Invite Me In by Emma Curtis | Book Review

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Title & Author: Invite Me In by Emma Curtis

My rating: 4/5

Publisher: Penguin

Publication date: 2nd September 2021

Blurb:

To those who think they know her, Eliza Curran has it all: two healthy children, a stunning home and a wealthy, adoring husband. No one would guess the reality of her life: trapped in an unhappy marriage to a controlling man, she longs for a way out.

When she takes on a new tenant, her life changes unexpectedly. Dan Jones is charming and perceptive, and quickly becomes a close friend to the whole family.

But Dan's arrival threatens to tip Eliza's fragile world out of balance. And when someone has as many secrets as Eliza does, the smallest slip could destroy everything...

Review:

I really love Emma Curtis's books as she writes domestic thrillers very well.

Eliza Curran is married to Martin and they are parents to 6 year old Lucas and 3 year old Aurora. They are quite well off and own a lot of rental properties. Martin uses a wheelchair as he became paralysed after a car accident.

Whilst at an upcoming rental property, Eliza answers the door to a man named Dan who is interested in the flat and asks for him to be considered ahead of it going on the market officially. Dan soon infiltrates Eliza's family, by getting into a relationship with her au pair whilst also hitting on Eliza, causing tons of destruction but why? Eliza did not know Dan before this but did he know her?

This is so twisty and I loved the little bits of information that were being drip fed to us. Although I didn't particularly like any of the characters, I did feel sorry for Eliza as Martin was a very controlling person. I always worry about the endings of thrillers because they can make or break a novel but I was pleased with this one!

Iris Is More Than Okay by Natalie Cooper | Audible Original Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an audiobook copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Author & Title: Iris Is More Than Okay by Natalie Cooper 

My rating: 5/5

Publisher: Audible Originals

Publication date:  16th May 2024

Blurb:

Iris Nightingale is more than okay. She has her life planned out to a perfect schedule. Work, run, sleep, repeat. She spends her quiet Friday nights sitting alone on a bench in the park, trying to push back the memories that no amount of running can help her escape.

But one evening, there’s someone else on her bench - Hunter. Tall, wry and infuriating: everything about him gets under Iris’s skin. Little does she know that he's about to upset more than just her routines...

Hired as a consultant at the firm where Iris works as engineering manager, Hunter has a knack for knowing just what to say to irritate her, and Iris can’t help rising to the spark in his eyes each time.

Sent away on a work trip together, Iris is taken out of her comfort zone. As their connection deepens, will Iris finally be able to face the memories that have been haunting her for years? Can her blossoming relationship with Hunter survive some brutal truths?

Only one thing is certain: The spark between them is beyond Iris’s expertise, and there's no running away from it.

Review:

I love Jenna Coleman so when I heard that she was narrating Iris Is More Than Okay, I knew I'd love it. I love audiobooks but sometimes the narrator makes all the difference.

Iris is an engineer for a perfume company and she has her own routines. She runs on specific days and has a certain bench at her local park that she likes to sit at. When a stranger places himself next to her on the bench one day, she is not happy. She is less than enthused to bump into him at work the following day.

Hunter has been hired by her firm to analyse and see what they could do better. He is divorced and we learn that Iris was married also but no longer is.

As these two develop feelings for each other, it isn't easy. Secrets come out, coincidentally linking them together without them knowing it.

This is a beautiful story about loss, heartbreak, finding love and allowing yourself to move on. I loved the characters of Iris and Hunter together and separately. The exploration of their relationship was wonderfully paced and you really felt Iris's hurt. A beautiful story that I found absolutely no faults with.

Trigger warnings: suicide, gambling addiction.

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A massive thank you to Midas PR for having me on the blog tour. You can find more information about the other bloggers taking part in the tour in the graphic below.

The Parcel by Leigh Suznovich | Book Review

[ad/gifted - I received an ARC copy of this novel for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.]

Title & Author: The Parcel by Leigh Suznovich 

My rating: 4/5

Publication date: 30th April 2024

Blurb:

Lyra Spinelli is trying to put her life back together after her marriage suddenly comes crashing down. Her trust is shot, her already high walls are firmly in place, and she is focused on work. Growing up and living with a rare genetic disorder has made her wonder whether she is even made for a healthy relationship. The last thing she needs is an attraction to the charming UPS driver Taran, no matter how much she is drawn to him. The more she interacts with him though, the more impossible he becomes to resist.

Taran Malloy hasn't had much room in his life for romance, working long hours and taking care of his widowed mother. After meeting Lyra though, long forgotten feelings bubble up and he sets his sights on getting to know her and her story. As he slowly unravels her many layers, he finds the woman of his dreams. When Lyra has to overcome her biggest medical hurdle to date, he hopes delivering his growing love for her will be enough to make her stay.

Review:

Before I started reading The Parcel I was in a reading slump. This book 100% got me out of it and I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Lyra Spinelli is in her mid-thirties and has recently split from her husband Derek after he admitted that he'd been having an affair. Lyra has Turner Syndrome and the two of them were fine with remaining child free, so when Derek announces that his mistress is pregnant, it is gutting.

After moving into her new house, Lyra gets a glimpse of Taran Malloy, the local UPS driver. After a flirty exchange and Taran instantly bonding with Lyra's dog Brody, she thinks that a) he must be late twenties so way too young for her, and b) her divorce isn't even final yet so what is she doing?

The backstories of both of these characters are fantastic and dive into their familial relationships really well. I felt completely immersed, especially in the scenes where all the family got together. I loved the aspect of found family too.

I had never heard of Turner Syndrome before so this was really eye opening for me and having a female love interest with such a syndrome really sets The Parcel apart from other romance novels.

Taran is an absolute golden retriever of a man and his personal growth was lovely to read. Beautiful!