Review — The Coppersmith Farmhouse ( Jamison Valley #1) by Devney Perry

One old farmhouse brought them together. It could also tear them apart.

Gigi has just uprooted her whole world to start a new life. The unexpected gift of a farmhouse in small-town Montana is just what she and her daughter need to escape big-city loneliness. The last thing she needs is attitude from the town’s sheriff, the most perfectly attractive and ruggedly handsome man she’s ever laid eyes on—and a complete jerk.

Jess knows all about women like Gigi. Beautiful. Sexy. Scheming. She’s stolen his sanctuary, the farmhouse that should have been his. But along with a face full of freckles, she’s got a sharp wit and a backbone of steel—something he doesn’t discover until after making a complete fool of himself. If he can earn back her trust and win her heart, he might just find the home he’s always needed.

I am legit ADDICTED to Devney Perry's books! They're SOOOOO good! I'm living in fear of finishing the Jamison Valley series because the hangover will be CRAZY and at the same time I love these characters so much! I can't wait to read their books and get even more attached to them. I love that about book series but it's been such a long time since I've felt like reading an entire series especially with interconnected standalones.

I have to admit that I would have read this book sooner if I didn't let some of the negative reviews influence me. I could have easily skipped it, it wouldn't have been the first time I've skipped a book in a series of standalones but I don't know, it felt SO wrong. That's how I realized how much book covers matter, these are so gorgeous you feel like you're disrespecting the author by not reading in order. They're really, really important that's why I don't care for book covers with sexy men, I can't believe I'm saying this but yeah I don't like them. I get the appeal but I'd rather see a beautiful shot of a couple ( the latest Kandi Steiner duet or A princess in theory by Alyssa Cole for example) or something more artistic that represent the book.  I'm a dreamer and book covers with sexy shirtless men are hot but they don't make me dream. They don't invite me in the characters' world and that's exactly what I love about these. Bloggers are raving about Perry's covers and I'm SURE it made a difference in term of paperback sales. I feel the same about music album covers and everything artistic. It matters, every detail matter and I can't wait to discover the cover art for her next book, Tattered, which will be unveiled at the end of this month!

So let's talk about the negative reviews and more precisely about Jess. Our hero has been criticized because of his behavior at the beginning of the book and because of his alpha tendencies. I cannot say that he didn't piss me off sometimes but i'm not gonna lie, I fell in love with him and I found him super endearing. Once he explained why he couldn't help but take care of everything, I just got it, it was a reasonable explanation. I never felt like he didn't respect Gigi, he never gave me the impression that her opinion didn't matter to him, just that when there was an issue he automatically took care of it because that's what he has been doing his entire life.

 I understood and I trusted him but most of all I trusted Gigi because she wasn't a pushover, she questioned his behavior and told him that it bothered her and it made me believe in their relationship and ultimately their HEA.

I adored Gigi, she was such a GREAT heroine, such a good mom. Her relationship with Rowen was so realistic and precious ! Rowen reminded me of my niece of the same age, I honest to god think she's the best written kid I've ever read. I love how important it was for Gigi to give her the best education. She reminded me of all of the single moms in my life, that put their kids first but still try to live their life as women and still believe in love.  I honestly enjoyed Gigi and Rowen's relationship as much as the romance between Jess and Gigi.

Jess had to earn their trust and when Gigi told him that Rowen was her life omg it was so sweet! Her unconditional love for her baby! I know that it's normal but it was beautiful.

I honestly don't know what's happening to me, I was craving dark, angsty books, I was looking for them and I found these instead and wow I think she's becoming a favorite author, I'm super excited to read more of her work.  Devney Perry has a way of writing things that's so simple and authentic. Her style is pure heart, there's no other way to describe it. She's so easy to read because she knows where she want to take her characters and she believes in them enough to communicate it to her readers. Her men are alpha but believe me when I say that they're NOT jerks. They're good men who love their heroines fiercely and most of all don't take them for granted. When Gigi told Jess she had worries about being the sheriff's girlfriend, Jess worked twice has hard because he didn't want his unsolved cases to ruin the foundation of their relationship. He was there, he was involved, he was committed and I loved it. This books is all i've been needing for MONTHS I can't believe I wasted so much time because of the criticism I've read. I respect the other reviewers and opinions but I'm glad it didn't keep me from reading this book and  forming my own.

These books are standalones even if they're interconnected so yes, technically, you could skip one or read them out of order. However, I don't recommend it because The Coppersmith Farmhouse is not just the first book, it really lays the foundation of the series, you meet the town's sheriff which is in my opinion an important figure and you kind of discover this town and the people through Gigi's eyes. You also get to meet other important characters that got their own book. I think this storyline is kind of continued in book three and the transition between the books is made at the end with the first appearance of the main characters of book 3.  I really doubt you'd have trouble following the story  if you don't read it in order though,  you would JUST miss the heart and magic of the series in my opinion but who cares about heart and magic ? hahaha

Just put some RESPECK on Perry's name and join me in my book marathon! I'm already halfway through The Clover Chapel and I am LOVING it so far!

5 stars!

You can buy a signed paperback and shop the series merchandise and book sleeves on the author's website : https://devneyperry.com/shop/

Buy The Coppersmith Farmhouse (Kindle) 

Continue reading →

Review— Forbidden by Faith by Negeen Papehn

Sara knows her life would be easier if she married a man of her faith, but when has love ever been easy?

Raised by her immigrant Iranian parents, she’s been taught that a good daughter makes decisions based on her family’s approval, and she’s spent most of her life in their good graces. Until she meets Maziar, and her world is turned upside down. An instant electricity ignites between them, and it seems like fate when she discovers he’s also Iranian. Just as her mind begins to soar with the possibilities, he shatters her hopes.

Sara is Muslim. Maziar is Jewish. Will faith tear them apart?

Despite centuries of unrest behind them, Sara and Maziar embark on a forbidden love affair, attempting to navigate through cultural and religious prejudices.

Deep within the trenches of their battle, Sara finds herself more empowered and careless than ever before, but will her love and newfound life be worth the ultimate cost—her family? 

I've read Forbidden by Faith a while ago but I needed some time to process it because I've never experienced what I did when I was reading this book. This is the first time I've hated the beginning of a book but ended up loving it. I usually waste no time DNFing when it happens but I was stranded in the country with my family and no wifi, I was in a MAJOR book slump and I really wanted to read this story because the topic is so interesting.

I love when books break the usual romance structure, I really enjoy reading romance books about troubled relationships, I know some people prefer to read about the process of falling in love but sometimes it's refreshing to read about a couple fighting for their relationship to work and dealing with external stuff. I loved the Spiral of Bliss series by Nina Lane for example, it was SOOOO good but I digress.

When I started Forbidden by Faith I thought that it was such a shame that this book had the potential to get me out of my book slump but that I just HATED the writer's style. It starts with Sara and Maziar meeting at a party, nothing wrong with that, but I didn't like the fact that the narrator was telling us about the beginning of their relationship rather than showing it. I also hated how absent Maziar seemed. I didn't know if it was on purpose, I had no idea how I was supposed to feel about him but I was pissed at him because he seemed super passive especially when Sara met his family for the first time. I wanted to shake him during that moment, I was super frustrated by the lack of his POV because it made him seem weak and indecisive. I think that's when I seriously considered DNFing, but I remembered that I was bored and had no wifi and I needed to know what happened next so I guessed it was a good sign. I really don't want to spoil anything but I'm really happy I continued, it's already one of my best 2018 reading decisions.

What was interesting here is the fact that both characters were Iranian but with a different religion and it was enough to create tension realistically.
I  knew it was probably the only romance book about an interfaith relationship I would get this year, so I decided that was going to try to get into it and Maziar decided he was going to SHOW UP big time for his girl and it was AMAZING guys. He stood up for her, loved her fiercely and gave me all I needed and more. I also loved that Sara never waited for him to get there, she lived her life, grew as a character, I was pleasantly surprised by both characters growth. It was beautiful to see them realize what was really important for them, what they were willing to compromise with and what they couldn't sacrifice in order to be content with their life. It was surprisingly inspiring to be honest, I didn't expect to learn so much from this book even though it was obvious from the start that it was an important story to tell for Negeen Papehn . It's her culture and it was loosely inspired by her relationship with her husband.

I decided to write this review to support this author because I really want more story representing the USA's different cultures. It's a shame that this diversity that makes this country so interesting is barely represented in this genre.  I definitely enjoyed it and ended up rooting for the couple and their love. It was entertaining and thought provoking enough to keep me engaged until the end. Forbidden by Faith still has all of the flaws you can expect from a first book but at some point I just let go and started to really love it and I can honestly write that I don't regret finishing it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoy reading romance with characters of different religious, cultural or/and racial background. Give it a chance, I promise you won't regret it !

4 stars!

You can purchase a copy at a reasonable price on Amazon. The paperback version is still available as well!

Buy Forbidden by Faith (Kindle)
Buy Forbidden by Faith (Paperback)
Add to Goodreads

Continue reading →

Review — The Real by Kate Stewart

 

I LOVE series, I'd rather be curled up on my couch in front of a good suspenseful netflix show than at the movies watching the latest blockbuster. That's how I feel I about books, I like getting attached to a good cast of characters and to follow their adventures books after books.

That being said I learned to appreciate standalones more this year. I love the fact that they're unique stories, that are probably very special for their authors. Sometimes they're even the story of their life, that one book they took years to develop and waited until the timing was right to share with us. That's how I felt reading The Real, like it was a truly special story for Kate Stewart and I'm so thankful she took that leap of faith in her readers and published it.

It's impossible to summarize this novel without spoiling it but I have to admit that not knowing anything while reading it was kind of frustrating at times. I knew that something big was coming but I didn't know what it was and when it would happen and it drove me NUTS.

Now that I've finished it, I have to say that the blurb is perfect and truly represent what this book is about. It's a beautiful stunningly written love story, you get to see all of the stages of Abbie and Cameron's relationship: their meet cute, their first dates, first kiss, first fight, their blossoming love, everything. 

I wouldn't call it a slow burn, it's the opposite in my opinion. It's not instalove, but the heroes are dating from the start of the book, albeit unconventionally. Their first kiss doesn't happen at like 60 %, so yeah I wouldn't say The Real is a slow burn, it's the story of a relationship told with a realistic blend of comedy and angst.

So we get to witness this blissful moments between Abbie and Cameron until of course a big twist happen to shake things up. I absolutely recommend that you don't read spoilers and trust the journey with this one. I'm glad that I didn't, I kind of guessed the twist at some point but I was still SHOOK when it was revealed and I think it's perfect this way because you HAVE TO go through the different stages, you have to fall in love with Abbie and Cameron as separate characters and as a couple. You have to swoooooon at their sweetness and envy the fuck out of Abbie to really "appreciate" that twist ! You have to through everything with both of these very intriguing characters to fully enjoy their story.

The Real convinced me to try Drive when I'll feel in bolder mood. If you enjoy a deep, passionate and emotional love story, if you don't mind not having to wait until the last pages for a first kiss, if you enjoy it when main couples don't spend the entire book fighting their feelings,  this book is for you. If it's not usually your cup of tea please give it a chance, this story is too bold and unique to miss.

The Real by Kate Stewart 

Ebook release date : 04/17/18 (No Preorders)

Buy The Real (Paperback)

Add to Goodreads 

Continue reading →

Review — The Birthday List by Devney Perry

Happily married to her college sweetheart, Poppy lived a blessed life with the husband of her dreams. Then everything changed. She is no longer a wife. She is no longer the envy of her single friends. Now, people look at her with pity as they whisper a single word behind her back.
Widow. Years after her husband’s tragic death, years of pain and sorrow and wishing for the life she’ll never get back, Poppy decides to finish Jamie’s birthday list. She’ll do the things he wanted to most. Because maybe, just maybe, if she can complete his list, she can start to live again.
Poppy expects going through the birthday list will be hard. She expects it to hurt. But what she doesn’t expect is Cole. Could the man who delivered the news of her husband’s death and shattered her heart be the one to help her put it back together again?

The Birthday List by Devney Perry is my second surprise fave of this year, the first is Only You by Melanie Harlow. I didn't expect to enjoy it this much honestly. I knew it would be a good book because even though it's my first book by this author, I knew her reputation. The Jamison Valley series is one of the best things that happened in 2017 and that I missed. I miss out on a lot of great things, I've never watched This is Us for example so yeah I'm aware that there are great things that I haven't watched, listened or read out there. It's weirdly comforting to be honest, but also frustrating because I wish I had more time to consume pop culture. Maybe I could make my own Birthday List with books... wait that's basically a glorified TBR list,  and that's super lame lmao.

So yes I didn't expect The Birthday List to be a favorite, I thought it would be a great low angst book, just what I needed to clean my reading taste buds after Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan. There's nothing unique about the premise, widow stories are not my favorites because sometimes it can be even worse than a love triangle because the love interest is competing with a dead person and the dead husband/wife is often perfect and idealized by the widowed hero/heroine. Sometimes it makes you feel like the great love story was the one the widowed H/h lived with their dead spouse and that you're getting the second best love story.

Let me tell you that it's absolutely not the case with The Birthday List. The execution is brilliant, Jamie, Poppy's late husband is a very special part of this story, he's celebrated throughout the novel, Poppy still feel married to him for a part of the book, she's still in her grieving process, it's evident that she LOVES him and always will. Honestly this usually bothers me because I hate that bittersweet feeling, but again it's all about the execution some authors don't handle it well you either feel like the late spouse never really mattered or that the new love deserves a better, greater love from the widowed H/h. It's not the case here, both men were loved, appreciated and celebrated for what they were. Jamie wasn't elevated on some pedestal, Poppy mentioned his flaws and acknowledged that at this time in her life, 5 years after losing the love of her life, Cole was the man she wanted and needed. He was sexy, handsome but more importantly sweet, dependable, patient, loving and understanding. He was deliciously but not too much of an alpha. Confident but not obnoxiously cocky. His love was deep and unconditional but he did not pressure her or overwhelm her. He made her feel safe, happy and wanted, she was incredibly attracted to him and it had nothing to do with Jamie. He made her comfortable enough that she could talk about her late husband It was new and wonderful and although she was terrified she welcomed this new love in her life, a new beginning and a second chance at happiness. It's definitely a slow burn though but by the end of the book you have an idea of how they work as a couple and you finish this book CONVINCED that they are made for each other. Another reason why I'm so fond of Cole is that he was a great cop it's really important to me with everything that's going on to have that kind of great cop representation in romance, cops that acknowledge the importance and impact they have on youth and on their rookie coworkers. Not because we need to love the police etc. but because it's important to have police officers, that keeps us safe and that love their job and I also think that it was important for Poppy to have that.

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this novel and you know what I adore about it ? It's not perfect, it has just enough flaws for us to have something to discuss in our reading group chats or book clubs. I have a weird pet peeve in my romances and it's red haired heroines, because they tend to be special snowflakes and fetishized by the heroes but it didn't bother me here because her here color wasn't mentioned every single time or that much during the love scenes so wasn't unbearable. I think red haired women are beautiful, exquisite even but I have to admit that I tend to avoid romance with red haired heroines like the plague.

 imo but There are things that I didn't like about the characters, I'm conflicted about certain decisions the author made, decisions that I respect and that are part of the reasons this book is so good and special but that my romantic heart had trouble dealing with. You know what's crazy? I'm not even talking about our main couple here, NOPE with a popping P, I'm talking about a side story! When was the last time I was this invested in a side story? I'm telling you this book is amazing! Molly and Finn's story, Randall and Jimmy's banter, Poppy's restaurant, Cole's work as a cop, all of these side stories will keep you invested and passionate about this book.

I didn't expect to have so much to say about The Birthday List, I'm embarrassed to admit that it was kind of a rebound for me when I started it.  I actually thought that I was tired of small towns romances since I live in one myself but I feel like when done right they can be really engaging reads.

I started The Coppersmith Farmhouse's audiobook and will probably devour The Jamison Valley series and Devney Perry's upcoming novel Tattered from which you get a free chapter in this ebook! I absolutely admire this author and the way she's handling her career so far, I feel like each one of her books is special and I love her tasteful covers it makes me want to collect all of her paperbacks but it also give me a sense that she knows what she's good at and what she loves to write and gives it everything she has and it's something that I appreciate as a reader.

So I hightly rec that you pick up her books in whatever form you want, although if you can get you an old school paperback because omg aren't they cute ? Have you seen the gorgeous blogger packages on insta? Ohlala ! So much ENVY. 

 I think you guessed : 5++++ stars.

• Get the Kindle on Amazon (Universal Link) 
• Add to Goodreads 

Continue reading →