Review: The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter

This book has been high up on my TBR list for the better part of a year. I have been so excited to read it since I was part of the cover reveal last year and since then I received the coolest book package for this one and it only brought my eagerness to a fever pitch! One of the things that appealed to me so much about this one was its relevance and relatability especially for me as a mom.

Thanks to social media and over the top reality tv, the desire to create the ‘perfect photo op’ is at an all time high. When I had my son, I spent many a midnight hour scrolling mindlessly through Instagram and Facebook at all the perfectly curated baby boutique ads and of course all the tediously arranged and carefully coordinated nurseries and first birthday shoots. To be perfectly honest, I had a massive Pinterest board going for my son’s first birthday party before he was even six months old.

While I loved seeing all the perfect pictures of all the baby and family things, there was a large part of me that was aware that a snapshot isn’t a true picture of all going on. So, after reading this summary, I knew that I would find something I could relate to in some way. Plus I was eager to read a fresh new thriller!

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Review: Because of Miss Bridgerton (Rokesbys #1) by Julia Quinn

After binge reading the Bridgerton books this winter, I immediately went out and bought a bunch of other Julia Quinn books and I couldn’t wait to dive in and read them! But I wasn’t really sure where to start. When it was time for our Arizona vacation, I thought this would be the perfect book to take with me since it was a light read that I could set down if I needed to.

We were flying with a four year old so I wanted to make sure I had a book that I could set down and pick up five minutes later and not have to go back and re-read the paragraph before to recall what was going on. That’s what I love about romances, they are so great for light reading that you can get distracted from and then come back to and not really miss a beat!

Honestly you can’t go wrong with Julia Quinn. Her dialogue is snappy, funny, and sassy. I love her characters and the romances are cute and believable with some steam but they don’t cross over into distasteful. I will gladly read any of her books and since finishing this one, I have ordered the next in the series as well as picked up a few others to read. I simply can’t get enough of her books!

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Special Feature: The Undercover Duke (Duke Dynasty #4) by Sabrina Jeffries

Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Zebra Books

Series: Duke Dynasty, Book 4
Genre: Historical Romance

Bridgerton fans and readers of Madeline Hunter, Eloisa James, and Lisa Kleypas won’t want to miss this humorous and clever new love story from the historical romance legend.

Along with his stepsiblings, Sheridan Wolfe, Duke of Armitage, is determined to finally solve the mysteries behind the suspicious deaths of their mother’s three husbands. Tasked with investigating a possible suspect, Sheridan finds himself in dangerous proximity to her captivating daughter, Vanessa Pryde. But still haunted by a tragically lost love, the duke is resolved to resist the attraction—and avoid any “scheming” husband-hunters. Besides, lovely Miss Pryde seems utterly smitten with a roguish London playwright…

Vanessa thinks a little scheming may be in order—for it’s Sheridan she truly has her sights, and her heart, set on. Her theatrical flirtation is intended only to break through his business-like demeanor and guarded emotions. And as Sheridan’s jealousy becomes aroused, the two soon find themselves propelled into a scheme of an altogether different kind, involving a pretend engagement, a secret inquiry—and a perhaps not-so-secret leap into true love…

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BAM | Kobo | Google | IndieBound

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Special Feature: Castle Shade (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #17) by Laurie R. King

I absolutely fell in love with Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes when I randomly picked up The Bee Keepers Assistant years ago. I have since only read a few books in the series and sadly skipped around quite a bit. Now here we are with book 17 being released! I couldn’t believe how far behind I got in this series! Rather than skip around again by picking this one up, I decided to go back and re-read the other books in the series first. So in the coming months you will see more reviews for this series being posted!

But I did want to get this one on your radar! This is a series where you definitely can skip around, I have and I haven’t been too lost. The principal characters are timeless and the author always does a great job keeping new readers and long time fans abreast of the goings on in Mary and Holmes’s lives. Plus the focus is on the mystery so you could easily pick up this book (or any in the series) and find something to love about the characters and stories/mysteries.

If you are a fan of lady detective novels like Veronica Speedwell, Georgie from Her Royal Spyness series, Lady Darby and a host of others, then this series will appeal to you. King is an experienced writer who has kept the character of Sherlock Holmes alive and solving crime with his lady love through ages and I think it’s fantastic. This is a smart, well written series and I have no doubt this latest installment will be equally enjoyable and fun to read! It is out now so make sure to check it out!

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Special Feature: Haven Point by Virginia Hume

There is something about books set on a beach with a rocky coastline that really speaks to me. Probably because the Oregon coast is rocky and stormy, so whenever I see books set in other locations with a rocky coast, I am often drawn to them! Haven Point is set in Maine and promises to be a fantastic beach read even if the beach itself isn’t a white sandy beach with pina coladas! This setting is a little more rocky but no less captivating!

This book caught my eye for a couple of reasons, one of which being the generational feel of the book. It hits some key points in history, the 1940s, the 1970s and a more modern 2008. I liked how the author wanted to connect multiple periods in American history with the larger character driven narrative. It sounded like a great read and I am super excited to read this one a little later this summer.

I think the setting of the book is going to offer readers a new type of beach read and something they can sink their teeth into while they are hitting their road, beach or the skies for vacations this summer. The book is currently out now and being met with critical acclaim! Full of drama, secrets, beaches, and of course history, this one hits the high notes for me so make sure to get this one on your radar!

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