Powerless by Elsie Silver | Book Review

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Title & Author: Powerless by Elsie Silver

Genre: Romance

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Piatkus

Publication date: 6th April 2023

Blurb:

Two childhood best friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything.

I've been living in the friend zone for years now.

To Jasper Gervais's fans, he's just the hockey heartthrob on TV. But to me, he's still the lost boy with sad eyes and a heart of gold. The man I've loved in secret for years.

So when my life falls apart on my wedding day, it only makes sense that he's the one to swoop in and save me. And when his world comes crashing down around him, I'm there to return the favour.

But the more time alone we spend together, the more I start to realise that Jasper isn't looking at me like a friend anymore. And he isn't touching me like one, either.

He acts like he wants me.

But after years of turning me away, he's going to need to prove it...

Review: 

I loved both Flawless and Heartless so ended up speeding my way through the series. Usually I wouldn't be a big series reader, but I have just loved all these characters so much and never want to say goodbye! 

Powerless follows the story of Jasper, a childhood friend of the Eaton boys. He is an NHL player and we learn about how he came to live with Harvey and his family following Jasper's troubles with his own parents. Sloane is a prima ballerina and is a cousin of the Eaton's so Jasper has known her since she was ten-years-old.

From what we have seen of Jasper in the previous two books, we know he is very quiet and reserved so I was excited to see a bit more of him. In Heartless, we learned that Sloane had recently gotten engaged but didn't seem happy about it so I was eager to learn more about that.

Sloane's father is a businessman and her engagement to Sterling was essentially a business transaction. She has been in love with Jasper since she first laid eyes on him at ten years of age but she was under the impression that Jasper didn't feel the same way.

I don't usually like a childhood friends to lovers trope but this was beautiful. It was so wonderful to get into Jasper's mind and for both he and Sloane to overcome things together. I thought no one could beat Cade but Jasper Gervais is up there!

The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels | Book Review

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Title & Author: The Christmas Swap by Talia Samuels

Genre: LGBTQIA+ romance

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Penguin Michael Joseph 

Publication date: 21st September 2023

Blurb:

It's the perfect Christmas love story.

Margot Murray is a newly single, high-flying businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance.

Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays.

Together, they make a pact: Margot gets a blissful week away from London in a picture-perfect manor, in exchange for posing as Ben's girlfriend.

The story can only go one way. Margot is sure to fall in love for real.

And she does.

With Ben's sister, Ellie.

What could possibly go wrong?

Review:

I am loving festive romances at the minute and I'm sure we have all read our fair share of the fake dating trope where they go to one of their families homes for Christmas and end up falling in love for real.

The Christmas Swap is a slight twist on that. Ben is one of Margot's clients and she plays the role of doting girlfriend at Ben's family's country estate over Christmas. Ben doesn't want to be dealing with the questions about why he is still single in his mid-30s and Margot was due to go on holiday with her girlfriend but they have since broken up.

When they arrive at Ben's family home, his sister Ellie instantly thinks Margot is lying. She's heard hushed conversations and thinks that Margot may be a gold digger, not that they aren't really in a relationship. A romance does blossom between the two women and the whole story is just so interesting to read. Ellie's sleuthing and misunderstanding was brilliant to follow because you could absolutely see how it all made sense to her but was totally off the mark.

There is so much depth to both Ellie and Margot, and Margot's emotionally abusive past relationship was tackled really well. This is a really refreshing take on the fake dating trope!

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister | Book Review

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Title & Author: Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister 

Genre: Thriller

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Penguin Michael Joseph

Publication date: 30th January 2025

Blurb:

It’s Camilla’s first day back at work, her daughter’s first day at nursery.

But husband Luke is nowhere to be seen. The only trace of him is an unfinished note. Camilla tries to put it out of her mind; there must be a rational explanation.

At work, there are welcomes back, and too many distractions.

Then it starts.

Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London.

The police arrive: Luke is caught up in it.

But he isn't a hostage. Luke - doting father, successful writer, enthusiastic runner and eternal optimist - is the gunman.

What Camilla does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind says, and the clues it might hold...

Review: 

Gillian McAllister is that author that I will autobuy without even knowing the plot of the book because I know it will be fantastic. Famous Last Words is no different.

Cam, a literary agent, is due to go back to work after maternity leave but that first day is thrown into turmoil when she discovers that her husband Luke, a ghostwriter, is caught up in a hostage situation. But he is the one controlling the siege.

Cam, Luke and baby Polly lived a normal life. How can their lives have upturned like this? 

The novel is told in dual POV from Cam and also Niall, the hostage negotiator (hooray for a Northern Irish character) and over a few timelines too. The present when the siege is taking place, seven years following the siege then another which I won't talk about too much as you just need to read to find out what happens.

The characterisation is fantastic and I really enjoyed Niall's background too as it gave us a chance to understand him and why he was the way that he was.

What I loved about this is that I could not guess where it was going. All McAllister's novels are intricately plotted so I expected that, but when the realisation of what was happening hit me, my jaw literally dropped and my husband asked if I was okay.

This is an absolutely fantastic new book from Gillian McAllister, joining her already incredible backlist. Wonderful and thrilling.

Snowed In by Catherine Walsh | Book Review

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Title & Author: Snowed In by Catherine Walsh 

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Bookouture 

Publication date: 1st November 2023

Blurb:

Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. She’s the village pariah, the she-devil who left local golden boy Isaac at the altar four years ago and ran away to the big city. She could really do without the drama. Particularly as he’s engaged again, and she’s just been dumped for the fourth time this year.

Christian’s fed up of being on his own every Christmas. He doesn’t mind being alone, but he hates his family’s sad eyes and soft tones as they sit around coupled up. Because he’s actually, totally, fine.

So when Megan literally bumps into Christian in a Dublin pub, they come up with a pact to see them through the holiday season. They’re going to be the very best fake dates for each other, ever.

Rules are drawn up, a contract is signed on a wine-stained napkin. They will sit through each other’s family gatherings and be outrageously in love until freed from their annual obligations. After all, it’s only for a few weeks.

But with everyone home for the holidays, two big families to deal with alongside old friends, old flames and old feelings, things are bound to get messy. And when a snowed-in cabin and a little Christmas magic are added to the mix, anything could happen…

Review:

As soon as I finished Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh, I instantly started Snowed In, the second in the Fitzpatrick Christmas series. This is Christian's story, Andrew's brother who we met briefly in the previous book.

Megan jilts her would-be husband Isaac on their wedding day, bumping into former schoolmate Christian outside the venue who promises to keep her abscondence secret.

Five years later, the two meet again in a pub in Dublin where they are both now living, and reconnect. Megan is going back home for the holidays for the first time since she walked out on her wedding and is nervous about being back in her hometown and potentially bumping into her ex-fiance. It doesn't help that she thinks everyone hates her for what she did to Isaac with no explanation. Christian is also not looking forward to Christmas with his family as the only single sibling and dreads the onslaught of relationship questions.

Christian proposes a fake relationship deal and Megan is absolutely not on board but eventually she is won round. What can go wrong?

I love how Catherine Walsh writes. Not only do we have a cute, Irish Christmas setting with humour and romance but serious topics such as controlling relationships and family dynamics are tackled too.

I read this in basically one sitting because I just didn't want to put it down. I now feel like I have read Catherine Walsh's entire back catalogue. Loved it!

Can You Take It? by S. C. Arlette | Book Review

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Title & Author: Can You Take It? by S. C. Arlette

My rating: 4/5

Publication date: 22nd December 2024

Blurb:

IZEL

I know the FBI’s watching me. He’s watching me. Richard. The profiler who thinks he’s got me figured out.

But he doesn’t know the half of it. He doesn’t know what I've done or the secrets that haunt me.

He says he wants to help, but I’ve learned the hard way—no one really does. Trusting him would be my biggest mistake.

Yet... there’s something about him. Something that makes me want to believe.

But I can’t. Not when my life is built on lies. Not when I’m the one they’re all looking for.

RICHARD

I’m a profiler, and I’ve spent my life reading people, digging into their souls to find the truth they’re desperate to hide.

But my little suspect... she’s a mystery I can’t solve.

She’s hiding something, and I should be focused on uncovering it, but all I can think about is her.

I’m breaking every rule in the book, and the worst part? I don’t give a fuck.

The closer I get to her, the more I realize that I’m risking everything—my career, my sanity, and maybe even my heart.

The only question is, can I take it before it takes me?

Review:

This book was a wild ride. 

When Izel's roommate is murdered, seemingly by a serial killer known at the Ghostface Killer, SSA Agent Richard Reynolds called onto the case and instructed to keep an eye on Izel because she may know more than she lets on. It turns out that her background and upbringing may bring her closer to the case than anyone could expect.

This book is a dark romance and for me, the thriller aspect of this book was absolutely fantastic. The twists were incredible and blew my mind. It was a slow starter and I did have to suspend belief for a little bit all for the purpose of entertainment but I found that I didn't care about that because I was enjoying the story so much. It was dark, emotional and heartbreaking.

When it came to the romance part between Izel and Richard I just wish there was a bit more build up and I could FEEL their feelings develop but I appreciate that there wouldn't be enough time for that. The scenes that we got between them were beautiful however.

I am a thriller lover first and foremost and what I usually dislike when it comes to dark romance, is that a lot (or at least the majority of the ones I've read!) focus more on the romance and not the plot of whatever crime etc is going on. This was a brilliant combination of both and I am excited to read more by this author.