Category: book review

I Got A Job (!!) and a Book Review: The Husbands {Holly Gramazio}

I Got A Job (!!) and a Book Review: The Husbands {Holly Gramazio}

I got a job!! Starting this fall, I will be a school secretary at a middle school :). I’m so excited about this for so many reasons! My commute will be approximately 4 minutes long, my best friend is a teacher there (!!), I already know many of the families and staff because they live in my community, etc. Best of all, the hours/days off so wonderfully align with my own kids’ schedules. Love.

Selfie right after I officially signed and returned all of the paperwork to my new school district office!

Being that I was a teacher for such a long time, I already am more than familiar with the school environment and how important having an amazing secretary truly is. I honestly think this new role is a perfect fit for me and I can’t wait to get started 🙂

I’m going in for a few days of training next week and then will officially start full time in August! Nothing should change with the blog but as always, know that I am WAY more active on Instagram than I am on my actual blog. I post an Instastory pretty much every single day! If you don’t already follow Book Coffee Happy on Instagram, HERE is the link to do so!

Book Review: The Husbands {Holly Gramazio}:

Ok so the first thing I noticed when I picked up this book (other than the weird cover art) was that 2 of my ABSOLUTE favorite authors blurbed this book.

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry (Gabrielle Zevin}, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow {Gabrielle Zevin}, and The Most Fun We Ever Had {Claire Lombardo} are 3 of my ALL TIME favorite books! Click the titles to read the book synopsis and my thoughts on each 🙂

Goodreads Synopsis of The Husbands {Holly Gramazio}:

When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.

As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?

My Thoughts on The Husbands {Holly Gramizo}:

Eh.

I wasn’t even aware that it was possible for a story to go on for 338 pages without anything actually progressing but turns out…it’s possible! Like, how does that even happen???

Everytime I was staaaaarting to become invested in a storyline…BAM…storyline gone.

The one and ONLY thing that I liked about this book was the fact that this entire book is basically just a series of metaphors for other things. I love that.

Zero character development because the characters came and left too quickly. About 100 characters too many. Storylines were introduced and then just dropped.

All of the reviews that I have read have mentioned the amazing ending…I didn’t like the ending?

Not sure why this book is as popular as it is but so many people are loving it right now. Eh.

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

Can someone please explain why everyone loves this book so much?

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!

Xo,

Jenny

**Clearly I didn’t love this one but you just might! Click HERE to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo**

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

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Click HERE for the 9 best books I read in 2023

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Book Review: The Goddess of Warsaw {Lisa Barr}

Book Review: The Goddess of Warsaw {Lisa Barr}

I first was introduced to Lisa Barr’s books in 2018 when I first started writing Book Coffee Happy. I had received an advanced copy of The Unbreakables and as soon as I started reading, I was HOOKED. I absolutely loved her writing style and her captivating way of storytelling. You can read the book synopsis and all of my thoughts HERE.

Fast forward to 2021 when I received an advanced copy of Woman on Fire and I absolutely LOVED IT. Like…heart pounding, couldn’t put it down. Amazing. You can read the book synopsis and all of my thoughts HERE.

And now here we are in 2024 and I have received an advanced copy of Lisa’s newest book, The Goddess of Warsaw. My thoughts? I’ll go into detail below but I’ll start by saying…HER BEST BOOK YET.

This woman is the PERFECT Bina Blonski. Stunning.

Goodreads Synopsis of The Goddess of Warsaw {Lisa Barr}:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Woman on Fire, the harrowing and ultimately triumphant tale of a Jewish WWII assassin turned Hollywood star …


The Goddess Of Warsaw is an enthralling story of a legendary Hollywood screen goddess with a dark secret. When the famous actress Lena Browning is threatened by someone from her war-time past, she must put her skills into play to protect herself, her illustrious career, and those she loves, then and now.

Before she was a “Living Legend”, Lena Browning was Bina Blonski, a wealthy Polish Jew whose life and prominent family were destroyed by the Nazis and imprisoned with the rest of Warsaw’s Jews in a ghastly ghetto. Determined to fight back, the beautiful, blonde Aryan-looking Bina becomes a spy and an assassin, gaining information and stealing weapons outside the Warsaw ghetto to protect her family and fellow Jews. While Bina accomplishes amazing feats of bravery, she sacrifices much in the process – including a forbidden love.

More than a decade after escaping the horrors of the war, Lena Browning rises to fame in Hollywood. Yet she cannot help but hunger for revenge against the Nazis who escaped justice after the war. Fierce and fearless, Lena uses her star power to right the past’s wrongs . . . and perhaps even finds the happy ending she never had.

A gripping page-turner of one of history’s most heroic uprisings and a glamourous actress whose personal war never ends, The Goddess of Warsaw is filled with secrets, lies, twists and turns, and a burning pursuit of justice no matter the cost.

My Review of The Goddess of Warsaw {Lisa Barr}:

The unboxing video that I had posted on Instagram:

Omg this book.

It’s SO good. Like, SO good.

I actually read it months ago but wanted to wait until closer to its release date before blogging about it. That date is almost here! You can preorder it now and it officially releases next week (5/28).

This book kept me company during my 2 weeks spent serving on a federal criminal jury back in February! By the end of the trial, all of my fellow jurors had passed this book around the jury table to read it’s synopsis and all agreed that they couldn’t wait to read it!

Like all of Lisa Barr’s books, this one took me on a JOURNEY. Spanning through decades, locations, emotions, and the most carefully crafted characters.

The settings were all written so vividly…how does she even DO that? I felt like I was there.

I smiled, I cried, I hung on to every word of this beautiful story. You know those books that live on in your heart long after you finish reading? This is one of those books for me.

How you can tell I loved a book: When the cover ends up looking like this because I couldn’t leave the house without bringing it EVERYWHERE with me!

I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of research and dedication that must go into writing an historical book such as this. The details in this book were incredible.

With everything going on in the world right now, being proud of being Jewish feels even more important than ever. Whether the reader of this book is Jewish or not, it will teach people so, so much about what Jewish people have historically gone through and how it impacts all of us to this day. Thank you, Lisa, for bringing such awareness to everyone in such a powerful and moving way.

I truly, truly loved this book.

I couldn’t be more excited and honored to attend The Goddess of Warsaw book release party this weekend! I’ll take lots of pictures and blog all about it. I had the BEST time at her Woman on Fire book release party in 2021!

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

Lisa Barr’s best book yet. Preorder Stat.

Happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with love and BOOKS!

Xo,

Jenny

**Click HERE to preorder the book through my Amazon affiliate link (it releases 5/28). When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo**

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

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Click HERE for the 9 best books I read in 2023

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VIDEO Book Review: Ready or Not {Cara Bastone}

VIDEO Book Review: Ready or Not {Cara Bastone}

I haven’t done a video in review in a while…so I filmed one for you! Here are my thoughts (spoiler free obvi) on Cara Bastone’s Ready or Not.

VIDEO Book Review: Ready or Not {Cara Bastone}:

 

Let me know if you enjoy these types of videos and if so, I can film these more often! 

 

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

**Click HERE to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo**

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*

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Click HERE for the 9 best books I read in 2023

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Book Review: None of This Is True {Lisa Jewell}

Book Review: None of This is True {Lisa Jewell}

GORGEOUS book cover!

Goodreads Synopsis of None of This is True {Lisa Jewell}:

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

My Review of None of This is True {Lisa Jewell}:

LOVED IT.

It’s very, very dark but so incredibly well written. I read it over the course of 1 week but this is one of those books that could easily be devoured in a single day.

Let’s start with Lucy Foley’s blurb on the cover. That alone made me super excited to read this one! I LOVED The Guest List (you can read my review including the book synopsis of The Guest List HERE).

As for None of This is True, I had about 100 predictions as I was reading and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them was wrong! Love, love, love when that happens.

The actual format of this book was the most fascinating part of this book. The story toggles between a narrative, podcast episodes, a television show, and interviews. All from different different characters with their own perspectives. When these elements are all put together, it tells an incredible story.

Did I find the main character naive and stupid as hell? I did. Did I enjoy the insane amount of run on sentences throughout the book? I did not. However, just the absolute ART of this book, the incredible way the story was told though so many different points of view and though so many different channels…amazing. Loved it.

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

One of the most creative ways to tell a story of any book I’ve read.

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

**Click HERE to order the book through my Amazon affiliate link. When you order through this link, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo**

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

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Click HERE for the 9 best books I read in 2023

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2023 can be found HERE

Blogmas 2023: READ THIS BOOK READ THIS BOOK READ THIS BOOK

Blogmas 2023: READ THIS BOOK READ THIS BOOK READ THIS BOOK

Oh good. More lipstick on my teeth.

Being that this was my #1 book to read this holiday season that I have been thinking about since LAST holiday season…I obviously had to start with this being the first holiday book that I read in 2023! You can read my post from LAST year all about why I couldn’t wait to read this book THIS year: Blogmas 2022: The Holiday Book I’m Most Excited to Read NEXT Holiday Season

Worth every second of my year long wait to read it…

Goodreads Synopsis of Once Upon a December {Amy E. Reichert}:

With a name like Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit isn’t just a seasonal specialty–it’s a way of life. But after a stinging divorce, Astra’s yearly trip to the Milwaukee Christmas market takes on a whole new meaning. She’s ready to eat, drink, and be merry, especially with the handsome stranger who saves the best kringle for her at his family bakery.

For Jack Clausen, the Julemarked with its snowy lights and charming shops stays the same, while the world outside the joyful street changes, magically leaping from one December to the next every four weeks. He’s never minded living this charmed existence until Astra shows him the life he’s been missing outside of the festive red brick alley.

After a swoon-worthy series of dates, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they’re feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa.

READ THIS BOOK

Yes. SO. MUCH. YES. What a special gem of a book.

If you love the holiday season as much as I do, this book is a must read!

My biggest complaint with holiday books is when they don’t really talk about the holiday season…the storylines are just regular storylines that HAPPEN to take place during the holiday season. OR…just a normal book until the very last chapter which happens to be Christmas Day. Those are NOT holiday books.

Once Upon a December is the pure definition of a true holiday book. It emcompasses the joy and magic of the season throughout every page.

So I must address that this book is most definitely a book of fantasy…which is a genre that I usually don’t enjoy. BUT…somehow the holiday magic was just so lovely that I was all in??? It’s a beautifully written story, one that I absolutely loved.

And I talked about this on Instagram…KRINGLE! Who knew this was a thing??? Not this Jew!!! I must get my hands on a kringle this holiday season, they sound so amazing and delicious. If you read this book, you will also find yourself googling “kringle near me” as I did. Stay tuned for my thoughts when I try my first one!

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

This book is pure holiday magic and joy.

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Blogmas 2023 Posts

12/1 Blogmas 2023: Welcome to Blogmas {VIDEO}!

12/2 Blogmas 2023: Happy Birthday to ME {Sephora Gift Card Giveaway}!

12/3 Blogmas 2023: Book Review: All I Want for Christmas {Maggie Knox}

12/4 Blogmas 2023: Audiobook Review: The Christmas Bet {Meg Easton}

12/5 Blogmas 2023: The Winter Series {Joanne Demaio} Check In

12/6 Blogmas 2023: Non Holiday Audiobook Review: The Coworker {Freida McFadden}

12/7 Blogmas 2023: Random Bookish Things

12/8 Blogmas 2023: The Holiday Sign in the Form of a Post It

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE

Blogmas 2023: Book Review: All I Want for Christmas {Maggie Knox}

Blogmas 2023: Book Review: All I Want for Christmas {Maggie Knox}

Thank you for all of the lovely birthday wishes yesterday! There is still time to enter the Sephora gift card giveaway if you haven’t already done so 🙂

I actually read this adorable book and wrote this review LAST holiday season and have been waiting until THIS holiday season to share it with you!

Picture taken during the 2022 holiday season!

Goodreads Synopsis of All I Want for Christmas {Maggie Knox}:

When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show Starmaker, each thinks they’ve finally gotten their big Nashville break. But then they’re paired up for duet week and stun the world with their romantic onstage chemistry. With fans going wild for #Saxie the network demands that they remain a duo on and offstage, or exit the competition. Faking a relationship until their final performance in the Starmaker holiday special shouldn’t be too hard, except for one small problem–Sadie and Max can’t stand each other.

But with their dreams just within reach, they agree to the ruse. Will their fake relationship be exposed before they can win? Or will an unexpected trip to Banff spark real feelings by the Christmas finale?

My Review of All I Want for Christmas {Maggie Knox}:

Oh I absolutely loved this book!

It was adorable, a perfect light holiday book. I loved the writing, I loved the characters, I loved the different settings (especially Banff), I loved the story. Absolutely one of the better holiday books I’ve read (although I do kind of feel like it wasn’t actually a holiday book per se…just a really cute story that happened to take place during the holiday season).

Aaaaaand as a big American Idol fan myself (anyone else?), I loved the television singing competition!

I really enjoyed this book much more than The Holiday Swap (you can read my review of that one HERE).

Epilogue:

Loved it.

Blogmas 2023 Posts:

12/1 Blogmas 2023: Welcome to Blogmas {VIDEO}!

12/2 Blogmas 2023: Happy Birthday to ME {Sephora Gift Card Giveaway}!

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*

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*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links.  The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE

Book Review: The Writing Retreat {Julia Bartz}

Book Review: The Writing Retreat {Julia Bartz}

I was looking for a super creepy book to read around Halloween and this one had been on my list to read forever! The perfect time of year to read a book like this…

Goodreads Synopsis of The Writing Retreat {Julia Bartz}:

A book deal to die for.

Five attendees are selected for a month-long writing retreat at the remote estate of Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror. Alex, a struggling writer, is thrilled.

Upon arrival, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s long-extinguished dream now seems within reach.

But then the women begin to die.

Trapped, terrified yet still desperately writing, it is clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake at Blackbriar Estate. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to save herself.

My Review of The Writing Retreat {Julia Bartz}:

200 pages in aaaaaand…

Closed the book. Didn’t finish. Moved on.

So it was GOOD but there was a very weird haunted ghostlike vibe going on and I just couldn’t do it. I HATE books about ghosts (I’m looking at you, Sun Down Motel) and that part of the book just threw me so much that I couldn’t do it.

Now let me be very clear…there was no actual ghost storyline that I had encountered buuuuuut I just had a feeling about that being the direction that the book was going in and that was enough for me to call it quits. I HATED, HATED, HATED the dual storyline of the past occupants of the house and all of the weird things that lead to their deaths. I also hated Roza’s character and how much power these people all seemed more than ok giving to her.

What did I like about this book? The details of the writing process! This book is about people writing books and that part of this was interesting to me. And I loved the creepy setting. Buuuuuut that’s pretty much it. This one just wasn’t for me although I did enjoy the writing style??

Eh moving on.

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

I don’t do ghosts. Or books that make me think that are they going to eventually be about ghosts.

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

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Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

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My Heart is With Israel and a Book Review: Drowning {T.J. Newman}

My Heart is With Israel and a Book Review: Drowning {T.J. Newman}

It’s been so awful watching from such a distance as the horror has been unfolding in Israel. My heart hurts.

It’s felt wrong and weird to continue blogging throughout all that is happening. As a Jewish person, I can’t even put into words how terrifying and heartbreaking all of this is.

From Book Coffee Happy’s Instagram Account:

Blogging is something that I do for a fun, creative hobby and it has felt too weird (and wrong?) to work on my writing my little blog when my mind and my heart are both so currently distracted.

That being said, writing this blog also provides such a wonderful distraction for me…as do reading books. I’ve always said that books can be the perfect cure when you need your mind to focus on something else.

Like me, I know that many of YOU also use books as a distraction and as an escape. I feel helpless in this entire situation but if I can help distract you or take your mind off of scary things even for a little bit by simply recommending books…that’s something I can do. Books are magic and can instantly transport you to completely different places, time periods, and even people if you let them in.

So back to blogging and recommending books it is…for me, for you, for us 🙂

**Head over to Book Coffee Happy’s Instagram account and watch my current Instastory for more of my thoughts on all of this…This morning I posted 8 minutes of me talking all about it…**

Now I WILL admit, I wish I had spent the past week reading something….anything….more uplifting than this book, lol. HOWEVER, this book was so amazing that I legit was completely absorbed while reading which was actually the most perfect distraction for me. This book is INTENSE. Like heart pounding intense. It’s AWESOME.

Goodreads Synopsis of Drowning {T.J. Newman}:

Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it’s too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside.

More than two hundred feet below the surface, engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are waist-deep in water and fighting for their lives.

Their only chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife—who must work together with Will to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the passengers from the sealed airplane, which is now teetering on the edge of an undersea cliff.

There’s not much time.

There’s even less air.

My Review of Drowning {T.J. Newman}:

If you haven’t yet read T.J. Newman’s debut novel, Falling, you must read that book ASAP. It’s AMAAAAAZING (book synopsis and my review here).

I’ve been so excited to get my hands on her newest book, Drowning, and let me tell you…it most definitely did NOT disappoint.

HOLY. HELL.

My heart was legit pounding while reading this book. I smiled. I cried (tears down both cheeks). I held my breath. It was intense and crazy and amazing and awesome.

If you are someone afraid of flying, this might not be the best choice for you…I might never get on another plane for the rest of my life after reading this…but if you can handle this topic, READ THIS BOOK.

Were parts of it a bit too technical? Yes. Did I have to Google a vast amount of aviation terms? Yes. Was all of that worth it to help me better understand this heart pounding book? HELL YES.

I really didn’t think I could love her second book as much as I loved her first but I really, really did. By the way, both books are stand alone novels…they not a series. You can read either one first. And you should definitely read them both…STAT.

The movie rights for this book have already been sold and OMG it will make such an amazing movie (the movie rights for her first book, Falling, have also been sold and that will ALSO be an incredible movie). I’m not a huge movie fan but I can’t WAIT to see both of these! I can only imagine seeing all of this on the big screen in a dark room…my heart is pounding just thinking about it…

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

READ. THIS. BOOK. Just not while you are on an airplane or have plans to be on one anytime soon 😉

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Sending love and peace to all…

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

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Book Review: The Soulmate {Sally Hepworth}

Book Review: The Soulmate {Sally Hepworth}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Soulmate {Sally Hepworth}:

There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral…Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate…lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.

My Review of The Soulmate {Sally Hepworth}:

Eh.

I couldn’t connect to ANY of the characters at ANY time of this book which made it hard to care what happened to any of them.

While I found the bits about their marriages interesting, I absolutely hated the bits about the businesses, investors, etc. Unfortunately, this was a major part of the book!

AND there was one pretty big storyline that was never really explained…I waited the entire book to find out more about it! I don’t want to give anything away so I won’t go into detail but I can’t imagine I’m the only reader who wanted more storyline about this…

There WAS a twist that I did NOT see coming which is always fun but overall? Eh.

The best part of this book were the insanely short chapters…some were 1 or 2 pages long! I love that so much, I flew through this book. I really do wish every book could be written in short chapters such as this.

2 Sally Hepworth books that are worth reading over The Soulmate: THIS ONE and THIS ONE.

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

She’s written better books.

Have you read this book? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*

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1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Loved and 1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Did NOT Love

1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Loved and 1 Abby Jimenez Book That I Did NOT Love

We have a season pass to the Six Flags amusement park here in IL which is verrrrrry conveniently located right by a Dunkin’ drive thru. That drive thru has somehow become part of our visit on our way home each time! Being outside in the heat riding roller coasters all day calls for an iced coffee…I simply can’t handle hot coffee on these HOT roller coaster days!

***These are reviews of books #2 and #3 in The Friend Zone series! Definitely start by reading book #1 before reading either of these books. You can read all about book #1 (including the book synopsis, my review, and a picture of a cake shaped like a vagina) HERE.***

The Friend Zone Book #2: The Happily After Playlist {Abby Jimenez}

Goodreads Synopsis of The Happily Ever After Playlist {Abby Jimenez}

Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can’t seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a “take me home” look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker’s owner reaches out. He’s a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.

Well, Sloan’s not about to give up her dog without a fight. As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can’t deny a connection. There’s no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?

My Review of The Happily Ever After Playlist {Abby Jimenez}

Loved it! It’s adorable. The characters, the storylines, all of it…adorable. Totally held my interest enough to breeze right through it just so I could continue on with the series. I wasn’t surprised that I loved it considering how much I loved the first one in this series! Abby Jimenez has a great writing style, I’m a big fan.

So alllll of that being said….

Man, did I NOT enjoy book #3….

The Friend Zone Book #2: Life’s Too Short {Abby Jimenez}

Even reading this book during a beautiful vacation wasn’t enough to make me enjoy it.

Goodreads Synopsis of Life’s Too Short {Abby Jimenez}:

A brilliant and touching romantic comedy about two polar opposites, one adorable dog, and living each day to its fullest.

When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn’t expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn’t just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn’t want to take anything for granted.

But after her half-sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her infant daughter, life goes from “daily adventure” to “next-level bad” (now with bonus baby vomit in hair). The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she’d be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua.

Now she’s feeling things she’s vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.

My Review of Life’s Too Short {Abby Jimenez}:

Aaaaaand I didn’t finish it. I read 200 pages and then…I was OUT. And those 200 pages took my significantly longer to read than they should have.

It wasn’t bad, not at all! It was just…completely character driven (which I hate, give me a plot driven book anyday over character driven). So many thoughts, so many feelings, so much drama, so much backstory, just so, so much…eh.

Was it peppered with adorable banter? Yes. Was it sprinkled with adorable situations? Absolutely. Was it enough to keep me reading? Nope.

I loved the first 2 books in this series but this one was a miss for me. I will most likely read the next 2: Part of Your World and Truly Yours…I just need a bit of a breather first. I’ve heard both are wonderful!

Not sure what’s worse…this book or my manicure?

Book Coffee Happy Epilogue:

Book #1: LOVED Book #2: LOVED Book #3: Did NOT Love!!!

Book #1, Book #2, Book #3

Have you read these books? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny


Thank you so much for reading Book Coffee Happy! I would be so thankful if you could do the following to support my favorite hobby…

*Follow me on Instagram* (I am VERY active on Instagram and usually update my Instastories daily)

*Please share this site with your book and blog loving friends!*

*Subscribe with your email address to my blog (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page on mobile devices OR check the top right of this screen to enter your email address)*

*If you already have a blog, please “follow” mine*

*”Like” my Facebook page (and please comment on, “like”, and share my posts)*

*Follow me on Twitter*

*Subscribe to my YouTube channel*

*Clicking and buying products through my Amazon Affiliate links.  The cost to you is exactly the same and I receive a tiny commission off of your purchases.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

Click HERE for the 13 best books I read in 2022

Book Coffee Happy’s most viewed posts of 2022 can be found HERE