Review: These Vengeful Hearts by Katherine Laurin

These Vengeful Hearts

by Katherine Laurin 

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 336

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Anyone can ask the Red Court for a favor...but every request comes at a cost. And once the deed is done, you're forever in their debt.

Whenever something scandalous happens at Heller High, the Red Court is the name on everyone's lips. Its members--the most elite female students in the school--deal out social ruin and favors in equal measure, their true identities a secret known only to their ruthless leader: the Queen of Hearts.

Sixteen-year-old Ember Williams has seen firsthand the damage the Red Court can do. Two years ago, they caused the accident that left her older sister paralyzed. Now, Ember is determined to hold them accountable...by taking the Red Court down from the inside.

But crossing enemy lines will mean crossing moral boundaries, too--ones Ember may never be able to come back from. She always knew taking on the Red Court would come at a price, but will the cost of revenge be more than she's willing to sacrifice?

Kritters Thoughts:  A clear YA novel that takes place in a high school that has a not so secret, secret society that rules the school.  Ember Williams has been working hard to create a resume that would be appealing for her to be asked to join the Red Court in her high school.  With a vendetta to take them down due to a life altering injury that happened to her sister, Ember is thankful when she is asked to join and is ready to take them down in anyway.  

I can appreciate a good YA book, even though they aren't my typical read anymore.  I love that this book had a great plot with great characters that I liked following through the ups and downs.  I was glad that the teenage drama was kept to a minimum, so I wasn't rolling my eyes at unnecessary drama.  

Ember was great.  She wasn't a goodie two shoes, but definitely not the mean girl.  I liked that she was a middle of the road girl, but had a moral code where she could see the faults of some of the things she was surrounded by.  I appreciated that she had some learning moments and made some faults, but definitely grew from the beginning to the end of the book.  

All in all, I would recommend this book, especially to readers who are a fan of the young adult genre.  

Rating: great YA read

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 92 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

by Samantha Verant 

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 352

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  French-born American chef Sophie Valroux had one dream: to be part of the 1% of female chefs running a Michelin-starred restaurant. From spending summers with her grandmother, who taught her the power of cooking and food, to attending the Culinary Institute of America, Sophie finds herself on the cusp of getting everything she's dreamed of.

Until her career goes up in flames.

Sabotaged by a fellow chef, Sophie is fired, leaving her reputation ruined and confidence shaken. To add fuel to the fire, Sophie learns that her grandmother has suffered a stroke and takes the red-eye to France. There, Sophie discovers the simple home she remembers from her childhood is now a luxurious château, complete with two restaurants and a vineyard. As Sophie tries to reestablish herself in the kitchen, she comes to understand the lengths people will go to for success and love, and how dreams can change.

Kritters Thoughts:  Sophie Valroux has been working her tail off to try to achieve a dream that seems very far off.  After she is blamed for a mishap in a restaurant, her future is more unsure and a fateful call sends her to France to rethink if she still wants to really strive for that Michelin-star dream.  

I adore books where a main character must return to a place from their past in order to move forward.  Sophie returns to France and learns the truth about her mother and her grandmother and is able to heal from a lot of trauma and maybe even rekindle a little romance!  

This was one of those feel good books that just makes you happy when you are reading it.  Sophie is a great character that has ups and downs, but nothing overtly dramatic.  And of course, the romance is predictable, but aren't they all and we, the readers, are still satisfied with the ending that we know is coming.  

From what I can tell, this is Samantha Verant's debut fiction novel and I am crossing my fingers that she has more stories to tell!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 91 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Multi-Hyphen Life by Emma Gammon

The Multi-Hyphen Life

by Emma Gannon

Publisher: Andrews McMeel

Format: audiobook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  If you've been itching to convert your craft into a career, your side-hustle into a start-up, or just want to think about work-life balance in a new way, then The Multi-Hyphen Life is for you.

In The Multi-Hyphen Life award-winning British author-podcaster Emma Gannon explains that it doesn't matter if you're a part-time PA with a blog, or an accountant who runs an online store in the evenings—whatever your ratio, whatever your mixture, we can all channel our own entrepreneurial spirit to live more fulfilled and financially healthy lives.

Technology allows us to work wherever, whenever, and enables us to design our own working lives. Forget the outdated stigma of “jack of all trades, master of none,” because having many strings to your bow is essential to get ahead in the modern working world. We all have the skills necessary to work less and create more, and The Multi-Hyphen Life is the source of inspiration you need to help you navigate your way toward your own definition of success. 

Kritters Thoughts:  A book I enjoyed via audio which was narrated by the author.  Emma Gannon has been on my radar with her podcast as I follow other UK influencers that are in her circle.  When I saw this book was coming out, I was intrigued to hear her thoughts on how people my age can approach their work lives in different ways than our parents did.  

There were many moments where Emma's thoughts on work life really vary from my experience and the work life that I enjoy, but I appreciated hearing her side of things as they challenged my traditional viewpoints.  

And on the opposite side there were things she discussed about a side hustle that doesn't need to pay, but can bring value to your life and I immediately thought about books and this blog and although it doesn't pay the bills, it does bring me joy and an outlet for some of my time and energy.  

This was a short and quick listen and I enjoyed dipping in and out of it.  I always like it when the author reads their own work as they can emphasize the moments in the book that matter to them most.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Stepdaughter by Georgina Cross

TITLE AUTHOR 

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 266

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  It’s a normal afternoon when I walk out the patio doors of our kitchen to check on Mia, my stepdaughter, who is swimming in our backyard pool. But she’s gone. My heart stops when I see the back gate is open, her pink, fluffy towel lying folded on a chair. I was just feet away. Why didn’t I hear her scream? Who took our little girl?

My husband can’t understand how I could have let his daughter disappear. And when the police come asking questions, I wish I could wind back time to that normal afternoon when I was cooking lasagna for my family, Mia’s favorite. I can tell the officers don’t believe me: they’ve cast me as the evil stepmother.

I just wish I could understand the messages I’ve found from my husband on Mia’s phone: I’m so sorry, I still love you. And why his wedding ring is found at the bottom of the pool after Mia disappeared. He never told me it was missing. What else is he hiding?

But the detective keeps asking me where I was during those ten minutes when Mia vanished. And I can’t tell her my secret. From the way she’s looking at me, I know she thinks I did something to my stepdaughter. Mia and I haven’t always been that close and sometimes she drives me nuts, just like any normal teenager, but I would never hurt her.

I just need you to believe me. 

Kritters Thoughts:  A young girl goes missing, a strong swimmer that was last seen in her backyard pool with the house next door up in flames there are a lot of questions as to what happened to Mia and who caused the fire.  

Told through a lot of perspectives from the stepmother of Mia, the neighbor who lost her house and her mother who was possibly the last to see Mia, but is having memory issues.  I will always love a story that uses multiple perspectives to tell a story because I feel as though you get a fuller story from hearing from more than one perspectives.  

With short chapters and some that leave on such a hanging cliff, this book read so quickly that I started and finished it in a visit to my local pool.  Like most mystery/thrillers the twists and turns were timed so well and I enjoyed each of them, there was one that I predicted maybe a little too early, but that didn't ruin the reading experience as a whole for me.  

Another book that I was both sad and excited to find out it was a debut.  There is no backlist to dive into, but I can quietly anticipate her next book!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 85 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Bookouture.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: One Step Behind by Lauren North

One Step Behind

by Lauren North

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 368

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Jenna is a wife, a mother, a doctor. She’s also the victim of a stalker.

Every time she leaves her house, she sees him. Disturbing gifts are left at her door. Cruel emails are sent to her colleagues. She has no idea who this man is but she feels powerless against him.

Until the day he is brought into her hospital after a serious accident, and Jenna is given the chance to find out once and for all why this man is tormenting her. Now, the power is all hers.

But how many lines is she willing to cross to take back control of her life?

Kritters Thoughts:  Told from a few perspectives, this is not your typical mystery, instead it is more than just a mystery!  The main character, Jenna, is many things, but the one that gets most of her attention is being the victim of a crime that is hard to pinpoint and prosecute - being stalked.  There is a man behind every tree and is constantly around a corner and has not only impacted her life, but also her kids and her husband.  The other main perspective is another woman who is a personal trainer with a boyfriend who is beyond controlling and a brother who has seemed off since the day her parents adopted him.  Their worlds will collide . . . 

I read this book in two major sittings and devoured it!  Not just because I wanted to find out who the stalker was and the why, but because of the interesting addition of taking one of the characters back to their childhood and diving deep into their back story.  I am so thankful that the author included those chapters as they added so much more to this story and it wouldn't have felt complete without them.  

I don't want to go on too much because the twists and turns in this book are too good to be spoiled.  When I thought I had it figured out an extra little something was added in and it made the book's outcome even better than I could have predicted!  

I was excited to see after finishing this book, that she has a previous, may pick up that one really soon!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 88 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

With a holiday weekend and the husband working quite a bit of hours, a lot of reading happened!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Welcome to the Ballet School by Ashley Rouder

Containment by Nick Thacker

The Rejected Writers Book Club by Suzanne Kelman

Warrior Won by Meryl Davids Landau

Before the Crown by Flora Harding

Two Reasons to Run by Colleen Coble

Currently Reading:

She Gets That From Me by Robin Wells

Next on the TBR pile:

Eli's Promise by Ronald Balson

Review: Never Say No by Elizabeth Neep

Never Say No

by Elizabeth Neep 

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 301

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  It’s always been yes. Yes, I’ll be your friend. Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend. Yes, I’ll move in with you. Yes, yes, yes. I can’t just change my mind now. Can I?

Hailey has always been told she can have it all. And saying yes to every opportunity that comes her way seems like the obvious way to make sure she gets it.

When she finds an engagement ring hidden in her boyfriend Dom’s closet, she knows she’ll say yes.

Her best friend Sophie suggests they run a marathon together and although Hailey hasn’t done more than sprint for a bus in years, she says yes.

And every time her new boss, the infamous Vivian Jones, asks her to stay late (again) at her dream job, the answer is always yes.

But somewhere between saying ‘yes’ to Vivian’s latest demands and still trying to make it home on time for boxsets and burritos on the sofa with Dom, Hailey has lost sight of what she really wanted in the first place.

Far from winning at life, Hailey feels like she is fighting to juggle two very different worlds. When those worlds finally collide, could having it all actually mean losing everything?

Kritters Thoughts:  Hailey has just started the job of her dreams under the mentorship of a woman she has idolized for awhile.  She hopes to become a lawyer that makes headlines with cases that impact people.  At the same time she is trying to maintain her longtime relationship with her boyfriend and continue to be a good friend.  The new job keeps asking more and more of her and she must make some hard decisions about her priorities.

When I was pitched this book, I was very into the synopsis that accompanied the book, but I have to say that the synopsis nor the title didn't quite fit the book that I read.  I liked the story that I read, but would have made some changes to the title and the synopsis.  

The story I loved centered around Hailey and her struggle with a major career change and how that affects all the other areas of your life.  It is the time old issue of work life balance and is there ever really an ability to balance all the things you want to give your attention to and make sure you are being to do all the things you wish you could.  

I loved Hailey as a character to follow.  There were moments were I was definitely talking to the pages and encouraging her to make different decisions, but I enjoyed watching as she stumbled and made mistakes in hopes that she would end up in a good place.  It is also good when you want to know how a character's story will end.  

This was a nice and light read which is what I needed at the time of reading it.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 87 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Bookouture.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: All We Buried by Elena Taylor

All We Buried

by Elena Taylor

Publisher: Crooked Lane Brooks

Pages: 304

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Deep in the woods surrounding the Cascade mountain range, a canvas-wrapped body floats in a lake, right in Elizabeth "Bet" Rivers's jurisdiction. Bet has been sitting as interim sheriff of Collier after her father's--the previous sheriff's--death six months ago. Everyone knows everyone in a town like Collier. She has made it her duty to protect the people she's come to see as family. And she intends to hold her title in the upcoming election, but she's never worked a murder investigation on her own before and her opponent and deputy, Dale Kovac, isn't going down without a fight.

Upon unwrapping the corpse, Bet discovers the woman is from out of town. Without an identification, the case grows that much more puzzling. Determined to prove herself worthy, however, Bet must confront the warped history of Collier. The more she learns, the more she realizes she doesn't know the townspeople of Collier as well as she thought, and nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.

Kritters Thoughts:  The first in a mystery series where a young woman has returned to a small town in Washington state as her dad, the small town sheriff, has recently died and she has taken his place and returned home.  A professor who is in the area to research a lake in the small town finds a dead body wrapped in canvas and Bet is thrust into a murder investigation with a body that has been purposely altered to disallow identification.  With a small town, there are a lot of possible culprits and there is also history with Bet and each of them!

I am a sucker for a small town mystery as I grew up in a small town and I love the dynamics that happen in a small town.  With pent up history and feelings, I love that Bet as she investigates has these feelings impacting her investigation and her ability to see some of the clues.  While she is also trying to still deal with the recent death of her father and her mother who passed away a long time ago in a tragic way.  

The mystery in this book was self contained as they are typically in a mystery series.  I appreciated that the mystery in this book had some great ups and downs and tied into Bet's feelings from the past.  I am trying not to spoil, so I am vague to say that I loved what unfolded after the body was found in the lake and the road it sent Bet down.    

It was hard in this book to keep the three main families straight and I wished at the beginning of reading it that I had done a post it note to keep the families and their interminglings straight.  

For me part of my push to continue reading a series is a draw to the main character and I enjoyed Bet in this story and would love to know more about her.  I am excited to continue this series and follow Bet as she gets her feet grounded as the sheriff and has more cases come her way to solve.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 83 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

August - my favorite month!

source

With some extra time at the pool and a job change for my husband, August ended up being a great reading month.  I am hoping that the last few months of 2020 end the same!

1. The Search Party by Simon Lelic

2. The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

3. The Dazzling Truth by Helen Cullen

4. Summer at Hope Haven by Kristen Harper

5. The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden

6. Billions of Besties by Peggy Panosh

7. Never Say No by Elizabeth Neep

8. How to Make Hard Seltzer by Chris Colby

9. The Stepdaughter by Georgina Cross

10. One Step Behind by Lauren North

11. Exploring the White House by Kate Andersen Brower

12. The Multi-Hyphen Life by Emma Gannon

13. The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant

14. These Vengeful Hearts by Katherine Laurin

15. The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

16. Remember Me by Mario Escobar 17. Welcome to the Ballet School by Ashley Rouder

18. Containment by Nick Thacker

Total pages read, clicked and flipped: 5,591

Where having I been Reading?:

England (2)

Los Angeles, CA

Ireland

Connecticut

Alabama

London

Washington, DC

France

Kentucky

Spain

Albany, NY

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

The husband started a new job this week, so I have many more reading hours to fill!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Exploring the White House by Kate Andersen Brower

The Multi-Hyphen Life by Emma Gannon

The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant

These Vengeful Harts by Katherine Laurin

The Librarian of Boone's Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Remember Me by Mario Escobar

Currently Reading:

Containment by Nick Thacker

Next on the TBR pile:

Before the Crown by Flora Harding

Review: The Royal Governess by Wendy Holden

The Royal Governess

by Wendy Holden 

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 368

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In 1933, twenty-two-year-old Marion Crawford accepts the role of a lifetime, tutoring their Royal Highnesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. Her one stipulation to their parents the Duke and Duchess of York is that she bring some doses of normalcy into the sheltered and privileged lives of the two young princesses.

At Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Balmoral, Marion defies oppressive court protocol to take the girls on tube trains, swimming at public baths, and on joyful Christmas shopping trips at Woolworth’s. From her ringside seat at the heart of the British monarchy she witnesses the upheaval of the Abdication and the glamour and drama of the 1937 Coronation.

During the war, as Hitler’s Heinkels fly over Windsor, she shelters her charges in the castle dungeons (not far from where the Crown Jewels are hidden in a biscuit tin). Afterwards, she is there when Elizabeth first sets eyes on Philip. But being beloved governess and confidante to the Windsor family has come at a cost. She puts her private life on hold until released from royal service following Princess Elizabeth’s marriage in 1947.

Kritters Thoughts:  Did you ever wonder about the childhood of Queen Elizabeth II?  What kind of schooling did she go through to prepare her for the life ahead of her?  How much did her uncle's actions affect her?

To be fair before I continue, I will admit I am a huge fan of all things royal.  All generations and all things royal.  I love historical fiction and combine that with my love of royal things then you have entered my wheelhouse!  Through the eyes of a governess who always strived to educate those who education could elevate themselves out of their circumstances, ends up devoting her life to trying to educate the future monarch.  And she forsook her own life and at a certain point due to a decision she made she was ostracized and this is her story before she was "kicked" out of the firm.  

I loved getting the insider look of all the royal homes and the day to day royal life through a character that got a close view of the workings of the royal family.  Marion Crawford tried to give the royal children real world experiences in the hope that when they became "rulers" they would have a realistic world view of their subjects and the people that lived in the country in order to make good decisions for the greater good.  I loved how she tried to give Elizabeth and Margaret well rounded educations, I believe that she probably contributed to Elizabeth's likability across the world.  

Although fiction, I appreciated that this book was rooted in truth and my hope is that there is a lot of truth to back up this story.  After reading this book, I am intrigued to read the book that Marion authored herself and the one that changed her life and standing with the royal family.  

If you have read The Gown by Jennifer Robson, you would love this book, if you loved this book you should go read The Gown!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 82 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Summer at Hope Haven by Kristin Harper

Summer at Hope Haven

by Kristin Harper 

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 276

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Making her way up the cedar-lined driveway, tears fill her eyes at the sight of the cottage’s faded trim and peeling turquoise shutters. Taking a deep breath, she grasps the heart-shaped iron door handle and steps inside the once-happy childhood home she’s been avoiding. It is time to face up to the past…

When Emily’s fiancé walks out on her while she’s still grieving the loss of her family in a terrible accident, she escapes back to Hope Haven on the remote Dune Island, where her family vacationed every summer. Emily hopes that fixing up the house will also mend her broken heart, but the cottage holds more than just bittersweet childhood memories. Emptying her father’s antique writing desk, Emily finds a letter that reveals a devastating secret about her parents.

With a head full of questions that can never be answered, it seems like returning to the island was the worst decision Emily ever made… until she meets Lucas Socorro, saltwater dripping from his dark curls after a surf session. As they take long walks on the soft sand, and talk late into the firefly-lit night, Emily wonders if Dr Luke—as the kids in the hospital call him—could be the one to help her heal. With Luke holding her hand, delving into her family’s painful past is a little easier.

Painting the gloomy cottage walls the colour of seashells, and revamping her grandmother’s flea-market furniture, Emily starts to feel she might call Dune Island home for good—and that she could build that home right here with Luke. But when Emily’s family secret spreads through a network of local gossips, her fragile heart breaks all over again. Luke is the only one who could have started the rumours. Was she wrong to trust him so easily?

As the sun sets behind the dunes, Emily has a difficult decision to make. Does she pack her bags and leave the island for good? Or take a risk that Hope Haven has everything she’s been looking for?

Kritters Thoughts:  Emily is still reeling from a tragedy that changed her life forever, so she decides to spend a summer at a place that has always finds herself comfort - a cottage on the water.  With friends close and a small town hospital that is in need of art, Emily finds a place that will help her heal and maybe even confront a few things to help her move into the next phase of her life.  Oh and of course there is a romance wrapped into this book!

I loved this story.  It was the exact thing I needed to read when I did.  Yes, it was a romance book, but it had such great plot and was more than just the romance that was happening in the pages.  Emily's battle with grief and the stages that she was going through was enjoyable to read.  I liked that Luke the love interest was also more than just a love interest, he had his own things he was battling and it added such depth to the story.  

Romance is a genre that will always be a place to escape to when reading is hard and this one fit the bill.  I was excited and disappointed when I finished to find out this was a debut because there isn't a backlist for me to dive into, but there is hope for many more to come!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 81 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Bookouture.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Dazzling Truth by Helen Cullen

The Dazzling Truth

by Helen Cullen 

Publisher: 384

Pages: Harlequin

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  One Irish family. Three decades. One dazzling story.

In the courtyards of Trinity College, Dublin, in 1978, aspiring actress Maeve meets pottery student Murtagh Moone. As their relationship progresses, marriage and motherhood come in quick succession, but for Maeve, with the joy of children also comes the struggle to hold on to the truest parts of herself.

Decades later, on a small Irish island, the Moone family are poised for celebration but instead are struck by tragedy. Each family member must find solace in their own separate way, until one dazzling truth brings them back together. But as the Moone family confront the past, they also journey toward a future that none of them could have predicted. Except perhaps Maeve herself.

Kritters Thoughts:  With a prologue where the reader finds out the matriarch has died, the story is set to begin and end tragically.  Murtagh and Maeve Moone meet and marry and soon enter parenthood.  With hints at postpartum depression, this book is subtle and sly, but if read closely and clearly it can make quite a punch.

After the prologue, the reader is taken back in time as this family is built and goes through moments as time as four children come along and the family deals with the ups and downs of life - maybe more downs for a few of them.  This book had plot, but was really all about the characters.  It took me a bit to get connected with the characters and really be invested in following their journeys.  I wanted to see where this family would end up and where the prologue would fit in the story - I was glad where it landed and that there was story to be had after the tragedy occurred.  

This story does take place in Ireland, but it could have taken place anywhere.  If the setting makes you hesitate, I would advise against it as this story is more about the family involved than the setting, it could have been any remote place you can think of.  

I enjoyed the book, but for me it took a lot of effort to get into and to keep reading, of course it could have been completely me and the moment that I read it.

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 80 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Harlequin.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.