Book Review: The Problem With Perfect by Megan Mayfair

The Problem With Perfect 

by Megan Mayfair

Amazon 

Marigold Doyle’s life was perfect, with a successful career and a wonderful marriage. But when her husband, Julian, passes away, her life is thrown into turmoil as she discovers a trail of secrets Julian was hiding in the months prior to his death. Struggling with her grief, she knows she needs to find out Julian’s actions to help her move on.

Finn Schröder, a former police officer and now a private security consultant, is focused on an uncomplicated, unattached life and growing his business. He agrees to help Marigold find out the truth about Julian, but as they become closer, he realizes his feelings for her may be developing beyond simply professional.

As Marigold and Finn work through the web of Julian’s deception, will they learn to face the reality that things aren’t always exactly as they seem?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

She’d end up running D-Line one day after her father retired, or she’d become the Prime Minister. They seemed like the only two jobs worthy of her.

Why was life so unfair? She’d lost her husband, she’d discovered he’d been keeping an entire, furnished apartment secret from her, she’d been barred from her work, and now she was going to have to spend all afternoon with her mother.

They’d host dinner parties, but the friends were always couples. They’d enter the property, two-by-two, like some form of well-heeled, impeccably-dressed human recreation of Noah’s Ark.

Perfectly imperfect. She’d take that. Perfect, after all, was totally and completely over-rated.

My Review:

I adored this cleverly penned book from beginning to end.  The premise and writing were intriguing and original with a well-crafted mystery running through the center that kept my curiosity primed, although the complex characters were just as intriguing and unpredictable.  The storylines were highly engaging and cunningly paced with a fair balance of humor, angst, and intrigue. 

What sealed the deal for me was the wily Ms. Mayfair’s expert character development, as she has filled her tale with an authentic and uniquely complicated cast of characters who were not genuinely appealing or always likable, yet never failed to hold my interest.  The observantly insightful and detailed manner in which characters’ emotional tones were narrated were an important part of the journey and frequently shifted with surprise revelations, humbling epiphanies, staggering stressors, irritations and annoyance, flashes of anger, relaxed amusement, and ultimately ending with a satisfying and sigh-inducing HEA.  And as this is only her third published book within less than a year, I am quite eager to see what this crafty new talent comes up with next. 

Empress DJ

About The Author

Megan’s stories are about families, intrigue and love. Every book contains a bit of humor and a lot of heart.

Megan lives in Melbourne with her husband and three children and has a background in public relations and higher education.

She drinks far too much coffee and has an addiction to buying scarves. She interviews with other authors for her blog series, Espresso Tales, and loves a bit of #bookstagram.

Her debut novel, The Things We Leave Unsaid, was released by Crooked Cat Books in 2018, followed by Tangled Vines. The Problem with Perfect is her third novel.

Social Media Links 

Https://www.instagram.com/meganmayfairwrites

Https://www.facebook.com/meganmayfairauthor

Https://www.twitter.com/mayfairmegan

https://www.meganmayfair.com

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/megan-mayfair

Book Review: Nothing is Forgotten by Peter Golden

Nothing is Forgotten

by Peter Golden

Amazon / B & N/ iTunes

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Washington Square Press; Reprint edition (March 19, 2019)

From the beloved author of Comeback Love and Wherever There Is Light, comes “a sweeping tale full of humor and heartbreak” (Karin Tanabe, author of The Diplomat’s Daughter) about the life-changing journey of a young man who travels from New Jersey to Khrushchev’s Russia and the beaches of Southern France to discover long-hidden secrets about his heritage.

In 1950s New Jersey, teacher Michael Daniels—or Misha Danielov to his doting Russian-Jewish grandmother—is at loose ends, until he becomes the host of a nightly underground radio show. Not only does the show become a local hit because of his running satires of USSR leader Nikita Khrushchev, but half a world away, it picks up listeners in a small Soviet city.

There, with rock and roll leaking in through bootlegged airwaves, Yulianna Kosoy—a war orphan in her mid-twenties—is sneaking American goods into the country with her boss, Der Schmuggler.

But just as Michael’s radio show is taking off, his grandmother is murdered. Why would anyone commit such an atrocity against such a warm, affable woman? She had always been secretive about her past and, as Michael discovers, guarded a shadowy ancestral history. In order to solve the mystery of who killed her, Michael sets out for Europe to learn where he—and his grandmother—really came from.

“Both heartbreaking and mesmerizing, Nothing Is Forgotten is the sort of book you won’t soon forget…Cold War Europe, lingering Nazi secrets, and the tragic history faced by millions of families not only bring this tale to life but will keep you turning the pages” (Lisa Wingate, New York Times bestselling author) and will appeal to fans of novels by Anita Diamant and Kristin Hannah.

“Golden draws a vivid portrait of the Cold War era, but it is the complex and unexpected connection between Holocaust survivors and their descendants that turns this book into a page-turner.” (RT Book Reviews)

“Nothing Is Forgotten is a Russian nesting doll of plot twists across continents and decades. This cleverly constructed Cold War tale, based on gripping true events, keeps readers eagerly anticipating what lies at its heart.” (Sarah McCoy, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Mapmaker’s Children)

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

I shook my head, and he smiled a little sadly—the Russian smile, my grandmother called it, like a weak sun in a winter-gray sky.

Named for Mark Twain, whose loathing of Tsarist Russia endeared him to the party, the students spent half the day immersed in the government-blessed curriculum in Russian and the other half taking courses in English, all while a portrait of Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet state, stood guard on a wall of every classroom, glaring at the students as if accusing them of harboring the forbidden desire to own private property.

“He is a real magician, my father.” “A magician? Like he pulls rabbits out of hats?” “Like he makes vodka disappear.”

I had a new reaction. I imagined smashing the wine bottle over Stenka’s head. Visiting Dachau, I concluded, could make a Jew touchy.

Of course, almost everyone loves dead Jews. Jesus was a Jew, no? It is the live Jews who seem to bother people.

I feel like I wandered into the middle of a freakish play, and I can’t get off the stage.

My Review:

Peter Golden has created exceptionally compelling arrangements of words within these 353 pages. His beguiling selections of nouns, verbs, and adjectives were densely packed across two timelines and were highly intriguing, thoughtfully written, mysteriously emotive, poignantly insightful, spiritually devastating, yet highly compelling.  His well-crafted storylines were lushly detailed and often held a weighty aura of melancholy, which resulted in a bruised and heavy heart, yet, oddly, I didn’t seem to mind.  To deploy his own words out of reference, Mr. Golden is truly a “connoisseur of irony.” He sagely tucked in clever turns of mocking wit and deftly tossed in twists of levity with razor-sharp sarcasm, quips, and sardonic banter.  His cunning use of humor felt like delightful treats and often erupted in the most expected of places. 

This was not an easy book to slice through given the disquieting subject matter, a large cast of unusual and disturbing characters, frequent use of foreign words and names, and unfamiliar cultural references; all of which left me ever so thankful for the translator and Wikipedia function on my tablet.  However, I assure you, this masterfully penned tale was well worth the effort.  I feel humbly and gratefully enlightened while having gleaned considerable and relevant knowledge in an entertaining manner.  Peter Golden has mad skills and a new fan.  

Empress DJ

About The Author


Website
Goodreads
Amazon

Peter Golden is an award-winning journalist, novelist, biographer, and historian. He lives outside Albany, New York, with his wife and son. He is the acclaimed author of the novels Comeback Love, Wherever There Is Light, and Nothing Is Forgotten.

 

Book Review: Ten Dares by Emily James

Ten Dares

(The Power of Ten Series #2)

by Emily James

Amazon 

Can 10 Dares help Melinda loosen up, conquer stress and find love? Or might they push her over the edge....

Melinda Spencer had everything but now her life has fallen apart.

Her two best friends, Mikey and Joanie are worried. Melinda’s been acting even more highly strung than usual. They decide to stage an intervention. Something to help her lighten up and take her mind off things: 10 crazy dares. After all, they say laughter is the best medicine...

Never one to squelch on a dare, Melinda accepts her challenge. The dares look simple enough: knock on a door and run away, tend her lady garden, flash a stranger… and if it gets Joanie and Mikey off her back about loosening up, it’ll be worth it. But with a sexy vet, a troublesome ex, and a village full of nutters hot on her trail, has Melinda finally bitten off more than she can chew?

Ten Dares is a hilarious romp about a strung-out single mum trying to hold everything together when life is throwing her lemons as curve balls.

This standalone romantic comedy has a happy ending, no cliffhanger, and can also be enjoyed as part of The Power of Ten Series.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Thirsty Thursday always leads to Fragile Friday…

Small town life, Melinda. You know how quick news travels around here. It’s probably all over the senior’s community bingo group and halfway to the London Eye by now. Mrs Bugden is not a happy camper. I saw her in Costco this morning. I’d nipped in for this week’s Celebrity Tattler magazine and ended up with a tale so salacious I’m not sure even the Tattler would print it.

Hyacinth Bugden, my neighbour of twelve years, is most well known for her calculating stares, blather-mouth and acid tongue. She’s stocky for an older lady and generously proportioned. I once saw her accost a shoplifter with the gusto of a sumo wrestler. She’s no sweet old lady, that’s for sure.

“We should make her shave off her lady garden.” Joanie laughs hysterically. “Doesn’t everyone tend their garden?” Mikey asks seriously. When no one bites, he nonchalantly grins and adds, “You don’t know what you’re missing. I’ve been as smooth as an eel since I was old enough to brave the blade, and the guys love it!” 

His eyebrows shoot skyward with the precision of synchronised swimmers.

My Review:

What fun! I gleefully consumed this diabolically witty tale while enduring a constant smirk, frequent bouts of giggle-snorting, and the occasional uncontrollable bark of laughter. Emily James’ lithesome writing style was highly engaging and summoned vivid and outrageously humorous visuals. Her wily storylines were cleverly plotted, well-paced, and laced together with colorful levity and deviously and comically peculiar characters. I rued reaching the last page and am eager for the next installment.

Empress DJ

About The Author

Amazon
Goodreads
Facebook

Emily James is an insanely funny British author who writes romance.

Current titles:

Ten Dates

Ten Dares 

Ten Lies

The Mistakes of My Past

Join her newsletter for updates:
http://eepurl.com/cpN4t1

Book Review: Maybe Baby by Carol Thomas

MAYBE BABY

by Carol Thomas

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

Just when you thought you had it all worked out …

Best friends Lisa and Felicity think – maybe, just maybe – they finally have everything sorted out in their lives.

Lisa is in a happy relationship with her old flame, and busy mum Felicity has managed to reignite the passion with her husband, Pete after a romantic getaway.

But when Lisa walks in on a half-naked woman in her boyfriend’s flat and Felicity is left reeling from a shocking discovery, it becomes clear that life is nothing but full of surprises …



My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:


Isn’t mentioning your mother and no hassle in the same sentence an oxymoron or something?

It’s not an easy thing to just bring up, though, is it? “By the way, that woman you just found naked in my flat, I delivered her son.” Telling your other half you’ve seen someone else’s foof is never an easy conversation.

‘Then we’re calling it Thor.’ ‘What?’ Felicity sat up and looked at Pete’s excited face. ‘Are you mad? Why?’ ‘Because he’s got superpowers. We thought we’d killed them all off… My swimmers, but no, Thor there’ –Pete gestured to Felicity’s stomach – ‘he’s made it through, against the odds.’ ‘Wouldn’t that make him Aquaman?’

‘Shut up, you daft cow. I’m not offended.’ ‘You’re the second person to call me daft this week.’ ‘Hmm, might be something in that, then.’

Yes, I just wondered, when a baby is born, does some air … no, wait … how did the baby get in your tummy?… Did you eat it?

Congratulations my lovelies, and when the days feel long remember the years are all too short, treasure every moment with your precious baby!


My Review:


I snickered and smirked my way through this cleverly crafted, delightfully amusing, and wittily written tale. This wily author is a master at misdirection; she has used my cynical nature against me and fooled me yet again! I am hoping she will repeatedly succeed at pulling off this miraculous and monumental feat with many more deftly penned sequels featuring these endearing and irresistible characters.

Empress DJ

Author Bio – 

Carol Thomas lives on the south coast of England with her husband, four children, and lively young Labrador. She has been a playgroup supervisor and taught in primary schools for over fifteen years, before dedicating more of her time to writing. Carol is a regular volunteer at her local Cancer Research UK shop. She has a passion for reading, writing and people watching and can often be found loitering in local cafes working on her next book.

Carol writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads.

Social Media Links – 

http://carol-thomas.co.uk

http://facebook.com/carolthomasauthor

http://twitter.com/carol_thomas2

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http://www.instagram.com/carol_thomas2/

Blog: http://carol-thomas.co.uk/blog

Spotlight: Drawing Bloodlines by Deborah Garland

Author Bio

Sink your teeth into this new vampire series from Golden Leaf Finalist Deborah Garland.

     

Alexander:

After a set of passing headlights from the street below moves across Elizabeth's bedroom, I step inside. Her bed faces two tall windows covered in delicate floor-length drapes that probably billow softly in summer breezes. My back straightens, stiff and rigid when I see her slender sleeping body, fully clothed, laid out over the covers—a sign of extreme exhaustion. I don’t sense any lingering fear, however.

Only desire.

But for what?

For whom?

A soft step closer, I notice she’s wearing the skirt and blouse from earlier today. My scent must still cling to the fabric.

Her hair cascades off the side of the bed like a golden waterfall. It wears away my resolve and draws me closer to her.

Against my better judgement, I reach out to touch the soft, silky strands. What must it feel like to be twisted around my fingers while I’m behind her, her ass pressed firmly up against me? The thought of what is underneath her skirt makes my cock throb.

Not good.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2tfegK9

Goodreads TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43889544-drawing-bloodlines

Other Books by Deborah Garland:

       

Connect with the Author

      

Website: http://www.deborahgarlandauthor.com/blog/

Facebook: Deborah Garland Author

Twitter: @deborah_garland

Goodreads: Deborah Garland

BookBub: @deborahgarland52

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Coming October 2019:

Never steal a vampire’s mate…

Book Review: Bedlam & Breakfast at a Devon Seaside Guesthouse by Sharley Scott

Bedlam & Breakfast 

at a Devon Seaside Guesthouse

 by Sharley Scott 

Amazon 

Bedlam & Breakfast at a Devon Seaside Guesthouse

Katie is desperate to leave her stressful job, so she doesn’t think too hard about moving to Devon to run a B&B, even if it means uprooting her family. She is certain that she and Jason have a strong and loving relationship which can weather any storm.

Hooked by the beauty of Torringham with its quaint harbor and stunning coastline, they purchase Flotsam Guesthouse which needs more than a lick of paint to keep it afloat. Soon, Katie finds that renovating and running a guesthouse is taking its toll, especially when dealing with challenging guests and madcap neighbors, Shona and Kim. Katie comes to learn that trouble is afoot whenever Shona begs a favor.

However, when her adored daughter moves back to their old hometown, she wonders if they’ve made a huge mistake, especially when cracks begin to show in her marriage.

Her seaside idyll is crumbling along with her relationship. Should she let Flotsam Guesthouse founder while she salvages her marriage? Katie needs to decide where her priorities lie. The only issue is, she doesn’t know.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Like any couple we had our ups-and-downs and a good row would usually clear the air but that was impossible in a guesthouse filled with two dozen pairs of ears, especially as I’ve never been one for a hissed argument. I could imagine the TripAdvisor reviews: ‘Flotsam offers the authentic seaside fish-wife experience’.

When I went back out to take more orders, I apologised for the wait. “You’ve forgotten our presents,” John said. I frowned. “Presents?” He glanced at his watch and laughed. “We’ve been waiting so long, it must be Christmas.”

That man must have a blowhole in his head. He doesn’t stop for breath.

Don’t leave me! It’s handbags at dawn in there.

My tongue must be an inch shorter for all the times I’d bitten it, but now it shrank to the back of my mouth fearful of being chewed off.

He’d been grumpy all week, making me feel as if I had to tiptoe around him. Maybe he should have married a ballerina.

My Review:

This was an amusing, fun, and lively tale chronicling the misadventures of first-time owners of a B&B, who had optimistically approached their new endeavor with no prior experience in the hospitality industry.  The story was told from the first person POV of Katie, who with her husband Jason had purchased a run-down B&B in a seaside tourist area of Devon.  While they realized the structure was going to need improvements, they were sorely unaware of just how neglected and poorly maintained the facilities were, as well as how much effort running a B&B was going to require.  Complications abounded before their uniquely difficult guests had even started arriving, yet they handled the myriad comical and exceptional challenges head on and learned hard lessons by doing, which is quite often the best form of education and training.  

Resentful over the amount paid for the sale, the former B&B owners had spitefully poisoned the locals towards them as well as purposely tampered with the bookings and left layers of filth behind.  I don’t even want to consider how I would have fared with such a labor intensive and uphill 24/7 enterprise; I most likely would have locked the doors and fled at top speed while shrieking like a banshee. 

The stress and exhaustion frayed their nerves, siphoned off their patience, and sorely tested their relationship as their communication became limited to quietly sniping and snarling at each other in private while doing their best to maintain a pleasant atmosphere and cheerful countenances for their guests.  I am uncertain why this was originally tagged as a Contemporary Romance, whereas I would label it as Women’s Fiction with copious amounts of wit, humor, and family drama. 

New additions to my Brit Word List include grockles – which are tourists; and nous – which appears to be associated with intelligence as well as common sense, although it has been my experience that most human beings rarely possess both at the same time.  

Empress DJ

About The Author

While 'Bedlam & Breakfast at a Devon Seaside Guesthouse' is fictional, I am a guesthouse owner. Thankfully, we have been blessed with lots of amazing and kind-hearted guests, who are nothing like some of the characters featured in this novel and the subsequent books in the series. I would be a lot greyer if they were.

Likewise, Jason is quite different to my husband, who I sometimes nickname Victor Meldrew. He is lovely though and has a fab sense of humor, although some of his dryness has rubbed off on Jason.

Bedlam & Breakfast is set in South Devon, in the fictional town of Torringham, which is loosely based on Brixham. If you've been to Brixham you may recognize some of the local features, including the seals, fishing industry and the fantastic lifeboat crew, but the businesses, people and a number of settings are fictionalized.

The same applies to the B&B owners featured. Many guesthouse owners undertake work when they move into a property and our current B&B was not an exception. While, thankfully, our previous owners were nothing like Jim and Maureen, this also means we don’t get to live next door to the fabulous Shona and Kim. But we do have many lovely B&B friends. B&Bers are a wonderful and hardworking bunch, although the ones we know have a penchant for parties in the low season. That's why I had to end Bedlam & Breakfast at a party. 

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/SharleyScott3

https://twitter.com/SharleyScott