mackenzierm's reviews
1519 reviews

Theo and Kit broke up on a transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, but the time apart has done them both good. Theo has found confidence as a bartender and an aspiring sommelier, while Kit has graduated as a pastry chef and works in one of the finest restaurants in Paris. They each have an unused voucher for the European food and wine tour that is valid for 48 months from the original date and it's about to expire. They each decide that now's a good time to take this trip - separately. But when Theo boards the tour bus and finds Kit on it, realizing they both had the exact same idea and are now trapped together for the next three weeks, it gets a lot more complicated.

THE PAIRING is a pleasantly surprising story that takes course over three weeks in various European cities along a food and wine tour. Each chapter of this book features a new location with new foods and wines to lust over. The settings and imagery of each location is expertly described, leaving a vivid and immersive experience for the reader. The food and wine pairings are well-researched, exquisite, and honestly sound divine. I liked how each pairing evoked memories in some manner for the two MCs and served for some lusty banter between the two as they regressed into old habits of one-upping the other with food or drink creations.

The first half of the book is told in Theo's POV, which while I enjoyed, was overly sexualized and filled with their self-sabotage. The latter half of the novel is told in Kit's POV which I found to be refreshing. Each of the main  characters is flawed, yet realistic and relatable, with excellent chemistry. I liked the varied sexual representations (

bisexual, non-binary

) the characters display which feels to be written authentically and with care. The competition that crops up between the two is a lot of fun and quite spicy. The romance is ripe with pining and lust, but also a deep emotional attachment developed over years of friendship. I do think that I liked Kit's POV more-so than Theo's because Kit's POV offered more context to their shared past and the steps towards their possible future. The character growth and self-discovery of both characters is well-written and genuine. I liked seeing the conclusions they came to over the course of the story and absolutely adored the epilogue.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, St Martin's Griffin, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.

Twenty-five years ago, Andrew Streeter was arrested by DCI Rhimes and convicted for the brutal murders of five people. Now, his convictions are being overturned as new evidence comes to light indicating the original investigation was corrupt. Rhimes is DI Henley's old boss, making this case personal to her as Rhimes is no longer alive to defend himself. When similar murders start up, Henley must face the truth that Rhimes got it wrong.

THE KILL LIST is the third instalment in the DI Henley series and one that I've been eagerly awaiting. It's fast-paced, graphic, and gory similar to Nadine's previous two books. DI Henley and her team are given the directive from the New Scotland Yard and their higher ups to investigate their old boss and reinvestigate this twenty-five year old case when the original ruling is overturned. This is a case with many twists as DI Henley and her team comb over old evidence and try to put the pieces together. As new murders that have a very similar MO to the old cases start cropping up, DI Henley's team needs to think quicker and get ahead of this killer. I found the investigation to be very intriguing and compelling, making it hard to put down as I strove to put the pieces together before the big reveal. 

This story also features a more personal look into DI Henley's home life, as well as her partner's (DC Ramouter). I did find this to slow down the pacing of the story in one sense, but at the same it added a certain context and understanding to both characters. I also think it made them more relatable. There's also a scene with the medical examiner (ME) that made her relatable and added a touch of 'human' to her character as well. I enjoy the dark humour shared between DI Henley and the ME because it shows how they cope with the difficult things they see and the loss that surrounds them. It's also nice to see that DI Henley's team is a close-knit group who care deeply about the well-being of one another and frequently check in with each other.

Can't wait to see what book four will bring!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Hanover Square Press, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.

In 1975 in the small town of Monta Clara, Missouri, girls are disappearing. When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, Patch, a local boy with one eye, saves the girl, leaving heartache in his wake. Patch and those who love him discover that their search for answers will lead to truths that could mean losing each other. 

I have seen many, many glowing reviews for ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK so was beyond excited to pick this up as a buddy read with several ladies on Bookstagram. Unfortunately, I think this one is over-hyped and it very much missed the mark for me. Honestly, I have never been so excited to finish a book in my life. I should have listened to my gut when I wasn't enjoying it by the 30% mark and dropped it, but I was hopeful that things would pick up. 

The writing style is unusual, almost poetic, with an odd, jilting sentence structure. It certainly takes some time to get used to and maybe a little extra focus to not miss anything important. I was getting used to it by the 15-20% mark, but unfortunately the story is so boring and dry that I was struggling to focus. Each chapter is less than a handful of pages, which makes you think that the story will progress quickly - that's not the case (for me, at least). At the 30% mark, I decided to give the audiobook a try to see if this would help my case and make this story more palatable. It did not. I think this 600+ page book would benefit from a chop of 200-250 pages as there's a lot of filler and unnecessary details. 

I have trouble with the fact that this book is being labeled as a thriller. I typically expect thrillers to be more fast-paced, tense, with some action.... and actually <i>thrilling</i>. I think that this novel leans more towards mystery whilst having a very character-driven focus, and a lens that looks closely at obsession, love, and hope. All this aside, I found the plot to be slow and winding with little happening to incite me to want to read more. The ending wasn't even that much of a shock, more of a disappointment. Despite this being a character-driven novel, I never really found the characters to be relatable or for me to connect to them in any type of way, lacking in substance and dimension. It's a very long book to not connect in any type of way with the characters.

Alas, this one was not for me but I'm glad everyone else is loving it!

Now that Porter Beck has returned to Lincoln County in the high desert of Nevada, he's the sheriff, same as his father was. The sheriff's office is equipped with 12 deputies and they cover a large, and usually quiet, area. One of his childhood friends is found to have succumbed to some particularly strong opioids and his other childhood friend is a wildly successful rancher who's been targeted by a hacked military drone. As it turns out, the hacker is local, making it Beck's problem. Beck's investigation leads him to Mercy Vaughn, the sole known hacker in the area.

SHADES OF MERCY is the second book in the Porter Beck series but it can be read as a standalone. I absolutely loved this book, even more than I enjoyed the first one.

SHADES OF MERCY is told in Beck's POV. He's an easily likeable sheriff with a storied background in the military, he's intelligent, a wisecracker, caring, and willing to bend the rules as needed. He's unique as a sheriff in that he suffers from a degenerative eye condition, making him lose his sight over time. I enjoyed catching up with Beck, his family, and the key members of his small team. I am excited to see what's next for Beck in the future after the way this one ended. An honourable mention to Colombo 'Bo', one of the best canine partners a guy could ask for haha - there's one scene in particular that had me chuckling with Beck attempting to train Bo as a seeing eye dog. Once you know Bo, you'll see why this is funny.

This story is fast-paced, intriguing, suspenseful, and loaded with action that kept me turning the pages. The ending was a surprise to me and a perfect way to close off this story, leaving me with no doubt in my mind that I'll be eagerly anticipating book 3!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Minotaur Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.

Sawyer Stone III and Dani Fox are a young couple who are sailing the world and sharing their adventures on their fledgling Youtube channel Sailing with the Foxes. They've currently anchored in Exuma, in the Bahamas, and are waiting for the price of crypto to rebound so they can provision and continue their journey. In the meantime, they are partying and exploring with their fellow cruisers. On the surface, their lives look perfect. But one night, Dani disappears after a boat party and Sawyer has no memory of her disappearance. The search for Dani is fueled by concerns that she may have drowned on one of her daily swims, but when Dani's pre-scheduled Youtube videos post and show a darker side to her relationship with Sawyer, suspicion turns in his direction.

ON THE SURFACE is a fun 'locked room' type thriller set in Exuma, Bahamas. The setting of the Bahamas and mostly on a boat is excellent, making this a perfect summer beach read. It's a quick and easy read that keeps you wanting to know more as the plot thickens.

I really enjoyed the cruisers aspect of the story with the tie in to social media influencers and the reality vs what you see online. The world of cruisers is something I had no clue about so it was fun to discover this lifestyle in this thriller.

ON THE SURFACE is told in multiple POV in the first person, with Sawyer, Dani, and Detective Knowles as the main POVs. The characters here are all fairly unlikeable but they are well-developed, compelling, and hiding a host of secrets. I enjoyed the plot of this book which is relatively fast-paced, binge-worthy, and intriguing, hooking me in from early on. It's a twisty read that kept me guessing right up to the end. I will say that I personally found the ending to be too open-ended for my tastes and I was left feeling adrift with too many questions unanswered.

I really enjoyed the full cast audiobook narration which was very well done.

Overall, a great debut!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Dreamscape Media, of this advanced listener copy for the opportunity to listen to this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.

Savannah should have known that the town's golden boy was more than a dimpled smirk and magnetic charm. She should have known better than to ask Warren to be her fake boyfriend, but she was out of options when a screw-up almost cost her her job. The ruse seemed foolproof at first but one practice kiss is all it took to weaken Savannah's defences and fan the fire.

FIRE AWAY is the second instalment of the Bunkhouse series but can be read as a standalone. I absolutely adore Lainey's writing style - her small town cowboy romances are gems. Warren and Savannah's story brings us back to Westridge and the rest of the Bunkhouse characters. I haven been eagerly awaiting this latest instalment to catch up with all of these amazing characters.

The fake dating trope is one of my favourites so this was an easy read. I loved Warren and Savannah's chemistry and banter. Both characters are well-developed, flawed, and relatable. I especially loved how kind, caring, and supportive they are for each other as well as the ones around them. Savannah's journey, particularly, was quite special as she learns to see the value within herself and accept the love and kindness of others in her life.

As with the first Bunkhouse book, I'd be remiss if I didn't make a special mention of Lainey's talent at creating a suspenseful and thrilling atmosphere within her romance novels that had my heart pounding and me eagerly flipping the pages to get to the bottom of things.

Can't wait for book 3 to see what's next for the Bunkhouse crew!

Many thanks to SunnyBabePR for the gifted digital ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars.

Georgia is facing a fresh start after she’s given up almost everything in a brutal divorce. She’s back at her great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado and finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, a best-selling author whose covers always feature people nearly kissing. He’s handsome and very arrogant and is the publisher’s ideal fit to finish off her great-grandmother’s final novel. As they read Scarlett (Georgia’s great-grandmother’s) manuscript and her box of letters, they begin to realize why Scarlett never finished the book – it’s based on her real-life romance with a WWII pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out but the chemistry between her and Noah is undeniable and she’s more determined than ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes – even if that means destroying Noah’s career.

Having read Yarros’ beloved Fourth Wing I was intrigued to try out some of her other works. THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED is a story that I absolutely adored. Although, I do caution that its contents are heavy with featured themes of strength, courage, and perseverance; it’s also a story that may require having a box of tissues handy.

It’s told in dual timelines – 1940s England and the present. I am torn as to which timeline I preferred because I am a sucker for historical romances, particularly during times of war – there’s just something about them that sets them apart from the rest. Each timeline was excellently written, and I adored the characters that were featured. The characters are well-written, tangible, and relatable. The events that are described are well detailed and moving, making the story easy to envision, and add an emotional punch as the story builds.

I did anticipate one of the twists just before it was revealed but was absolutely shook never the less. Yarros is an excellent historical romance writer and I’ll be quickly checking out others that she has written! Notably, the audiobook narration is always very well done, easily bringing this story to life. 

Stephanie and Patrick have twin colicky babies and they’re a handful. Stephanie is a stay-at-home mom while Patrick works a 9-5 to pay the bills. When a woman from Patrick’s past unexpectedly drops in on them, it raises questions about Patrick’s late first wife who died in a car accident. Stephanie trusts and supports her husband wholeheartedly and knows that it was truly an accident. But the police start digging and Stephanie’s trust soon starts to falter as Patrick is primed to lose everything.

THE END OF HER may be my favourite read by this author to date! There are many twists and turns that kept me guessing. Add in a sleep-deprived unreliable narrator and this is sure to be a read that keeps the pages turning! I thought the narration and intriguing twists were well executed and I really enjoyed how the story played out. 

The ending takes a surprising turn and wraps up a little more quickly than I would have liked. Overall, I think this was an enjoyable, fairly fast paced, and gripping read. 

Delilah has always sworn that she wouldn’t return to Bright Falls where there is nothing for her but lonely childhood memories with a distant stepfamily. She is a photographer in New York and her business is finally picking up. Astrid is Delilah’s estranged stepsister and has pressured Delilah into being the photographer for her wedding with a guilt trip and a large check. Delilah finds herself returning to Bright Falls with the plan of getting in and out as quickly as possible. That’s until she sees Claire – Astrid’s best friend. Claire has raised an 11-year old daughter mostly on her own while running a bookstore and dealing with her unreliable ex. Her life depends on no surprises, but Delilah is a surprise she could never have imagined. 

DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE is such a sweet read and I am so happy that I finally picked it up! The story is told in dual POV, Delilah’s and Claire’s, which the author transitions seamlessly between within each chapter. 

I loved getting to know both Claire and Delilah throughout their story and I absolutely adored both of them. They’re both written so realistically and are quite relatable. Claire and Delilah’s chemistry is well-written and tangible. I really enjoyed the dynamic that builds between the two. 

Each of the main characters go through some self-realizations that were interesting to witness and added growth to their characters. I enjoyed the underlying themes of taking chances and accepting love. 

Lastly, I really enjoyed the relationships that develop between each woman featured in this story and am so excited to see what the remainder of this trilogy has in store for each of them. 

4.5 stars.

David wakes up one morning and finds himself covered in blood. But it’s not his own, it’s his son’s. While he knows he did not murder his son, the evidence is overwhelmingly against him, putting him behind bars. Five years later, David’s sister-in-law visits him in prison and drops some earth-shattering news. She has a photograph that a friend took while on vacation at a theme park and a boy in the background seems familiar. David knows it’s his son Matthew. David quickly plans an escape from prison in hopes of clearing his name, saving his son, and discovering what really happened that night five years ago.  

I requested this book on Libby recently after it was published and have continuously delayed its delivery for over a year. Now that I’ve finally read it, I don’t think I should have pushed it off for so long! I honestly blew through this book in what felt like no time. I really enjoyed it. I haven’t read a book by Coben in years, but I think I’ll need to remedy that and read more of his work soon!

I WILL FIND YOU is told in multiple POV: David, FBI agent Max, and Rachel. I really enjoyed David’s POV, and since the story is mainly focused on him and his experiences, this is a good thing! 

For the vibes and excellent pacing alone, I would give this book five stars. The plot is a little far-fetched and requires a bit of suspension of disbelief, but this is fiction, so if you can get behind that then I think you’ll end up enjoying this story. The content, plot, pacing, and suspense were really well done. I thought the ending worked well for this story.