Book review: THE LAST GOODBYE, by Laura Pavlov

Blue Sky Bay #2

Bass & Briar

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I tried very hard to connect with this book, but it just kept dragging for me. The writing was excellent, as always, and the characters were lovely, but the story never fully pulled me in or kept me riveted. I love the small-town trope and this group of friends, but perhaps the plot felt a little too low-key and lacked the momentum I was hoping for.

I also noticed several elements that felt very familiar from the author's previous series. Once again, we have a tight-knit group of friends who are more like siblings, a hilarious group chat full of banter and ridiculous nicknames, and a single father with an adorable child who is doted on by a whole crew of honorary uncles willing to step in for babysitting duty. It reminded me a lot of the earlier series when Cutter was the beloved little boy proudly calling himself "Beefcake." Even some of the children's dialogue and mannerisms felt similar. What I sorely missed, however, was the unforgettable Japanese toilet banter! I loved their nicknames for each other: “McGrumpy” and “Magpie”.

There was also the favorite diner, but this time the owners are a lovely couple, and the coffee shop, both centers of the gossip train, as is obligatory in small towns.

For me, the story didn't really come alive until around the 70% mark. That's when the conflict finally picked up and the emotional depth I had been waiting for started to emerge. From that point on, I was glued to my Kindle and flew through the rest of the book.

I usually love this author's books and rarely have trouble getting immersed in her stories, but this one just missed the mark for me. While there were plenty of things to enjoy, it never quite captured the magic of some of her previous releases.

Purchase links

Ebook: https://geni.us/tlgeb

Audiobook: https://geni.us/TLGAUDIO

Paperback: https://geni.us/TheLastGoodbyePB

FREE with #kindleunlimited

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/

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Book review: GOLD RUSH, by C.W. Farnsworth

The Kensingtons: Second Generation #4

Rory & Flynn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a delicious book!  From the previous books, I just knew Rory and Flynn had a thing for each other. Like little kids in kindergarten, boys tease the little girls they like (Flynn), and girls are annoyed by the little boys they secretly like (Rory).  And everyone knows that Rory’s boyfriend is a douche-canoe, and their time together was coming up short.

So when this book starts, I’m all for it, because I know Rory and Flynn belong together.  When Flynn’s father denies him the trust fund he’s been dangling since college, Flynn decides to take action.  Since losing his friend Penn to a drug overdose during freshman year, he's dreamed of creating a foundation to help college students who are feeling lonely, isolated, and overwhelmed by the pressures of university life. But, he needs a lot more money than he already has. Unfortunately, his father's condition for releasing the trust fund is simple: get a girlfriend, get engaged, and settle down. So Flynn turns to Rory.

Rory is newly single after her boyfriend Carson was found in a scandalous situation and the video was seen far and wide.  She  accepts the fake engagement with Flynn, he moves into her apartment,  things start heating up and the bed starts hopping!

I knew Flynn has hidden depths, he’s known to be a nice guy despite his playboy fame, and this book shows them all up.  The fun part is that Rory starts to discover them, and we are all delighted.  Also, I knew Flynn has a thing for Rory and I loved that as Rory discovers his attributes (physical and personality) she starts to fall.

I love that the author gives us a hard time, with Rory’s second-guessing and Flynn’s insecurity about her, but Flynn shows devotion, he listens to her, he notices all her likes and habits, and he just shows up.  How can you resist a guy like that? Plus, they are opposites, Flynn is the life of the party, Rory the wallflower.  They complement each other perfectly!  It was a delightful read from start to finish, so of course, five stars.

Thanks to the author for such an entertaining and delicious book, and many thanks for not spending a gazillion pages on sex scenes, just showing a hint.  The book is all about the story and I love that.

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/4esK7hx

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/   

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Book review: HALE BOUND, by Abbi Glines

Mississippi Smoke #11

Hale & Bay

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I reached the end and realized this book ended on a cliffhanger, I was actually relieved. There was no way this addictive, delicious story could end yet. It still needed more time to simmer.

Hale is a gorgeous, sexy, fifty-year-old man (thank you for the silver fox, Abbi Glines!), and I knew he couldn't fall without a little more resistance. His life is completely settled. His children are grown and independent, his company is thriving under the leadership of his sons, Ransom and Than, and he enjoys his work in the Southern Mafia under Linc's direction. Everything is exactly as it should be. Then along comes Bay and turns his perfectly ordered world upside down.

Bay is thirty-four and carrying the scars of a bad experience from years ago. To feel safe, she has built herself a carefully scheduled, predictable life. Hale takes her to emotional heights she never imagined, and while she's clearly falling for him, she still doesn't feel entirely secure. Then there is the small matter of his criminal activities, which understandably make her more than a little uneasy.

This story was delicious. It's the classic setup: man kidnaps woman, falls for her but struggles with it, while she finds herself falling for him and wondering if it's Stockholm syndrome. She calls herself crazy for lusting after her kidnapper, and honestly, it was all wildly entertaining. I loved being inside both of their heads as they tried to make sense of what they were feeling.

What I especially loved was how focused the story remained on Hale and Bay, with just enough involvement from Hale's children to enrich the story without overshadowing it.  I loved Slash, the supposedly guard dog, who melted like wax for Bay, and disgruntled Hale.  It was sweet, sexy, and surprisingly tender, without getting pulled too deeply into the darker, more violent side of this world. It felt like a refreshing interlude among the grittier installments in the series, and I thoroughly enjoyed the slower pace and the sweeter romance.

Now bring me the next book!

Purchase links

https://geni.us/halebound

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