Can't Wait Wednesday: The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt releasing November 7.

About the Book

On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.

When Antonina's beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw's Jewish population, Antonina turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland's secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation. But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear the sisters apart--and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.

Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Dial K for Kiss by Tanya Eavenson

About the Book

When a simple kiss becomes a media frenzy.

Millionaire Julia Morgan isn’t a fan of the limelight, but when a neighboring city blocks her community garden expansion request, she’s left with few options for moving the project forward, all of them uncomfortable. Especially the one involving the man from her past who just walked back into her life with a proposition.

Radio personality Drew Larsen has spent years waiting for an opening in the top-spot morning show of the hottest radio station in town. When it happens, he throws his hat in the ring with a crazy idea. He didn’t expect it to catch like wildfire, or for the station manager to up the ante. If Drew can find his first kiss and convince her to date him for all the world to see, the job is his.

She wants to help others. He wants his dream job. Can they make their hearts’ desires come true before their untold story is revealed?

Dial K for Kiss is a heartwarming Christian contemporary romance, and part of the You Are on the Air series. All books in the series are standalone and can be read in any order. Order your copy today!

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

What a sweet second chance romance! I was instantly invested in these characters' lives and couldn't put it down.

I liked Julia and Andrew. She's quiet, soft-spoken, and hates the spotlight, while he's loud, boisterous, and the host of a popular radio show. They were complete opposites, but, I think, that’s one of the things that made them so great together. I admired Julia's passion for helping others and her commitment to the community garden. Despite the fact that she was a millionaire, she was relatable and down-to-earth.

I thought the whole idea behind the “Kiss and Tell Time” radio segment was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the story of Julia and Andrew's first kiss. It was so sweet! I loved seeing them reconnect and get to know each other again.

I absolutely loved this story and highly recommend it to fans of inspirational romance!

I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FIVE STARS

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Just Don't Fall (Sweater Weather #1) by Emma St. Clair

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. (Friday 56 is on hiatus right now, but I'll still be participating.)

This week I'm featuring Just Don't Fall (Sweater Weather #1) by Emma St. Clair. I'm a little late to the party, but I'm finally reading Just Don't Fall. It's so good and so funny! 

About the Book

Before Logan Barnes was hockey’s hottest bad boy, he was my brother’s best friend … and my first crush. Oh, yeah--and the guy who ghosted me and broke my teenage heart.

Now Logan is back in Harvest Hollow, but not willingly. Recovering from an injury (and some bad press), he’s stuck playing for our minor league team.

Which means I’ll be working with him almost daily.

As the hockey team's social media manager, it’s my job to wrangle all the guys into filming TikTok trending videos. But Logan doesn’t want to be wrangled.

Turns out … neither does my heart.

Because my old crush never died.

And when Logan becomes my accidental fake boyfriend, those old feelings flare hot enough to melt the ice.

But this is all totally one-sided. Totally fake. Isn't it?

No matter what signals he seems to be giving me or how real things start to feel, I know Logan’s not home for good.

I survived Logan leaving me once. But this time, I’m not so sure my heart will recover …

Just Don't Fall is a small town, closed door hockey romcom with all the fake dating, brother's best friend vibes. You'll get smoking chemistry and characters to root for but NO spice. (Yes, you read that right--a low spice hockey romance.) Perfect for fans of sports romance who want a less heat.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

"I signed a contract to play hockey. Not dance."

Friday 56

Logan's right about being in the moment. This is one of those where I wish I could hit pause. The kind of moment I want to revel in, burrowing down like its a warm, comfy bed where I can shut out the whole rest of the world.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Lake Shore Wandering (Redemption Shores #1) by Jennifer Rodewald

About the Book

Is love worth the gamble? And if so, will memory-restored Bennett still feel the same?

Hazel is working on a plan to keep her peaceful, remote life. When Bennet shows up pretending to be something he’s not, she knows she’s running out of time. Luckily for her, he hit his head and can’t remember a thing. With sudden inspiration thanks to an eighties rom-com, she’s got a whole new plan.

Convince Bennett they’re married? Check. Convince Bennett he belongs in Elk Canyon with her? That’s another task altogether . . . one that just might end up gambling her heart.

Amazon / Goodreads

(Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting)

MY THOUGHTS

What a great start to a new series! Hazel was very much an outdoorsy country girl, while Bennett was very much a fancy city boy. Polar opposites, to say the least! So, you can just imagine the sparks that fly, right? There were so many hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments, but this was also a sweet and tender read. I loved every second of it and didn't want it to end.

I love that this series is following the same characters in each book. I’m excited to dive deeper into their lives, see them grow, and watch their relationships develop even more. I’m very eager for the next book in the series. I'm curious about what's in store for Hazel and Bennet next, and I need to know more about Hunter and Janie. What’s their story? What's the history behind their animosity towards each other? Why is Hunter so reluctant to go back home? I need to know!

This was originally part of The 80s Rom-Com Club box set, but the author has updated and expanded the story. I loved it the first time I read it, and I loved it even more this go-around.

FIVE STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Lake Shore Return (Redemption Shores #2) by Jennifer Rodewald

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Lake Shore Return (Redemption Shores #2) by Jennifer Rodewald releasing November 2. I just finished the first book and am so eager to get back to these characters! 

About the Book

Changes are coming to Elk Canyon Lake. Will anything survive the upheaval?

As Bennett and Hazel work to find something normal in their unexpected romance, their worlds slip sideways all over again. They know they've found love, but can it endure despite their very different personalities and life outlooks? On top of that, there are so many profound changes . . .

Bennett is working to establish a new life in Montana, and Hazel's brother Hunter is coming back. To stay.

Hunter Wallace never had an intention to return to Elk Canyon Lake, even if the woman who held his heart had stubbornly remained there. But after a medical discharge sends his life skittering, he has run into a dead-end. The lake might be all he's got, so he's bound and determined to make something of it.

Janie Truitt has proven she's got the grit it takes to be her own boss. Her business is flourishing, as much as possible in tiny Luna, Montana. She's steady, and if she doesn't think about Hunter, she's happy. But the not thinking about Hunter is going to be difficult when he rumbles back into her world.

Come back to the majestic beauty of Elk Canyon Lake, a remote and breathtaking wonder hidden in the stunning Montana Mountains. There you'll find unexpected romance, the redemption of broken pasts, and hope dawning anew.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Wormwood Abbey (The Secrets of Ormdale #1) by Christina Baehr

About the Book

As a Victorian clergyman’s daughter, Edith Worms has seen everything — until a mythical salamander tumbles out of the fireplace into her lap.

When a letter arrives from estranged relatives, Edith is swept away to a crumbling gothic Abbey in the wilds of Yorkshire. Wormwood Abbey isn't just full of curious beasts and ancient family secrets: there’s also a tall, dark, and entirely too handsome neighbour who is strangely reluctant for her to leave.

An unexpected bond with her prickly cousin Gwendolyn gives Edith a reason to stay in this strange world — especially when it turns out that Edith herself may have a role in guarding her family's legacy.

But not all of the mysteries of Ormdale are small enough to fit in her lap...and some of them have teeth.

WORMWOOD ABBEY, Book 1 of The Secrets of Ormdale, is a cosy gothic novel of mystery, dragons, and the perils of friendship, perfect for fans of Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and Maria Grace.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Oh my goodness, y'all! This book was so good! I loved the cozy, gothic vibe. It was such a charming and enchanting read! This book came to life, and I didn't want to leave the pages of the story. I was completely entranced.

I fell in love with the setting and the characters. There was an air of mystery to the abbey that kept me intrigued, and I was very eager to learn its secrets. Edith was a great leading lady. I thought it was so cool that she wrote detective novels. And I loved how supportive her family was. I really enjoyed how fleshed out the secondary characters were. And I can't fail to mention Francis! I wouldn't mind having a dragon like him as my own. He's awesome!

I loved every second of this story, and I know I'm gonna want to read it again and again. I'm so glad it's the start of a series! I highly recommend it to fans of historical fantasy.

I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FIVE STARS

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Lake Shore Wandering (Redemption Shores #1) by Jennifer Rodewald

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. (Friday 56 is on hiatus right now, but I'll still be participating.)

This week I'm featuring Lake Shore Wandering (Redemption Shores #1) by Jennifer Rodewald. 

About the Book

Is love worth the gamble? And if so, will memory-restored Bennett still feel the same?

Hazel is working on a plan to keep her peaceful, remote life. When Bennet shows up pretending to be something he’s not, she knows she’s running out of time. Luckily for her, he hit his head and can’t remember a thing. With sudden inspiration thanks to an eighties rom-com, she’s got a whole new plan.

Convince Bennett they’re married? Check. Convince Bennett he belongs in Elk Canyon with her? That’s another task altogether . . . one that just might end up gambling her heart.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

One glance told her everything she needed to know.

He was no hunter, that was certain. And Hazel Wallace, though an undeniably odd duck, was not a fool. This man was up to something.

Friday 56

Darkness quickly closed the valley in a chilled cloak. Bennett quivered at the completeness of it. Black penetrated everything, covering the layers of hills that surrounded the valley, the mountains beyond that, the lake, the cabin at his back, and even the woman beside him.

What have you been reading lately?