readwithbec_'s reviews
57 reviews

“𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕝𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪. 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕦𝕟𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕔 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀’𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟’𝕥.”

Thoughts: ‘Mile High’ is book #1 of the Windy City Series! I really enjoyed this hockey romance book. I really liked the FMC & MMC, and their characters were written very well. I enjoyed the body image part of the story and how supportive and loving the MMC was. However, I did feel the first half dragged, and the book could have been shorter. If you love forced proximity, hockey romance, and reformed playboy, you will love this book!

Synopsis: ZANDERS - Chicago hockey isn’t complete without me - everyone’s favourite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night. What I don’t like is the new flight attendant on our team’s private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I’ll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she’ll be begging to quit her job. But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can’t quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons, or if it’s more than that.
STEVIE -  I’ve been a flight attendant for years. I thought I’d seen it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again . . . no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be. Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it. Everything but him.

Please check trigger warning before reading this book.

★★★★☆

Thoughts: “Still Alive” is the first book in the A Lily Dawn FBI Suspense Thriller series! I downloaded it last week during Stuff Your Kindle Day. I found the book interesting and was super intrigued to read the ending of this suspense thriller! It was a short book, but I felt it was a good length for the story. I am looking forward to reading book #2 of this series.

Synopsis: When a bloated body is found floating in international waters, twenty miles out at sea, Lily Dawn is called back to the Caribbean. But this is not a happy homecoming. She hasn’t seen her parents since moving to Miami ten years ago, and now her sister has been declared legally dead. Can Lily stop the killer before he strikes again? Or will she sink under the weight of her past? A complex psychological crime thriller full of twists and turns and packed with heart-pounding suspense, the LILY DAWN mystery series will make you fall in love with a brilliant new female protagonist and keep you turning pages late into the night.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this book.

★★★★☆

“𝕊𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕦𝕞𝕡𝕙 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝”.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this psychological thriller; it had me gripped from the first couple of pages. I did not realise it was a short story until it ended quite abruptly. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author, although hopefully, it will be a longer read next time.

Synopsis: Every night I'm afraid. It never stops me though. As a young woman who works alone late at night, my fears are a hazard of the job. In a moment my evening can turn into a nightmare.  Exhausted and ready to go home, I meet a stranger. What begins as a regular encounter turns into a sinister game of cat and mouse. To make it through the night, I have to fight back.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this book.

★★★☆☆

Thank you Emily Freud, Quercus Books & NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC!

Publication Date: 11th April 2024

Thoughts: This book has had me gripped from the beginning, and I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of this thriller. I liked the suspense and the unpredictability. I thought I had it all figured out, but the ending kept me guessing and guessing! If you enjoy a good thriller, you will like this!

Synopsis: No body. No crime? Twenty years ago, Mari vanished while backpacking through Thailand with her boyfriend, Luke. He was accused of murder, but has always insisted he’s innocent. Besides, her body was never found. Now, he’s finally ready to talk. And filmmaker Cassidy Chambers wants to be the one to uncover what really happened, back then, in the dark of the jungle. But as she delves deeper into the past, Cassidy begins to fear what lies ahead, and the secrets buried along the way.

Please check trigger warnings prior to reading this book.

★★★★☆

Thoughts: 4AM follows weekly submissions from the Ask Shameless listeners on dating, friendship, and self-development. I absolutely love the Shameless podcast, so it is no surprise that I loved this book. I read it and listened to bits of it on Spotify on my way to work. I feel it has made me a more knowledgeable person, and I really loved how the girls responded to each column submission from their own experience and so respectfully. I highly recommend this book.

Synopsis: The creators of Shameless and bestselling authors of The Space Between bring you a collection of their most popular advice columns from Ask Shameless. Since 2021, tens of thousands of readers have devoured the Ask Shameless weekly columns on dating, friendship and self-development, written by the Shameless podcasters and a team of talented young Australian writers. In 4 am, Zara and Michelle have curated forty of their very best columns alongside ten brand-new ones – plus the follow-up replies from many of the original contributors, updating readers on what happened next. From navigating toxic friendships and romantic dilemmas to finding the courage to pursue your dreams, these are the conundrums that keep us up at night – answered with compassion, wisdom and wit. With contributions from rising stars Pema Bakshi, Madison Griffiths, Eliza Sholly and Maggie Zhou, 4 am is a must-read for anyone seeking guidance and inspiration in the modern world.

Please check trigger warnings prior to reading this.

★★★★★

“ℍ𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕔𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕗𝕦𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕓𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕟𝕠𝕦𝕤”.

Thoughts: Ask for Andrea follows three women who have all been murdered by the same man. This book had me gripped from the beginning, and I really enjoyed the concept of the story. If I were to read this book again, I would definitely annotate it because I found it hard to distinguish between the voices of each girl in each chapter as they were very similar.

Synopsis: Meghan, Brecia, and Skye have just one thing in common. They were all murdered by the same man. He hunted them online, masquerading as an eligible bachelor. Then he played the perfect gentleman, a thick layer of charm and a thousand-watt smile hiding the fact that his first dates end in shallow graves. He’s gotten away with murder three times now.
The only thing that might keep him from killing again? The women he murdered. Meghan, Brecia, and Skye might be dead, but they’re not gone. They’ve found each other. And they won’t rest until they find a way to stop him. The haunt is on.

Please check trigger warnings prior to reading this book.

★★★★☆

PR PRODUCT: Thank you Elle Kennedy, Tandem Collective Global, Hachette Australia & The Bookish Type for allowing me to be apart of this readalong!

Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was my first by Elle Kennedy, and I will definitely be adding her books to my TBR list. I loved experiencing Abbey navigating her new life in London, her love triangles, and the touch of mystery. I really liked Abbey as the female main character and enjoyed reading her love triangle debacle. If you enjoy found family, forced proximity, slow-burn love triangles, accidental roommates, and spicy rom-coms, then you will love this book!

Synopsis: When nineteen-year-old Abbey Bly gets the opportunity to study abroad for a year in London, it’s the perfect chance to finally slip out from under the thumb of her beloved but overbearing retired rock star father. She’s ready to be free, to discover herself - but first off, to meet the girls she’s rooming with. That is, until she arrives at her gorgeous new flat to discover those roommates are actually all boys. Charming, funny, insufferably attractive boys. And off-limits, with a rule against fraternizing between housemates after unwanted drama with the previous girl. Abbey has never considered herself a rulebreaker. But soon, she’s lying to her father about her living situation and falling for not one, but two men she can’t have: her rugby-player roommate and a broody musician with a girlfriend. Not to mention, her research for school has gotten her tangled in a deeply hidden scandal of a high nobility family, surrounding her in secrets on all sides. If there’s any hope of Abbey finding love, answers, or a future in London, she’ll have to decide which rules - and hearts - might be worth breaking. 

★★★★☆

Thank you NetGalley and Quercus Books for allowing me to read this ARC.

Swift & Saddled is available for pre-order and will be published on 25th March 2024.

“𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕨𝕠𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕕, 𝕓𝕖𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕎𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕟 ℝ𝕪𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕪.”

Thoughts: Lyla, you have done it again! ‘Swift and Saddled’ is book #2 of the Rebel Blue Ranch series. I really enjoyed reading this book and watching Ada and Wes grow! This cowboy and small-town romance did not disappoint. If you love cowboys, found family, small-: She’s the city girl who to be saddled with a man. He’s the cowboy who wants her anyway. The last thing Ada Hart needs is a man to take care of her. Not anymore. After failing out of her interior design program and the disaster that was her short-lived marriage, Ada clawed her way up from her rock bottom. Now, the only person she trusts is herself, and that has gotten her further than ever before. She has her own business, and one of the largest ranches in Wyoming just hired her for the most important project of her career. When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasize about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again...except it turns out he’s her new boss. Weston Ryder is a happy guy. Even happier now that the mystery woman from the bar is the interior designer for his dream project on his family’s ranch. He feels like he hit the jackpot. Too bad she wants absolutely nothing to do with him outside of work. Ada is convinced the pull she feels toward Wes will go away, but Wes can’t stop thinking about her. Even though walls are coming down around Rebel Blue, Ada’s walls are firmly in place.

★★★★☆

“𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖, 𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥, 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕡𝕦𝕤𝕙 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕫𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥?”

Thoughts: “The Wake Up Call" was the first book I have read by Beth. I liked the concept of the story, but it was super slow. There was a lot of miscommunication within the story, which I found hard to enjoy. The second half of the book was much more interesting than the first half. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance, forced proximity, and miscommunication tropes, you may enjoy this book.

Synopsis: Two hotel receptionists—and arch-rivals—find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way. It’s the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel’s front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through. The hotel won't stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest’s lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel—and their jobs. As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there's more at stake here than the hotel's future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?

★★★☆☆

“ℙ𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤. ℙ𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕞𝕖".

PR Product: Thank you so so much @hachetteaus & @ali_lowe_author for allowing me to read this fantastic book prior to the publishing date for a honest review.

Publication Date: 27th February 2024
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Thoughts: This was the first book I have read written by Ali Lowe and I enjoyed it. This book had me gripped as it has so many scandals & twists! I really enjoyed all the characters and their interactions with each other. The beginning of the book sets the scene  well, with the second half being where the drama and suspense unravel. Highly recommend this book if you are looking for a suspense thriller set in Australia!

Synopsis: For parents living in the beautiful coastal town of Pacific Pines, all their hopes and dreams are pinned on the outcome of the annual Gala Day hosted by St Ignatius Boys’ School. To be accepted into the prestigious institution, their sons must battle it out, facing rigorous rounds of physical and mental tests. Their parents will stop at nothing to ensure their sons succeed. But after one boy is struck down in a hit and run, the scandals, secrets and lies that entangle three mothers threaten to unravel their seemingly perfect lives. How far will the women go to, not just to save their families - but also their reputations?

★★★★☆