bellesmoma2021's reviews
951 reviews

I loved every single Bradford Sisters novel by Becky Wade. Sweet on You, the final installment of the series, is no exception. In many ways, this is my favorite book of the series. Why did it take me five years to get to this book? Because I have a problem. When I love a series so much, as I do this one, I have a very difficult time saying goodbye. I know. I know. That sounds crazy. It is crazy. I mean, I could just re-read all the books. But there is something that physically and mentally holds me back from saying goodbye to fictional characters I’ve grown to really love and admire. The real reason I didn’t want to say goodbye to this series is because of Zander. I have loved his character from book 1 and have been rooting for him to get his girl the whole time. Zander does not disappoint in Sweet on You. He is the perfect hero: he is an observant, kind, considerate man who deeply feels and has an active servant-heart. And, yes he is beyond handsome. He’s also brooding, serious, and introverted. There is something swoony about a man who is uber manly, but who needs and deserves a good hug. Zander needed like 100 hugs over the course of this story. The way he stands by Britt even though it tears his heart to pieces to just be friends…yeah, Zander needed a lot of hugs in this story! Britt…she was the sister I least wanted to read. I struggle with the youngest child. They tend to be immensely self-focused, which Britt totally is. Because I have such a soft-spot for Zander I dreaded spending days reading all the ways Britt would unknowingly — because main characters rarely really talk in romances — wreak havoc on Zander’s brutalized and damaged heart. But Britt’s character arc is actually quite superb, and while she is self-focused for a lot of the novel, her journey was well worth taking with her. While I basically loved everything about this story, I would have to say my most favorite aspect is the mystery and suspense. I had so much fun trying to figure out the whodunnit. There were quite a few twists and turns that I didn’t always see coming. It definitely made the pages fly by!

Sweet on You is an excellent Contemporary Romance AND Romantic Suspense. I enjoyed both elements of the story immensely. I will totally miss my time with the Bradford sisters, but truly loved every minute spent with this unique and spunky family. If you’ve not yet read this book, then I highly, highly recommend getting your hands on a copy ASAP!

A Man Worth Shaving For by Michelle Pennington is one of the best reads I’ve read in a while. I genuinely loved every page of this story. Tessa is a great character. In fact, she is one of the most relatable characters I’ve read in a while. I loved and appreciated Tessa’s strength of character, her work ethic, and her sense of humor. I even loved, and fully related to, her insecurities. Tessa is a fuller-bodied woman. She has plenty of curves. People, some unintentionally and some fully intentionally, make comments about her size. A lot of times, those comments stick and hurt. So when Logan comes into the picture and there is IMMEDIATE chemistry, it is really hard for Tessa to believe and trust that this chemistry is real. Logan is BEAUTIFUL. Like GQ magazine beautiful. How could a guy like Logan truly fall for a woman like Tessa who is the opposite of every magazine model that’s ever lived? But Logan, he’s a squishy hearted, vulnerable, wears-his-heart-on-his-sleeve kind of hero. He’s so cute, he doesn’t even know how to be a GQ model type. Just cause he looks it doesn’t mean he is one. He’s a genuinely good guy with a big heart who truly likes Tessa. Watching Logan and Tessa journey to love was a really fun time. I am glad I read this book! It’s definitely going on my re-read pile.

A Man Worth Shaving For is such a good story. I highly, highly recommend this book. If you are in the mood for a fully engaging, seriously fast-paced, charming and fun Contemporary Romance, then this is definitely the book for you.

Happiness is a choice…this is the premise to The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh, and one I agree with wholeheartedly. I struggled to read this story, not because it is slow or boring or unrealistic, but because it was like holding a mirror up to myself and I didn’t fully enjoy what I saw. Yes, happiness is a choice, and for the last 30 years Isadora Bentley has been choosing self-isolation and stoicism. Her rationale is simple: if you don’t let people in and you don’t feel anything, you can’t get hurt. But all this does is make one a robotic loner. Isadora hasn’t been living. She’s been barely surviving. On her 30th birthday, Isadora reads a “31-Steps-to-a-Happier-You” article and sets out to disprove the author by running an experiment. She will complete each task and track her data. Isadora is convinced her experiment will prove the article foolish. As she embarks on this purely scientific journey, Isadora meets and befriends some truly amazing people, and they all influence her life in nuanced and various ways for the better. Isadora now gets out of her apartment regularly to do things like yoga and kite-flying and visiting family. She has real, deep conversations about life and experiences and hardships and love and goals and other sundry topics. Over the course of trying to prove the article wrong, Isadora wakes up to an actual life. I must admit that I love/hate Isadora. There were moments I 100% fully understood and related to her. There were moments I wanted to hug her hard and share all my hard truths so she would know she wasn’t alone. There were moments I full-out cheered for her. And then there were several moments where I wanted to knuckle-punch her hard right in the arm. The more like a baby she acted and the more she stood in her own way, the more I wanted to scream at her to stop being a goober and grow up. But then I realized two things: 1.) I needed to take it down a notch as this is a fictional tale and Isadora isn’t real (maybe look at myself instead, Nicole); and, 2.) Walsh is a genius storyteller who has mastered illustrating, through Isadora, how humans who embark on a journey to change often take one teensy baby-step forward, then 12 adult-sized steps back. Once I got this, I gave Isadora some grace because changing one’s self for the better is HARD work. It’s why so many people don’t change — inevitably, it proves to be too much work to complete day in and day out.

I really loved my time reading The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley. This story is solid good storytelling. The characters are fabulous and human and multi-faceted. The journey is tough, but fun and totally worth it. And the many, many themes discussed are timely and poignant. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you’re in the mood for emotions and hope and love and change and happily-ever-after then this is definitely the book for you!

Here Be Dragons by Melanie Shankle should be mandatory reading for all parents. This book is spectacular on every level. I saw myself and my family on almost every page of this marvelous book. Generational trauma is something I have been struggling with and battling against since I became an adult. I like how Here Be Dragons is set-up. Readers begin with very honest and raw stories of Shankle’s tumultuous childhood told from the author’s perspective as a child. I especially appreciate Shankle’s sentiment that she struggled with her mother as a child, BUT she had no idea her childhood was different from anyone else’s. When we are children we think what we are facing in the moment is what everyone is facing. When I was a kid, sure, I hated a lot of what I was put through, but I genuinely had no idea my experiences were out of the norm. That realization came later when I met the man who would become my husband. I would tell him stories and his eyes would get bug-eyed big and he would start to tear up…that’s when I realized I grew up differently than the average kid and needed to work on some things that had been issues in my family for decades and decades. After the candid kid stories, Shankle moves into her teen and college years. Continuing with her honest storytelling, Shankle moves into those moments as young adults when we see clearly the issues, but we’re at a loss for how to proceed forward in a healthy way without causing undue hurt towards our families. We’re all born with an innate need to love our parents, but if they’re hurting us what is the correct move to make to heal from those wounds? Do we cut our parents off? Do we hold them at arm’s length? Is setting boundaries enough? I love that Shankle tells the reader the choice she made but states very clearly that everyone’s choice in this kind of situation is one of a kind. We can take solace from Shankle’s journey, but her journey and choices may be vastly different than what we choose for ourselves. And that is OK as long we are turning to God for the answers. After her young adulthood trials, Shankle moves into motherhood. This is where the real gems of the text take place. I, too, related to wanting a different life for my daughter. I wanted desperately to break the generational traumas and issues and cycles, and give my daughter a different, better path. This is where God comes in to play BIG TIME. I absolutely loved every single page in this book after Melanie’s daughter, Caroline, is born. Shankle’s clear reliance on God is my favorite aspect of this book, and the main point. We cannot break the shackles that tie us down, that keep us repeating horrible family cycles, unless God is our very center. Amen to that!

Here Be Dragons is a superior parenting text that I highly recommend. This single review cannot do this book justice. I adored Shankle’s sense of humor, honesty, vulnerability, and truth-telling. I also truly love that she goes back to God over and over again as the source of her true healing. Such an excellent reminder for us all. If you’re a mom or dad entering the teen years with your children, Here Be Dragons is absolutely the book you need to read. If you are a survivor of generational traumas and/or mean girls, you will also love this book. It will speak to your soul and will make you feel seen. Truly, I cannot say enough good things about this book. Purchase a copy asap. You will not be disappointed you did!

One of my reading goals for August was to re-read a book. So, I chose Our Secret Song by Emily C. Childs. This was my third time reading this book, and I loved it this time around as much as the first. I actually never wanted to review this book because I wanted it to just be a book for me, but that’s sort of silly, right?! The first time I read this book, in 2021, I devoured it. Loved every second of Alexis and Bridger’s back-and-forth banter and wit. This time around, in 2024, I still love Alexis and Bridger’s fiery back-and-forth. It actually reminds me of Benedick and Beatrice’s snarky banter in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. It definitely made me chuckle as much this time as the first time. Alexis and Bridger have known each other since birth. They have had a back-and-forth as long as they can remember, but they’ve also been each other’s safety nets. Growing up, their lives were filled with heavy stuff. I’m talking seriously heavy stuff. But they are their for one another. This is my favorite part of the book. I love Alexis and Bridger’s relationship — the bickering, the friendship, the love, being there for one through thick and thin. They’re so darn cute, and quite a good example of being a real friend no matter what. I also love their chemistry. Clearly, Alexis and Bridger are meant to be together, but it takes them some time to really understand and accept this. The journey to their happily ever after is such a fun ride. I loved every minute of this journey the first time I read this book, and I wholeheartedly loved every second the third time around.

Our Secret Song is a highly engaging and totally endearing Contemporary Romance. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are looking for a fast-paced, endearing, heartfelt Contemporary Romance, then this is definitely the story for you!

If you’re a longtime reader of my blog, then you know I’m not a big fan of anything Hallmark-y. I respect Hallmark. I respect that other people LOVE Hallmark. I just don’t like Hallmark. And that’s OK. Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love by Ellie Hall is a sweet and clean Contemporary Romance. For me, it is a Hallmark-kind-of read. I think if you like those kinds of stories — very sweet, fast paced, light and breezy, easy to read — then this is the book for you. It would make for a perfect beach read!

There were a few things I liked. L0uella Belle is a hoot. I loved every second of her internal monologues. She genuinely made me chuckle. I also really love her heart. She adores people and she lives to help others. It is her God-given talent. She would give the shirt off her back if she saw someone in need. I like how easy it is for her to make friends. As a dye-in-the-wool introvert, I’m sort of jealous of Louella Belle’s ease with others. I also enjoyed watching her bring down the walls around Bo’s heart. Honestly, I wish Louella Belle was a real person. I could totally use a friend like her in my life! Bo, the hero of this tale, was BADLY burned by love in the past and he is not in the mood for love. He’s a super cool dude — guy can fix pretty much anything — but he is really hung up on his past. But he sees Louella Belle and can’t help himself. He is instantly drawn to her. Here is where I struggled — everything in this story moves at a pace that feels insta- the whole time: boy and girl meet and instantly make out, boy and girl have slight conflict that is instantly put to rights, and boy and girl have an instant happily ever after. I needed the brakes hit on this story and a little more development anywhere: character development, conflict development, plot development, or thematic development. I’m not picky. I just needed some depth.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from this book or this series. Like I said above, if you’re a Hallmark fan, if you LOVE those types of warm and fuzzy feel-good stories, then you definitely need to check out Mr. & Mrs. Fix-It Find Love!

I purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on August 26, 2023, in order to review. I am under no obligation to leave a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Oh my word, Plotting Summer by Jess Heileman is such a good story! It was inevitable that I would love this story as it follows my absolute favorite romance trope ever: the out-of-her-league heartthrob falling for the bookish introvert. I will never, ever get tired of these kinds of stories. They speak to my very soul. Plotting Summer is a perfect read. It is tremendously engaging, it is so fast paced, and the characters are outstanding. Capri is totally relatable as an introverted heroine. She is a woman who loves others deeply, but knows her limits. She loves to be around family and friends, but admits to needing plenty of re-charge time. I also love how in-her-brain she is and how much she obsesses over things. And I love how socially awkward she can get. I absolutely adored how she behaves whenever Tristan is around. She basically shorts out. It’s super sweet, super endearing, and super hilarious. Then there is Tristan. Tristan is my new favorite book hero. He is genuinely a gentleman. He is conscientious and pays attention to all of Capri’s nuances and details. He gets that she disappears into her own story world. Instead of seeing her as weird, Tristan gets curious and asks Capri questions about her process. Once he truly understands how her creative brain works, Tristan learns to decode when Capri is having a creative moment versus a manic moment. I love how he helps Capri out of her manic moments back into reality. He is really good at un-spiraling her, so to speak. As far as becoming a couple goes, Capri and Tristan are a fun couple to watch grow from friends to more. And their chemistry is electric. Oh, how I loved every minute of this story!

Plotting Summer is a summer must-read. I loved this story and cannot recommend it enough. If you are a fan of Contemporary Romances that are filled with humor and heart, then this is absolutely the book for you!

A Proper Facade by Esther Hatch is a delightful read. At first, I found the pacing to be slow, but it did pick up and became a story that forced me to stay up WAY past my bedtime furiously turning pages to see how things ended for Mercy and Nicholas. Of the characters, Nicholas is my favorite. In his youth, he made some mistakes and those mistakes incurred the disappointment of his father. Nicholas has been working tirelessly for years to make-up for those mistakes and the disappointment he has caused. Nicholas decided that the best thing he could do to make up for his past was to be perfect — follow every rule of propriety and Society to the letter. He decided to suppress his emotions and passions. Besides, all emotions and feelings ever did for him was get him into trouble, so hiding them can only be a good thing, right?! Then Nicholas meets Mercy. In quite the funny meet-cute, Mercy puts Nicholas’s rule following to the test. I love how Mercy and Nicholas meet, I love how she wakes him up from his robotic, stringent rule-following stupor, and I love how she brings out his passions and emotions. It was so much fun to watch! I also loved how Nicholas wakes Mercy up to the fact that love is not all about gushy feelings, gifts, and stolen passionate moments. Rather, it’s about choosing every day to be a constant, stable, dependable support for one another regardless of what life throws at you. It’s about passions and emotions, sure. But it’s also about sharing disappointments, struggles, and frustrations. Love is about growing into a partnership and being part of a team! I really enjoyed this message, and I had so much fun watching Mercy and Nicholas bumble their way to this truth.

A Proper Facade is a fantastic and fun Regency Romance that I highly recommend. It is a well-written Historical Romance filled with unique and endearing characters and timely themes. If you love Historical Romances, this is a story you do not want to miss!

I genuinely loved every minute I spent reading Never Leave Me by Jody Hedlund. I was so ready to be part of Ellen and Harrison’s adventure. I was hooked from chapter one and refused to put this book down. Chores and bedtimes meant nothing to me! I enjoyed getting to see characters from book 1 as much as I did meeting new characters that I can’t wait to see in future installments. I appreciate Ellen’s character. She is strong-willed, determined, and feisty, but she also has some demons to work through…and work through she does! When you know you’re going to die young because of a genetic disorder passed on from your parent, when you watch your beloved mother die from the very thing you have, it makes a woman feel a deep need to care for others but to also keep them at arm’s length. Why create a deep bond with someone if you are just going to die? Why allow for that kind of pain? I get Ellen’s thinking, I really do. But all the wasted years not forming real relationships with others is just wrong. God didn’t put us on this planet so we’d sit on the sidelines. No matter what He allows us to face, God always means for us to experience thriving relationships. No man…or woman…is an island. This is why I love Harrison SO much. Talk about a swoony hero!!! Yes, he is hot and manly and powerful — someone who can take out the bad guys — but it’s his sweet, sweet heart that had me twitterpated. He is the perfect example of truly selfless love. So much so, Harrison is willing to lay his very life down for Ellen. I love how he becomes the illustration of love and friendship for Ellen and helps set her on a path to addressing some of her issues. As a team, Harrison and Ellen are unstoppable. And their chemistry is fierce. I might have fanned my face a couple of times. So, so good!

Never Leave Me is a fantastic sequel, and I cannot wait to dive into book 3. I highly, highly recommend this book. If you’re a fan of Historical AND Contemporary Romance, if you love time travel stories, if you enjoy seriously engaging second-chance tales, then Never Leave Me is a story just for you!

Fun Fact: I Love You by Gina Lynn Larsen is not the story I was expecting. I was expecting a sweet and endearing YA novel that would fill me with all the warm, lovey-dovey feelings and hope of burgeoning first love. I was expecting two teens who’ve been friends forever figuring out that they are more. I was expecting end-of-the-year, high school senior shenanigans. This story has some of that, but mostly it is a trauma/drama filled with teen angst, meanness, and utter sadness. I don’t actually know how to adequately review this book. When I saw the cover and read the synopsis I thought, “This book looks like just the sweet and endearing young love story I have been looking for. Can’t wait to see how the author executes the secret-author trope. This book is going to be fun! I hope it’s a book I can recommend to my high school students!” But I didn’t have fun, per se. I was devastated. For a good majority of the story, I was beaten up emotionally. I want to be clear. Fun Fact: I Love You is a good story, it’s just different than what I thought. It is well written, highly engaging, and seriously fast paced. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours. The main characters, Nellie and Jensen, are excellently crafted teens. I was rooting for them the whole time, and I very much loved how their relationship grew from friendship to more. I will totally recommend this book to my high school students. BUT I will make sure to inform my students of all the trigger warnings (there are many) before I allow any of them to check this book out from my class library. And I will most definitely send them home with Kleenex after they check out this book because they are going to need it abundantly. Overall, I do heartily recommend Fun Fact: I Love You. Just go into this read knowing that it tackles some really big, sad, traumatizing subjects. It is absolutely not a warm and fuzzy, lighthearted, and sweet romance. It is so much more!