My 400th Blog Post, Another Delicious Cookie, and a Book That I Hated

My 400th Blog Post, Another Delicious Cookie, and a Book That I Hated

This is officially Book Coffee Happy’s 400th blog post! Thank you for supporting me and my little hobby…I really love writing this blog and I’m so thankful for YOU!

A link to my very first blog post. It’s super impersonal, lol: The Woman in The Window {A.J. Finn}

Crumbl Cookies, You Have My Heart

My most recent Crumbl Cookies indulgence (caramel cake served warm). I wish I could say it was a treat to celebrate my 400 post but alas, just a random dessert, lol. Whyyyyyyy did this bakery have to open up so close to my house??? Ridiculous.

In the passenger seat just eating a monstrosity of a cookie and protecting my clothes with a paper towel while my husband drives. Classy.

I Hated This Book

I really wish this book was as delightful of an experience for me as devouring that delicious cookie. It was not.

The Woman Next Door {Natasha Boydell}

Photo Credit goes to Amazon because I listened to this one as an audiobook

Goodreads Synopsis of The Woman Next Door {Natasha Boydell}:

Two neighbours struggle with envy of each other’s lives—and as their friendship grows, their questions do too . . .

Sophie is a happily married mum of two who considers herself lucky—until her beautiful and highly successful new neighbour Angie moves in along with her charming husband and four talented children. The two women couldn’t be more different, but after a storm brings them together, an unlikely friendship develops. As their children grow closer, so does their bond.

But the alliance between the families is a wake-up call for both women. Angie’s success makes Sophie consider whether she really is as satisfied as she makes out. And Sophie’s uncomplicated marriage forces Angie to look at her own and accept that it’s not as perfect as it seems. Both women vow to change.

But their decisions may not lead where they expect, in this absorbing novel about risks and relationships by the author of The Missing Husband that explores whether the grass is always greener on the other side of the garden fence . . .

My Review of The Woman Next Door {Natasha Boydell}:

So…I pretty much hated this book.

It was just so boring! I kept waiting for something (annnnything) to happen but it really never did. Eventually there was a “big” plot twist but it fell short because it was so completely predictable. This. Book. Was. So. Boring.

I really disliked so many of the characters and found myself not caring what happened to any of them as the story went on…not a good way to feel while reading (listening to) a book. Ugh.

I listened to this one as an Audiobook and I must say…listening to someone actually FROM the country where the story takes place adds such a wonderful dimension. And that’s pretty much the only nice thing I have to say about this book 🙂

Bottom Line:

I just wanted it to end.

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 if filled with love, BOOKS, and Crumbl Cookies!

Xo,

Jenny

This book clearly wasn’t for me…but you might love it! Click the image below 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

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

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The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

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2 Books. Same Author. Loved 1. Didn’t Love The Other.

2 Books. Same Author. Loved 1. Didn’t Love The Other.

I have a very love/hate relationship with Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books. One True Loves? Loved it (although for some reason I never reviewed it on here). Malibu Rising? LOVED it (review HERE). The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo? Hated it (review HERE). So it comes at zero surprise that after listening to 2 of her older books as audiobooks, I loved one and didn’t love the other. Ugh.

**Before I get a million messages asking if I’ve read Daisy Jones and the Six, the answer is no. Nothing about the synopsis of that book appeals to me! I’ve heard it’s wonderful but I have absolutely no desire to read it.**

Book #1 (Loved): After I Do

Goodreads Synopsis of After I Do {Taylor Jenkins Reid}:

When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

My Review of After I Do {Taylor Jenkins Reid}:

Omg I absolutely loved this book. It was so raw and so unfiltered! I definitely hugged my husband tighter after finishing this book. I was ALL IN while listening to this one as an audiobook and found myself listening whenever I had a few extra minutes. Such a perfect book to listen to as an audiobook.

I absolutely loved each character in this book!

That being said, there was one pretty major storyline that I found to be completely unrealistic. Other than that, this book is perfection 🙂

Why did it take me so many years to read this book??? Highly, highly recommend!

Bottom Line:

If you are married, read this book. And then go and hug your spouse.

Book #2 (Did Not Love): Maybe in Another LIfe

Goodreads Synopsis of Maybe in Another Life {Taylor Jenkins Reid}:

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

My Review of Maybe in Another Life {Taylor Jenkins Reid}:

What a horrible book to listen to as an audiobook. The entire book is comprised of 2 separate stories which alternate back and forth. Both stories have the same settings, characters, etc. IT. GOT. SO. CONFUSING. Maybe in print the distinction between the 2 stories would be more clear but as an audiobook…man, this book just didn’t work as an audiobook.

Because it was telling 2 completely separate stories at the exact same time, nothing really had a proper chance of being developed. Characters, storylines, etc. It all just felt so rushed and so predictable.

And…I hated the ending. Like…I HATED the ending.

Bottom Line:

Maybe this one is better as a book and not as an audiobook? Still wouldn’t change that awful ending, though…

Have you read either of these books? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page 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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The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

Book Coffee Happy’s 12 most viewed posts of 2021 can be found HERE

Reminders of Him and Ugly Love {Colleen Hoover}

Reminders of Him and Ugly Love {Colleen Hoover}

I am either a HUGE Colleen Hoover (or as diehard booklovers all know her: CoHo) fan or…I’m lukewarm 😉

I’m not entirely sure why (maybe because this one is such a recent release?) but for some reason Colleen Hoover’s It Ends With Us is extremely popular right now…everyone is reading it! I read that book many, many years ago and I loved it. I still think about it! If you haven’t yet read that one, make sure you do. It’s so, so wonderful.

That being said, I wasn’t a huge fan of November 9. I read it years ago (possibly once I finished It Ends With Us?) and I was just so underwhelmed. Eh.

I’m dying to read Verity! I’ve heard it’s amazing. I’ve been on my library waitlist for the audiobook for awhile now and I’m not so patiently waiting.

When her newest book was released this past January, I was so cautiously optimistic about it as I had read some GREAT reviews. Hoping that I would love it as much as I loved It Ends With Us, I downloaded the audiobook of Reminders of Him and started listening…

{One of the biggest issues of listneing to books as audiobooks is that I can’t take pretty pictures of them for my blog!}

Goodreads Synopsis of Reminders of Him {Colleen Hoover}:

After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself.

The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them.

The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.

My Review of Reminders of Him {Colleen Hoover}

Ahhhh I loved this book so much! It’s a BEAUTIFULLY written story with deep, meaningful characters and an intricately woven plot. I listened to this one literally whenever I had an extra minute in my day because I couldn’t get enough. I never wanted it to end! Definitely read (or listen to) this book, it’s so amazing. Such a beautiful story.

Once I finished listening to Reminders of Him, I was NOT ready to move on to another author/genre. I wanted MORE! More CoHo, more love story. I downloaded Ugly Love about 20 minutes after I finished listening to Reminders of Him.

Bottom Line:

I never wanted this book to end.

Goodreads Synopsis of Ugly Love {Colleen Hoover}:

When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

My Review of Ugly Love {Colleen Hoover}:

I really, really liked it. I wouldn’t say that I LOVED it but I would say that it was very good. A bit cringy (is that a word?) at times with the way that Tate allowed for herself to be treated.

The story was good, the characters were…unlikable. All of them. Eh.

A few points to note:

The backstory of Miles was way more intriguing than the book’s present day story.

The audiobook’s male narrator was creepy and the way he pronounced the name “Rachel” made it sound like a stalker was describing her. Every. Single. Time.

I had a very strong prediction that turned out to be completely wrong. I must say…I think my ending would have been better.

Also, throughout the entire book I kept forgetting that Tate was a girl and not a boy because of her name. So there’s that.

Bottom Line

Very good. Not CoHo’s best but very good.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think? Do you enjoy Colleen Hoover books? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Xo,

Jenny

Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page 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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The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

Book Coffee Happy’s 12 most viewed posts of 2021 can be found HERE

My 2nd Audiobook…Which Book Did I Select?

My 2nd Audiobook…Which Book Did I Select?

FAVORITE SEASON! FAVORITE WEATHER!
Snow Happy ❄️

I have been on the library waitlist for this one for WEEKS and my name doesn’t appear to be moving up anytime soon. My new hobby is proving yet again that audiobooks can be SO much easier to get a hold of (although you really aren’t holding anything? I digress.). As soon as I finished listening to my last audiobook, I immediately started the search for my next audiobook. I typed in the title of this one and…IT. WAS. THERE. Just waiting for me to download. It took 5 seconds. Audible FOR THE WIN.

My 2nd Audiobook:

Goodreads Synopsis of Reminders of Him {Colleen Hoover}:

The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them.

The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.

I will post my thoughts as soon as I finish listening! Have you read this one? I’d love to hear your thoughts but ABSOLUTELY NO SPOILERS PLEASE!

Mia and Nattie: One Great Team Giveaway Winners Video:

Thank you so much to everyone who entered! I hope you are having a wonderful day and are reading (or listening) to a wonderful book!

Xo,

Jenny

Click the images below to order the books through my Amazon affiliate links. When you order through these links, I receive a tiny commission. Thank you for your support, Xo

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page 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)*

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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.*

*Leaving a positive review on my Facebook page*

The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

Book Coffee Happy’s 12 most viewed posts of 2021 can be found HERE

Book Review: My Darling Husband {Kimberly Belle}

Book Review: My Darling Husband {Kimberly Belle}

When I was choosing my first audiobook (more about that HERE), so many from my TBR came to mind. However, when I saw that I could listen to My Darling Husband over a MONTH before it’s book release date…DONE.

Goodreads Synopsis of My Darling Husband {Kimberly Belle}:

Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.

Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.

My Review of My Darling Husband {Kimberly Belle}:

I. LOVED. IT.

I was allllll in and couldn’t get enough of this awesome plot.

So I only have 2 things that I DIDN’T like about this book (audiobook):

1. I figured out almost all of the major plot twists very early on and I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS. I kept thinking that I had to be wrong because so many of them seemed so obvious….but nope. Right on the money. UGH.

2. The son’s actions and way of speaking made him seem significantly younger than he was. This bothered me throughout the entire book.

Aside from these 2 imperfections, this book (audiobook) was GREAT! It takes place over the course of 1 day so this made it a PERFECT first audiobook listen for me. It was so easy to pick up again after leaving off knowing it was still the same day. I would have to assume listening to an audiobook that takes place over a larger span of time wouldn’t be as easy to follow…am I wrong?

I really loved this one and listened whenever I got the chance. One of the most surprising places I found myself listening was very late in bed one night! I knew I only had about 20 minutes left in the audiobook so I put in my earbuds, closed my eyes, and let someone read me a bedtime story! It was great…but…the ending of this book was so intense that I couldn’t fall asleep for HOURS after I finished listening. Not so much a peaceful bedtime story. Oops.

Clearly I don’t have anything to compare it to but I really loved the voices on the audiobook, especially Jade’s. Her voice was perfect 🙂

If you have never listened to an audiobook, I highly suggest starting with this one for the pure fact that the entire book takes place over the course of 1 single day. So easy to follow while listening.

Bottom Line:

Absolutely LOVED it.

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

Xo,

Jenny

Click the image below 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

This blog is my favorite hobby and I would so love your support! Here are ways you can help my blog to GROW:

*Please share this page 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 Instagram*

*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*

The 13 best books I read in 2021 can be found HERE

Book Coffee Happy’s 12 most viewed posts of 2021 can be found HERE