Publishing Date: January 20, 2020
Publisher: C. Scott Publishing Corp
Pages: 364
My Review: I LOVED the way this book started out. If you've been following my reviews for a little while, I always love the note/letter writing component in some of Vi Keeland's books, and this one starts off with a ranty email from a worker to her boss. Ireland is wrongly fired from her job when one of her shady coworkers sends a private photo of her to HR. Drunk and angry, she emails her boss, Grant. Although it seems that they are just going to work it out so she gets a good reference, they end up meeting and somehow he wants to ask her to dinner and get her her job back. While they worked together, they didn't really work together together as Grant is a CEO of a larger company that owns smaller parts. I loved seeing them fall for one another and in usual Keeland fashion, there is just great banter and flirting that I love! You start to learn about them both and there are so many layers to Grant and who he is as a person. He appears as a workaholic, but there is more than meets the eye with him. I loved seeing Grant and Ireland's story unfold. While there is some drama added to the mix, and we learn about why Grant is so reluctant to have a family to begin with, both characters do get their HEA which was nice to see. I do wish we got more history of Ireland. Overall, this was a really fun, but also intense read (some of the subject matter is quite dark in terms of the fallout of Grant's previous relationship, so just a heads up, you will cry!) It has the great build-up of the relationship and Keeland's books always deliver with great characters, a long journey for both characters, some funny moments intertwined with moments that will rip your heart out, and all the sexy moments!
Available for purchase:
Kobo - Amazon - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy from Vi Keeland in exchange for consideration/review. All opinions are my own.
Publishing Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Pages: 352
My Review: This was one of my most anticipated reads of last year and one that we decided to read towards the end of our year for our book club. I think perhaps since I had such hype for the book, I went into with high expectations. While I really liked the premise of the book and what it offered, there were some things I wished we got more of. The book follows Thea and Gavin as they try and work things out, and find their way back to each other, but because the book takes place long after the courting began and years into their marriage.. so you miss the instant-attraction that drew them to one another. I did like seeing them fall in love again/start over again though. I also wish we got more from Thea. I didn't really connect with her as a character and that may be because she was trying to figure herself out as well. Her sister also drove me crazy at times. It's so easy to impart judgement when you are on the outside looking in, and when you are privy to small moments in a relationship, but that can be problematic because you really don't get the full picture. Liv was quite judgmental about Gavin and I know that stems from a protectiveness for her sister, but it also became more than that towards the end. Liv's book is the next one in the series, so I'm hoping to see a different side to her. All in all, it was a really fun romance read. I love the concept of men reading romance novels and learning from them. Their little bromance group is just hilarious. And like I said, I really liked seeing Gavin court her all over again. I loved Gavin a lot as a character because although he messed up, he really worked hard to win her over again. This book was tremendous fun, and I can't wait to see how the next on in the series unfolds!! :D
Available for purchase:
Indigo/Chapters - Kobo - Amazon - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy from Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for consideration/review. All opinions are my own.
Publishing Date: November 19, 2019
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Pages: 270
My Review: If you remember, I read Discretion last year and absolutely loved it! I was pretty excited to get a story from the other side of the Dumonts. This story begins shortly after the events of the first one and it follows Seraphine and Blaise. Both are cousins, but not blood-related, because Seraphine was adopted into the Dumont family at a young age. They had a connection from the very beginning and it was hinted at in the previous book, but we really got a sense of it in this one and all that background history. Seraphine is still grappling with the death of her father, and the alarming suspicion that it may have been her uncle Gautier, who was responsible. She feels quite alone at work since what is left of her family is now in the States (Olivier and their brother). Add in the suspicions and anxieties, it isn't really a good mix. You see why she is reluctant to trust Blaise, and you learn more about Blaise and how he fits into all of this. Along with his father Gautier, and his (kinda creepy) brother, Pascal, he really doesn't fit into this other side of the Dumonts. What Seraphine reads as him wanting her job becomes so much more. Before you get on me about them being cousins, I'm going to highlight not blood related, and both feel quite removed from their family and the Dumont name, especially Blaise. They were always attracted to one another, and you see why nothing ever came to fruition because of the aftershock and repercussions. I was so here for the hate-to-love, and to learn that what drove the "hate" all those years stemmed from a very different place. Similar to Discretion, this book had the right amount of intrigue, sexiness, mystery, and all the dramatic flair. It was a great sequel to Discretion, but I did feel it was quite short and I really wanted more of their story. I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series and to see how Karina Halle manages to make us all fall in love with Pascal. She promises that he will win us over, so I'm excited! :D
Available for purchase:
Indigo/Chapters - Amazon - Kindle - Book Depository
Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy from Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for consideration/review. All opinions are my own.
