tarak

sweet workplace romance

Revisado: 10-21-24

This one is a sweet workplace romance where the heroine had admired the hero from afar (aka from within the small office of ten or so people) for a couple of years but due to her extreme shyness and social anxiety, they had never really exchanged more than a word or two.

When they become friendly rivals for a promotion, Mackenzie and Jeremy both end up learning to let go of some things in order to make room for God to open better doors for them.

Super sweet, while still having good substance — which is no surprise, as this is definitely a trademark of Sarah Monzon’s work. I loved it.

Let’s liken All’s Fair in Love and Christmas to some homemade hot chocolate with a candy cane swirled in and just the right amount of marshmallows. I highly recommend.

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sweet grumpy/sunshine romcom

Revisado: 11-23-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Betsy is a sweet rom-com story, the last in the Sewing in SoCal series by Sarah Monzon. I have to say, I'm going to really miss these characters -- but am planning on rereading them all together, back to back.

Betsy's got some prickles, but she also has reasons for those prickles... no matter how much of a double standard they might be.

And as prickly and pokey as sarcastic Betsy can be, Asher is every bit as sweet.

She's determined that all musicians are not to be trusted.

He is a musician.

The growth I saw in both Betsy and Asher impressed me and made me love them both that much more. And Asher's persistent and patient pursuing of Betsy... it was THE sweetest thing.

I don't want to say too much more because you really just need to read it.

I'll compare this book with guacamole that's got jalapeño in it. The book itself is sweet and clean, and some excellent Christian fiction -- but Betsy herself, that's where the jalapeño comes in. With her sarcasm. The good character development and fun writing style, together with the plot, make this book what it is, and that is a Kindle book that I already have two copies of. I plan to grab a paperback for my bookshelf as well.

I couldn't be happier with this story or with the recording of it. Stevi Incremona was back again to read this one, and there's a surprise in it that's worth listening just for that. But really, you should listen for the beautiful storyline and characters as well. :)

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super sweet & clean enemies to lovers

Revisado: 11-07-22

I really enjoyed this story just as much my second time through — in some ways, maybe even more than the first. Nash and Emi are some of the best main characters (although, as much as I’ve tried, I still struggle to choose a top favorite pair from Julie Christianson’s Apple Valley Love Stories 🤷‍♀️). Both Emi and Nash struggle with some big insecurities and fears, and both have to decide if it’s worth it to work through those and move beyond them.

For the audio version, Rock Engle and Stephanie Rose narrated. I enjoyed them both and will be listening again — I liked the representation of Nash more than that of Emi though, overall. For Emi, I think I found her inner thoughts more realistically portrayed than her actual dialogue with others, at least going by what I had imagined/was expecting. Even so, it was good, and I loved it.

Julie Christianson does an excellent job of making her readers feel like we’re there in the midst of this world she’s written. These books can be read as stand-alones (they’re each a complete story), but they’re best read in order because you’ll get the full context and also avoid spoilers that way… not to mention, they’re each excellent! One of my favorite romcom writers – and she only writes clean stories, so I love that I don’t have to sort through reviews to make sure that I’m not going to run across anything I don’t want to read.

I would categorize this book as… a plate of nachos. Something that keeps you coming back for more.

Great big thank you to Julie Christianson for the honor of being on your team for this audio book – I truly loved it and can’t wait to hear the rest!

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I've listened three times in six months-- LOVE IT.

Revisado: 07-25-22

Okay. I've got to start this off with a bit of a "confession". Melissa Ferguson released this book on February 15 of this year. Today is July 24. And yesterday I finished my third listen to the audio version, and just recently added the paperback to my bookshelf. And guys, this is not my norm. I am not the girl who finishes a book and then flips back to the front to start over. That's just not me, not normally. And yet here I am, having read this three times in six months.

That by itself should say a lot, but if you still need convincing...

Meet Me in the Margins has some strong You've Got Mail vibes, which I personally adore. It's also about a young woman with dreams of becoming a published author. And Savannah... she's very real.

While I would love to hear the inner thoughts of the hero too (I love well-done alternating POVs), this book works perfectly as is, with just letting us in on Savannah's thoughts, feelings, musings... her hopes and dreams and regrets. I think that, in this case, alternating POVs would detract from the story. What I'd really like is maybe a novella or a parallel book telling the story from the hero's point of view.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and it fully lived up to my expectations. I'd been awaiting this release very anxiously ever since I found out it was coming and was not the least bit disappointed.

Talon David was the perfect choice to narrate this book. I look forward to more read by her!

This book for me is a cup of my latest favorite tea. It's a cozy blanket on a cold rainy day, a comforting fireplace to read beside late into the night. It's everything just right.

As I'm sure you've gathered by now, I highly recommend this book and would give it more than 5 stars if I could. Go grab yourself a copy or three of Meet Me in the Margins.

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Great story! Not great editing.

Revisado: 04-27-20

I really enjoyed this story. I loved how the writer dealt with some difficult subjects in a beautiful way.
The performance was mostly good, but pronunciation and accents bugged me *just* a bit very occasionally.
These things wouldn't have bothered me at all though if the audio had been edited properly... As it was, there were lots of places where I felt like I had to get acclimated to what was going on in the story because there wasn't even really a breath between scene changes. There were also a lot of places where the reader caught herself either misreading or not liking how she read something and then reading it over again. At one point in particular, I think it happened three or four times. She sounded pretty frustrated with herself, going "Aaaah no!" and then sort of muttering to herself how she wanted/needed to read it, and then actually reading it again. It was an interesting little behind-the-scenes type peek... but it should have been edited out of the finished audio book.
I'm struggling to know how many stars to rate this one because the story was great, and I enjoyed the reader too... just found that the poor editing made many parts hard to follow. Overall I really enjoyed it though.

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Another fabulous story read by a favorite!

Revisado: 04-10-18

Reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice, A Vicount’s Proposal has relatable characters who change and grow over the course of the story.

Melanie Dickerson never disappoints. Her stories are both imaginative and engaging. With every book I read by her, I find myself wanting to be friends with the characters… and Leorah in A Viscount’s Proposal is no exception. Her headstrong ways, her compassionate heart, and her refusal to conform to aristocratic society’s expectations make her stand out. They make me admire her.

Following Leorah’s story as she stands up for others and seeks to make a difference in the world around her made me smile. I was on the edge of my seat with the suspense and mysterious happenings.. including attempted murder by an unknown person.

I enjoyed both the story of this regency era romance and the reading performance of it, as I listened via Audible. Anna Parker-Naples is always entertaining to listen to; her voices make the characters truly come to life in her narrations.

Although this is book two in The Regency Spies of London series, and reading the first book would give more insight, context, and backstory, each story focuses in on a different character, and they would each be still very much enjoyable on their own. (Just a warning, reading out of order would give you some spoilers though.)

I would compare this mystery to a delightful chocolate cake… one with a surprise filling to go along with the mystery and spy aspect.

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should have read instead of listening...

Revisado: 04-10-18

*I’m starting with what I didn’t care for, so please don’t write off this story due to these first couple paragraphs.

I had very mixed feelings throughout reading this book. Having read several others by Rachel Hauck that I loved, I was surprised to have a hard time with this one. I wanted to love it… and in some ways I did.. but in other ways it felt to me like there was a little something missing.

Before I go any further, I should say that after much contemplation on this book and how I felt about it, I think my disappointments largely stem from listening rather than reading it myself. While there were some things in the story itself that got to me, for the most part I would have been able to overlook them… I think I might be able to listen to Windy Lanzl read another book (maybe one set in the semi-south… with no British or New York-ish characters…) and enjoy it more. One thing that bothered me was her attempt at voices/accents.. because her voices weren’t consistent.

So.. what did I love about Rachel Hauck’s The Writing Desk? I loved the creativity found in this story. I loved that this writer knows how to create unique characters with layers and grow them throughout the story, letting the reader get to know them more deeply as the pages turn. I loved the intricacies of the dual timelines and how Rachel Hauck wove them together to create one story.

The modern part of this book follows Tenley, a best-selling writer struggling to come up with her second book.. she’s pretty caught up in the excitement of her fame but in her heart she is seeking more depth, even though she doesn’t quite know what she’s looking for. Tenley finds herself passing up a trip to Paris with her “sort of fiance” to care for her estranged mother as she goes through chemo. She’s not very empathetic toward her mother (disappointing but realistic, considering everything) but the fact that she’s there at all says a lot.. especially after Tenley and her dad were abandoned by Blanche (as Tenley calls her) when Tenley was only 9. I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow in hesitant ways as they got to know each other. I also enjoyed how Tenley’s friendship with Jonas, a neighbor/longtime friend of Blanche’s sprouted as he accepted Tenley where she was. It’s super sweet.

The other half of this dual timeline book begins during the gilded age, and it’s about Birdie, a rich heiress who has more heart than care for wealth and fame. She dreams of being a published author, and of marrying for love… hopefully to Eli, who’s captured her heart but doesn’t have her parents’ approval. Her parents have other ideas though and have made business-type arrangements with a different suitor.

Birdie and Tenley’s lives end up intersecting, although they never knew each other. There’s much bittersweet in this book. I’m still not quite at rest with the culmination but I think I’d like to try actually reading it in book form. I think that would help me.

This book is comparable to… a can of soup. I have a certain line of canned soup that I love but can’t eat much anymore. There’s just something that I can’t quite put my finger on that’s missing, and I’ve had a hard time eating it since chemo.

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Fun and unique story that kept me engaged

Revisado: 04-10-18

Karen Witemeyer was a new-to-me writer. She had been on my TBR list for a while, and I chose this particular book of hers to for my first because of a recommendation from a friend. We both love Anne of Green Gables, and this heroine reminded her of Anne.. thus prompting her to recommend it to me!

I really enjoyed the unexpectedness that I found in Head in the Clouds. It included threads of both British and Texan culture, romance, suspense, and fancifulness, all woven into a creative story that kept me guessing. While there were some dark elements and difficult times in this story, overall it was pretty light, and the headstrong heroine, Adelaide, did in fact remind me of Anne too.

The storyline is a bit complex to summarize without saying too much… but not complex in a confusing way. There’s just so much good story…

Nicole Poole did a great job on this audio book, and I really enjoyed her — except for her voice for Bella.. but honestly, I think it’s got to be difficult trying to mimic a child’s voice for a recording.

I would like to compare this book with jalapeño cornbread. Comfort food with some spice. 🙂

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light and romantic

Revisado: 10-29-17

Light and romantic, this story takes place in mountainous Montana. I’ve never been there, but I find myself fascinated with stories (and pictures!) of Montana, so the setting of this novella was a bonus for me.

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful is the fun, cute, quick-moving story of Hannah and CJ and their personal struggles to find the courage inside themselves that everyone else already sees — including each other. They survive a horrific plane crash together, but in spite of their mutual attraction, they each manage to block the other from seeing how much their hearts need that connection… so they spend the following months both denying it. They surely both read more into it than was there, right? Yet they cling to their shared time online, talking as they team up to fight off zombies and save orphans in a game that gives them both false pictures of bravery.

This was my first-ever story by Susan May Warren, and I have to say, I liked it! I should probably have read the others in her Montana Fire series prior to this, but that didn’t scare me away. It was the equivalent of a cream puff. Very light, even with the struggles both main characters deal with.

Also, I listened to this via Audible, and Jackson Nickolay did a great job. I’m kind of picky about narrators, and while some of his voices for the characters (read: CJ’s little sister, for one..) weren’t exactly on my top favorites list, overall I really enjoyed his reading and voices.

(This is a novella. Mine says it’s the extended edition… I don’t really know what is extended, but I’m guessing that maybe the non-extended version doesn’t have the epilogue. And if that’s the case, make sure you read the extended one. Because you’ll be missing out if you don’t!)

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one of the most beautiful stories. EVER.

Revisado: 10-29-17

I normally don’t cry in movies or books. I honestly don’t think I’ve *ever* cried in a book before.

Until now.

Now.. I’ve sobbed.

The incredible depth of this novella really surprised me; I typically think of novellas and short fiction as not having time to develop the characters enough to truly know and relate to them. This book has so much depth. I felt instantly that I had bonded with young Sarah Miller. And with Tucker O’Shay.

Joanne Bischof showed her talent with This Quiet Sky. Descriptions that encompassed my senses. Characters who leapt from the pages (or rather, from my ipod, since I listened via Audible). Scenery that transported me in a very realistic sense to the hills of Appalachia in the late 1800s, not all that far from where my own family has roots. All of these were present in this story.

This book captured me at a level I’m not sure I knew was possible. Down into the very depths of my soul.

My heart ached for Sarah, for Tucker. I connected with them, with Tucker’s need of a good friend, with Sarah’s compassion and desire to reach out to him. Although very different circumstances, I can relate to the fear that I know Tucker felt, because I’m a survivor of the disease that he had. I’m sure he had friends prior to this diagnosis, and I hurt for what he lost. Tucker’s thoughts and the way he pondered life, the way he set out to enjoy the moments that he had, dreaming as if he had all the time in the world, living with a grateful-to-God heart for his every breath.. these traits wove such a real character. I can relate to Sarah, as her heart breaks for Tucker, for his family, for herself… because I have been on this side too.

If you have the opportunity, I highly encourage you to listen to Gail Shalan read this book. She added a uniquely beautiful dimension to an already heartwarming, soul-gripping, tear-provoking book. I will be adding the paperback to my permanent book collection, but I will absolutely be listening to this audio book again and again as well. Very rarely do I feel like I could finish a book, turn back to page one, and begin again immediately. This book compels me to do so.

I would liken this story to dark chocolate. Very dark chocolate. Something like Ghirardelli’s Intense Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Soiree. The blend of flavors is delicate and perfect. But so very intense, daring you to take the next bite. Go ahead. Do it. Listen. Read. I can’t promise you won’t cry — in fact, I’d encourage you to be free to let this story affect you deeply and permanently. Let God use it in your heart. You will not regret it. And as you let God speak to you through this little book, be reminded of the truth that His eye is on the sparrow… and we can know that He’s watching us too.

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