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ClareR (6256 KP) rated Think of Me in Books
May 8, 2022
I got very excited when I saw that this book was coming up. I’d read and loved We Must Be Brave, and I knew that I’d enjoy this too - I wasn’t disappointed.
It’s the story of James Acton and Yvette Haddad who meet during WW2 in Alexandria where Yvette lives. James is the best man for Yvette’s sisters husband-to-be, and they both fly Hurricanes in North Africa.
James is captured by the Germans when he is shot down, and spends the latter part of the war in a prison camp, and keeps in touch with Yvette throughout. After the war they marry, return to England, and James returns to his ministry as an Anglican priest.
They have a wonderful marriage, it seems to me, whilst James struggles with his memories of war, they both experience a personal loss - and their marriage changes.
This has a dual timeline, set during the war in Alexandria and in 1974. James lives as a widower whilst their son goes to University. It’s a big change for James, and so he decides to go one step further as he puts in for a transfer of parish. But this transfer brings a lot of memories back.
Frances Liardet writes a slow burning novel really well. She makes the ordinary extraordinary, and has written a novel that I became totally immersed in. I really didn’t want to put it down.
It’s the story of James Acton and Yvette Haddad who meet during WW2 in Alexandria where Yvette lives. James is the best man for Yvette’s sisters husband-to-be, and they both fly Hurricanes in North Africa.
James is captured by the Germans when he is shot down, and spends the latter part of the war in a prison camp, and keeps in touch with Yvette throughout. After the war they marry, return to England, and James returns to his ministry as an Anglican priest.
They have a wonderful marriage, it seems to me, whilst James struggles with his memories of war, they both experience a personal loss - and their marriage changes.
This has a dual timeline, set during the war in Alexandria and in 1974. James lives as a widower whilst their son goes to University. It’s a big change for James, and so he decides to go one step further as he puts in for a transfer of parish. But this transfer brings a lot of memories back.
Frances Liardet writes a slow burning novel really well. She makes the ordinary extraordinary, and has written a novel that I became totally immersed in. I really didn’t want to put it down.
Love Tools (Bluestone Series, #1)
9.0
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What happens when the king of casual meets the queen of picking the wrong men? Lily is running....
Contemporary Romance
Blood (The McLeod Brothers Trilogy #3)
6.0
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He's a notorious playboy. Finn McLeod has always enjoyed the fun things in life, and he's never...
Paranormal Romance Shifters Vampires Fated Mates
Merissa (14198 KP) rated Second Match (Perfect Match Agency #5) in Books
Aug 3, 2023
SECOND MATCH is Morgan Dor's story. I first met him in Chance Match when the omega he'd been paired with fell for his assistant instead. So when I saw Morgan in this story, I knew I had to read it.
It did help me, having read about Morgan before, as there isn't much background to him in this book. Riley is the omega he gets matched with, who suffers from an extreme UV allergy. This means he gets called a demon and shunned by everyone, including most of his family, by the religious cult he grew up with.
This book moves at a breakneck pace which, unfortunately, means most parts are not fleshed out or given the attention they deserve. At best, points are skimmed over and the reader is told what has happened, rather than being shown, ie. Riley's UV treatments, the year of their marriage, and the crazy cult leader. I was left with many questions after reading this, which was a shame as I had loved the other story.
A good addition to the Perfect Match Agency series that I did enjoy, but I would recommend you read Chance Match first, just so you get a little more background.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 3, 2023
It did help me, having read about Morgan before, as there isn't much background to him in this book. Riley is the omega he gets matched with, who suffers from an extreme UV allergy. This means he gets called a demon and shunned by everyone, including most of his family, by the religious cult he grew up with.
This book moves at a breakneck pace which, unfortunately, means most parts are not fleshed out or given the attention they deserve. At best, points are skimmed over and the reader is told what has happened, rather than being shown, ie. Riley's UV treatments, the year of their marriage, and the crazy cult leader. I was left with many questions after reading this, which was a shame as I had loved the other story.
A good addition to the Perfect Match Agency series that I did enjoy, but I would recommend you read Chance Match first, just so you get a little more background.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 3, 2023
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2664 KP) rated A Peculiar Combination in Books
Aug 24, 2023 (Updated Aug 24, 2023)
A Winning Combination
Electra “Ellie” McDonnell and her uncle supplement their income as locksmiths with the occasional burglary. London in 1940 is ripe with opportunities, but after one late night robbery, they are caught and given a choice – jail or helping Major Ramsey. Ramsey needs someone to break into a safe to retrieve some sensitive documents. Ellie reluctantly agrees, but when she and Ramsey arrives, they are surprised by what they find. As things spiral out of control, can Ellie still help?
When I first heard about this series, I knew I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. Obviously, there is a lot of set up needed, but the book moves through it quickly, creating characters along the way. The characters are all sharp from the beginning but become more interesting as the book progresses. We also get Ellie’s history is small doses, which sets up some storylines I can’t wait to read more about. I saw a couple twists coming a few pages early, but every time something happened, I was more drawn into the story. I was expecting a strong romantic sub-plot, but I wasn’t expecting the beginning of a love triangle. The period came to life, and I appreciated that this really couldn’t have taken place at any other point in history. I’ll definitely be back for more, and if you enjoy historical mysteries, you’ll be glad you picked this one up as well.
When I first heard about this series, I knew I had to give it a try. I’m so glad I did. Obviously, there is a lot of set up needed, but the book moves through it quickly, creating characters along the way. The characters are all sharp from the beginning but become more interesting as the book progresses. We also get Ellie’s history is small doses, which sets up some storylines I can’t wait to read more about. I saw a couple twists coming a few pages early, but every time something happened, I was more drawn into the story. I was expecting a strong romantic sub-plot, but I wasn’t expecting the beginning of a love triangle. The period came to life, and I appreciated that this really couldn’t have taken place at any other point in history. I’ll definitely be back for more, and if you enjoy historical mysteries, you’ll be glad you picked this one up as well.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2664 KP) rated Union Jacked in Books
Sep 3, 2022
Retirement Parties, Strikes, and Murder
A British investment firm has bought out Travada, the local department store were Samantha Kidd works as a buyer. She’s struggling to match what she thinks the store should be selling with her new directives. Meanwhile, many of the employees are on strike, and Samantha is planning a retirement party for Detective Loncar. When Detective Loncar stops by the store on day, he’s on sight when someone shoots a gun. He and the leader of the strike are both shot. Who was the target? Can Samantha figure out what is going on?
Parts of the premise of this book stretch credibility a bit, but I was quickly caught up in the story and didn’t care. With everything happening, the story was fast paced and kept me engaged right up to the ending. The ending took a bit of thinking on my end, but it does make sense. What doesn’t make the sense is the timelines. It’s not anything that impacts the story, but Samantha can’t keep the days of the story straight or when some of her last adventures happened in relation to each other. On the other hand, I still enjoyed my time in the characters, new and old, and appreciated the growth we saw in Samantha. The humor is still sharp as well; I was grinning when I wasn’t laughing. Fans of the series will enjoy this adventure for sure.
Parts of the premise of this book stretch credibility a bit, but I was quickly caught up in the story and didn’t care. With everything happening, the story was fast paced and kept me engaged right up to the ending. The ending took a bit of thinking on my end, but it does make sense. What doesn’t make the sense is the timelines. It’s not anything that impacts the story, but Samantha can’t keep the days of the story straight or when some of her last adventures happened in relation to each other. On the other hand, I still enjoyed my time in the characters, new and old, and appreciated the growth we saw in Samantha. The humor is still sharp as well; I was grinning when I wasn’t laughing. Fans of the series will enjoy this adventure for sure.
Merissa (14198 KP) rated In a New York Minute in Books
May 22, 2023
IN A NEW YORK MINUTE is a standalone with a couple of cameos but nothing that would confuse you. It is a sweet and tender story of grown-up problems and mature responses. I simply adored this story from start to finish.
Both Garrett and Remi have their own baggage but they don't just jump off the deep end when something happens they didn't expect. They pass the time until they are able to speak privately and then work it out. I'm not saying it's all easy but communication does make things easier.
Bubbe and Grandpa Sol are both outstanding characters and I would love to see more of them. Pringle was an excellent example of prejudice that is still around today, even if the bloody Pringles catchphrase leapt into my head every time I saw his name. For him, it was certainly a case of "once you pop, you just can't stop." I really hope he got his comeuppance. Jeffrey stole my heart and I honestly NEED for them to get their story. All of the other characters are fantastic though, whether you like them or not.
A fantastic addition to Felice Steven's repertoire that I have no hesitation in recommending. Absolutely brilliant!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 22, 2023
Both Garrett and Remi have their own baggage but they don't just jump off the deep end when something happens they didn't expect. They pass the time until they are able to speak privately and then work it out. I'm not saying it's all easy but communication does make things easier.
Bubbe and Grandpa Sol are both outstanding characters and I would love to see more of them. Pringle was an excellent example of prejudice that is still around today, even if the bloody Pringles catchphrase leapt into my head every time I saw his name. For him, it was certainly a case of "once you pop, you just can't stop." I really hope he got his comeuppance. Jeffrey stole my heart and I honestly NEED for them to get their story. All of the other characters are fantastic though, whether you like them or not.
A fantastic addition to Felice Steven's repertoire that I have no hesitation in recommending. Absolutely brilliant!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 22, 2023
Debbiereadsbook (1843 KP) rated Concentration Play (Leather and Lattes #5) in Books
Aug 10, 2026
fabulous visit to Whipped as always!
I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 5 in the Leather and Lattes series and they can mostly be read as stand alones. There is a bit of an ongoing story arc from the last book into this one, but you can pick it up very quickly.
It's been a while, but I loved this visit to Whipped!
James is grieving after his husband died a year ago. Nolan thinks he is cursed. They have powerful chemistry right from the start and that burns hot and bright all the way through.
It's emotional: Nolan thinks his curse means he can never be truly happy with someone, cos they will leave him. James is still suffering after a year, but neither man saw this coming at them, and it really throws them. I loved how James' grief was dealt with here.
Steamy! Because what would a Leather and Lattes book be without steam and play night! Slightly different though, James is a Sadist and Nolan a pain slut. They are perfectly aligned.
I loved how the story arc from the previous book resolves itself, and everyone gets the comeuppence they deserve!
I'm looking forward to the next book, but also dreading it, because that will be the last Leather and Lattes book!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 5 in the Leather and Lattes series and they can mostly be read as stand alones. There is a bit of an ongoing story arc from the last book into this one, but you can pick it up very quickly.
It's been a while, but I loved this visit to Whipped!
James is grieving after his husband died a year ago. Nolan thinks he is cursed. They have powerful chemistry right from the start and that burns hot and bright all the way through.
It's emotional: Nolan thinks his curse means he can never be truly happy with someone, cos they will leave him. James is still suffering after a year, but neither man saw this coming at them, and it really throws them. I loved how James' grief was dealt with here.
Steamy! Because what would a Leather and Lattes book be without steam and play night! Slightly different though, James is a Sadist and Nolan a pain slut. They are perfectly aligned.
I loved how the story arc from the previous book resolves itself, and everyone gets the comeuppence they deserve!
I'm looking forward to the next book, but also dreading it, because that will be the last Leather and Lattes book!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1843 KP) rated From A to Us (Vermont Trailblazers #3) in Books
Oct 9, 2026
I am loving this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Ok, so!
I might lose control of this review, so please bare with me, cos I freaking loved this one!
Eli is super cheerful, but puts on a front and Nolan sees Eli, really sees him. And I loved that, he saw Eli right from the start.
I loved that the relationship between Nolan and Eli's sister wasn't given too much page space. It's mentioned a couple of times, when the guys are soul searching, but since it's ten long years ago, it's not dragged out. Even Eli's sister wasn't bothered!
The letters had me gripped! I loved them and how Nolan and Eli use inspiration from them. I did have a clue as to who that might be, really early on and I loved how that all played out.
Steamy, yes, these guys have powerful chemistry right from the start and they do not let up!
I'm loving that these are hockey-light. Just enough to keep you engaged, but not too much so you lose focus. And when I say you, I mean me!
Please, please tell me there will be more, I'm loving these books and I need more of them in my life!
I'm reigning this in, and shutting it down now!
5 full and shiny stars!!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Ok, so!
I might lose control of this review, so please bare with me, cos I freaking loved this one!
Eli is super cheerful, but puts on a front and Nolan sees Eli, really sees him. And I loved that, he saw Eli right from the start.
I loved that the relationship between Nolan and Eli's sister wasn't given too much page space. It's mentioned a couple of times, when the guys are soul searching, but since it's ten long years ago, it's not dragged out. Even Eli's sister wasn't bothered!
The letters had me gripped! I loved them and how Nolan and Eli use inspiration from them. I did have a clue as to who that might be, really early on and I loved how that all played out.
Steamy, yes, these guys have powerful chemistry right from the start and they do not let up!
I'm loving that these are hockey-light. Just enough to keep you engaged, but not too much so you lose focus. And when I say you, I mean me!
Please, please tell me there will be more, I'm loving these books and I need more of them in my life!
I'm reigning this in, and shutting it down now!
5 full and shiny stars!!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Front Runner (2018) in Movies
Jul 25, 2019
Story: The Front Runner starts after Gary Hart (Jackman) has missed out on the Vice-President position, four-years later in 1987, Gary is running for the Presidency, he is the clear favourite too, his team which includes Bill Dixon (Simmons) knows it is only a matter of time before he wins, while the opposition team is looking for weakness in his reputation.
Gary’s lead starts taking a hit when an early report of a potential affair emerges and before long every single newspaper in the country is trying to cover the story on different levels, some using it as a gossip column while others just want to question his own integrity. This will see Gary’s hope of becoming President come crashing down around him.
Thoughts on The Front Runner
Characters – These characters are based on real people, which will show certain ones in good and bad lights. Senator Gary Hart is running for Presidency, is has the whole campaign under complete control, which has all but guaranteed he would become the next President of the United States. Gary has the ability to spin any story that is placed on front of him, to show that he could bring America a brighter future. Gary however does have a secret with an affair which the press turn into a big story which sees him needing to try and recover from the spiralling situation he has created with his own wrong doing. Lee Hart is the wife of Gary, she has been part of a previous separation which made her suffer enough, she has however always stood by her man with strict rules for the future. Bill Dixon is the campaign manager for Gary, that wants to keep everything simple only this becomes difficult when the truth starts to come out. The Front Runner struggles with one big problem, we have such a large cast of characters it does make it hard to keep up with the almost nameless characters, we have three or four papers and their staff, the campaign team, the people involved in the potential affair, it just becomes completely keeping up with who is who.
Performances – Hugh Jackman is great to watch in the leading role, if he was given that one scene to try and make his character truly memorable it would have put him into a stronger respected performance for the year. Vera Farmiga does everything asked of her character which she doesn’t do anything wrong with. J.K. Simmons almost feels wasted in his role which should have been larger for what is going on. Most of the performances do seem to struggle for this reason.
Story – The story here follows a presidential candidate whose life becomes filed with speculation after an alleged affair that both sides denied saw him going from a guarantee winner to needing to withdraw, changing the way politics are portrayed in the papers forever. This story does put the spotlight on the moment that saw a change in how politics and journalist operated, the film even points out in the fact that previous Presidents asked for heads to be turned about affairs, but this alleged one saw the country turn on any person that was willing to cheat. The story does show how the three weeks changed the whole race, only it does try to put way too many characters into the film which does make it hard to keep up with who each person is and what side of the story they really are on.
Biopic/History – We follow a 3 week period in Gary Hart’s life, the three weeks that took him from being the next President to the moment he withdrew wanting to keep the false accusations about him out of the papers, this shows how quickly the public can turn on people and the media can make it happen, this plays into the history side of electing a President because we see how minds suddenly changed after how previous ones had acted.
Settings – The film does use the authentic settings, show how the press would hide for a story, while Gary would use the public to put an end to the stories being made up.
Scene of the Movie – Twisting the medias words.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many characters.
Final Thoughts – This is a story which does feel like it should be told to more people, only this version of the story is completely over-saturated be characters making it hard to keep up with.
Overall: Political Thriller that just doesn’t pack the punch.
Gary’s lead starts taking a hit when an early report of a potential affair emerges and before long every single newspaper in the country is trying to cover the story on different levels, some using it as a gossip column while others just want to question his own integrity. This will see Gary’s hope of becoming President come crashing down around him.
Thoughts on The Front Runner
Characters – These characters are based on real people, which will show certain ones in good and bad lights. Senator Gary Hart is running for Presidency, is has the whole campaign under complete control, which has all but guaranteed he would become the next President of the United States. Gary has the ability to spin any story that is placed on front of him, to show that he could bring America a brighter future. Gary however does have a secret with an affair which the press turn into a big story which sees him needing to try and recover from the spiralling situation he has created with his own wrong doing. Lee Hart is the wife of Gary, she has been part of a previous separation which made her suffer enough, she has however always stood by her man with strict rules for the future. Bill Dixon is the campaign manager for Gary, that wants to keep everything simple only this becomes difficult when the truth starts to come out. The Front Runner struggles with one big problem, we have such a large cast of characters it does make it hard to keep up with the almost nameless characters, we have three or four papers and their staff, the campaign team, the people involved in the potential affair, it just becomes completely keeping up with who is who.
Performances – Hugh Jackman is great to watch in the leading role, if he was given that one scene to try and make his character truly memorable it would have put him into a stronger respected performance for the year. Vera Farmiga does everything asked of her character which she doesn’t do anything wrong with. J.K. Simmons almost feels wasted in his role which should have been larger for what is going on. Most of the performances do seem to struggle for this reason.
Story – The story here follows a presidential candidate whose life becomes filed with speculation after an alleged affair that both sides denied saw him going from a guarantee winner to needing to withdraw, changing the way politics are portrayed in the papers forever. This story does put the spotlight on the moment that saw a change in how politics and journalist operated, the film even points out in the fact that previous Presidents asked for heads to be turned about affairs, but this alleged one saw the country turn on any person that was willing to cheat. The story does show how the three weeks changed the whole race, only it does try to put way too many characters into the film which does make it hard to keep up with who each person is and what side of the story they really are on.
Biopic/History – We follow a 3 week period in Gary Hart’s life, the three weeks that took him from being the next President to the moment he withdrew wanting to keep the false accusations about him out of the papers, this shows how quickly the public can turn on people and the media can make it happen, this plays into the history side of electing a President because we see how minds suddenly changed after how previous ones had acted.
Settings – The film does use the authentic settings, show how the press would hide for a story, while Gary would use the public to put an end to the stories being made up.
Scene of the Movie – Twisting the medias words.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Too many characters.
Final Thoughts – This is a story which does feel like it should be told to more people, only this version of the story is completely over-saturated be characters making it hard to keep up with.
Overall: Political Thriller that just doesn’t pack the punch.