Publisher: Berkley

Our Last Days in Barcelona by Chanel Cleeton | ARC Review

Posted May 16, 2022 in ARCs, Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

When I tell you that I LOVE the epic story of the Perez family that Chanel Cleeton has created, I am not kidding! Every installment in the series is an instant “add-to-TBR” book for me, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review an early copy of the newest addition to the Perez family’s history, Our Last Days in Barcelona. In Cleeton’s newest novel, readers follow eldest Perez sister Isabel who’s often been in the background as the dutiful, quiet sister. After a few years from their escape from Cuba to Florida, Isabel has been married off to […]

Ramon and Julieta by Alana Albertson | ARC Review

Posted January 31, 2022 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

Every year I try and make it a priority to read several books by Latinx authors and/or books that feature Latinx characters, and I’m pleased that I got to kick off 2022 with Ramón and Julieta! Not only was I getting to dive into a diverse romance set in San Diego, but I was intrigued that it was a retelling as well! Add in a stunning cover and a focus on food and I was so excited to read this one! Beginning on Día de los Muertos, Ramón and Julieta follows romantic protagonists from two very different walks of life, […]

Romance Mini Reviews | The Love Hypothesis and Witch Please

Posted January 10, 2022 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments

I feel like I haven’t heard of a contemporary romance getting this much hype since The Hating Game. After what felt like an unbearably long library wait, I finally got to dive into this graduate school set romance and when I tell you I was addicted, I mean it! I love books set in college (though I still feel as though there’s a huge lack of) and I’ve never read a book set in grad school, so that alone made this one really unique! I loved Olive, loved her determination, her naivety, her dedication to her research and her pursuing […]

Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia (Harlem Renaissance Mystery #1) | Review

Posted July 26, 2021 in Books, Reviews / 1 Comment

I love a good historical fiction novel, so when I saw this 1920s story that was ALSO a mystery I knew I had to read it! Darker than I originally anticipated, Dead Dead Girls is a thriller set against a vibrant backdrop of 1920s Harlem. I was instantly sucked into the story by it’s action packed first chapter, which features a young Louise (our protagonist) being kidnapped and then managing to attack and escape along with several other girls the man had kidnapped. While it was a bit of a jarring intro to the book, it sets the stage for […]

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto | Review

Posted July 5, 2021 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I’ve recently discovered the cozy/humorous mystery genre, and have been consistently delighted with the genre’s irreverent, laugh out loud antics and outlandish premises. Dial A for Aunties fits the bill perfectly, and despite a slow start once they mystery got going I was so amused I could not put it down! The story centers on protagonist Meddy who has stayed in her Southern California town with her mother and aunties despite her aspirations for a bigger and better life outside of her tight knit family structure. While she at times resents staying home and working in the family wedding business, […]

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton | ARC Review

Posted May 3, 2021 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I love when a historical fiction novel leaves me feeling both entertained and educated, and that is without a doubt the experience I get every time I pick up a Chanel Cleeton novel. Another sweeping tale set between Cuba and the United States, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba is another standout from the Cuban-American author. Similarly to the structure of Cleeton’s previous novel, The Last Train to Key West, her newest installment rotates between three POVs of strong women who are each facing unique challenges either in Cuba or the US during the late 1800s when Cuba is fighting […]

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith | Review

Posted November 30, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I adore books about food, so when I saw the premise for a food truck centered romance set in one of my favorite places in the world (Hawaii), I knew I HAD to read it! It was like a dream premise and my Food Network loving heart was ready to be wowed by the Maui food truck scene. The novel centers on protagonist Nikki, who owns and operates a Filipino cuisine food truck with her mother on the Hawaiian island of Maui after moving there to deal with a family emergency. As per the synopsis, a rivalry forms between her […]

The Au Pair by Emma Rous | ARC Review

Posted January 21, 2019 in Books, Reviews / 3 Comments

*Many thanks to Berkely and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review!* In today’s over saturated world of mediocre thrillers, it can be hard to find one that simultaneously manages to surprise me and that’s well written. So many thriller novels I actually find work better for me in a movie format, so I’m always on a hunt for a solidly written mystery/thriller that manages to create an unsettling, atmospheric world on the page. That’s exactly what I experienced with The Au Pair to my delight, and found myself completely immersed in a mystery that not […]

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory | Review

Posted April 30, 2018 in Reviews / 4 Comments

There’s been so much buzz around The Wedding Date for months now that I was certain it’d be a perfect read for me: diverse, set in California, adult fiction (which I’ve been craving more and more of these days). etc. I’m also 100% obsessed with all things wedding related since I’m in the midst of planning my own wedding, so I was thrilled to see the protagonists meet and bond over a ritzy San Francisco wedding. Unfortunately, The Wedding Date completely missed the mark for me, and has fallen to the bottom of my list of 2018 reads so far. […]

Book Buddies Review: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Posted February 24, 2016 in Book Buddies Reviews, Reviews / 2 Comments

Cristina and Lauren Read: Book Buddies is a discussion style review I participate in every other month with my friend Lauren who runs the blog Bookmarklit. We choose a themed book for the month, read it, and the have a discussion where we both discuss themes and aspects that really stood out to us. Book Buddy Reviews are posted during the last week of the month.You can see our review in a Q&A format with half posted here, and half on Lauren’s blog! 1) Throughout the book, the impression is given that “Old Alice,” the 29 year old version of […]