romance

Review: Letters From Skye: A Novel by Jessica Brockmole

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74627_597905486915923_2067879884_nI read this book non-stop. Dinner, social media and other distractions were forgotten as I read each letter. David sends Elspeth fan mail, expressing his love for one of her poetry books. David lives in Illinois. Elspeth lives on Isle of Skye, Scotland. They continue to write letters and become friends. David even has a nickname for her. She tells him that she is married but decides that it’s too formal for him to call her Mrs. Dunn. She tells him that he can call her anything that he wishes. He settles on Sue.

With each, the intimacy grows between them. They share their fears and dreams as well as have some laughs. However, things began to change as Great Britain goes to war against Germany.

Next you see letters that Elspeth has written to her daughter Margaret. Elspeth expresses concern that Margaret is falling in love to with her childhood friend, Paul. She cautions Margaret to think through Paul’s proposal.

A bomb nearby causes damage to Elspeth’s bedroom. Margaret goes in and sees that her mother is safe but she is trying to gather up letters that have fallen out the cracked wall. Margaret picks up one letter without her mother noticing. The next day, her mother disappears.

With this one letter, Margaret slowly pieces together what happened in her mother’s past and her relationship with David. With the support of Paul, Margaret unravels the mystery in hopes of locating her mother.

I adore epistolary novels and this one was a delight to read. Spanning two world wars, the letters speak much of love
and family. This book has historical elements. Don’t read this book if you are looking to immerse yourself in WWI and WWII history.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

– Thalia

Buy It Now Letters from Skye: A Novel

Review: Blackmoore: A Proper Romance by Julianne Donaldson

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This was simply a beautiful book.  The writing was beautiful, I fell in love with Henry, felt agony for Kate and hatred towards her mother. The literary descriptions of the moors, how desolately charming they are and of the Blackmoore estate with how hauntingly ideal they appear to Kate definitely call to mind novels of another era. But in a wonderful way.

Kate grows up feeling smothered in her house due to her overwhelming mother.  Kate witnesses her mother use under handed tactics to get her daughters married off to the best of the best. She has no shame and doesn’t mind blackmail or basically any means. Kate is horrified by the lack of love and doesn’t see marriage as anything to aspire to.

Kate wants nothing more than to be able to escape to Blackmoore- her childhood friend, Henry Delaforte’s estate. She’s heard all about it each summer and thinks it sounds wonderful.  Henry and Kate have played together since they were children, study together and when Kate figures out a way to go to Blackmoore for the summer she grabs it. She’s going to go there and then leave directly for India for adventure with her aunt. Her mother tells her the only way that will happen is if she receives and rejects 3 marriage proposals during her time there. Kate accepts the challenge and sets off to make it happen.

In the books description it says “It is Wuthering Heights meets Little Women with a delicious must-read twist”. I would definitely not say that because I hated Wuthering Heights with a passion, I thought it was boring and dull and this book is anything but that.

I’m not one to cry at book but at the last 20% or so I was on the verge of tears the entire time. Both good and bad tears, just waiting to see what would happen.  I would highly recommend this book.

5 stars to the first book that makes me want to go revisit my favorite classics in a long time.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

– Clio

Buy it Now Blackmoore: A Proper Romance

 

Review: Losing Hope, by Colleen Hoover

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Give me a moment to collect myself……

5 stars isn’t enough. It’s a 10!!

I fell in love with Holder all over again. I remember being heartbroken when he talked about Les, in Hopeless, but hearing it from his POV was downright overwhelming. It broke my heart watching as he went through the loss of his twin, while still dealing with the loss of Hope. The poor boy.

I wasn’t expecting to feel any different than I did when I read Hopeless, but I was wrong. Holder lived and breathed his sister and finding Hope. But when she is taken from him, “It was like all our hope was taken right along with our Hope.” *wipes eyes*

When he meets Sky and starts hoping she’s not Hope, I started to lose it. I really didn’t want her to be Hope either, but I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

The best first kiss without even kissing…WOW! That was so very hot! “I need to know for sure that you’re feeling every single thing that I’m feeling the moment my lips touch yours. Because I want your first kiss to be the best first kiss in the history of first kisses.” *swoon*

When he found the notebook and starting writing letters, I felt my heart break after every one.

When he found the letter…I had to step away. I knew, but yet I didn’t know. I wanted to reach in and hold onto him and never let him go.

“In order to miss someone, that means you were privileged enough to have them in your life to begin with.”

Holy cow. I just can’t get myself together. This was an amazing book. Colleen Hoover just made my heart break and then slowly put it back together. I will never be the same though. This book did a number on me. As do all of her books. I don’t know how she does it, but I am thankful she does.

-Melpomene

Buy it now Losing Hope: A Novel

Review: A Good Time by Shannyn Schroeder

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This book is combination of a bad soap opera and The Maury Povich Show. Almost every clichéd trope that you can think of is in here.

The heroine, Indy, has a lot of TSTL moments that make me not care for her. Example? Indy is a real estate agent during the day and a server at a bar in the evening. She’s waiting for that large commission to get her career going. She has an opportunity with Griffin, a millionaire, who hired her as a favor for his best friend. For their first meeting, she shows up late and hungover.

Another example? She keeps telling him that she doesn’t sleep with her clients. Guess what she does almost immediately?

Now, let’s talk about Griffin. He has a tragic past that includes his father, whom he doesn’t want around. He is described as video game developer, but you don’t see him doing this in the book. It’s more about him trying to establish a charitable foundation to help troubled youth.

Indy broke up with her boyfriend and decides that Griffin would be the perfect rebound guy. Despite them having lots of sex, I really didn’t feel the chemistry. I was also very bored by the blandness of Griffin and the stupidity of Indy that I didn’t care if they made it as couple.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

~Thalia

Buy It Now A Good Time (O`Learys)