Friday, September 30, 2022

Book Review: Backyard Witchcraft

Happy spooky season! Are you tuning in to watch Hocus Pocus 2 tonight? I will not, it is actually homecoming for our high school, the big kids are playing in the band, so I'm pulling mom duty and sitting at a football game. I can't wait because at lunch time I decided to go put a couple of yard decorations up, and as I stepped on one to push the stake into the ground, I literally threw my back out. Just shooting pain, hurts to breath, hurts to sit or stand, I'm just real excited to sit on metal bleachers for 3+ hours. YAY ME. At least it's nice and not raining, it could be worse, I suppose. 

Backyard Witchcraft - Cecilia Lattari

Embark on an exploration of modern-day witchcraft, embracing the green path, which connects us to nature. Herbalist Cecilia Lattari guides readers to reawaken their inner witch by tuning in to the magic and sacred energies of their everyday lives, using the hidden powers of nature to foster positive connections between mind, body, and spirit and living spaces. Filled with colorful, compelling illustrations, this handbook introduces green, hedge, and kitchen witches. Readers will learn how to create their own witch’s tool kits, purify their homes, work with the four natural elements, build magic laboratories, and discover the path that encourages a harmonious transformation.
One of my favorite things to read and learn about is witches, witch history, witch lore, just all things witch. I immediately jumped on this tour because it sounded fascinating. It actually was incredibly fascinating, but I also learned quite a bit about things in my own backyard. I learned I actually have a whole bunch of yarrow in a back corner and I had no idea what it was. None of my plant identifying apps figured it out (yay for free apps!), but it's pretty cool that the mystery is solved. 

The book is broken down into really small sections and while you could read it cover to cover, this works best as a reference book. The book is separated into seven main chapters, there is a planner included at the end, a test to see if you were paying attention (but also to see what kind of witch you are), a few "magical stories" of witches, and a great bibliography at the end which is just interesting for the nerdy witches out there. 

I actually also really appreciated the information about plants in general and their roots/root systems, because I struggled big time with this. I am trying to become a semi-decent gardener (I'd like to ideally not kill everything), and oddly, indoor plants is where I struggle the most, so this gave me some information I had no idea about (and honestly never would have thought about). 

Overall, this was a pretty cool book. It has a great layout, it is written well and for a topic that could be intimidating and overwhelming, the author did a fantastic job organizing it and breaking down into laymans terms. I also want to mention the illustrations. Betti Greco did these throughout the book and they are just so pretty and go with the general aesthetic of the book, well done. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Dover Publications for having me on this tour. Matt says I can't turn into a witch but... he's not the boss of me. Right? 

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Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Book Review: Beauty & the Professor - AND- Falling for the Beast

OOH.... I have a double review for you today! I finished one and had to immediately read the next one, so I'm going to give you both because I'm sure you'll be doing the same. 

Beauty and the Professor - Skye Warren

(A Modern Fairy Tale Duet #1)

Once upon a time there was a beautiful college student…

Erin cleans Mr. Morris’s house twice a week to pay her tuition. The reclusive ex-soldier intimidates her, but she can’t help but feel sympathy for him. Then she walks in on him touching himself, and she has much darker, much more sensual feelings.

And a beastly professor with scars he can’t hide…

Blake Morris knows he’s scarred both inside and out. He’s reclusive and surly. Nowhere near good enough for the smart and beautiful young woman who cleans his house.

He receives an offer to return to his alma mater as an associate professor. This is his chance to reenter the world--and to be worthy of the woman he dreams about. He never expected to see her sitting in his classroom on the first day of the semester.
**
OK, now... when I started this one I was a little bit nervous because student/teacher romance is always really borderline for me. It begins with Erin, who cleans Blake's home (it gives you some vibes similar to The Mister by E.L. James, except it is so much better), since coming off a tour in the middle East badly and forever injured, he's become a recluse. One day she basically walks into him masturbating and very clearly fantasizing about her, which is how this whole romance starts, like any solid love story would, am I right? It isn't a very long one, but it covers the (very) hot and heavy beginning of their relationship, until him starting his position as a professor at the same college Erin attends. She needs one more class to graduate and, surprise, her lover is the professor. There is some ethical debating here, we also meet a slightly unhinged almost fiancee. I liked it, enough to make me immediately purchase the next one at 3:30 a.m. because I truly could not wait and it leaves you on a true cliff hanger. 

Falling for the Beast - Skye Warren
A Modern Fairy Tale Duet #2)
He can never turn back into a prince...

A troubling revelation puts Blake's newfound career in jeopardy--and even worse, puts Erin's impending graduation at risk. He can't risk her future no matter how much he wants her.

She will never have a happily ever after...

A dark legacy threatens everything they've worked to build. When old debt comes between them, both Blake and Erin must fight to protect each other--and their love.

Since their forbidden beginning, Erin and Blake's relationship has been marked by deep sensuality and intense emotion. The couple is tested at every turn. They're running out of time. Blake and Erin will have to trust each other to forge their own sexy ending.

**
Lord alive. I loved this installment, and honestly, most duets give me a meh ending, this one absolutely nailed it for me. Not only did we get a satisfying ending, a few more plot twists are thrown in along the way and it was just right. None of them felt rushed to the finish line, and I absolutely loved how we didn't have the crazy, unnecessary dramatics that we see in most romance novels. The author doesn't need to go there because she expertly weaves us around each obstacle, all while maintaining the heat of this couple. You're left rooting for them and cheering at the end because it was a ride. Erin isn't our whiny damsel in distress, and Blake isn't our asshole hero. They both have their flaws but they compliment each other, which makes all of the steamy scenes believeable and kind of great. Just saying. I finished this wanting more and more of this couple, but I'll settle for other Skye Warren books for sure. 

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Saturday, September 24, 2022

Book Review: I Let You Fall

Hey lambs! I have a doozy of a post coming, maybe tomorrow, with a medical update that will make you laugh and laugh.... otherwise you just cry and frankly, my skin is so dried out. In the meantime, I'll be coming at you with some reviews, so try to keep up. 

I Let You Fall - Sara Downing

On a summer night in London, art teacher Eve Chapman finds herself in a hospital emergency room. She watches surgeons desperately operate on a young woman with a terrible head injury. But when the bandages are removed, Eve is horrified to find her own body on the operating table.

Trapped in a coma, Eve struggles to cope with the fact that no matter how hard she tries, her family and friends cannot see or hear her. But then she meets Luca Diaz, a handsome and comatose lawyer who can see her. He takes Eve under his wing and teaches her how to use her new abilities to help the living.

As the weeks pass, Eve struggles to find a way back to her body and to Nathan, the man she loves. But the more time she spends with Luca, the more she wonders if her old life is worth going back to at all.
It doesn't take a genius to know right away that I jumped at this one because I was in a coma once upon a time. I can't remember anything from that time though, so I can't tell you if anything like this is real or possible, but I'd like to think that it is. Books with plots like these always go down easy because the idea that there is something more after that is comforting and makes the end feel less daunting. A little bit, at least. 

Eve is just living her life one minute and the next minute, she's watching a traumatic incident in a hospital. While asking if she should go with the person as they are lead away, everyone is ignoring her and while a bit rude, it's understandable given the work they do. Once settled Eve quickly realizes that by God.... that's actually her. In a very clearly not great state, and as loved ones file in, she also realizes they can't see or hear her. She has no way to let them know she's OK (I mean, is she though? She is in a coma.), and she, of course, begins to panic. As anyone would do, she attempts to leave the room and quickly learns that's not doable because of restrictions and what not. Enter, Luca. Luca is our friendly... being? Ghost? Random guy going through walls and stuff? Whatever he is, he's friendly, and he becomes a tour guide of sorts for Eve. You know he's a good guide, but why him? The story weaves us through their relationship, but also gives Eve a new viewpoint, I guess I'd call it. 

I really liked this. My only minus point is the ending. I feel like, it wasn't really enough for me. Honestly, I'm not sure if it was just me not really getting it (which is completely possible, my coma gave me good ol' cognitive impairment.. yay me) or if it was lacking something. Don't let me feeling on that detract from you reading it though. I always enjoy books with this premise, though I do understand why it might be hard on others. Death/dying/afterlife/what if's of life is a private journey, though I truly believe there is, and honestly, I'll take any hope I can get some days. 

A huge thank you to TCK Publishing and Quilla Books for sending me a copy for review. Of course Sara Downing, who spells her name the best way possible #teamnoH, for writing a beautiful book you'll fly through on your next weekend. Just don't read as you walk across a street because traffic might get ya. Ask Eve. You can learn more about Sara, and see her other books, on her website: https://www.saradowningwriter.co.uk/

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Thursday, September 22, 2022

Book Review: Fake Fiancee

Here we are, another day, another book on my read-the-random-things-I've-downloaded-on-my-Kindle-app journey. Only 250 pages, this was a pretty quick read, and this is a pretty solid author for me so why not?

Fake Fiancee - Ilsa Madden-Mills

Fake engaged to the hottest quarterback in the country? SCORE.

They say nothing compares to your first kiss,
But our first kiss was orchestrated for an audience.
Our second kiss . . . that one was REAL.
He cradled my face like he was terrified he'd f*ck it up.
He stared into my eyes until the air buzzed.
Soft and slow, full of sighs and little laughs,
He inhaled me like I was the finest Belgian chocolate,
And he'd never get another piece.
A nip of his teeth, his hand at my waist . . .
And I was lost.
I forgot he was paying me to be his fake fiancée.
I forgot we weren't REAL.
Our kiss was pure magic, and before you laugh and say those kinds of kisses don't exist,
Then you've never touched lips with Max Kent, the hottest quarterback in college history.

Three months. Two hearts. One fake engagement.
Well now. I'll be honest, a fake engagement trope is usually not something I go for, it's kind of a weird idea to me, but I already had the book, so I may as well give it a try. And honestly? I really liked it. I liked our characters, I loved the beginning meeting (of sorts), and I kind of loved the reintroduction. This one felt like it was more realistic in the "I can't possibly fake this, what are we even doing?", combined with the general awkwardness of doing this with a relative stranger, so I enjoyed that. I also enjoyed their eventual fall for each other. The author did a really good job giving you the feels. 

My only critique... the story has a bit of a subplot of mystery (kind of) and just as I was really starting to get interested in that, it was done. We got a really lackluster conclusion of it and I honestly expected (and wanted) more. Is this enough to deter you from the book? No, I think you'll still enjoy it because the main entertainment is the relationship. My other twinge of annoyance with Sunny CONSTANTLY doubting everything. Now, I understand this is a fake relationship so it truly is based on a lie, but I feel like if someone says something to you when nobody else is around, you can put a little more stock into that. Nope- she just second guesses and questions everything, all because her last boyfriend was a total dirtbag. I understand being a little leery, but this was to another level. 

Overall, I enjoyed this one. I'd give it a solid 4 stars. If you're in the mood for a college football romance, this would be a good, quick one to pick up. 
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Monday, September 19, 2022

Book Review: Fighting for Flight

I got this idea at like 2 a.m. the other day that I should go through my Kindle app and randomly read books from there. I actually hate reading ebooks, but I feel bad having my book light on all night because I feel like I'm waking Matt up. So I thought maybe if I read stuff on my phone it wouldn't be so bad. I could use my iPad but it actually hurts to hold after awhile so phone it is. 

In other news, is there a way to sort books on the Kindle app by number of pages? Or a way that I could look up books by length? I was trying to find novellas, or the smallest books and work my way through them like that but I couldn't figure that out so I'm just guessing as I go. 

Fighting for Flight - JB Salsbury

What happens when in order to win, you’re forced to lose?

The only daughter of an infamous Las Vegas pimp, Raven Morretti grew up an outsider. Liberated from the neglectful home of her prostitute mother, she finds solace as a mechanic. With few friends, she’s content with the simple life. Flying under the radar is all she knows, and more than she expects.

Until she catches the eye of local celebrity, UFL playboy Jonah Slade.

Weeks away from his title fight, Jonah is determined to stay focused on everything he’s trained so hard to achieve. Undefeated in the octagon, he’s at the height of his career. But resisting Raven’s effortless allure and uncomplicated nature is a fight he can’t win.

Jonah trades in his bad-boy reputation and puts his heart on the line. But when her father contacts her, setting in motion the ugly truth of her destiny, Jonah must choose. In a high-stakes gamble where love and freedom hang in the balance, a war is waged where the price of losing is a fate worse than death.

Will the hotheaded Jonah be able to restrain his inner fighter to save the woman he loves?

Or will Raven be forced into a life she’s been desperate to avoid?
Would you believe me if I said this was my first book from JB Salsbury? I own a few, have I read them? Not yet. I think I need to soon though, because this one was pretty dang good. So good that I purchased the other ones in the Fighting series. 

This is Jonah and Raven's story and right off the bat, I really liked them. Jonah is an MMA fighter at the top of his game and Raven is a mechanic, which is how they meet. Jonah needs his classic car brought to life and when he meets Raven it is literally instant love for him. She definitely thinks he's gorgeous but she's pretty unexperienced in relationships. Jonah, on the other hand, is basically a man whore. He doesn't do relationships, he's a have-sex-and-then-get-out kind of guy. They start a relationship and immediately I love it, and just as soon as things really come together, Raven learns that her biological father is a pimp and hey, guess what, on her 21st birthday she basically becomes a prostitute and she doesn't really have a choice. Devastated, she is coming to grips that the life she's building after a pretty crappy childhood, is going to be over before it really began. 

Unless. 

Jonah agrees to throw his upcoming match, lose on purpose so the dad can cash out on it, with the promise that Raven would be safe. Now, we've all read enough books to know nothing is as easy as that, so things go down, and I'm not even going to tell you if this has a good ending or not. 

What I will tell you is I really liked this. I flew through it in one night (thanks, insomnia!) and was completely irritated I couldn't buy the next one through the app (why? WHY is that a thing?!), and I was too lazy to get up and walk to the next room. It was also dark and I knew damn well I would run into something, make a ton of noise, and wake everyone up. It was best I just wait until daylight. I love the writing, the steamy scenes are on point and pretty damn great, the relationship development was actually really fast but it felt logical. Overall? I definitely recommend this one, especially if you're looking for an entertaining, and basically guaranteed, book. 5 stars for sure. 

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Monday, September 12, 2022

Concerts, Birthdays, the Lake, and more!

I feel like I am doing such a terrible job at keeping you updated on life and what I'm doing. I just forget about it and then I have so many things I could talk about, but I get overwhelmed and do none of it. So that's where I'm at. 

I'm going to be all over the place with this because I can't get my brain to put things in order like a normal person, so here we are.  

Most recently the big kids and I went to see Florence + the Machine this last week and it was a GREAT concert. I've seen Florence once before and this one was just as good, but I'm glad Olivia and Jackson were able to go, too. 
Truly, if you ever have the opportunity to see her live, you need to absolutely do it. Her voice is incredible and it almost feels like a religious experience, which sounds corny, but it's true. 
Dance has started up again, and it is nice to get back into the swing of things. Lucy is all about it, and Olivia seems to be happy to get back into a routine. 
Over the week that Pep and Lu were at grandma and grandpa's, Matt and I refreshed their room. We painted, deep cleaned, sorted toys, and moved furniture. It was exhausting but they absolutely loved it. Can they keep it clean? Yeah.... no. 
Lucy turned six in August, and it was a tough one. I don't know why it is still tough to get through it, but it is and it is so frustrating. 
We got a new kitten, which we've named Pickles. The other pets tolerate him, and the kids love him. He's super cute and has like four polka dots on his side/back and it's so cute. 
I'm pretty sure he's part feral or something because he is WILD. He wants to be petted until you do and then he bites you and tries to fight you. He's kind of an asshole. A cute one, but still. 
School started for everyone, and the best part of fall is watching Olivia in the marching band. This year Jackson is doing it too because he's in high school now. 
It's been pretty fun, and we've been bringing Pep and Lu until half-timeish, but Lucy has yet to make it that long. She usually falls asleep. Pep would go all night if you let her, but she also wants to run wild and eat all the snacks. 
With everything going on, I've been super overwhelemed with life, so this desk is basically a representation of my brain. Try sorting that out. 
Then we had Olivia's birthday, she's officially 17 now. We spent the day hanging out on Lake Superior in a couple of spots and it was such a nice day. Windy as hell, but the lake was so pretty. 
Matt also had a birthday, and he got a matching tattoo to mine. I got my Dory way back in 2017 as a representation of my AFE and just general struggle but survival, too. Matt got Marlin because Marlin always finds Dory, is always helping her through life no matter how hard it is. He's just a really great husband, and no matter what happens in life, I know he has my back. He's always there to help me and I'm never floating out there alone and lost. I love it, but I love him, too. He's pretty great. <3 

That's a solid round up of life right now. It's busy, it's messy, and we're doing it. 

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Book Review: A Lot Like Forever

Happy weekend! Do you have any plans this weekend? We are mostly sticking around the house, trying to save money, but also trying to get organized before winter. Like squirrels. 

I'm getting my squirrel on, if you will. 

I also am getting through books like its nobody's business (which is good because I'm like 19 books behind in my Goodreads Challenge, so I'm not sure what my plan for that is), so let's talk about this one first.  

A Lot Like Forever - Jennifer Snow

Whitney Carlisle has everything under control—or at least that’s what she needs everyone in Blue Moon Bay to think. She has always faced the hard times in her life head-on and come out stronger for it. But this time, she isn’t so sure. Whitney knows she needs help, but how can she put that burden on Trent, her fiancé? How can she crush his dreams by telling him the plans they made for a future together have to change?

All Trent Connolly wants is to get married, have kids, and spend the rest of his life loving Whitney. Their relationship has had its share of ups and downs—like any other couple—and they’ve always managed to get through it unscathed. So when Whitney is clearly struggling with something, Trent is ready to help. His fiancée’s strong will is part of what draws him to her—but this time, it feels like it’s pushing him away.

Whatever Whitney is hiding from everyone has to be big. Possibly life-changing. She must believe that revealing her secret would do Trent more harm than good, even if it crushes her under the weight of it. The only thing he can do now is be there for her in whatever way she needs…until a secret of his own comes to light that threatens to steal their chance at forever.
First things first, this is my first book from Jennifer Snow, and how is that even possible?? I feel like I keep saying that lately. Even though this is book three in the Blue Moon Bay series, these are all stand alones, so you will be totally fine to start here (I did!). 

Easily my biggest pet peeve in a romance is summing a book up with it being a lack of communication, but that is completely what this one is. Unlike most stories, we already have our couple established, this story focuses around a secret that Whitney is keeping from her fiance, Trent. I liked the characters (seperately and together) but the entire conflict in the story is the lack of communication, and that kind of drove me nuts. Also spending a huge chunk of the book recapping or reminiscing about Whitney and Trent's relationship, and I wasn't really sure what the point of that was? I mean, the history of them was helpful but I don't think it needed to be that much of the book. I did like the friendships and how they supported Whitney when things were tough for her. I am also a fan of small town romances in general, so the feel of the book was comforting and nice to curl up on the couch with. I do think the first two books in this series would be a better fit for me, but the writing style of this one makes me want to read more by this author. 

Overall... I didn't love, love it, but I definitely didn't dislike it, so it's solidly in the middle for me. I do want to go back and read the first two because I think I might like those more. I am totally in the mood for more fall centered books, I'm getting into the groove of fall, even though I'm not about that life. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for having me on this tour! 

Sunday, September 4, 2022

Book Review: Bookish People

Are you doing anything this weekend? I'm just glad we have a long weekend. Olivia turns 17 in a few days, and I have some crafty things I want to do. I don't want to get crazy, but I might be listing some things in the ol' Etsy shop. I kind of miss doing that, I just have such a hard time managing time and it's hard. Life is hard, folks. 

Bookish People - Susan Coll

A perfect storm of comedic proportions erupts in a DC bookstore over the course of one soggy summer week—narrated by two very different women and punctuated by political turmoil, a celestial event, and a perpetually broken vacuum cleaner.

Independent bookstore owner Sophie Bernstein is burned out on books. Mourning the death of her husband, the loss of her favorite manager, her only child’s lack of aspiration, and the grim state of the world, she fantasizes about going into hiding in the secret back room of her store.

Meanwhile, renowned poet Raymond Chaucer has published a new collection, and rumors that he’s to blame for his wife’s suicide have led to national cancellations of his publicity tour. He intends to set the record straight—with an ultra-fine-point Sharpie—but only one shop still plans to host him: Sophie’s.

Fearful of potential repercussions from angry customers, Sophie asks Clemi—bookstore events coordinator, aspiring novelist, and daughter of a famed literary agent—to cancel Raymond’s appearance. But Clemi suspects Raymond might be her biological father, and she can’t say no to the chance of finding out for sure.

This big-hearted screwball comedy features an intergenerational cast of oblivious authors and over-qualified booksellers—as well as a Russian tortoise named Kurt Vonnegut Jr.—and captures the endearing quirks of some of the best kinds of people: the ones who love good books.
I am going to chalk this one up to bookstagram made me do it. I am SO GLAD I didn't purchase this one because I didn't like it. Not even a little bit. I've seen people mention how fun and funny it was, and maybe it was because I listened to the audiobook of this, but it wasn't funny. I honestly got to the half way point and couldn't tell you what it was even about. I mean, we've got a hod podge group of people working at this bookstore, we have the store owner kind of doomsday prepping for no real reason, a couple of employees who have adopted a turtle, it's just such a bizarre book with zero point to it. There wasn't any focus, the writing is just all over the place, I didn't care about any of the characters, so I never felt invested. The only reason this wasn't a DNF for me is because it was an audiobook I listened to in the background as I was doing other things. It also is pegged as a romance and it really wasn't that at all. It's more women's fiction... kind of? I don't know. This was kind of lame and if you're on the fence with this one, skip it. You can find tons of other options that are romance and feature the book world, because this is not that. 

Have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend! 

Friday, September 2, 2022

Book Review: Much Ado About Dukes

Has school started where you are? It started for my kids yesterday, and it went well for all of them, thankfully. I am trying to get myself into a new routine, which is harder than I thought it would be. Let's just say both today and yesterday involved naps that were longer than they should have been. Yikes. 

Much Ado About Dukes - Eva Devon

As far as William Easton―the Duke of Blackheath―is concerned, love can go to the devil. Why would a man need passion when he has wealth, a stately home, and work to occupy his mind? But no one warned the duke that a fiery and frustratingly strong-willed activist like Lady Beatrice Haven can also be a stunning, dark-haired siren who tempts a man’s mind, body, and soul.

Lady Beatrice is determined to never marry. Ever. She would much rather fight for the rights of women and provoke the darkly handsome Duke of Blackheath, even if he does claim to be forward-thinking. After all, dukes―even gorgeous ones―are the enemy. So why does she feel such enjoyment from their heated exchanges?

But everything changes when Beatrice finds herself suddenly without fortune, a husband, or even a home. Now her future depends on the very man who sets her blood boiling. Because in order to protect his esteemed rival, the Duke of Blackheath has asked for Beatrice’s hand, inviting his once-enemy into his home...and his bed.
I am kind of on a historical romance kick lately, and I'm not hating it. I have a bunch more spread out over the next couple of months, and it is a pretty good lineup. Let's talk about this one today though. 

If you are a fan of feminism and really head strong heroines, who are also incredibly vocal about it every step of the way... you will love Beatrice. For me though, it was a bit much, just on the edge of too much. If you are a fan of a man who is emotionally closed off, stunted almost, and mildly depressed/depressive, but at least honest about it, you're going to be a fan of William. Immediately this doesn't seem like a great pairing, it would be a "who wears the pants?" kind of thing, but oddly it kind of works at the end. Their communication is really terrible and it never really gets better, if this was a real life couple, we would all be telling them they need marriage counseling immediately because this could end real bad, real quick. 

I just had a hard time really liking Beatrice, she never seemed to really understand how she comes off to others and how that is maybe why people seem the way they do to her, does that make sense? My favorite parts of the book were things that Will does to help Beatrice and then I felt bad because it was like she never really thought about it beyond how a man should automatically want women's rights, and when they actively agree/support it, there should be no applause, they didn't do anything special. Which, I do get that but ugh, it just felt like too much real world came into the book and I always struggle with that. I read mostly to get away from all of that, take a break so to speak, so to then have it almost be the main piece of the book was frustrating. 

Overall, I liked the author's writing, I thought it was well organized and clear, I never had any moments where I rolled my eyes, if you know what I mean. I will definitely read more from Eva Devon because I like how she lays a story out and builds characters, she makes it easy to keep up with the story and I always appreciate that. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for having me on this tour and sending me a copy for review. 

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