Red Card by Maren Moore - Book Review

Series: Prescott University #1

Publication Date: 12th August 2025

Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance 

3.7 Stars 

One Liner: Predictable fun 

When British rugby player Cillian “Kill” Cairney gets a permanent red card in London, there’s only one team that’ll take him, an Ivy League school in New Hampshire, even if the players don’t want him around. But he needs this chance to work, to set things right and take care of his younger sister. He has to earn the coach’s respect and impress Rory, the coach’s daughter who lives and breathes rugby. 

Rory grew up loving rugby. This made her an expert, and the team treats her like a bro. The problem is that every other guy also seems to think of her as a wing woman and a bro rather than someone they can date. After a flirting disaster, Rory comes up with an impulsively brilliant plan – Cillian will help her flirt and she’ll help him bond with the teammates. 

What could go wrong? 

The story comes in Rory and Cillian’s first-person POVs. 

My Thoughts: 

In a way, this is pretty predictable, but that’s not a surprise since most books in the genre are! It has a few flaws, too. On the whole, it’s a fun read if you don’t nit-pick. 

The dual POV is good as we get both their thoughts and see the story progress from their perspectives. Moreover, the voices are distinguishable, which makes it easier to read. 

Though this is a sports romance, it is basically a romance. Sports is there, but only to the extent of a bit of team tussle, mention of practices, and a couple of moves. This could go either way. I don’t mind since rugby is not my game. But if you want to know something useful about the game, you won’t find it here. 

This is a new adult romance, and surprise, surprise, one of those rare books that worked for me to an extent, probably coz it’s pretty lighthearted and the characters are mature enough for their ages. Sure, the FMC has strong pick-me-up vibes, but she doesn’t want to be that. Of course, there’s a backstory, so it doesn’t feel off. 

The MMC is presented as a bad boy but is someone dealing with loads of trauma, grief, and personal shit. He is a grump, but a good guy. I like that he can communicate and goes all in once he decides. Otherwise, which 6’4” guy would be sane enough to think a 5’2” girl has mile-long legs? Dude, our legs can’t even reach the floor if we sit in a bigger chair! 

This is spicy with open-door scenes (4+). It does feel a bit (or lot) awkward if you remember their ages, so it's better to forget/ ignore that, lol. 

You’ll likely need to suspend belief for some stuff. It goes with the territory, I guess. At least, the characters seem to be studying as well and are interested in getting a degree, so that’s something. 

GR shows this is the first in the series. Makes sense. There are a couple of good guys on the team, and then there’s the MMC’s sister (she’s cute). Some of these characters will get their own books, I guess. 

To summarize, Red Card is a lighthearted, steamy romance with some banter, funny scenes, and a bit of heavy themes. It’s low-stakes but maintains the entertainment levels pretty much throughout. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #RedCard

Maisie vs the Himalayas by Jack Jackman - Book Review

Series: Masie vs #2 

Publication Date: 14th August 2025 

Genre: Middle Grade Adventure 

4.2 Stars 

One Liner: Maisie does it again! 

After the excitement in Antarctica, Maisie travels with her dad to the Himalayas to research for a book titled How to Find Buried Treasure. Maisie sure finds the treasure, but also gets into many tussles and attracts unwanted attention as a thief while dodging dangerous explosions. 

Looks like there are many secrets Maisie doesn’t know about. Will Dad tell her about them, or will it be too late by then? 

The story comes in Maisie’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

This is the second book in the series, and it will be better if you read the first one. It does work as a standalone, but if you are into proper character development and backstories, read both. And honestly, you’ll love them. 

Since the book is from an eleven-year-old kid’s POV, prepare for it to be filled with vivid imagination, sass, impulsiveness, and recklessness. Don’t look for adult maturity in it, though she can surprise you in unexpected ways. 

The day Maisie would keep her promise would probably be declared an international promise day or something (yeah, not gonna happen). As an adult, there were (many) instances I wanted to shake sense into that kid. I’m sure her dad feels the same. 

Unlike the previous book, this has very few characters and is set in just a couple of nearby locations (the caves and the adjacent hotel). However, this doesn’t restrict entertainment or adventure even a little. You can trust that kid to get into trouble even in the safest place, and an old cave is hardly safe! 

We get a little more detail about her dead mother, which, as you can guess, makes the kiddo super happy. She’s a lonely little girl wanting adventures and to spend more time with her dad, who has a superpower but writes boring books. 

Continuing the pattern, each chapter is titled as some sort of ‘How to…’. There can be some spoilers here, so skip the chapter titles if you are particular. I think kids will enjoy the creativity. 

I love that ‘little fire god’ comment. So cute and aligns with what we’d say! 

Once again, I wish the book had at least two or three illustrations. The ones from the cover could have been divided into individual illustrations and added to the file. 

To summarize, Maisie vs the Himalayas is an entertaining, adventurous, and humorous continuation of the series. Be prepared, as it will give kids many ideas that can give you a headache or high blood pressure, lol. 

Now that I know where the next adventure will be, I can’t wait to read it! 

Thank you, NetGalley and NosyCrow, for the eARC.  

#NetGalley #MaisieVstheHimalayas

Love or Your Money Back by Suzy K. Quinn - Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 01st July 2025

Purchase Link for Amazon (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Your-Money-Back-funniest-ebook/dp/B0FDBMMZQQ

Purchase Link for Amazon (US): https://www.amazon.com/Love-Your-Money-Back-funniest-ebook/dp/B0FDBMMZQQ

 Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236605619-love-or-your-money-back

Genre: Contemporary Romance

3.5 Stars

One Liner: Fast-paced

Book Blurb:

Is marriage about love or marketing?

Kat is 34, single and running out of time – she wants to get married before she turns 35, but her fiancé just ditched her for a 21-year-old life coach.

Freddy is a ruthless marketing guru who thinks love is just transactional. He’ll use his marketing genius to make Kat the most sought-after woman in London if she lets him rebrand her struggling company.

With her 35th birthday looming and her love life a disaster, Kat agrees to become Project Marriage.

Can a rebrand king sell happily ever after? Or is love something even the best marketer can't package and promote?

A smart, funny romantic comedy for fans of Emile Henry (Funny Story), Lucy Score, and Ali Hazelwood.

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Kat’s first-person POV and Freddy’s third-person POV.

I heard great things about the author’s (Probably) The Greatest Love Story Ever Told and had high expectations from this one. Guess that affected my reading experience a bit.

The book has a terrific pace. No denying that. Also, it will keep you hooked from start to finish. I read it in one sitting (and stayed awake longer than I do).

The dual POV, with one in the third-person, is a wonderful choice. Not only do we get both their perspectives, but we also have no confusion about the voice.

Another plus point is that the FMC has Multiple Sclerosis. Relapsing-Remitting MS, to be precise. She can do anything on a good day, but stress and anxiety can screw it up in a few minutes. Living with MS is not easy, and we see clearly how it affects a person physically, psychologically, and emotionally. It has been seamlessly integrated into the plot.

Let’s just say that my liking and disliking of the MCs was like a Sine wave. As the story progresses, more aspects come to light. What we see at the beginning is not what it is. However, what we see in the next few chapters is also not what it is.  

The FMC is a total despo. Cringe-level max. But this is deliberate characterization. Readers are not expected to agree with her always. Rather, we are to see her strengths and flaws and hope that the bulb will ding over her head and enlighten her. It won’t be easy liking her when you want to knock sense into that brain and wonder just how naïve someone of that age can be.

The MMC is okay. Shows promise and stays true to his arc, which means he will also annoy us quite a bit. It’s almost like a contest – who will exasperate the reader more, lol! This should have made me dislike the book, but it had the opposite effect since it was done intentionally.

There’s a QR code in the last quarter for those who want open-door spice. The author got 50-50 votes on whether to include spice in the book. So, she inserted it as an optional choice (kya kya karna padta hai, to keep all readers happy). Of course, I read it, but later, after finishing the book. There’s also an option to sign up and get a bonus epilogue. You know I can’t resist an epilogue!

There are some funny moments too. Despite everything, I can’t say I enjoyed this a lot. It was fun and interesting, but that’s it. I wouldn’t sing praises about it, though.

Maybe if the backstories were a bit more detailed or the characters (especially the FMC) spent more time introspecting the toxic patterns in her life, it would have worked better. That would have changed the genre from rom-com to rom, but methinks it’s worth a shot.

To summarize, Love or Your Money Back is a quick and lighthearted read with some heavy themes that don’t weigh down the plot or narration. It should work as a beach read or an autumn afternoon read.

Thank you, Rachel’s Random Resources and the author, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

***

Author Bio – Suzy K Quinn

Suzy K Quinn writes romantic comedy / rom com books / cozy mystery and has sold over 1 million books worldwide. She is a bestseller in the UK, US, and Germany and has plans for total world domination with more feel-good books (bestsellers, obviously) in the near future.

Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband Demi and two daughters. She is a twin, an incompetent parent of two, and now fully decaffeinated. Her twin sister, Cate Quinn, is also a bestseller author. When she's not writing, she is reading rom coms and cozy mysteries.

Suzy loves her readers and is ALWAYS happy to chat on social media - she's @suzykquinn on all the socials. You can also get a free book at her website: www.suzykquinn.com

Follow the Author:

Facebook: facebook.com/suzykquinnbooks  

Tiktok: @suzykquinn

Instagram: @suzykquinn

Twitter: @suzykquinn

Threads: @suzykquinn

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This has been a stop on the #LoveorYourMoneyBack blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources (@rararesources). Thanks for stopping by!

Will You Stay Another Day? by Samantha Tonge - Book Review

Publication Date: 11th Aug 2025

Genre: Women’s Fiction 

4 Stars 

One Liner: Hopeful 

Lili sends her best friend, Em, a knock-knock joke, not expecting a reply. After all, it’s Christmas time and almost a year since her bestie passed away. But someone responds, and Lili suggests a meeting. 

There, she meets a man, a handsome stranger, Dylan, who has also been waiting for someone he’s missing. As they spend more time together, this could be their chance to heal and hope for a happier future. 

The story comes in Lili’s third-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

From the premise, you’ll know that the book deals with grief and mourning. Grieving a loved one is the central premise, so if that’s a trigger, you may want to be careful. That said, the book has some wonderful, heartwarming moments about learning to move on while honouring the dead. 

I liked the cover right away, but I like it better after finishing the story. That little suitcase and the cover have a great significance in the plot. 

It might take some time to get into the flow. Since we get the story from Lili’s POV, we have to remember that it shows her state of mind at that point. In fact, it’s the same throughout. 

I wish we had at least a few chapters from the MMC’s perspective. He’s a sweet guy, but I can’t tell you a lot about him. Feels a bit 2D despite having a proper backstory and description. 

Though it has romance (closed door), the focus is mainly on letting go and moving on. This applies on multiple levels. I like how both main characters’ professions align with the theme. 

Some of the side characters are really good. I like Tommo and Megs right away. Glenda, too, of course. The community vibe is strong, and it brings out the snow-town feel and the seasonal spirit to the forefront. 

The book discusses the Japanese tradition of showing respect to non-living items and honoring them the way we honor humans/ relationships. This reminded me of a video I recently saw on social media, where an old machine (in Japan) is being honoured for the service it provided. 

The book starts a few months before Christmas, though it ends with the holiday season. So, this is not exactly a Christmas story, but it has some elements of it. The ending is hopeful and sweet. 

To summarize, Will You Stay Another Day is a story of friendships, family, found family, relationships, and love. It’s a good read for a cozy autumn noon. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #WillYouStayAnotherDay 

Murder on an Italian Island by T A Williams - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Mysteries #12

Publication Date: 05^th August 2025

Purchase Link: https://mybook.to/MurderItalianIsland

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/232029031-murder-on-an-italian-island

Genre: Contemporary Cosy Mystery, Italy 

 4 Stars

One Liner: Mystery and history

Book Blurb:

A holiday island…

When private investigator, Dan Armstrong, and his girlfriend, Anna, are invited to the gorgeous island of Elba for a much-needed break, he jumps at the chance. The thought of sun-drenched shores makes Dan promise Anna he won't “play detective” for a whole week…

A luxury hotel…

Their luxurious hotel, with its wonderful food and picturesque seaside views, seems the perfect escape, especially with Dan's best friend Virgilio and his wife joining them. But the calm shatters with a sinister encounter and a sudden, suspicious death…

A decades old case…

Virgilio's past connection to the victim casts a long shadow, pulling Dan into a decades-old case. But beneath Elba's beauty lie secrets and resentments – the victim was universally hated – but was his death the result of foul play or just a tragic accident?

With his faithful canine companion, Oscar, Dan must unravel the island's mysteries, a task that soon takes a decidedly personal and unsettling turn.

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Dan’s first-person POV.

So, the 12th book in the series should work as a standalone. Go ahead and grab them all if you want to read the rest. It’s like going on a virtual tour of Italy.

This time, we travel to Elba, a beautiful island with a history that dates back to the early times. Like many tourist places, the island has both benefited and suffered from becoming a popular location for holidays.

I like how we also learn something about the situation in the region with every book in the series. This time, it talks of how thriving occupations like farming, winery, etc., were replaced by tourism and its adjacent industries. By catering to tourists, many locals lost their family lands and professions and had to adjust. Sadly, this has become a common pattern around the world.

The mystery is nice enough with resolutions we can guess as more clues are revealed. It is still low-stakes, though there are some interesting developments and other departments involved for a while.

Oscar, the adorable black Lab, is his usual best – being cuddled by everyone and fed treats coz he has the best ‘I’m starving’ face. Of course, our dog is also a hero who can save lives.

And food, there’s loads of it. The Italians (like Indians) serve food in generous proportions, so there’s more than enough for the characters and the readers! If only they developed AI that made it possible to grab an ice cream from the book instead of writing a story for me. I can do my writing. Give me food!

To summarize, Murder on an Italian Island is a lighthearted and quick mystery set on a lovely island. It combines history, mystery, and entertainment with ease. The windsurfing scenes were hilarious.

Thank you, Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

#NetGalley

***

About the Author – T A Williams

T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series. Trevor studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.

Follow the Author:

Facebook: @TrevorWilliamsBooks

Twitter: @TAWilliamsBooks

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/TAWilliamsNews

Bookbub Profile: @trevorwilliams3

***

This has been a stop on the #MurderOnAnItalianIsland blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources (@rararesources). Thanks for stopping by!

He Falls First by Jill Shalvis - Book Review

Series: Colburn Brothers #1

Publication Date: 05th August 2025 

Genre: Contemporary Romance 

4 Stars 

One Liner: Establishes the series 

Ryder Colburn is busy running the family businesses and caring for his ailing father. But a chance encounter with Penny compels him to help her and get to know her more. 

Penny has paid the price and is living in a dilapidated house with her grandmother and tween brother, trying to survive on the catering job. She has no time for anything, definitely not love. 

But maybe life has other plans! 

The story comes in Penny and Ryder’s first-person POVs. 

My Thoughts: 

This is my first book by the author, and I’ll be happy to read the other books in the series (fingers crossed that the publisher will make them Read Now). 

The plot is pretty thin as the focus is on building the foundation for the series and establishing the main characters (the Colburn brothers and sister). I hope the sister also gets her book. 

That said, the characters are well-developed, layered, and realistic. They have their flaws, but they are good people. They have been through enough trauma and are doing their best to be there for their loved ones. 

As the title suggests, the MMC falls first, and he is pretty open about it. The FMC calls herself a hot mess (more than a few times) and is willing to heal (always a good sign). 

The characters know their flaws and insecurities, so they have meaningful conversations even when there’s a sort of breakup. They talk about things and communicate, making it easy to root for them to be together. 

The toddlers (Abi and Alex) are little tornadoes or wolf cubs (as their mum calls them). Needless to say, the kiddos brighten up the book each time they appear on the page.

A few plot threads have been left open and will presumably be resolved in the later books. I’m curious to know where they’ll lead. 

There’s quite liberal open-door spice (3+) and a generous dose of F-bombs (alpha brothers and all that, I suppose). The banter is pretty good, though. The book has many funny moments despite having a sense of heaviness (due to dark themes like parental abuse, childhood trauma, domestic violence, death, illness, etc.). 

We don’t know about the FMC’s mom, though her grandma and half-brother are sweet. Still, I wish we had a little more backstory about her family. It would have enhanced the plot. 

To summarize, He Falls First is a heartwarming read about finding love, family support, and being there for one another. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #HeFallsFirst

A Scottish Lighthouse Escape by Julie Shackman - Book Review - Blog Tour

Series: Scottish Escapes #9 (standalone)

Publication Date: 30th July 2025

Purchase Link (UK): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scottish-Lighthouse-Escape-lighthouse-armchair-ebook/dp/B0D9PLQ25Y

Purchase Link (UK): https://www.amazon.com/Scottish-Lighthouse-Escape-lighthouse-armchair-ebook/dp/B0D9PLQ25Y

Goodreads Book Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/223145780-a-scottish-lighthouse-escape

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance

3.5 Stars

One Liner: Hopeful

Book Blurb:

Get ready to fall in love with the brand new romance in the Scottish Escapes series from bestselling author Julie Shackman.

When romance author Rosie Winters’s own fairytale romance ends with a bang, she’s determined to get away from everything. Packing up her belongings, she sets off for the furthest place she can think of: Scotland.

Rosie spent her summers at her late grandmother’s coastal cottage in the Highlands and knows it’ll be the perfect place to wallow for a while. Even better that there’s a gorgeous lighthouse and dolphins in the bay.

What Rosie didn’t expect was to bump into the new lighthouse keeper, Mitch. Despite her recent heartbreak, Rosie finds herself fascinated by the mysterious Mitch. As they spend more time together, is it possible that he needs Rosie every bit as she needs him…

***

My Thoughts:

The story comes in Rosie’s first-person POV.

I wondered why the author’s name sounded familiar until I realized I had read another book from this standalone series. Luckily, I like this a bit more than the other one.

The Scottish setting is beautiful, and the lighthouse has a decent role, so the title suits the book. I love the descriptions of Rowan Bay, the sea, the misty pathways, the unexpected storms, etc.

Bronte and Kane, the two adorable dogs, steal the show in many ways. You can see Brontë running on the cover. Cutie, right?

There’s also a subplot of sorts about the FMC’s late grandmother. It was well done, even if the climax was a bit too saccharine (and that comes from someone who likes HEA). Guess it aligns with the genre’s vibe to an extent.

The book touches upon some triggering topics like infidelity, spousal death, death of parents and loved ones, jealousy, confidence issues, etc.

This is again women’s fiction with a touch of romance, like the previous book I read (#7). However, it worked better since I could see a bit of attraction between the main leads, and it brought everything together.

This may not be an issue for everyone, but there are too many characters whose names start with R – Rosie, Recce, Rhea, Ruth… *eyeroll*

To summarize, A Scottish Lighthouse Escape is a hopeful read despite the predictability and a too-sweet ending. It’s pretty fast-paced and can be completed in a couple of sittings.

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and One More Chapter (HarperCollins), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley

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About the Author – Julie Shackman

Julie Shackman is a feel-good romance author from Scotland and is published by the HarperCollins imprint One More Chapter. When not writing or reading, Julie loves to take her Romanian rescue pup Cooper for long walks, working out, watching romcoms, and indulging her love of music. A Scottish Lighthouse Escape is her thirteenth novel.

Follow the Author:

Website: Julie Shackman Author

Twitter/ X: (2) Julie Shackman (@G13Julie) / Twitter

Instagram: Julie Georgina Shackman (@juliegeorginashackman) • Instagram photos and videos

Facebook: (5) Julie Georgina Shackman | Facebook

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This has been a stop on the #AScottishLighthouseEscape blog tour by Rachel's Random Resources (@rararesources). Thanks for stopping by!