Adult Contemporary – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: The Giving Heart (Summer Island, #2)

Author: Toni Blake

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: October 29, 2019

Publisher: HQN Books

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday Romance, Small Town Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Lila Sloan wonders why she ever thought house-sitting for her sister Meg on the remote Summer Island was a good idea. And to make matters worse, local real estate developer Beck Grainger is trying to cut down the beautiful trees that line the property. Lila can’t let this happen; Meg will never forgive her.

Beck can understand Lila’s anger—sort of. The trees are actually on the neighboring property, and the land was zoned for development months ago, so his plans were no secret. But he dislikes being at odds with his friend’s sister, especially because Lila is appealing in every way: loyal, quick-witted and completely stunning.

Lila hates that she’s so attracted to Beck, who seems like a genuinely good man, despite his tree-murdering tendencies. And their chemistry is off the charts. She just wishes he’d let this development go. As Summer Island counts down to a snowy Christmas, Lila and Beck will have to strike a compromise that seems impossible for them both—or risk losing the best thing either of them has ever had.

Thank you to HGN Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I didn’t read the first book in this Summer Island series but I think The Giving Heart can stand pretty good on it’s own.

Lila is inn-setting for her sister Meg on Summer Island, a place in Northern Michigan where not even vehicles are allowed there. But Lila has an ulterior motive for being there also, to escape something that happened to her in Chicago. Beck Grainger is an estate developer who is about to raze down trees on Meg’s property and Lila is not having it. What starts off as an escape for Lila has turned into a mission to protect Meg’s estate…and then some. 😉

I was all for this romance between Lila and Beck but what I didn’t anticipate is the storyline of Beck’s past interest in another Summer Island resident, Suzanne. Like I said, I didn’t read book one so if that’s where he flirted with Suzanne then I can understand it. But coming in fresh into this book, I really didn’t like Beck’s feelings for two women.

Outside of that though, Lila and Beck’s story is a fun and spicy Christmas romance with a lot of angst too, mostly because Lila is not a resident of Summer Island, so there is that to figure out between them. I love their interactions, bickering and banter. But the story isn’t only about them falling for each other. Lila is going through some tough times with what happened in Chicago and Beck has issues to deal with his past estranged relationship with his dad.

It’s one of those books that would make a great Hallmark Channel Christmas movie! It’s sweet, heartfelt, it has its hot moments and the characters have personal issues to work through as well. The setting of Summer Island sounds like a wintry, wonderland dream! Not that I would want to be stuck on an island with bad winter conditions but it makes for a great romantic setting. And the cast of characters adds to the setting as well, the people are nice and friendly, especially to nonresidents like Lila.

Like any Christmas romance novel it ends with a very happily ever after. And will Suzanne get her HEA in the next book? I hope so, because I felt awful for her!

This is definitely the kind of novel to enjoy right after spooky season is done or if you like to read holiday romance novels year round as well, more power to you! The Giving Heart will definitely give you the holiday feels. 🎄

Purchase your copy at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1335505059

About Toni Blake

USA Today bestselling author Toni Blake’s love of writing began when she won an essay contest in the fifth grade. Since then, she has written over twenty contemporary romance novels. Her books have received the National Readers’ Choice Award, the Booksellers’ Best Award, her work has been excerpted in Cosmopolitan, and she has been nominated for a RITA Award. Toni lives with her husband in Northern Kentucky.

Author Links

Website: http://www.toniblake.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorToniBlake

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorToniBlake

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authortoniblake/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/402788.Toni_Blake

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My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Birthday Girl

Author: Melissa De La Cruz

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: August 6, 2019

Categories: Adult Fiction, Contemporary

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Ellie de Florent-Stinson is celebrating her fortieth birthday with a grand celebration in her fabulous house in Palm Springs.

At forty, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; two adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career as a well-known fashion designer of casual women’s wear; and a glamorous circle of friends.

Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. This isn’t the first of her birthday parties that hasn’t gone as planned. Something happened on the night of her sweet sixteenth. Something she’s tried hard to forget.

But hiding the skeletons of her past comes at a cost, and all of Ellie’s secrets come to light on the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new, friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of her life crumbles in one eventful night.

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for granting my request and giving me a chance to read this eArc.

Told in the present with flashbacks to the past, Ellie de Florent-Stinson is throwing herself a glitzy fortieth birthday party. She is superficial, with mostly superficial friends. Ellie reminds me of a Real Housewives’ character, but she would be the one who thinks being a Real Housewives’ is tacky. She’s desperate to rub elbows with the ultra-rich and be with the “in” crowd. Ellie is living a lie and trying to impress her millionaire and billionaire so-called friends even if she goes broke doing it. I felt sorry for her…sometimes.

Ellie may not be very likable, but she has some qualities that made me respect her. She is definitely committed to being The Birthday Girl. She will throw this party come hell or high water. Ellie is ambitious and she clawed her way out of her past and into the life she made for herself. Also, she does love her children and that’s a plus. She’s the kind of woman who will get things done, and I like that.

Everything isn’t going the way she’s planned but it’s not going to stop Ellie from celebrating. Her sad and shocking past comes back to haunt her but it’s something she has to face in order to move forward into her uncertain future. If anything, facing her past made Ellie look closely at her present and future. The party gave her a chance to reflect on her life, the things she had or didn’t have…and I will say I did a lot of that when I approached and then turned forty last year. What is it with forty?! 😂 Mid-life crisis, indeed! Nah, I’m okay, I had fun on my fortieth birthday. ❤️

The story unfolds fairly quickly and there is a twist in this delicious tale. It was something I wasn’t expecting. It was kind of sad actually but it makes you look at Ellie differently in the end. I mean, she’s still superficial but it adds a little depth to her motivations. I felt like I was watching reality tv and I got addicted to this story.

I know Melissa De La Cruz is known more for young adult books but I really enjoyed this adult fiction from her. I hope she writes more in this genre. I couldn’t put this one down.

Get it here: Amazon

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