Review: Marriage for One by Ella Maise

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Buy on Amazon | Audible

Buy on Amazon | Audible

I can not stress how much I enjoyed this book. It was incredible and it was heartbreaking when I finished it. 

The premise is that Jack and Rose are basically strangers. And as a business deal, they have to get married. Eventually, they slowly begin to realize that maybe being married is too bad. 

This book is the fake marriage trope, mixed in with a dash of enemies to lovers, and a cup of longing. It’s a beautiful book, and I can’t say enough good things about it. 

I think one of my favorite things about this book was that it didn’t rush things. This is a fairly big book and it took its time allowing these to characters to grow and get more comfortable around each other. We slowly got to see them fall into a pattern and eventually into a romance. 

There have been times that when you read a big book it gets boring or it feels like it drags on. That isn’t the case for Marriage for One. I was captivated. I could read about these characters all day. They were interesting and I fell in love with them. 

Jack was a brooding man and workaholic. But underneath that hard exterior, he was sweet and caring. And there were several moments where his true character shined through and it made my heart sworn. Rose was determined and a ball of sunshine. Obviously, this wasn’t her ideal situation; however, she had reasons for joining the arrangement. I want the best for both of them. 

Final Analysis 

Marriage for One was a beautiful story about two people who enter a marriage for business purposes but actually fall in love. 

Review: The Subway Girl by Lisa Becker

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Buy on Amazon

Buy on Amazon

Summary

SWOON-WORTHY AND SIZZLING ROMANTIC COMEDY ABOUT LOVE AND FATE

The Subway Girl combines witty humor, sizzling chemistry, likeable characters, funny banter and heart swooning moments into a story of unexpected love and fate.

A hopeless romantic

A cynical web show producer

An unscrupulous camera operator

A sleazy businessman

An aspiring actress

A womanizing best friend

A scheming ex-girlfriend

A commitment-phobic roommate

An unlucky-in-love buddy

These lives intersect when an average guy is awed by a mystery woman on a crowded New York subway and vows to meet her.

Review

A little bit of swoon is just what I needed. The Subway Girl is a cute, fun romcom that will give you a little bit of everything to make you hold on for the ride.

Have you ever experienced love at first sight? Well, for some it might drive them to take some drastic action just for the possibility of what if. If you are lucky for it to happen by a guy like Ryan, than you know you’ve definitely met your Prince Charming. Well, that is once you realize he’s not a stalker.

Meet our hopeless romantic Ryan. His character is so lovable. Forget all your book boyfriends because he’s definitely the one for every and any gal. Ryan is your typical everyday day Joe. While riding the subway one day, he spots what he thinks is his soulmate, his forever girl. She is aka “the subway girl.” When he realizes that her stop os approaching, he does everything he could but loses her among the crowd. Not knowing what to do, he decides to pursue a search, in hopes to find her. Teaming up with a local reporter, they promote a search in the hope to find this mystery girl. What he finds is that life doesn’t always go according to plan, and in his case, when it comes to love, sometimes fate can take a detour.

Then we have Angie. She isn’t the biggest cheerleader of love or guys at the moment, so when Ryan comes to her about finding this subway girl, she isn’t so thrilled but takes on the job. Deep down, assuming this will lead to nowhere, finds herself drawn into more than the story. As Ryan and Angie find themselves bonding along the way, they both find something unexpected. Will it be everything that he hoped for or did fate have other plans?

I’m not going to ruin it for you but there are some unexpected twists that will give a little angst but from then on, this will be one that you’ll not want to put down.

Overall, I really liked the book. The plot was really interesting especially from the point of view of the reality show aspect of it. It was as if you were following the story as it was happening and had to know what was going to happen. The characters were great especially the chemistry between Ryan and Angie. I found most of their moments pure LOL. Not just them but individual of each other, the relationships they had with their friends was equally wonderful.This is one to add to the tbr list.

Review: 14 Keys to Lasting Love: How to Have the Marriage You've Always Wanted by Kim Kimberling

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I’ve read many books dealing with relationships issues but yet to find one as comforting as this one. Many try and give you how to’s based on theory but few derive from personal experience. I found this book insightful and encouraging and for those out there looking for guidance, following these key guidelines will definitely promote a healthy relationship.

14 Keys to Lasting Love tackles the major areas of a marriage that people find obstacles with. I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Kim’s wisdom from an empathetic nature combined with his counseling and personal life experience. He shares that experience and perspective from dealing with real life couples in their challenges and triumph in maintaining or pursing a lasting relationship. He doesn’t tell you what to do but rather encourage and invited introspection as he deals with topics such as communication, intimacy, health, kids and more.

Blending his experience through his ministry and experience from counseling various couples, he is able to bring some credibility and validity to his suggestions. Not only deriving from faith but understanding the perspectives and the struggles of the couples help lend a sympathetic hear to identifying and problem solving those 14 major areas that can help navigate to a happier, healthier marriage.

Overall, I found this book a breath of fresh air. These 14 steps helps you find what works and doesn't for your own introspection. Seeing what others including himself have gone through provide a comfort that you are not alone. Reading their experiences, positive and negative, give you some food for thought. Dr. Kim presents his book in a personable and engaging way that anyone can incorporate into their lives. Whether you are just beginning or have been married awhile, grab a copy just because and you will find wonderful takeaways that will help encourage, inspire and promote a healthier meaningful relationship.

 

#Sponsored by Faith Words

Review: The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron

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I didn’t realize until after I read The Painted Castle that I missed a book in the series. Don’t worry if you haven’t read them in order. They all can be read as a stand alone but I would read them in order to get a feel of the tone of the series. If you aren’t familiar with Kristy Cambron’s A Lost Castle series and love historical fiction, I’d highly recommend getting swept into this beautiful series.

I finally got to read The Painted Castle and was not disappointed. Just like her others, she has a way of sweeping you off your feet to another place and time. Her beautiful writing and attention to detail has a sweet charm that makes these books not want to be put down. The strength of these women characters in her books really is one that I find myself drawn to and thoroughly enjoy. Not to mention the historical influence as well as the beautiful imagery that she expresses through her words allow you a glimpse into that moment of time. She truly is a gifted storyteller and her passion for this genre is evident through her work.

The Painted Castle, a beautifully woven plot told through three time periods, captures the lives of three extraordinarily women, their loss, love and hope that come together so seamlessly. As each story unraveled itself, the beauty and how the past and presented intertwined made a simmered page turning experience. You know that feeling how you don’t want to stop reading but you want to savor each moment. The beauty lies behind those castle walls and the stories they held. Her attention to historical details and the plot had the perfect mix of elements of suspense and romance that keep you anticipating how it turns out for all. Another amazing book in this series. Looking forward to what is coming next. I’d recommend adding this to your tbr list.

Review: Ten Things I’ve Learnt About Love by Sarah Butler

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I went into this book blindly without checking out what the book was about. I assumed from the title that it would be another a romcom so that’s why I decided to check it out. Far from but much more deeper type of story. I’m on the fence about how I feel about the book. The writing was great and the elements of the storyline was there but it just didn’t grab me like it could’ve. I didn’t love it or hate it. I just wanted more so I could invest in.

The book centered around Alice and Daniel. Two unlikely people to come together but they had a connection that really could’ve been explored more. Alice had been the black sheep of the family despite being told she wasn’t. She had felt like that for a long time. Ever since the death of her mother, she never quite felt like she fit in as seamlessly as her other sisters. The feeling of being unloved and not good enough led her to make some challenging choices in her life including her love life. It isn’t until she gets news of her dying father that makes her confront her past and explore the life she had been running away from.

Daniel just came into the picture. I wish the transition of his character in the book would’ve been different. The connection to her life was just a parallel. It was only a brief moment that we could experience a connection between them and learn what brought them together but I’m just left with uncertainty.

For me, much of the details I felt were a bit sparse. There were moments that I was holding on waiting for something big to be explored or revealed and felt a bit let down. There were certain moments that if had a different outcome, I would’ve hung on to every word. Those moments for me made the difference for me saying this book was great to just ok. On the bright side, I thought the writing was wonderful and the quality was there. Despite my thoughts on this one, I’d check her out again.

Review: Family for Beginners by Sarah Morgan

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I’m pleased to say that Sarah Morgan as usual had me from the beginning to the end. A Family for Beginners was such a lovely read that pulls at your heart and leaves it smiling.

A Family For Beginners takes us through a family that is broken yet fixable. We experience their loss, love and finding their way to where they are meant to be.

Meet Flora. A florist who lived in the city. I loved her character. She is one of those people that doesn’t know how wonderful she is. She is the type of person that you really want to see have a HEA. You’re begging for it. After the loss of her mother, she was sent to live with an aunt who really never wanted kids. Growing up feeling unloved and not wanted, she had searched life for a sense of belonging. They say when you least expect, what’s meant to be appears and for Flora, it was Jack Parker. He has everything that Flora could hope for but is it worth it?

Jack is handsome, smart but has a lot going on in his life. He strolled by the shop one day looking for something special for his daughter and over time developed a really nice friendship with Flora. They both have their own insecurities and obstacles but find a way to work through them. When an emergency happens with Flora, she is put in a situation where their relationship comes out in the open which doesn’t make someone happy. She is determined to make things difficult.

Meet Izzy. I wouldn’t say typical teenager. She’s barely able to make it through her days. After the death of her mother, she sort of took on a pseudo mom role for her sister. Her little sister is so adorable. A little mature for her age but that complements her charm as a character. At first I thought Izzy was a brat but that eased up when I got to know her better. Taking on this role sort of keeps her glued together so when she finds out about her dad’s girlfriend, that isn’t exactly the best news. Actually, it’s her worse nightmare. She doesn’t want a new mom. She likes her family just as is with no additions and she goes out of her way to maintain that status.

This is a tough situation for kids to be in with the loss of a parent. Then things shift when their summer vacation plans come up. Usually they did this with her mom but Jack decides this time to invite Flora. As much as Flora is sympathetic to how Izzy feels, she went through the same heartache losing her mom, she wants to have the chance to have a real relationship and grow with them. Izzy is resistant at all costs. Flora finds herself pushed to the test but ultimately she has to find a way to get what she wants to badly. What happens next really is the turning point of the book that really puts everything out there and in perspective. I thought those next moments were some of my favorite because it really gets deep in the hearts of the characters.

I don’t want to give too much but there is so much to their story independently that will really pull you in. Just as equally important is the relationship between Jack and Izzy and the secrets that unraveled in the book. I loved the exploration of them as a family and how Jack and Flora’s relationship really tackled many issues tied into redefining them as a family. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful read that was touching, funny, emotional at times but get you invested all throughout. I’d recommend adding this on to your TBR list.