Kudos to Dedra @ A Book Wanderer for recommending this topic because it I feel this one soul-deep.
There are times when I read a book, love it, and can't wait to gush about it. I have so much to say and can't wait to share all the reasons why I loved it and why you will, too.
But then there are those books that hit me on another level. Ones that made such a lasting impression, or that I feel emotional about, and I know there is no way to adequately express my thoughts and feelings and do the book justice. Like, I don't have the ability to put the feelings into words. So I just don't. Otherwise the review would be an incoherent mess of: Gaaaahhh! I just... ! And then he... ! So much love! Gaaahhh!!
So in order to save you all from that kind of word vomit, here are some of the books that I've never reviewed... because I can't even.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books,
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.
T H E W E E K I N R E V I E W
Tomorrow makes two weeks that I've been sick. Ugh. While I'm decidedly better than I was a week ago, I still have some symptoms that are lingering. And the fatigue. I had a virtual visit with my doctor on Thursday and, after ruling several things out, he decided it's probably an upper respiratory infection. I have a prescription for the cough which is already helping. I've reached the point of just being sick and tired of being sick and tired. 😒
I've been too wiped out to blog hop so I apologize for the lack of visiting/commenting. Hopefully I can pick back up with that this coming week.
I'm looking forward to the Super Bowl tonight. I have zero investment in either team but since the Bengals beat the Chiefs and ended their playoff run, I'll be pulling for the Rams. Ha!
I'm so excited to be taking part in the release blitz and blog tour for A Chance for Us! Corinne Michaels did not disappoint and provided the perfect ending to the Willow Creek Valley series. I adored Oliver and Maren's story and the inclusion of so many familiar faces (from this series and from previous series!). If you're already a fan of Corinne Michaels, or just love small town contemporary romance with a strong focus on family, this one is for you.
My marriage started as a lie.
But some lies are worth telling.
My father's dying wish was to walk me down the aisle, and I'd do anything for him.
My family hasn't met either man, so I'm confident we can pull this off.
But the feelings, our touches, the way my heart beats for him... none of it feels pretend. The way he holds me at night and carries me through loss tells me he's not acting either.
I didn't mean to fall for my fake husband, but real love was the one thing I couldn't predict.
Except, nothing built on lies can last--I know that better than anyone.
I just want to say that you, Oliver Parkerson, are one of the most incredible men I've ever known, and it's an honor to be your fake bride.
Oliver was a hero with a heart of gold, but one that also hid feelings of unworthiness and being second best behind a smile and a self-deprecating remark. Burned twice in the past by women who ended up choosing the other guy, Oliver was done with attachments. But the more time he and Maren spent together, the more the line blurred between what was fake and what was real. When he was dealt a blow that shook him to his core, he had to decide whether to go his own way, or trust in what he and Maren had started to build.
I am the friend, the guy who's good at offering support but is never more. I've been nothing more than that over and over. I'm the best man, but not the best man for her.
While I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the Parkerson family, I loved that Michaels chose to end with Oliver's story. During his speech as the best man, Oliver's brother Josh said, "Oliver truly is the best of us." And that he was. I adored being pulled back into the Parkerson clan and getting Oliver's story was such a fitting ending to what has been a remarkable series. A Chance for Us, and the entire Willow Creek Valley series, is not to be missed. 4.5 stars
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books,
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.
T H E W E E K I N R E V I E W
There's not much to share this week since it was just a week of being sick. Woke up Monday with a sore throat. Felt worse on Tuesday so I went for a Covid test (negative). And spent the rest of the week feeling pretty poorly (cough, fever, fatigue). Since I work from home I did manage to work Monday thru about lunchtime on Thursday but by then I was done. Thursday afternoon and all day Friday found me dozing in bed almost around the clock. I *think* I may have turned the corner and am feeling ever so slightly better but I still have zero energy. So I'm basically still a sloth.
The highlights this week that lifted my spirits:
The Husband - He kept me dosed up with cold medication, made food runs for any random item that I thought I could eat (as I had no appetite), and went above and beyond his normal wonderful self.
The NHL All Star Skills Competition and the All Star Games - Three players from my team (the Tampa Lightning) were there and it was fun to watch.
In light of how I've felt all week, this week's 80's music fix is Doctor Doctor (1984) by Thompson Twins. Enjoy.
Tattered Stars, an all new enemies to lovers small town romance and the first book in the Tattered & Torn series from bestselling author Catherine Cowles, is available now!
Be brave. Just for sixty seconds. Twenty breaths.
One night changed them both forever.
Their lives shattered, beyond repair, with jagged edges and pieces askew.
Now, Everly has a chance to make things right. To bring healing to the place where everything fell apart. But it means facing the family her father almost destroyed, and the boy with the dark eyes—now grown—who still haunts her dreams.
Just one breath away from having your life ripped out from under you.
The last thing Hayes wants is another reminder of all the ways he failed sixteen years ago. When Everly drives back into Wolf Gap, his only mission is to get her to leave. For his family’s sake, and for his own, those demons need to stay buried for good.
But everything about this woman is a surprise, from her spine of steel to the sanctuary she hopes to create with the land her mother left behind. And Hayes is powerless to stay away.
As a careful friendship sparks into something more, someone watches. And they’ll do anything to tear it all apart…
Fall in love with Everly and Hayes today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vd3iUy
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TatteredStars
Apple Books: http://apple.co/3qq1Uub
Nook: http://bit.ly/2OadsED
Kobo: http://bit.ly/3rrcX7E
Add Tattered Stars to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3v2Uvo8
Enter to win a signed paperback of Tattered Stars: https://bit.ly/3rdhOvq
Everly Kemper survived a childhood that was filled with
abuse, neglect, and a family whose belief system straddled the line between
fringe and outright criminal. Escaping at the age of twelve likely saved her life, but also
put her on the wrong side of her family, most of whom blamed her for her actions
that sent her father to prison but also saved an innocent life. Returning to
the same small town fifteen years later, after inheriting the land she grew up
on, Everly feels the need right the wrongs in her past, even though she was not
responsible. It’s apparent from her first day back that her family has held
tight to old resentments, and they intend to make her pay. Their threats lead
to the involvement of Hayes Easton, sheriff of Wolf’s Gap, and a man who has a
connection to Everly’s past. An unseen danger is getting closer and closer to
Everly and she finds that it’s Hayes who provides the peace and the security
she so desperately needs.
Tattered Stars started with a bang. The prologue
was so gripping that I could feel the tension, feel Everly’s fear. And that’s
all it took – I was hooked. It was impossible not to love Everly and I constantly
marveled at her bravery and resilience. It would have been so easy to turn her
back on Wolf’s Gap and never return, especially considering the treatment she
received from her bother and uncle, which ranged from hostility to blatant
threats. She may have been afraid, but she would not cower in the face of
intimidation. One of my favorite aspects of the story (and of Everly) is that
she was smart. She knew she was in harm’s way, and she didn’t take
foolish chances. When something happened, she reported it, and didn’t run off
on her own straight into danger. Hooray for a heroine who was also a smart
cookie!
Hayes was another character I came to love, even with his
initial cold-shoulder attitude toward Everly. He was a man who had been shaped
by the past just as much as Everly and carried such a mantle of responsibility
on his shoulders. I grew to love the entire Easton family because, despite
their faults and the way the actions of Everly’s father had changed them all,
they were still kind and loving and a safe haven for Everly (and others).
I flew through this story of redemption, romance, and
suspense. Catherine Cowles created characters that I loved and a story that I
couldn’t put down. I was turning pages as fast as I could, devouring every
interaction between Everly and Hayes, and needing to know the outcome of danger
that kept coming for Everly. Catherine Cowles has a new fan in me, and I will
be anxiously waiting for the next book in the Tattered & Torn series. 4.5 Stars
ABOUT CATHERINE COWLES
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
Connect with Catherine Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IEQXSw Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Lc4mU0 Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinecowles Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2RFY7Jv Instagram: http://bit.ly/31TE3rJ Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2xdUZLn BookBub: http://bit.ly/2J3dWWF Website: https://www.catherinecowles.com/ Stay up to date with Catherine by joining her mail list: http://bit.ly/2JZE0DH
For some reason I thought this would be a tricky topic, but once I started perusing my Goodreads shelves... not so much. Turns out I've read plenty of books with character names in the titles. Who knew?
 "Pin on Pinterest")
