Pretty Face by Lucy Parker (★★★★★)
E-Book • Owned (Amazon) • Contemporary Romance • 2017
Short synopsis: Lily Lamprey is determined to prove herself in her first role as a stage actress. Sparks fly when she catches the eye of the director, Luc Savage. As their romance deepens, both their careers are put at risk, testing their love and ambitions.
This romance was a reread for me, and oh, I loved it just as much as I did the first time around! I think this book is when I really noticed Lucy Parker’s talent as a novelist and she became an auto-buy author for me. There was so much I loved about this novel, between the sweet romance, the complicated family dynamics, and getting a glimpse into what it takes to put on a stage production these days. I loved the rapport between Lily and Luc—they had sizzling chemistry but also a very sweet way of caring for one another. Please do yourself a favor and pick up a Lucy Parker romance if you haven’t yet!
The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman (★★☆☆☆)
Audiobook • Spotify • Fiction • 2021
Short synopsis: Ava Simon, a designer at a Brooklyn furniture company (basically an IKEA knockoff), is startled by her reaction to her new boss, Mat Putnam. As an unexpected relationship between them blossoms, things begin to unravel for Mat and Ava realizes everything is not as it seems.
I had a very strange reading experience with this book. The book is marketed as “suspenseful” and I was expecting something a bit more dark and twisted than what I got. Instead, about 70% of the book was a bland romance between a woman who had a hard time opening up to others and a boring white man who expected the world to fall at his feet. Snooze. Finally, just about a few chapters to the end, things picked up and the suspensefulness I had been promised was delivered. By that point, though, I was tired of the book and didn’t feel like the payoff was worth it. I needed more of a build-up to the big reveal rather than it all happening at one time. It was also just hard to feel invested in the story between Ava and Mat when I knew something crazy was about to be revealed, so why are we spending pages and pages and pages with them and their budding romance? Meh.
Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams (★★★★☆)
Print • Library • Historical Fiction • 2021
Short synopsis: In 1948, Iris Digby and her family mysteriously vanished from London, sparking rumors of either a Soviet kidnapping or defection. Four years later, Ruth Macallister receives a postcard from her estranged twin sister, prompting her to journey to Moscow under false pretenses to rescue Iris and her family.
This was a great historical fiction novel! The Cold War era fascinates me so much, but I find that there is little I know about it. This novel took me on a journey of a small part of the Cold War involving a woman whose husband is a Soviet spy and her sister who knows very little about her life. I’ve read many novels by Beatriz Williams and this one felt a lot darker and heavier than her other ones, while still having her signature lightness with some romance thrown in to keep things from feeling too dark. I wanted a little more from the ending—it felt very rushed and I would have liked another chapter or two to explain everything—but other than that, it was an excellent novel that had me on the edge of my seat at the end!
What are you reading?
That first romance sounds great! The Cold War novel sounds interesting, too. Right now I am reading a non-fiction book called ‘boy mom’ which is all about raising boys and how we are failing them in certain ways. It’s been interesting so far. A lot of it is about how lonely boys are and how they tend to not have close friendships and I can totally see that.
I enjoyed Our Woman in Moscow too! I just finished a good book called The Mountains Sing about two generations of a Vietnamese family in both the Vietnam War era and the 40s. It was really good and an interesting insight into the Vietnamese take on the war. I recently read another book by the same author called Dust Child which was also good, but I liked Mountains better. I am about to start the latest Richard Osman called We Solve Murders, which I am looking foward to. I am also halfway through Wanted: Toddlers Personal Assistant, which as been entertaining so far.
It seems everyone is talking about or has read Our Woman In Moscow, which I’ve added to my library list to check out. I love a really good spy novel, throw in historical as well, and I am so there.
The last one sounds interesting. I have not heard of it. I check if the library has it but I doubt it.
I’m reading God of the Woods, but I just finished Margo Has Money Troubles, and OMG IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!! Five stars for sure.
I just finished God of the Woods the other day, and now I’m listening to The Monsters of Templeton, which is excellent so far. I love how much you read, and the variety as well.
Our Woman in Moscow sounds GOOD! I think I would enjoy that. Right now I’m reading a Christmas-y mystery that I’m enjoying.
Pretty Face sounds so good! I wish it was on Libby. It says it’s book 2 in a series. Guessing you don’t need to read book 1?
Ugh that middle book sounds horrible!
I am reading Variation and listening to The Paradise Problem.