Monthly Archives: July 2021

Review: The Stranger in the Mirror

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The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine
Publisher: Harper
Pub Date: 7/6/21

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced physical copy this book from Harper in exchange for my honest opinion. This has no effect on my opinion, review, or rating.

GoodReads Synopsis: Addison’s about to get married, but she’s not looking forward to the big day. It’s not her fiancé; he’s a wonderful man. It’s because Addison doesn’t know who she really is. A few years ago, a kind driver found her bleeding next to a New Jersey highway and rescued her. While her physical wounds healed, Addison’s memory never returned. She doesn’t know her real name. Or how she ended up injured on the side of a road. Or why she can’t shake the notion that she may have done something very, very bad . . .

In a posh home in the Boston suburbs, Julian tries to figure out what happened to his loving, caring wife, Cassandra, who disappeared without a trace two years ago. She would never have left him and their seven-year-old daughter Valentina of her own free will—or would she?

As these two lives intersect, The Stranger in the Mirror hooks readers with riveting drama, told with Liv Constantine’s hallmark blend of glamour, tense psychological thrills, and jaw-dropping twists.

Review: The Stranger in the Mirror is the fourth book I’ve read from Liv Constantine. This thriller explores memory loss, toxic relationships, deception, and secrets. Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel! The small chapters, multiple POVs, unreliable narrators captured my interest. I really loved that the writing style kept me on my toes since the beginning. I usually don’t like amnesia thrillers, but this one was done well. There were some twists towards the end that I didn’t see coming which made this wild ride even more fun. Definitely recommend picking this one up if you loved The Last Mrs. Parrish and/or if you love amnesia thrillers.

Review: Isn’t It Bromantic?

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Isn’t It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Pub Date: 7/20/21

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced digital copy of this book from Berkley Romance in exchange for my honest opinion. This has no effect on my opinion, review, or rating.

GoodReads Synopsis: With his passion for romance novels, it was only a matter of time before Vlad wrote one.

Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, she escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville.

Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But it’s become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he’s learned is that he deserves more. He’s ready to create his own sweeping romance—both on and off the page.

The bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love—and this time they’re not operating solo. They join forces with Vlad’s neighbors, a group of meddling widows who call themselves the Loners. But just when things finally look promising, Elena’s past life intrudes and their happily ever after is cast into doubt.

Review: Isn’t It Bromantic? is the fourth novel in the Bromance series that final features Vlad (the Russian). This has been one my most anticipated summer reads! The romance troupe in this one focuses on marriage by convenience. I loved this one! Out of all the Bromance series, I think this may be my favorite tied with Undercover Bromance. I really liked that the author didn’t shy away from Vlad’s vulnerable side and it was wonderful to see him grow throughout the books. I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Elena but I did enjoy how the author made her character grow as well. The only part I didn’t like was that I felt the ending  was a bit too rushed, but other than that, I really enjoyed that we caught glimpses of characters from previous novels and there were snippets of their relationships progressing.I’m really hoping that we get Colton’s love story next! I’m curious who he will end up with. I highly recommend picking this up if you’re a fan of the Bromance series. This is definitely a book you can read as a stand alone, but I think you’d enjoy it more if you read the previous books. Lastly, I’m super stoked for the movie which I can’t wait to be released!

Review: While We Were Dating

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While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: 7/13/21

Disclaimer: I received a free advanced digital copy of this book from Berkley and free audiobook copy from Penguin Random House audio in exchange for my honest opinion. This has no effect on my opinion, review, or rating.

GoodReads Synopsis: Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he’s trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star Anna Gardiner, however, it’s hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she’s also down to earth and considerate, and he can’t help flirting a little…

Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she’s booked her next movie. However, she didn’t expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation?

But their lighthearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they’ve barely shared with those closest to them.

When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna’s life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?

Review: While We Were Dating is the sixth book into the Wedding Date series by Jasmine Guillory. This contemporary romance novel is a fast lighthearted read. This book features Ben Stephens, Theo’s younger brother, who meets Anna, a famous actress, and end up from secret dating to fake dating. Overall, this was decent read for me. One of of the strongest points in this book was mental health representation. I love the Bay Area and Palm Springs setting in this novel. I also liked that Theo and Maddie from The Wedding Party popped in the background and so did Nic and Carlos from The Proposal. The part that didn’t work for me was the conflict in this book which seemed trivial. There also a couple of California logistics that I was hung up on while reading. If you like the wedding date series, you may want to pick this up.