FRIDAY READS #10 | JUST LIKE HEAVEN (SMYTHE-SMITH QUARTET, #1) BY JULIA QUINN

Book Beginnings is a book meme hosted by Rose City Reader where participants share the first sentence (or so) of the book, along with initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice, and the rules are quite simple: Grab a book, any book, turn to page 56 or 56% in your e-reader. Find any non-spoilery sentence(s) and post.

This week’s book: 

Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith Quartet, #1) By Julia Quinn

Goodreads Summary: 

Honoria Smythe-Smith is:

A) a really bad violinist
B) still miffed at being nicknamed "Bug" as a child
C) not in love with her older brother's best friend
D) all of the above

Marcus Holroyd is:

A) the Earl of Chatteris
B) regrettably prone to sprained ankles
C) not in love with his best friend's younger sister
D) all of the above

Together they:

A) eat quite a bit of chocolate cake
B) survive a deadly fever and the world's worst musical performance
C) fall quite desperately in love

It's Julia Quinn at her best, so you know the answer is . . .

D) all of the above

BOOK BEGINNINGS:

Marcus Holroyd was always alone.
His mother died when he was four, but this had surprisingly little
effect on his life. The Countess of Chatteris mothered her son the
way her mother had mothered her children—from afar.  

FRIDAY 56:

“No one is eloping!” Honoria exclaimed. “And you are all
playing in the musicale next month.”
Sarah and Iris stared at her with identical expressions—two
parts surprise and one part indignation. With a healthy dash of
dread.
“Well, you are,” Honoria muttered.“We all are. It’s our duty.”
“Our duty,” Sarah repeated.“To play terrible music?”
Honoriastared at her.“Yes.”


MY THOUGHTS:

I love this author's writing and loving this series. I especially love the humour in this book.


Which book features in your Friday Reads below? Comment the links below, I would love to visit your blog!

TOP TEN TUESDAY | TOP TEN CHARACTERS I'D FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created and previously hosted by The Broke and the Bookish is now moved to That Artsy Reader Girl 

This week's topic is Top Ten Characters I'd follow on social media.

Fun fact, I already follow a few fictional characters from Calloway Girls series by Krista and Becca Ritchie and Rosemary Beach series by Abbi Glines, used to follow Lords of the Underworld characters too but they went inactive, I wish all these accounts would be active again, as it was really fun.

1. CHARACTERS FROM PSY-CHANGELING SERIES BY NALINI SINGH:

I have to cheat for this one cause I love this series and love all the characters in this series. I can't just choose one character so I'll do top five instead of ten since there are too many people I would follow from a series hahaha

2. CHARACTERS FROM HEARTBREAKER BAY SERIES BY JILL SHALVIS:

I love the gang so have to follow them all! I actually would also follow all the characters from her other series called Lucky Harbor.

3. CAMERON LYNDE FROM SOMETHING ABOUT YOU BY JULIE JAMES:

I love Julie James' writing style and her characters. You relate to the heroines very well and I related to Cameron Lynde a lot!

4. HERMIONE GRANGER:

I loved her character and think she is similar to Emma Watson herself, as I enjoy following Emma Watson, I think it would be fun to follow Hermione too.

5. BECKY FROM SHOPAHOLIC SERIES:

Of course, Becky has to be on the list! I read this series in 2019 and I know it would be total chaos and entertaining to follow Becky Bloomwood on social media!

So there you go. These are my top "ten". What are yours?

CAN'T WAIT WEDNESDAY / WAITING ON WEDNESDAY | #48

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books that we are excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they are books that are yet to be released as well. It's based on "Waiting On" Wednesday hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

Title: CHASING CASSANDRA (THE RAVENELS, #6)
(Click on the title to know more about it on Goodreads.)
 Author:  Lisa Kleypas

Genre: Historical Romance
Publication Date:  February 18th, 2020

Goodreads Summary:

Everything has a price...

Railway magnate Tom Severin is wealthy and powerful enough to satisfy any desire as soon as it arises. Anything—or anyone—is his for the asking. It should be simple to find the perfect wife—and from his first glimpse of Lady Cassandra Ravenel, he’s determined to have her. But the beautiful and quick-witted Cassandra is equally determined to marry for love—the one thing he can’t give.

Everything except her...

Severin is the most compelling and attractive man Cassandra has ever met, even if his heart is frozen. But she has no interest in living in the fast-paced world of a ruthless man who always plays to win.

When a newfound enemy nearly destroys Cassandra’s reputation, Severin seizes the opportunity he’s been waiting for. As always, he gets what he wants—or does he? There’s one lesson Tom Severin has yet to learn from his new bride:

Never underestimate a Ravenel.

The chase for Cassandra’s hand may be over. But the chase for her heart has only just begun...

I'm waiting because...

I love this series and this author, especially her historical books. This is also Tom Severin's book! I have been waiting for his book as soon as he was introduced lol!

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

BOOK REVIEW | COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (HAVEN POINT, #10) BY RAEANNE THAYNE

Goodreads Summary: 

“[Thayne] engages the reader’s heart and emotions, inspiring hope and the belief that miracles are possible.” —Debbie Macomber

New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne returns to Haven Point to bring readers another heartwarming and inspiring story of Christmas romance—this time for Luke and Elizabeth Hamilton, a couple greatly in need of holiday healing and the magic of Christmas!

Hearts are lighter and wishes burn a little brighter at Christmas…

Elizabeth was trapped in a tangle of postpartum depression and grief after the death of her beloved parents and she couldn’t quite see the way back to her husband and their two beautiful kids…until a car accident stole away her memories and changed her life.

And when she finally remembered the sound of little Cassie’s laugh, the baby powder smell of Bridger, or the feel of her husband’s hand in hers, Elizabeth worried that they’d moved on without her. That she’d missed too much. That perhaps she wasn’t the right mother for her kids or wife for Luke, no matter how much she loved them.

But now, seven years later, Luke finds her in a nearby town and brings Elizabeth back home to the family she loves, just in time for Christmas. And being reunited with Luke and her children is better than anything Elizabeth could have imagined.

As they all trim the tree and bake cookies, making new holiday memories, Elizabeth and Luke are drawn ever closer. Can the hurt of the past seven years be healed over the course of one Christmas season and bring the Hamiltons the gift of a new beginning? 

RATING - 4 STARS

My Review:

Do you like reading Holiday romance or Holiday books in general at any time of the year? I definitely do, I can read them any time of the year! Coming Home for Christmas is a holiday romance novel based in Haven Point, a small town in Idaho.


Luke Hamilton who lives in Haven Point with his two children, is looking for some jail time in the near future, under suspicions of his wife's murder, which he didn't commit. So he goes to get his wife who ran away from the house, as she was suffering from postpartum depression at the time, but when she didn't return home and stayed away, he presumed she was dead. That's why he is hostile towards her when he discovers that she has been alive all this time and didn't return home for seven long years. 


Elizabeth has been through hell and back, with the accident and the reality is completely different from what Luke is imagining. Elizabeth can't get enough glances at her family from afar, she wants to see them and wants her life back but that doesn't seem likely to happen. When Luke comes to get her, she is shocked to learn that Luke is in trouble because of her disappearance and the truth is far from what everyone has been assuming about him. She is all ready to clear the misunderstanding and wants to help her family and protect them with everything she has. 


This is a second chance romance, the kids were cute, the people in the town were colourful, some good, some grey, not everyone is perfect, the story had some drama and I liked all of that. But I found the story a bit fast-paced. It doesn't seem plausible to get over all the seven years of hurt in a week, but because the writing was good, it didn't feel out of place and the story flowed nicely. I just wished I had gotten some more time to see the characters adjusting well. I read this book in one sitting because it was such a page-turner, I couldn't stop.

*Thank you for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.*

BOOKISH GOALS AND MY TBR FOR 2020

Do you take part in the Goodreads challenge? Do you always set some bookish goals?

I take part in the Goodreads challenge every year, so I always have some goals set in terms of numbers. As it's easy to follow and of course, it feels good when you achieve them. But I don't have any other goals like, for instance, reading some new genre that I have been wanting to try or a new author or complete a series I started long ago, although they are in my head, that I want to do this, this year, I don't challenge myself so I don't end up achieving them. So this year, it's going to be a bit different, I am going make blog posts about them and keep a check on myself! :D

I already made a post about the challenges I am taking part in, you can check it out here.

As for the TBRs, I'll be reading at least 30 new releases this year, I have a list of the books I want to read which release this year. 

I want to finish two series that I started three or four years ago, both are paranormal fantasy romance, Love at Stake by Kerrelyn Sparks(I am on book 4 out of 16) and Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole(I am on book 11 out of 19). 

Even though there are about 40+ books in In Death series by J.D.Robb, I am going to read it slowly but surely this year. 

For my Bookish goals genre-wise, I want to read Classics this year, I definitely want to indulge in this genre. 

I want to try reading non-fiction books on philosophy. I don't know whether I'll succeed in trying the non-fiction, philosophy book because I don't particularly enjoy that type self-help kind of books, but because I've never even tried to read something from this genre, I'll try. 

I am going to review as many books as possible this year, even if its a short review, I want to review each book I read this year!

That was all for my bookish goals 2020, have you set any bookish goals? Leave links to your posts in the comments below!

BOOK REVIEW | HOT WINTER NIGHTS (HEARTBREAKER BAY, #6) BY JILL SHALVIS

Goodreads Summary: 

Who needs mistletoe?

Most people wouldn't think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again, Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn't most people, and she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she's been having since spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing happened, not that Lucas knows that — but Molly just wants to enjoy being a little naughty for once...

Whiskey and pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don't mix. Lucas needs to remember that next time he's shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if Molly's brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can't believe he's drawing a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who's the hottest, smartest, strongest woman he's ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he's been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.

My Rating - 5 stars!

My Review:

Hot Winter Nights is the sixth book in the Heartbreaker Bay series but it can be read as a standalone. That being said, I love this series and since Molly and Lucas in the previous book! 

Molly is Joe's younger sister and an office manager at Hunt Investigations. Having suffered a bad leg injury, Joe is overprotective of her, but she can't do just a desk job, she wants to work and be a part of the team. But because Archer and Joe can't let her enter into that world, she is stuck with a desk job. No more, when a bad Santa case occurs and no one is looking into it, she takes on the case making a certain someone(unwillingly) her partner in crime to solve the crime(Hint it's her brother's friend). 

Lucas works at Hunt Investigations and is the said friend of Joe, so Molly was untouchable, despite some chemistry there. Also, relationships are not for Lucas after he suffered some great losses. So he wants to keep a distance from Molly, but he messed up in a tiny bit, he mixed alcohol with his pain meds. Thus, not having any recollection of the previous night events ..with naked Molly beside him. Having a hard time with that, he is secretly assigned to look after Molly by Archer and Joe when she takes on a case. 

Thinking its an easy case, they soon figure out that its bigger than they imagined. This book had the badass scenes levelled up! I feel like this book had more suspense than the rest of the books in the series and I loved it! Molly struggles to gain the confidence of Archer and Joe but Lucas realises that Molly is capable to become a part of the team and thankfully Archer and Joe will just have to deal with it.

This is a perfect holiday read! Loved, Loved visiting Heartbreaker Bay. Loved seeing all the beloved characters back. If you're looking for mystery festive reads involving a bad Santa, then this is the book to go for!

TAKING PART IN BOOKISH CHALLENGES 2020

Since I couldn't read much in 2019 and the time these days just seem to fly at lightning speed, I have decided to take part ina few challenges and readathons throughout the year and this is the first part.

BOOKISH CHALLENGES 2020

First off to start with we have Olivia from Olivia's catastrophe (I have linked her video about this readathon) with her friends hosting a readathon all throughout February called Adultathon, where we will be reading all the adult books we can to fit in the prompts/challenges they have created, which are as follows:

Monday: Don't we wish it was still yesterday. Read a historical fiction or classic.
Tuesday: Is it still only the start of the week? Black coffee please. Read a book with dark themes.
Wednesday: Happy hump day! It's a long week. Read a book with 350+ pages.
Thursday: Let's pretend it's Friday. Adults can have fun too! Read a book by an author you love, or a sequel to a series you love.
Friday: We survived the week! Give your eyes a rest. Listen to an audiobook (or read a book under 100 pages!) 
Saturday: Time to live it up with friends. Buddy read something! (If you're a lone wolf, with the word 'night', 'dream' or 'moon' in the series or book title). 
Sunday: The day to chill at home with a good film. Read a book that has a film adaptation. 


The second challenge is a yearly one. Reading J. D. Robb's In Death series, at least a book per month! And I have already started with this one by reading Naked in Death in January. It's hosted by Ang @ PNRBookLoverReviews and the girls @ UTCbookblog. I instantly took part in this as soon as I saw the post on Instagram because I have been wanting to continue reading this series ever since I stopped basically. Look forward to my updates of this challenge on my Instagram.


The third one is a yearly one too, hosted by Unconventional Bookworms, it is a newbie book challenge, where you read books released in 2020! 

These are all the challenges I am taking part in, for now, more will follow. I might even host a readathon too! 

BOOK REVIEW | ABOUT THAT KISS (HEARTBREAKER BAY, #5) BY JILL SHALVIS

Goodreads Summary: 

When love drives you crazy . . .

When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with unique finder-and-fixer skills that can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.

the best thing to do . . .

No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.

… is enjoy the ride.

As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more. 

My Rating - 5 stars!

My Review:

About That Kiss is the fifth book in the Heartbreaker Bay series by Jill Shalvis, a series, I completely adore. It's always a good time when you spend it reading a Jill Shalvis book. Although this book is a part of a series, it can be read as a standalone, like every other book by her.

Kylie is a woodworker, that she learnt from her grandfather as she lived with him. I loved her profession, it was quite interesting to know more about it. Kylie isn't close to any of her parent, but her grandfather meant everything to her. When she only has a wooden penguin made by her grandfather that she treasures, goes missing, she HAS TO, NEEDS TO find it. But what can one do when no one seems to take her seriously? Its time to turn to Joe for help, but she can't just sit behind and not try to find too.

Joe works at Archer's security firm, he may seem like a womanizer or kind of playful, has a troubled past, and he has a pang of guilt for his sister Molly, his father also suffers from PTSD from his military days. Making it not the easiest to be at home. I loved him and Molly and also their father too, a bit, I understood him. Both Kylie and Joe are a huge help to each other dealing with their past guilts.

The story flows so well, I couldn't stop reading. The mystery in this one was spectacular! I loved the story, the main characters, the chemistry between the main characters and the writing! I loved that all the characters make an appearance from the previous books too!

A solid 5 stars rating for this one!