project is a crumbling Victorian in a small town in Idaho. She’s not the type to settle down, but she can’t deny her attraction to the sexy landscape architect she’s hired to help get the grounds in order. Silas is bowled over by Maggie from the start. He’s determined to break down her defenses and get her to see that they could have a future, even if neither of them knows what that looks like right now. Between his adorable dog, some feisty older folks and a bit of teenager angst, the town soon works its magic on Maggie…even if she isn’t quite convinced she doesn’t have to move on.

This was an adorable romance. I enjoyed both MCs. They both had humor and heart, which made for an engaging read. Their banter was especially fun and I literally laughed out loud a couple times at Silas. The whole town really came to life and I loved the relationship Maggie had with her business partner, Dean.

I did think the book was a bit long and there were times I was frustrated with the lack of communication, but overall I enjoyed it. I was sad when it ended.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5


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Review: Stray by Andrea K. Höst

Posted May 2, 2023 by Holly in Reviews | 3 Comments

Review: Stray by Andrea K. HöstReviewer: Holly
Stray by Andrea K. Höst
Narrator: Stephanie Macfie
Series: Touchstone #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: March 20, 2011
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: First
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Science Fiction
Pages: 273
Length: 9 hours and 50 minutes
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

On her last day of high school, Cassandra Devlin walked out of exams and into a forest. Surrounded by the wrong sort of trees, and animals never featured in any nature documentary, Cass is only sure of one thing; alone, she will be lucky to survive.
The sprawl of abandoned blockish buildings Cass discovers offers her only more puzzles. Where are the people? What is the intoxicating mist which drifts off the buildings in the moonlight? And why does she feel like she's being watched?
Increasingly unnerved, Cass is overjoyed at the arrival of the formidable Setari. Whisked to a world as technologically advanced as the first was primitive, where nanotech computers are grown inside people's skulls, and few have any interest in venturing outside the enormous whitestone cities, Cass finds herself processed as a 'stray', a refugee displaced by the gates torn between worlds. Struggling with an unfamiliar language and culture, she must adapt to virtual classrooms, friends who can teleport, and the ingrained attitude that strays are backward and slow.
Can Cass ever find her way home? And after the people of her new world discover her unexpected value, will they be willing to let her leave?

Stray (Touchstone #1) by Andrea K. Höst was recommended by reader Kareni. At the time of this writing it is free for Kindle. I tried reading it several times, but never fell into the story and always ended up setting it aside. The first 1/4 or so of the book is fairly slow. It’s told in the form of diary entries, and the early portions were slow, with no dialogue to break up the monotony. I’m glad I pushed through, however, since I really ended up enjoying the story.

Cassandra Devlin is walking home from her last day of high school in Australia when she is suddenly….somewhere else. A strange land not-unlike Earth, but perhaps also not Earth. After weeks of surviving on her own on this abandoned planet, she is rescued and taken to a new, technologically advanced planet, Tare, where she’s treated as a stray – a displaced refugee. She’s implanted with an interface that helps her translate their language, but leaves her without privacy. She also starts developing strange and wonderous gifts, which she’s told isn’t uncommon in strays, though never to this degree. Paired with the Setari, psychically advances special ops soldiers, because of her emerging abilities as an enhancer (touching her gives the Setari a power boost), Cassandra learns there is a shadow-type land that separates our world from all others. Tears have started to happen between worlds, which allow Ionnoth, deadly shadow monsters capable of destroying entries worlds through. The Setari fight these monsters to keep the Tareans and all others safe. When the Tareans realize Cassandra may hold the key to unlocking their home world (the planet she spent weeks surviving alone), she’s watched even more closely. She’ll have to decide

The difficulties Cassandra deals with as a stray, and as a person who has developing abilities the Tareans haven’t dealt with before, were interesting to read about. There are so many different threads – Cassandra’s lack of privacy and the way she feels she’s “punished” and put in a box when she’s sent to medical, the tears between worlds and the battles they face, the quest the Tareans are on to reclaim their home world with the help of Cassandra, etc. This is a complex plot in a multifaceted world. Frankly, I still don’t have all the terms and names straight and at times I find it to be slow moving, but I am invested in Cassandra and her journey. I can’t wait for the next book.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Touchstone

four-stars


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Review: Archangel’s Resurrection by Nalini Singh

Posted January 16, 2023 by Casee in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Archangel’s Resurrection by Nalini SinghReviewer: Casee
Archangel's Resurrection by Nalini Singh
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Series: Guild Hunter #15
Also in this series: Archangel's Kiss, Archangel's Consort, Archangel's Blade, Archangel's Consort, Archangel's Storm, Archangel's Storm (Guild Hunter #5), Archangel's Legion, Archangel's Legion (Guild Hunter #6), Archangel's Shadows, Archangel's Shadows, Archangel's Enigma (Guild Hunter, #8), Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1), Archangel's Heart, Archangel's Heart, Archangel's Heart (Guild Hunter, #9), Archangel's Kiss, Angels' Blood, Archangel's Viper (Guild Hunter, #10), Archangel's Viper, Archangel's Prophecy, Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter, #3), Archangel's Prophecy, Archangel's War, Archangel's War , Archangel's Kiss, Archangel's Sun, Archangel's Light
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: October 25, 2022
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 396
Length: 11 hours and 24 minutes
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

New York Times Bestselling author Nalini Singh takes us into the dangerous, haunting world of archangels…and a love that is legend.
For thousands of years, the passion between Alexander, Archangel of Persia, and Zanaya, Queen of the Nile, burned furious and bright, seemingly without end. But to be an archangel is to be bound to power violent and demanding. Driven by its primal energy, Alexander and Zanaya fought as fiercely as they loved. Locked in an endless cycle of devotion and heartbreak, it is only Zanaya’s decision to Sleep that ends their love story.
Eons later, it is the Cascade of Death that wakens them both. The passion between them a flame that yet burns, Alexander and Zanaya stand together in one last battle against the ultimate darkness. But even a warrior archangel cannot win every war. Alexander’s scream shatters the world as Zanaya falls, broken and silent…only to rise again in a miracle that may be a devastating curse. For is it truly the Queen of the Nile who has been resurrected?
Only one thing is clear: this is the last beat of their passionate, angry dance. The final song for Alexander and his Zani…

I got an eARC of this book sometime last year & read it as soon as I got it. I have to admit that I didn’t love it. When it was released, I decided to get the audiobook & try that. Justine Eyre is such an amazing narrator.

The book was good, but it’s not my favorite. I loved both Alexander & Zanaya, but I really felt like the book spanned too long of a time period. The book begins in New York during the war against Lijuan. Zanaya was woken from her Sleep by both the war & the cascade. She wasn’t ready to leave Sleep, but she knew that being awoken against her will means that the world is in serious peril.

After Zanaya is critically injured by Lijuan in the beginning of the book, Nalini takes us back to the beginning of the epic love story of Archangels Alexander & Zanaya. The book stretches from the beginning of their time together, to the middle, and ultimately to the end. I think this book really highlighted the fact that sometimes love isn’t enough. There has to be mutual respect (which there was), but it was also about being vulnerable.

There was an abundance of love between the two, but power came between them. Alexander loved power. He loved having it & amassing more of it. Zanaya knew when it was time to Sleep & didn’t forgive Alexander for not coming with her. Eventually they realized that if they both didn’t change, it was going to be the end of Alexander & Zanaya.

Overall, it was a good addition to the series, but it was far from my favorite.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Guild Hunter

four-stars


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Review: The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath

Posted December 5, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 2 Comments

Review: The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine HeathReviewer: Holly
The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath
Series: Once Upon a Dukedom #2
Also in this series: The Duchess Hunt
Publisher: Harper Collins, Avon
Publication Date: September 28, 2021
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Library, Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 384
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath continues her Once Upon a Dukedom series with this lush love story of a duke who discovers what he desires in a wife may not be what he needs...
Hugh Brinsley-Norton, the Duke of Kingsland, is in need of a duchess. However, restoring the dukedom—left in ruins by his father—to its former glory demands all his time, with little room for sentiment. He places an advert encouraging the single ladies of the ton to write why they should be the one chosen, and leaves it to his efficient secretary to select his future wife.
If there exists a more unpleasant task in the world than deciding who is to marry the man you love, Penelope Pettypeace certainly can’t imagine what it might be. Still, she is determined to find the perfect bride for her clueless, yet ruthlessly charming employer.
But when an anonymous note threatens to reveal truths best hidden, Kingsland has no choice but to confront the danger with Penelope at his side. Beguiled by the strong-willed, courageous beauty, he realizes he’s willing to risk everything, including his heart, to keep her safe within his arms. Could it be the duchess he’s hunting for has been in front of him all along?

The Duchess Hunt is the second book in the Once Upon a Dukedom series. I switched between reading and listening. The narrator, Kate Reading, is a personal favorite.

The Duke of Kingsland needs a wife, but he can’t be bothered with trying to find one on his own, so he puts an advert in the Times and asks anyone interested in becoming his duchess to send him a letter with their qualifications. Naturally, everyone is interested as he’s a duke. When his first choice falls in love with another man, he gives the task of choosing the runner up to his secretary, Miss Penelope Pettypeace.

Penelope has been in love with Kingsland forever, but it’s a quiet kind of love. She’s damn good and her job and loves what she does. She isn’t willing to compromise that for a love that can never be. So she dedicates herself to finding the right girl to be the future Duchess. Things are going well until suddenly the duke seems to notices her as a woman. Where before he treated her well, but just like any other person in his employ, all of a sudden he’s treating her as a woman first. When something threatens to expose secrets neither want revealed, they both realize things are more complicated between them than they ever knew.

This was a great unrequited love story. Penelope was a lovely character. Her steadfastness and attention to detail really came through. She may have been in love with the duke, but it wasn’t a starry-eyed kind of thing. These were two adults who respected one another and I loved that. While I enjoyed the first book in the series, this is definitely my favorite so far.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Once Upon a Dukedom

four-stars


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Review: The Last Second Chance by Lucy Score

Posted September 21, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 4 Comments

Review: The Last Second Chance by Lucy ScoreReviewer: Holly
The Last Second Chance by Lucy Score
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Series: Blue Moon #3
Also in this series: No More Secrets , Fall into Temptation
Publisher: Self-PublishedFormat: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited, Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars


What would it take to get one last chance?

Joey Greer is done having her heart broken. Eight years ago, after a horrific car accident, Jackson Pierce—her high school sweetheart—abandoned her. Abandoned his family. Abandoned the town they'd both grown up in, and fled to Hollywood. He never looked back, and she never forgot him.
Or forgave him.
Now he's back, pretending like the past doesn't exist, wanting another chance. And even though she still feels the undeniable connection between them, the fiery attraction that burns her up from the inside out, Joey’s determined to keep him at a safe distance.
Jackson Pierce can't tell Joey the truth about the night when he left her in the hospital. It would ruin more than just their relationship, and he can't do that to her.
The entire town of Blue Moon knows that Jax and Joey are meant for each other, but Joey isn’t interested in giving him a second chance. All he can do is give her flowers. And picnic lunches. And a dog.
Oh, and handcuff himself to her for charity.
Will this second chance be the last one Jax needs to win back Joey's heart, or is the past too much to forgive?

The Last Second Chance (Blue Moon #3) by Lucy Score is a second-chance romance between high-school sweethearts.

Jax and Joey were high school sweethearts who had their whole lives planned out. Until the night they hit a deer and Joey ended up in the hospital. When she woke up the next day Jax was gone. 8 years later he’s back in town and has made it known that he’s here for Joey…

He wants to pick up where they left off, but Joey can’t forgive him for abandoning her…especially since hasn’t given her a good reason for why he left in the first place.

I liked this book. Joey and Jax were good together and I liked the way Score built up the town and wove the other characters from the series through the story. It felt like I was right there living their lives with them. I did think the book was a little too long, and I struggled with both Joey and Jax at times. But overall it was a light, easy read that I enjoyed.

3.75 out of 5

Blue Moon

three-half-stars


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