Book review: A THOUSAND PERFECT LIES, by Monica Murphy

A twisty, addictive dark‑academia ride, Monica Murphy absolutely surprised me with this one. I knew she could write great romance, but I didn’t expect her to deliver such a gripping, atmospheric mystery on top of it. This book hooked me from page one and never let go. It’s the kind of story where every character feels like a suspect, every conversation feels loaded, and you’re constantly second‑guessing yourself—in the best way.

Billie Vale is the beating heart of the book, and I adored her. She’s tough, vulnerable, and so deeply loyal to her baby sister that you can’t help rooting for her as she steps into a world that was never meant for her. The elite boarding school setting is deliciously tense—full of secrets, privilege, and the kind of toxic dynamics that make you want to scream warnings at the page. Murphy builds that environment so well that you feel the pressure closing in on Billie right alongside her.

And then there’s the slow‑burn connection that develops along the way… tender, aching, and exactly the emotional counterweight the story needed. It never overshadows the mystery—it enhances it.

What impressed me most is how layered the plot is. There are so many moving pieces, but they all click together in a way that feels logical. The reveals land. The tension builds. And by the end, I was fully invested not just in the truth, but in the characters’ healing.

If you love dark academia, messy secrets, complicated families, and a romance that sneaks up on you, this one is absolutely worth your time. A standout read.

Purchase links

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4sLPBtj

Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4pRaKzI

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/49AXMRW

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4sWuLYs

Purchase the deluxe limited edition hardcover today!

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About the author

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, son, their goofy dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. Or reading. Or binge watching something.

 

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyGR

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm

Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/monicamurphyreadergroup/

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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msmonicamurphy/

Book review: WHISPER SWEET NOTHINGS, by Laura Pavlov

Rosewood River #6

Archer & Winnie

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whisper Sweet Nothings is the kind of finale that feels like being wrapped in a quilt sewn from every reason we fell in love with Rosewood River in the first place. It’s tender, funny, a little chaotic in the best family‑way, and full of that Laura Pavlov magic where love looks like everyday devotion.

This book shines because of its emotional warmth. Archer’s quiet steadiness and Winnie’s sunshine resilience create a dynamic that feels both comforting and electric. Their connection builds through routines, small kindnesses, and the kind of domestic intimacy that sneaks up on you. It’s a slow burn that rewards patience with genuine payoff.

Melody, as always, is the beating heart of the story. Her sweetness and open heart bring out the best in everyone around her, and watching her bond with Winnie is one of the loveliest threads in the book.

The group chats are still hilarious. Bridger is now a reformed guy, controlling the grumpy, who knew? Beefcake’s swagger and wisdom are a running thread all through the series and have me wanting to read his story when he’s older. There’s a running joke that had me cackling every time it resurfaced (Japanese toilet, anyone?) and the banter and heckling across the entire siblings/ cousins keeps the story funny even when emotions run deep.

This book understands healing, built in the quiet courage it takes to trust again. Both Archer and Winnie carry old hurts, and the way they navigate them feels grounded and real. Their growth is as satisfying as their romance.  I got a kick out of the story within the story: Winnie is a romance author writing a book about a single dad. 

The found family element is as strong as ever. This world has always thrived on community, and this final installment celebrates that beautifully.  I loved how all the men in the family accepted Winnie, and the women embraced her and rejoiced in her books, reading them ferociously, and celebrating all her successes. 

This is a finale that feels earned. It’s heartfelt, funny, and deeply romantic, embrazing the cozy charm of the series. I’ve loved Rosewood River, and this book feels like coming home one last time — and leaving with a full heart.

Purchase links

FREE with #kindleunlimited

https://bit.ly/3MCOCeF

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4aE3n96

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4aGlBqx

Audiobook: https://geni.us/WSNAUDIO

Narrated by: Sebastian York & @savannahpeachwood

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48WD6lz

About the author

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

 

Connect with Laura

Website: https://www.laurapavlov.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6569734.Laura_Pavlov

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Bookbub: http://bit.ly/3ii8Vdp

Book review: UP TO NO GOOD, by Abbi Glines

Mississippi Smoke #10

Forge & Elsie

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story delivers that perfect blend of angst, vulnerability, and slow‑burn emotional intimacy that I love reading. It follows two people, Forge and Elsie, who are each carrying their own brand of heartbreak, and the magic is in how they slowly—almost reluctantly—become each other’s safe place. The author captures grief and anxiety with such clarity that you feel it in your chest, but she balances it with moments of warmth, humor, and family reunions that make the heaviness worth it.

What really worked for me is how naturally the relationship unfolds. There’s no insta‑love, no forced drama—just two wounded souls finding unexpected comfort in each other. Watching one character rediscover laughter and the other finally breathe without feeling like the world is collapsing… it’s tender, intimate, and deeply satisfying. And yes, the sexy times are potent, but it never overshadows the emotional core. It enhances it.

The pacing is tight, the tension delicious, and the emotional payoff absolutely worth the ride. My only complaint? I could’ve used a few more pages of pure, indulgent swoon at the end—but that’s just because I wasn’t ready to let them go.

A heartfelt, addictive romance that leaves you warm, delighted, and wanting just one more chapter.

Purchase links

https://geni.us/UTNG

About the author

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She finally moved to New England into a home that is 200 + years old with it's own ghosts. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, and/or watching Netflix like the introvert that she is. 

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways:

www.abbiglinesbooks.com

TikTok @abbiglines

Twitter: @abbiglines

Instagram: @abbiglines

Snapchat: abbiglines

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbiglinesauthor

Book review: CRUEL SUMMER, by C.W. Farnsworth

Kensingtons: The Next Generation #3

Wren & Sawyer

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book felt like a warm, messy, perfect summer romance—the kind that gets under your skin in the best way. Cruel Summer is all about two people from totally different worlds who keep crashing into each other, and every time they do, the pull between them gets stronger. Wren and Sawyer have that spark that feels instant but also real, like something that grows in the quiet moments as much as the big ones.

I loved how the story moves through their almost‑moments, their missed chances, and the way they keep finding their way back. The class divide adds tension without taking over the heart of the book, which is really about two teens trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be—with and without each other. It’s emotional without being heavy, sweet without being cheesy, and full of that delicious slow ache that makes you root for them from page one.

It left me smiling, a little breathless, and very attached to these two. A true five‑star summer love story.

Purchase link

https://amzn.to/4sayqAA

About the author

 C.W. Farnsworth is the author of numerous adult and young adult romance novels featuring sports, strong female leads, and happy endings.

Charlotte lives in Rhode Island and when she isn't writing spends her free time reading, at the beach, or snuggling with her Australian Shepherd.

 

Connect with Charlotte

Website: https://authorcwfarnsworth.com  

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/485RndP 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4agSCsy 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cwfarnsworth/   

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cwfarnsworthbooks   

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcwfarnsworth/     

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorcwfarnsworth      

Book review: TAYLOR’S FATHER, by Penelope Ward

An utterly delightful, heart-squeezing delight of a book!  Penelope Ward gave me everything I crave in a vacation‑fling‑turned‑forever story. Blair and Tate’s connection in Midnight Key starts off as pure spark—fun, flirty, a little chaotic—and then quietly deepens into something so much more meaningful. I loved watching Blair shift from pushy and horny (girl was on a mission!) to mischievous, warm, and genuinely good for Tate in a way he didn’t even know he needed. And Tate… oh, Tate. His backstory is heartbreaking without ever feeling heavy for drama’s sake. He’s a man who’s been through it—loss, guilt, fractured family ties—and seeing him slowly open up again was incredibly moving.

The four‑year time jump absolutely delighted me. That reunion scene? Deliciously shocking. The emotional stakes skyrocket, yet the story never loses its tenderness. The way Ward handles the complicated family dynamics—Tate, Blair, Taylor, and little Nicholas—felt honest and generous. No villains, just people trying their best to love each other well. And that’s my favorite kind of romance.

This book gave me laughter, longing, a few well-earned tears, and a full-body swoon. It’s heartfelt, engaging, and beautifully hopeful. I closed it with a big, goofy smile and that warm, satisfied feeling only a truly delightful romance can deliver.

Purchase links

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4kXFqP4

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3MCEvXv

About the author

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

 

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

 

With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world. 

Connect with Penelope: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps

Instagram: http://instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@penelopewardofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor