Cozy Moments: Links

Happy Saturday, readers! We have a beautiful day here...no rain FINALLY!! I love a good rainy day, but it has been raining on and off for the past several weeks, so it is nice to have a sunny day. I thought I would share some of my favorite links I've found lately. 

Links I Love: 

1. Every book lover's dream: A Historic Bookstore for Sale 

2. An Abandoned Gingerbread Castle   So beautiful and whimsical....hoping it will be saved! 

3. I love Anne's recommendations on Modern Mrs. Darcy. Here are 23 Books to Read in 2019

4. Want to ring in the new year with new home decor? This POST is for you. I know I often feel stuck when it comes to redecorating because I struggle to find my style and how that works with pieces we already own. This article will help! 

That's it for today! Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

I'll Never Let You Go by Mary Burton

Cover Image from Penguin UK

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Title: I'll Never Let You Go by Mary Burton

Received: Purchased (secondhand bookstore)

Rating: 💖💖💖💖

Summary from Penguin UK: 

He promised to kill her. One night four years ago, Leah Carson's husband almost succeeded. Phillip stabbed her twenty-three times before fleeing. The police are sure he's dead. But fear won't let Leah believe it.

It starts with little things. Missing keys. A flat tire. Mysterious flowers. All easily explained away if the pattern wasn't so terrifyingly familiar. Leah has a new veterinary practice and a new life with no ties to her nightmare. But Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent Alex Morgan suspects something. And when another woman's body is found, stabbed twenty-three times, Leah knows her past has found her.

As Leah and Alex untangle the horrifying truth, he watches her, ready for the perfect moment. Until death--that was the vow they made. And a killer always keeps his word . . .

This is the first book that I've read by Mary Burton. I really enjoyed it and thought the pacing was fantastic. I was compelled to keep turning the pages and thought it worked well as a thriller. What kept it from being a five star rating for me was the romance in the story. Or maybe what I think of as the lack of romance. I honestly think I would have enjoyed the story just as much without the romantic component. I just didn't buy the romance between Leah and Alex. Not that it was a "bad" romance, but I just felt like there wasn't much romantic development between the two.  They went on one short, unsuccessful date, then the rest of their "relationship" really revolved around the case. It just didn't work for me, but it didn't subtract from the storyline. It was just unnecessary. The story was strong enough as a thriller, and I didn't see the ending coming, which is the best kind! I look forward to reading more by Mary Burton. 

Click the Image below to check out this book on Amazon: 

Happy Reading!! 

Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear

(Cover Image from HarperCollins)

I am an Amazon Associate member. By clicking on links on this blog and then purchasing something from Amazon, I will receive a small commission. Thank you!

Title: Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear

Received: Hoopla from Library (Audiobook)

Rating: 💖💖💖💖

Summary from Amazon: 

Your father is a liar. But is he a killer? 

Even liars tell the truth . . . sometimes.

Twenty-six-year-old Cat Kinsella overcame a troubled childhood to become a Detective Constable with the Metropolitan Police Force, but she’s never been able to banish these ghosts. When she’s called to the scene of a murder in Islington, not far from the pub her estranged father still runs, she discovers that Alice Lapaine, a young housewife who didn’t get out much, has been found strangled.

Cat and her team immediately suspect Alice’s husband, until she receives a mysterious phone call that links the victim to Maryanne Doyle, a teenage girl who went missing in Ireland eighteen years earlier. The call raises uneasy memories for Cat—her family met Maryanne while on holiday, right before she vanished. Though she was only a child, Cat knew that her charming but dissolute father wasn’t telling the truth when he denied knowing anything about Maryanne or her disappearance. Did her father do something to the teenage girl all those years ago? Could he have harmed Alice now? And how can you trust a liar even if he might be telling the truth?

Determined to close the two cases, Cat rushes headlong into the investigation, crossing ethical lines and trampling professional codes. But in looking into the past, she might not like what she finds. . . .

Ok, I have lots of to say about this book. First off, here are the things I enjoyed: 

1. I listened to this on audiobook. The narrator did an excellent job. I sometimes struggle to stay engaged when the narrator has a British accent. I don't know why, but often British narrators make me relax and fall asleep. I think it is because their voices are so melodious. So, with that being said, I'm sometimes hesitant to try a audiobook with a British narrator, but this narrator kept me entertained and on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. 

2. This audiobook was approx. 11 hours. I finished it. Given my short attention span, that tells you it was an engaging read. 

3. One of my catnips is books set in Ireland. Parts of this book take place there, and I loved that about it. 

4. I read that this is the author's debut novel...wow. Just wow. Excellent debut and immense talent. 

Ok, so really my only "complaint" with this book is that I felt like it went on a little too long at the end. Once the mystery was solved, I felt like the pace slowed, and the book dwindled off, as opposed to keeping the same pace throughout. I found myself saying, "Ok, let's wrap this up." Otherwise, I thought this was a well done, well written book. I would highly recommend it. It didn't make my keeper shelf, just because I don't think I would read it again because of length (and that I know how the mystery is solved). The ending is satisfying and wraps up nicely, which I appreciate. 

Click the image below to check out the book on Amazon. Happy reading!

To All the Boys I've Loved Before~ The Movie

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Y'all. I seriously loved this movie. LOVED IT. I haven't read Jenny Han's book, but I was vaguely familiar with the premise of the book. So, on this lazy Sunday afternoon, I decided to check out the movie on Netflix. It was soooo good!! It reminded me of a late 1990s-early 2000s rom-com (which, of course, are the best rom-coms!). Here's the basic premise:
1. Girl writes love letters to all her crushes assuming they will never be seen.
2. The letters are mailed without her knowledge.
3. Drama ensues.

My thoughts:

1. The acting was top notch.
2. John Corbett plays the father of the main character, Lara Jean. So what this means to my not quite a teen anymore heart: Aidan from Sex in the City is a daddy. Yay!
3. Lana Condor does a terrific job being Lara Jean. I love this character and related really well to her.
4. Noah Centineo is an adorable love interest.
5. This movie held my attention, made me laugh out loud, and warmed my heart with the romance. I honestly can't remember the last movie that has done all three of these things. Thanks to work, school, and technology, my attention span is about a third of what it once was. To keep my attention alone is a pretty lofty endeavor. Well done, Netflix. Well done.

Here's the book, if you want to read it before watching:

Happy watching/reading!! 

 

Cozy Moments: Links

Good morning!! Hope you are having a wonderful day. Here are some links from around the internet that I find interesting:

Living a Romantic Lifestyle
I love The Silver Petticoat blog because it promotes romance in entertainment. I love browsing the site for book and movie recommendations. This is their manifesto on how to live a more romantic, joyful, optimistic life.

Under the Tuscan Sun Fixer Upper
Will someone please restore this Italian villa to its former glory? So sad to see it vandalized!

14 Most Anticipated Fall Romances 
Yay for new fall romances!

All 339 Books Referenced in "Gilmore Girls"
I loved the original Gilmore Girls series and loved that Rory was such a reader! This list details all the books she read during the entire series. Wouldn't it be fun to work your way through this list?

Books N Tunes Challenge: Man Hands by Sarina Bowen and Tanya Eby

I am an Amazon Associate member. By clicking on links on this blog and then purchasing something from Amazon, I will receive a small commission. Thank you!

Today, I'm going to do my first book blog challenge, Books N Tunes Challenge, created by A Delighted Reader. I accepted the challenge of Level One (which means ten songs) that form a playlists to go along with a book I read. Today, I'm going to discuss one of my new favorite books, Man Hands.

Title: Man Hands by Sarina Bowen and Tanya Eby

Received: Bought on Amazon for Kindle

Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖

This book definitely goes on the keeper shelf! I cannot say enough good things about it. For a book to get my keeper shelf stamp of approval, it has to be a book that I would want to re-read again. This book definitely fits the bill. It is laugh out loud funny, steamy, sexy, and just an overall "make you smile" kind of book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is a lot of sex humor and some language, so just know that. 

Some things that stood out to me about this book: 

1. Brynn, our heroine, is thirty-four years old. I like that. The older I get, I often have a harder time relating to heroines in their early twenties (of course, there are always exceptions). Generally, I find myself enjoying romances with the heroines being in their late twenties or older. 

2. Competency all the way around. Brynn is a food blogger and amazing cook. Tom, our hero, is the star for a home improvement channel (a la HGTV). Lots of job/hobby competency going on. 

3. Humor and Sex: Some books try to juggle being funny and steamy all at the same time and fail. This book was able to be funny and steamy without being over the top or cheesy. 

4. Fast paced. I inhaled this book, which is something I really need in my reading life right now. I'm just not at the point of life where I want a long, descriptive door stop of a book.

So....now to the tunes! Here is my playlist to go along with Man Hands: 

1. "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)"~ Rupert Holmes

2. "Summer Love/Set the Mood (Prelude)" ~ Justin Timberlake

3. "Desperate Man"~ Eric Church

4. "Somethin' Bad (Duet with Carrie Underwood)"~ Miranda Lambert

5. "Super Freak"~ Rick James

6. "Hungry Like The Wolf"~ Duran Duran

7. "It's Raining Men"~ The Weather Girls

8. "What I Like About You"~ The Romantics

9. "Love So Soft"~ Kelly Clarkson

10. "My Guy"~ Mary Wells 

Check out Man Hands HERE

Hope you enjoy this review and Books N Tunes Challenge. What have you read lately? Any songs you think I should add to this playlist? 

Cozy Moments

I love this image of this majestic oak tree. It reminds me of the trees at my grandparent's farm. How peaceful is it to just look at all that glorious green? I can almost feel a soft breeze rustling the leaves. Ahhh.... Do you feel yourself starting to relax? Feel the sun on your skin. Perfect early summer day...

Now, this is Christmas all way. Red candles, Christmas lights...I close my eyes and can hear a crackling fire in the background. It feels warm, safe, holy. The most wonderful time of the year. 

This photo looks fun and flirty. What kind of drink is this? A fluffy, sweet coffee? How cute are those heart cookies? This photo makes me want to curl up on the sofa and watch a cutesy Hallmark movie or rom-com. 

Hope these images give you a much needed mental break in your day. I believe images are powerful, and we all need a cozy moment in our day. What images do you associate with coziness and comfort?