How MY Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

 

About:

A new holiday enemies-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn.

Every Kringle in Kringletown celebrated Christmas a lot.

But Cole Black on Whistler Lane, unfortunately, did not.

As his fellow citizens decorate their quaint town, brimming with carols and glad tidings, Cole wants nothing more than to hibernate the winter away. But his dreary plans are thwarted when his Christmas nemesis, Storee Taylor, moves in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Immediately, the new neighbor turns his life into a real nightmare before Christmas, especially when she decides to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest in honor of Cindy. And better yet, Storee is determined to win.

Over Cole's dead body, she will. With help from his friend Max, Cole decides to enter the competition as well, to beat Storee at her own game by pretending that this hometown grump's heart has grown three sizes this season and he's fallen for the girl next door. And unfortunately for Storee, she has to follow his lead to have a chance at the Christmas Kringle title.

But the competition isn't the only thing that heats up. Cole and Storee's fake relationship becomes very real, and before they know it, they're attempting to hide it from Aunt Cindy. Things get complicated, the competition gets tough, and all it takes is one single night for someone to steal it all…

My Thoughts 

I do not usually read Christmas themed or romance books but seeing how popular this one was, I decided to give it a try and it was just ok in my opinion.

In this novel, we meet Storee (loved this name by the way), a California city girl who, upon hearing that her aunt Cindy was ill, along with her sister Taran went to assist her. Aunt Cindy lived in a Christmas town where there is Christmas all year round. It is also a place where Storee and Taran enjoyed their best childhood Christmas memories. The girls have not been there in ten years.

In walks the boy next door Cole, who grew up to be extremely handsome. Upon hearing that Storee was back, bad memories came flooding back. Things took a turn when Cole found out that Storee was entering the town Christmas competition. Determined to prove a point (you will have to read to get it), Cole entered the competition as well. Their paths crossed and what began as a fight slowly blossomed into something unexpected.

The book really began much like your typical holiday movie but somewhere later on it became quite steamy. All in all it was an ok story. While it was not exactly my cup of tea, it was well written and there were parts that were quite enjoyable.

Women Unhinged by Vaughn T. Stanford

 

About:

Are Women Crazy?

Girls are sugar, and spice, and nice. But then they grow up…

After the runaway success of his feature Men Are Dogs in the National Standard newspaper, Steven Gardner is on a mission to tell the other side of the that women can be just as toxic as men. Every Sunday he leaves readers hungry for more as he dishes on one harrowing relationship after another, with the goal of opening the eyes, minds and hearts of a nation where abuse of men by women is a taboo subject.

But the pressure from all this exposure, as well as from his own legion of personal demons, threatens to break Gardner. Can he be the voice of suffering men? Or will he implode under the weight of his own secrets and deceptions?

My Thoughts

Women Unhinged was the highly anticipated sequel to Men Unleashed and let me tell you this book did not disappoint.

In this sequel, we encounter Trinidadian crime journalist Steven Gardener again. After his award winning series Men Are Dogs, where he delved into the myriad of ways that men destroy relationships, he is now flipping the script and discussing women who become men's worst nightmare.

As a woman this story definitely had a different impact on me in that, we often blame males for the downfall of relationships. What this story did was emphasize that women are more often than we care to admit, equally to blame for break ups.

The book was set in Trinidad and Tobago and what I appreciated as well was some of the social issues related to the family that was also brought forward. Especially in terms of custody and divorce. As a Trinbagonian, this has always been in the public domain, the fact that males are unfairly treated by the courts in custody matters. Most times the court rules in favour of the women. It is something that we have been grappling with a while now.

This book is definitely a MUST read.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2025 IS FINALLY HERE

 

Dear Readers,

I would like to take this time to express thanks to all those who have been reading this blog for the past year (s). Your support gives me encouragement to continue to use my little space on the internet to share my love for reading with the world. 

In 2024, due to other commitments I was the most efficient in granting authors review requests. I plan in 2025 to make more time to do that as I like discovering new and emerging authors for my enjoyment. As 2025 unfolds I hope to continue to read and review some more exciting books.

To conclude this note I would like to wish all of you a very Happy New Year 2025, and as usual....

HAPPY READING 

From

Trini Girl Reads

 

Book Review; The Perfect Son by Freida Mc Fadden

 

About

"Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night..."

Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until the evening when two detectives show up at her front door.

A high school girl has vanished from Erika's quiet suburban neighborhood. The police suspect the worst--murder. And Erika's teenage son, Liam, was the last person to see the girl alive.

Erika has always sensed something dark and disturbed in her seemingly perfect older child. She wants to believe he's innocent, but as the evidence mounts, she can't deny the truth--Liam may have done the unthinkable.

Now she must ask herself:

How far will she go to protect her son?

My Thoughts

Ok I know what you're thinking, this girl really likes Freida Mc Fadden. But her books keep drawing me in....The perfect son was just as good as the others but I guessed who did it very early which is unusual for a Freida book.

In The Perfect Son we meet Erika and Jason parents of two kids Liam and Hannah, siblings who could not have been more different. While Hannah was your typical rebellious teenager, Liam 16, was the ideal son and student. Erika however, knows that Liam has a dark side and went out of her way to hide this side of her son.

Things get crazy when Olivia Mercer, Liam's crush goes missing. The police and community begin to suspect Liam since he had some issues in the past.

This book was a great rainy day read.

Book Review: One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. Mc Manus

 

About

Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose?

My Thoughts

This book has been on my TBR since it came out. I did not want to look at the TV series before I had an opportunity to read the novel. I am glad I read the book first though because I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

In One of Us Is Lying we meet Bronwyn, Addy, Cooper and Nate who together with the controversial blogger Simon at detention. This day would lead to a tragedy that will change the lives of four of these teenagers forever.

I loved the mystery, drama and the writing style in this book and I look forward to reading the others.

Book Review: People Person by Candice Carty Williams

 

About

Dimple Pennington knew of her half siblings, but she didn't really know them. Five people who don't have anything in common except for faint memories of being driven through Brixton in their dad's gold jeep, and some pretty complex abandonment issues. Dimple has bigger things to think about. She's thirty, and her life isn't really going anywhere. An aspiring lifestyle influencer with a terrible and wayward boyfriend, Dimple's life has shrunk to the size of a phone screen. And despite a small but loyal following, she's never felt more alone in her life. That is, until a dramatic event brings her half siblings Nikisha, Danny, Lizzie and Prynce crashing back into her life. And when they're all forced to reconnect with Cyril Pennington, the absent father they never really knew, things get even more complicated.

My Thoughts 

This book was on my TBR since it came out. After reading Queenie I was really excited for this release. Not sure why I took so long to get around to reading it, but I am glad that I did.

In People Person we meet Cyril, and his five kids by four different mothers. Cyril was your typical Caribbean charmer who broke many hearts in his days. In all of that his children grew up living very apart until a peculiar tragedy brings them all together, showing the reader that blood is thicker than water.

In the book though we follow Dimple (one of the daughters), it is Dimple's really messed up lifestyle which brings these siblings together. What was unique was that each sibling had such a distinct personality.

Very interesting story with even more interesting characters. If you haven't read this one, try it.

An Unusual Grief by Yewande Omotoso

 

About

How do you get to know your daughter when she is dead?

This is the question which takes a mother on an unusual journey of self-discovery, both mental and sexual. When her daughter Yinka dies, Mojisola is finally forced to stop running away from the difficulties in their relationship, and also come to terms with Yinka the woman.

Mojisola’s grief leads her on a journey of self-discovery, as she moves into her daughter’s apartment and begins to unearth the life Yinka had built for herself there, away from her family. Through stepping into Yinka’s shoes, Mojisola comes to a better understanding not only of her estranged daughter, but also herself, as she learns to carve a place for herself in the world beyond the labels of wife and mother.

A bold and unflinching tale of one women’s unconventional approach to life and loss.

My Thoughts 

This book explained the many layers to grief. Mojisola was a mother on a mission. The mission was to figure out why her daughter Yinka committed suicide. The relationship between mother and daughter was strained so it came as a shock to Mojisola why her daughter would kill herself.

In trying to piece together this loss Moji learned a lot about not only her daughter's life but herself as she immersed herself into Yinka's world.

This book was an interesting take on relationships and depression. The title was very suitable I think because Moji's way of dealing with grief was so unusual you definitely have to read the book to understand.

Book Review: Mrs. Parrish#2 The Next Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

 

ABOUT

Daphne and Amber Parrish are thrust back into each other’s lives upon the resurgence of a long-forgotten threat, forcing a vicious game of cat and mouse where everything is on the line, in this thrilling sequel to the million-copy-bestselling Reese’s Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish.

Amber Patterson Parrish has come a long way from being an invisible wallflower. Her hard work and immaculate planning have paid off now that she’s a prominent socialite, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been bumps along the way. Less than a year since her husband Jackson’s tax-evasion scandal, Amber is still at the top of the Bishops Harbor community pecking order, free to do as she wishes while Jackson sits in prison. But that freedom is quickly coming to an end. With Jackson getting released from prison, Amber’s time—and money—is vanishing.

Meanwhile, Daphne Parrish left Bishops Harbor after her divorce from Jackson Parrish, swearing she would never go back. But when one of her daughters runs away from home, desperate to see her father, Daphne agrees to return for the summer to allow him supervised visits. Once out of prison, Jackson swears he’s a changed man, but Daphne knows all too well that he can’t be trusted.

When a ghost from Amber’s past emerges looking for revenge, the three of them find unlikely allies in one another, but who is playing who? When all is said and done, they’ll have to fight tooth and nail for everything they have left in this zero-sum game.

With shocking turns and entertaining characters, The Next Mrs. Parrish will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about duplicity and betrayal.

My Thoughts

Amber, Daphne and Jackson are back again in this highly anticipated sequel. If you thought the story was over, think again.

Jackson is about to be released from prison. Amber Parrish is not looking forward to this reunion in fact, she has a whole new plan in order to escape once and for all. Meanwhile sociopath Jackson has a plan to reunite with his ex wife Daphne who, he realised was the best person for him. While Daphne had no intention of ever laying eyes on her ex love for her daughters have led her back to Jackson.

In this sequel we meet some new characters especially Daisy Ann through whom we get to understand Amber a lot more and that she would stop at nothing to be rich. I loved this most about the book because we learn how Amber's past caught up with her.

While I enjoyed the first book more, I liked this one as well because of the closure I got from it.

Book Review: The Boyfriend by Freida Mc Fadden

 

About

She's looking for the perfect man. He's looking for the perfect victim.

Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.

Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.

Then the brutal murder of a young woman―the latest in a string of deaths across the coast―confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them.

Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim...

A dark story about obsession and the things we’ll do for love, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden proves that crimes of passion are often the bloodiest…

My Thoughts 

Another mind-blowing novel from Freida again she did not disappoint with the twists at the end. Somehow in these books I could never figure out who did it.

In The Boyfriend we meet thirty something year old Sydney who is longing to get in a meaningful relationship. The dating app Cynch seems to be the number one app for singles in New York City and a go to for Sydney to find love. Well Sydney has no such luck. After a very bad date with creepy Kevin she happened to stumble upon Tom.

Dr. Tom Brewer is devastingly handsome and intelligent but is he just TOO Perfect? As we learn about Tom's past we soon realise that everything is not as it seems with the goodly doctor. His past unravels in a very dangerous way.

Meanwhile Sydney's best friend Bonnie is murdered....Is she next?? And what does Tom have to do with all this??

This book kept me up at night. Another excellent story by my now favorite author.

By The Book: A Meant to Be Novel by Jasmine Guillory

 

About

A tale as old as time—for a new generation…

Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing right out of college, she did not expect to be twenty-five, living at home, still an editorial assistant, and the only Black employee at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves.

All she has to do is go to the author’s Santa Barbara mansion and give him a quick pep talk or three. How hard could it be?

But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and—it turns out—just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn't there before.

My Thoughts 

A nice light romance, a feel good novel.

In this Beauty and The Beast retelling we meet Isabelle (Izzy) a young writer trying to make it in the publishing industry. When she lands a job at TAOAT publishing company, she thinks her career dreams are finally coming true. But working in publishing is proving harder than Izzy realised. She finally gets her chance, when she volunteers to stay at the home of former child star, now author Beau Towers in order to get him to write his highly anticipated novel.

Izzy soon finds out that Beau Towers is no easy person to deal with. But as the weeks go by they began to connect on levels they never imagined would have been possible.

A great love story and a wonderful retelling of a timeless classic.

Skin and Bones by Renee Watson

 

ABOUT

From the acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a soulful and lyrical novel exploring sisterhood, motherhood, faith, love, and ultimately what gets passed down from one generation to the next   At 40, Lena Baker is at a steady and stable moment in life—between wine nights with her two best friends and her wedding just weeks away, she’s happy in love and in friendship until a confession on her wedding day shifts her world. Unmoored and grieving a major loss, Lena finds herself trying to teach her daughter self-love while struggling to do so herself. Lena questions everything she’s learned about dating, friendship, and motherhood, and through it all, she works tirelessly to bring the oft-forgotten Black history of Oregon to the masses, sidestepping her well-meaning co-workers that don’t understand that their good intentions are often offensive and hurtful. Through Watson’s poetic voice, skin & bones is a stirring exploration of who society makes space for and is ultimately a story of heartbreak and healing.

MY THOUGHTS

A poetic and beautifully written novel.

In Skin and Bones we follow 40 year old Lena as she deals with family, identity and even loss.

Lena's story takes us on a journey of understanding what life is like as a plus size black woman in the US. This story has deepened my appreciation for the importance of self love. Lena would not have been able to face her trials unless she accepted and loved herself.

I love how the author managed also to include some black history in the book. She was clever to weave it into a project that Lena was working on. That part was excellent skillful writing. I really enjoyed this one.

Book Review: The Housemaid by Freida Mc Fadden

 ABOUT

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down!

MY THOUGHTS

Finally finished this one. What a story this was!!!

Freida Mc Fadden is definitely my go to author because I haven't read a bad book from her yet.

In The Housemaid we meet Millie a young woman recently released from prison, who is down on her luck as she had been getting trouble finding stable employment. Imagine her excitement to get a job offer as a live in maid for the wealthy Winchester family.

Nina Winchester was a boss from hell. Her erratic behaviour was indeed strange her daughter Cecelia a brat. Her husband Andrew appeared to Millie to be dealing with a lot.

As Millie and Andrew becomes close, Millie has no idea how many secrets are about to be revealed....dangerous secrets.

This story is one that will keep you up late at night. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Book Review: Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen

 

About:

Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Survival of the Thickest in Danielle Allen’s CURVY GIRL SUMMER, a smoking-hot, hilarious novel about the perils of online dating.

Aaliyah is determined to celebrate her thirtieth birthday with a boyfriend. And after a failed blind date, the local bartender, Ahmad, suggests she joins a dating app.

Filled with lies, catfish, and fetishizing, the wild world of online dating makes Aaliyah think she’s in over her head.

And she is. But with her two best friends and a protective bartender by her side, what could go wrong?

Everything.

Everything could go wrong.

And that’s the problem.

Because as Aaliyah is set on finding exactly what she’s looking for, she ends up finding something she never expects.

MY THOUGHTS

Well guys. I finally finished this one.

Aaliyah was turning 30 but she didn't want her thirtieth birthday to come without having a date for her birthday party. Her family wanted her to get a life partner, her uncle even expressed concerns that the reason for not having a person was that she was a few pounds to heavy.

While navigating the dating Apps and going on numerous dates, Aaliyah befriends bartender Ahmad, who is handsome but "married" at least that is what she thinks. Their relationship takes us on an interesting ride throughout the book.

I liked this book because it is not often that you get to see a plus size main character in a romance. It was interesting to get the perspective of how curvier girls get viewed by men. The only minor thing is that I felt it should have been a bit shorter in the middle. The birthday party scene at the end made up for that though.

Fun and romantic. You can give this one a try.