Romance

Trading Secrets by Rachael Eckles Review

January 5, 2021 by Leah Leave a Comment

As a writer myself, I enjoy reading novels by new authors. I get excited to see someone get their first novel published. In a sense, it gives me hope that I will finish my novel AND get it published myself. As a result, when I was approached to read Trading Secrets by Rachael Eckles, it was a no brainer, instant yes from me. Not only did the synopsis sound very interesting, but this novel is her first, and it makes me really happy to read debut novels!

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I received a Kindle copy of this novel from the author, for the purpose of this review*

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Synopsis of Trading Secrets

Celeste Donovan, a high-powered finance executive, seems to have it all–the penthouse apartment, the supermodel physique with a mathematician mind, and a trail of beautiful men she has loved and left behind.

But when her boyfriend Theodore is killed in a mysterious accident, she discovers Omar, her abusive ex she had hoped would never resurface, is behind his death.

Now she’s caught in a game of cat and mouse, trying to anticipate Omar’s next move, as she realizes he will stop at nothing to get to her. She sets out alone on a whirlwind journey to entrap him, determined to put an end to Omar’s destruction.

Soon Celeste is thrust in the middle of the largest financial scandal in decades. This time, however, powerful government officials are in bed with some of the world’s most dangerous men.

When she discovers that those she thought she knew best are involved in a secret society warring with Omar and his coconspirators, she must decide how far she will go to avenge Theodore’s death and whether she is willing to risk her own life to save everyone she loves.

Doesn’t it sound intriguing?!?

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this debut novel by Rachael Eckles. One thing I really like in this book, is the strong female lead character. And let me tell you, Celeste Donovan is probably the strongest female lead I have ever read in a book. I must warn you that this book is definitely for 18+ as it does contain explicit sex scenes. As a result, having the strong female lead, this would be a good book to be made into a movie.

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About the Author, Rachael Eckles

Rachael Eckles grew up in the midwest. It was after finishing law school, that she decided to move to the east coast. She is currently living in Manhattan with her puppy! As I mentioned, Trading Secrets is her first novel. However, she is currently working on book two in the Trading Secrets trilogy! While you wait, you can keep up with Rachael by following her on social media.

To learn more about Rachael Eckles and Trading Secrets, visit her website.

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

September 23, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

There are three things I love about books. First, when I find a new (to me) author. I love reading everything by authors I like, but finding a new author opens me up to so much more. Second, series books. I get invested in the characters and almost miss them when I am done with a book. If there is a series and I get to stay with those characters for awhile, I get excited! Finally, when books are made into a movie and I find out AFTER I have started the book. Reading the book before seeing the movie is the only way for me. With Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes, hits all three of my favorite things about books.

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes (2013-11-07)After You: A Novel (Me Before You Trilogy)Still Me: A Novel (Me Before You Trilogy)

About Me Before You

From Amazon –

Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life – steady boyfriend, close family – who has never been farther afield than her tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life – big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel – and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy – but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A love story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common – a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, what do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans

My Thoughts

When someone recommended Me Before You to me, I was a little unsure if I would like it. I don’t always like to read romance novels. However, this book is not your typical romance novel. The beginning grabbed my attention, almost immediately. Which, again, is not normal for me when I am reading a new (to me) author. Usually it takes me a bit to get into because I am getting used to the authors writing style. Not this time. Jojo Moyes has an incredible way of developing her characters and forcing the reader, through her writing, feel exactly what each character was feeling. I can’t tell you enough, just how much I truly enjoyed this book. I almost always watch the movie, after reading the book, but I don’t know if I want to this time. That’s how much I enjoyed the book. I don’t want the movie to ruin it for me.

Part of a Series

Like I mentioned at the beginning, Me Before You is part of a series. I literally cannot wait to start book two. Unfortunately, I have to wait a little bit, as there are no copies available for loan from my library just yet. The other books in series are After You and Still Me. I will definitely be reading those two books as soon as possible!

Carolyn Brown – The Family Journal

March 2, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

Imagine being a single mother and finding your child smoking pot in a public restroom. That would be pretty shocking, right? Well, let’s take things a step further, and imagine also finding out that your other child is sneaking out and drinking with friends. You need to take drastic steps to turn your children around, right? Right! In the great book, The Family Journal by Carolyn Brown, that is exactly what main character, Lily Anderson was facing.

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

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The Family Journal by Carolyn Brown

I’ve read one or two other books by Carolyn Brown and I absolutely loved them. When I saw The Family Journal, I knew I had to read it! This book was like the others I had read by the same author, in the sense that I could not put the book down.

Book Description from Amazon

At the end of her rope, single mom Lily Anderson is determined to move her rebellious children in the right direction. That means taking away their cell phones, tablets, and computers—at least temporarily—and moving to the house where Lily grew up in the rural town of Comfort, Texas. But Lily has a bigger challenge than two sulking kids.

The house comes with Mack Cooper, high school teacher and handsome longtime renter. The arrangement: just housemates. But Mack’s devoted attention to the kids starts to warm Lily’s resistant heart. Then Lily finds an old leather-bound book in which five generations of her female ancestors shared their struggles and dreams. To Lily, it’s a bracing reminder about the importance of family…and love.

Now it’s time for Lily to add an adventurous new chapter to the cherished family journal—by embracing a fresh start and taking a chance on a man who could make her house a home.

The Family Journal The Perfect Dress The Empty Nesters

My Thoughts

I already told you that I could not put the book down! That seems to be the theme lately with the books I’ve read. But, then again, when I like an author, I tend to read everything they write. Like James Patterson. He’s one of my favorite authors, so I read everything he writes. The same holds true with Carolyn Brown. I have read a few of her books and I plan on reading more!

In The Family Journal, Lily Anderson finds a journal in her moms things. This journal was written in by the women in her family. Not only does Lily learn about the strong women in her family that came before her, but she shares that journal with her daughter, which helped repair their relationship. As much as Lily Anderson and her daughter loved reading the various passages in the journal, I also enjoyed reading them. It made me stop and think about what the women in my family would write about if they had a journal like that to pass down.

About Kindle Unlimited

I read all of my books on my Kindle Paperwhite or with my Kindle app on my iPhone. Why? Well, first of all, why not?! No seriously…I choose to use a Kindle Paperwhite because I spend a lot of my time sitting at my kids schools or sports practices. The Kindle is small and easy to just throw in my purse, unlike a big hardcover book. One of the things I really like is the Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans. With this plan, I can have access to thousands and thousands of books each month! Try out Kindle Unlimited for FREE for the first month. If you don’t like it, cancel it! But I bet you will love it as much as I do!

What Should I Read Next?

Mystery Romance – Before We Were Strangers

February 23, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but I when I like an author, I have to read everything that author puts out. For instance, I really like Bella Forrest. So much so, I have read almost every book she has published in her A Shade of a Vampire Series. We’re talking like 80+ books in that series so far. Brenda Novak is another author I enjoy reading. When I saw she had a new book out, Before we were Strangers, I knew I had to read it. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It had me turning the pages and reading late into the night like her other books have done. This mystery romance had me hooked!

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

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About This Mystery Romance Novel

I typically read psychological thrillers. You know, the books that scare you while you are reading them. However, I also like romance books, as well. Not so much the books filled with sex scenes, though I did read Fifty Shades of Grey, but the stories that has two main characters finding love. You know, in a Hallmark Movie kind of way! Sometimes you just need a little happy ending, with a side of love, thrown into a good mystery!

About the book, From Amazon

Something happened to her mother that night. Something no one wants to talk about. But she’s determined to uncover her family’s dark secrets, even if they bury her.

Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn’t sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. And then there was that other sound—the ominous thump before all went quiet.

In the morning, her mother was gone.

The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn’t sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn’t just difficult—he was deadly.

Now another traumatic loss forces Sloane to realize she owes it to her mother to find out the truth, even if it means returning to a small town full of secrets and lies, a jilted ex-boyfriend, and a father and brother who’d rather see her silenced. But as Sloane starts digging into the past, the question isn’t whether she can uncover what really happened that night…it’s what will remain of her family if she does?

Her Darkest Nightmare (Dr. Evelyn Talbot Novels Book 1)Before We Were Strangers Hello Again (Dr. Evelyn Talbot Novels Book 2)

My Thoughts

Like every other book I have read by Brenda Novak, I loved it! It’s very hard to review this book, without giving things away. So I will suffice it to say that things are at all the way they seem. Just when you think you have it figured out, a twist is thrown at you. However, with that said, Brenda Novak does an excellent job of tying up loose ends and giving the reader exactly what they want. It took me about three days to read this book. We traveled to Florida last week for a soccer tournament. I read the entire time we were on the plane, as well as at the gate in between flights. I also read a few nights when I couldn’t fall asleep. When I say I couldn’t put this book down, I really could not put it down.

Do You have a Kindle?

One of my absolute favorite things I own is my Kindle Paperwhite. It’s lightweight and can fit in my purse. Which made it super easy for me to take on the airplane. I simply stored a few books on it and I was good to go. The battery lasts for weeks! It’s truly amazing. With my Kindle Paperwhite, I also have a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. Since I spend so much of my time sitting and waiting for kids to be done with school or sports, I read a lot. With Kindle Unlimited, I have access to thousands of books that I can read for free! Check out the Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans and see if that is something you would like to try out. Your first month is absolutely free! So check out Kindle unlimited and read this great mystery romance novel and more!

Merry Hanukkah Series: Happy Everything

October 2, 2019 by Leah Leave a Comment

Reading is one of my passions. I would read all day, every day, if I could. There are a few things I look for when I am looking for a book to read. First, I look for books by authors I have read before; second, I look for series books; and third, I look for books with serial killers. Happy Everything, part of the Merry Hanukkah series by Debby Caruso has two of those three things! I’ll let you guess which one it doesn’t have! When I was asked if I would like to receive a copy of this book for the purpose of this review, I jumped at the chance.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

About the Merry Hanukkah Series

So like I mentioned above, I love series books. I get super invested in the characters, almost like they are my friends, and I want to read more and more books with those same characters. The first book in the Merry Hanukkah series (Merry Hanukkah) introduces us to Rhonda and James and the joys of blending their two lives and families together. When I finished that book, I truly hoped that Debby Caruso had another book started with Rhonda and James. She did not disappoint!

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Happy Everything by Debby Caruso

From Amazon

Happy Everything is the ongoing story of Rhonda and James,following them from Merry Hanukkah directly into the much anticipated second installment in the Merry Hanukkah series. Everyone’s favorite newlyweds have settled into married life, but now it’s Dez and Jack’s turn to make it official. In typical Rhonda fashion, she’s determined to give her best friend Dez the best bridal shower ever, all while juggling yet another work crisis and still trying desperately to fit in to her new family situation. Unfortunately, Aunt Bunny is diagnosed with cancer, and the entire family starts coming apart at the seams. Rhonda and James step in to help support Uncle Ben any way they can, but it’s never enough for Rhonda’s incorrigible mother-in-law, Vivian. Will Vivian’s constant meddling finally cause Rhonda and James irreparable damage? Is there any way that Rhonda can pull the family together by hosting both Passover and Easter on the same weekend? Why is Rhonda’s Dad suddenly dating someone much younger than him? And how can Rhonda come up with a new and exciting way to sell protein bars? Follow Rhonda into this new chapter of her life, where success hinges on the latest and greatest ad campaign, and her personal triumphs are determined by how much she can do for others. Journey with her as she begins to slowly realize that she can’t be all things to all people; even the ones you love the most.

Happy Everything (Merry Hanukkah)

My Thoughts

Debby Caruso is a writing genius! The best part of the Merry Hanukkah series are the characters. Each character in this book makes you feel like they are your friend or someone you want to make your friend! I literally can see someone in my real life, in each of the characters. Especially Rhonda’s mother in-law, Vivian. I think everyone has a Vivian in their life! This was one of those books, just like Merry Hanukkah, that I could not put down. I can’t tell you how many nights I stayed up longer than I should, just so I could get my Rhonda fix!

I’m really hoping there is a third book coming in this series. I would really love to know more about some of the other characters. For instance, why is Vivian the way she is? What is her backstory? Everyone has a backstory. I’d also love to see Rhonda and James have a baby. Although, I suspect they are waiting to further their careers a bit more before that happens…but I’d still love to see it happen.

Crossing Lex Merry Hanukkah Happy Everything (Merry Hanukkah)