Review of Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay

Book Description courtesy of Berkley    

When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading .

Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.

Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm       clearly doesn’t want Em around.

When Siobhan’s health takes a bad turn, she’s more determined than ever to finish her novel, while Kieran tries every trick in the book to get his mother to rest. Thrown into the role of peacemaker, Emily begins to see that Kieran's heart is in the right place. Torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her own growing feelings for the mercurial Irishman, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.

My Review: 

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. I am fairly new to reading Jenn McKinlay so I am always excited when I get the opportunity to read a new one of hers. 

From the book title you would think this book is just about romance but it also talked about loss. I will be honest that is why it took me so long to read it. Having lost a parent in the last year in a similar way it hit home to me. That being said. This book was phenomenal. It had a mix of romance, humor and it was also emotional. I really enjoyed in particular two different relationships in the book. The relationship between Siobhan and Emily and then the relationship between Emily and Kieran. I loved to see the connection and bond build between Siobhan and Emily. I really enjoyed seeing their friendship and mother and daughter type bond build.  In addition, I liked the relationship between Kieran and Emily. Jenn had a great mix of romance, humor and seriousness in their relationship. It had me laughing out loud at times. 

The story was also very well written and also the scenery was great. She did a great job describing it and made me feel like I was truly there in Ireland. So if you love books, romance and a little bit of travel this book is for you. 

Review of The Night Island By Jane Krentz

Over 2 years in the making I am back and writing reviews again on books that I read. My first book for 2024 was, “The Night Island” by Jane Krentz. 

Summary of the Book courtesy of Berkley Publishing on Goodreads

Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night they all have no memory of, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago—an experience that brought out innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them—all they have to do is find the list. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio’s podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished.

 
Talia isn’t the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It’s clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebe and the list. 
 
The rocky investigation leads Talia and Luke to a rustic, remote retreat on Night Island in the Pacific Northwest. The retreat promises to rejuvenate guests with the Unplugged Experience. Upon their arrival, Talia and Luke discover guests are quite literally cut off from the outside world because none of their high-tech devices work on the island. It soon becomes clear that Phoebe is not the first person to disappear into the strange gardens that surround the Unplugged Experience retreat. And then the first mysterious death occurs…

My Review:

Having read mostly contemporary romance books in the last couple of years I was very excited to try a suspenseful romance with a little bit of paranormal in it. I have not read Jane Ann Krentz before so I was note sure what to expect. I think that she did a great job of giving you the background of the characters in the story with out going overboard. I didn’t feel that I was lost at all being that I did not read the first book in the series. 

In addition to the characters I really enjoyed the storyline. I think that it was something different that I have never read before. I think she did a good job of building suspense through out the book and having you on the edge of your seat not knowing if the characters were going to get off the island and be safe. 

I have to be honest it was a little too creepy/scary for me so I don’t know that I would read the next book in the series but I do recommend that you read this book if you like suspense, romance, paranormal and thrillers. 

Looking forward to my next read…. The Head that Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart