NetGalley Reviewer nix21230

Her Vengeful King is the first book in the dark mafia romance series Black Hearts. Callum Murphy is the heir to the Irish Mafia in Boston and he's always satisfied his needs with one-night stands, never even missing something more long lasting. Haley Savino, a former surgeon in the army, as sworn off men since she was young, keeping busy with studying and later her medical army career.   The two meet via Callum's younger brother who served with Haley and the chemistry is undeniable.  Stauber has created a fantastic plot, with many characters likely to have their own books in the future. Superb pace and suspense throughout, and very believable characters; a great first book in the series!   Thank You to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for allowing me to read this hot eARC. This book is available now.  #HerVengefulKing #NetGalley

It may be true that " Sailing is going nowhere, slowly, and at great expense" , but this book is definitely going places, and at great speed! Becca Larkin is in the final stages of her divorce from her husband of more than 20 years. After Becca is refusing to contest the prenup, the judge awards her a sailing yacht named after her. Sailing has never really been her thing; her ex husband is however very fond of the yacht...  With the help of the good looking, Irish sailing instructor Grant Murphy, she quickly manages to find a buyer, but the yacht has to be delivered seventeen hundred miles away. Becca decides to do the trip herself, together with her daughter Liv; a great bonding opportunity for them both.  After a while it becomes clear that even if Liv has formal sailing experience, they are way behind schedule and they need to find help. Kelly Harms has written a fantastic story about mother and daughter relationship, second chances and bravery; to keep on going even w...

I've previously read the Stag Brothers series by Lainey Davis, and was intrigued to see her works in a different genre.  I picked this particular book as I'm usually drawn to books set in STEM areas, especially when strong females are included.  The author beautifully mixes different upbringings, social classes, religions and also provides a nod to the LGBTQI+ community with the inclusion of the non-binary character Shane; let's hope this becomes mainstream so I don't even feel the need to mention it in a review!  I thoroughly enjoyed the way Sam and AJ were portrayed as well as the other characters, especially Sam's diverse group of FOOF* friends. AJ's friends were more in the background in this story, but I'm hoping they'll all get their own books going forward. A great first book in the series! The second book in the Bridges and Bitter series, Liquid Courage, is already available and I'm guessing there're a few more to come covering Sam's ...

This book is your wakeup call, to stop living a half-life; to instead see possibilities and opportunities for learning rather than risks, to get your priorities right (and it ain't getting more likes on Instagram), and to being grateful for what you already have.  Or in Lindner's own words: "The Half-Known Life challenges conventional thinking about success, identity, and personal change. It’s about what’s real and exploring answers to the right questions, perhaps allowing you a different life perspective and helping you to take the first step toward change." As Lindner sets out very clearly in his book, our 'priorities change when time becomes precious'. With limited time left, we typically reevaluate what's important. Why not do it now? Before you have a time limit to your life? The book is jam packed with the wisdom gathered by Lindner after his two cardiac arrests, and various coaching discussions with his clients (who he doesn't always agree with ...

Amazing feel-good, inspirational story, based on a young woman, Alex, getting a serious medical diagnosis. It may sound like a lot of doom and gloom, but it really isn't. It's a beautiful story, filled of supportive friendships and inspirational hope. To take a break and come to terms (hopefully!) with her medical condition, Alex embarks on an impulsive journey using a bucket list she created with her younger sister many years ago. Once back from the trip a few weeks later, she is ready to face reality, surrounded by her family, friends and colleagues (who are more like friends) and a new found love.  Highly recommended; this is a fantastic book for escaping the world for a few hours.  #Happyish #NetGalley

Travel writing, inspirational and humour all mixed together; and what a better place to cover than beloved Cornwall!  Grant, a disgruntled photography teacher based in the US, lets faith decide where he's going on holiday and ends up booking a solo walking holiday along parts of the Cornish coast in the UK. The travel organiser books small B&B's along the route and also arranges for Grant's luggage to seamlessly arrive at the next destination. All Grant has to do is walk; or catch the bus... This is as much about the beautiful coastal path in Cornwall, as it is about Grant taking a thorough look at his own life and figuring out what he really wants to do. Some of that decision is taken from him, but he finds a way.   Thank you for an amazingly entertaining book.  PS. I don't usually comment on other reviews, but having seen one mentioning lots of swearing and the f-bomb, and taking off TWO stars for that, I did a search and I only found ONE location with anything...

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan I requested this book as I run a book club for quilters and I always pick quilting or sewing related novels for us. I was expecting this to be very much about the sewing circle members working on various projects and sharing their life stories. But, there is not much of that, instead this book is so much more; it's about strong, independent women, breaking the norms and expectations of society, and creating their own independent lives during the second world war.  Cressida , a famous fashion designer supplying the rich and famous in London, has her whole world turned upside down when both her home and work buildings are bombed in the same raid. After spending a night in a shelter with other survivors she contacts Hugh, her nephew, who's in charge of the old ancestral home in Aldhurst, Kent. He offers her to come and stay, so she catches the train with only the clothes she's wearing and a tiny handbag which she managed to gra...