#ARC – Page 2 – Donna's Reading Chair

Book Review: The Unlucky Ones

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my advance audiobook copy of The Unlucky Ones in exchange for my honest review. My apologies for the delay in the review, I’m behind (as always), but I did enjoy this one!

The book is actually the fourth book in the Black Harbor series, but don’t let that deter you from this! I don’t feel like I missed out on anything!

We have former police transcriber turned novelist, Hazel, return to a town she said she’d never come back to when she finds out her ex-husband has been murdered. Black Harbor was a place she ran from, it isn’t a good town. Black Harbor honestly had a small town vibe for being such a large city, and was the place to be if you were looking for the latest and greatest drug on the streets.

Kole, an officer investigating the murder, happens to be Hazel’s former lover…yeah, maybe kinda sorta when she was still married too. They end up joining forces to tackle the case, much to other’s dismay, but there’s something shady things happening and others ending up dead, so they have to do what they have to do.

I do plan on going back and reading the first three books in this series because I enjoyed it so much. I want their back story in full and see how their relationship has ebbed and flowed.

4 stars. It’s a great thriller with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure, I highly recommend this one!

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Title: The Unlucky Ones

Author: Hannah Morrissey

Genre(s): Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher: Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio

Release Date: March 25, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Heartbreak Beach

Thank you to the author, Bailey Thomas, for an advance copy of Heartbreak Beach in exchange for my honest review!

I was lucky enough to get an advance reader copy of Heartbreak Beach in exchange for my honest review! It’s out on April 25th!!

The book is about the reality TV show Heartbreak Beach, and it’s down to the final contestant, Elise, who has fallen in love with the main guy, Jared. She can’t believe they found love and is excited that he’s going to ask her to leave with him…until the producer lets Elise know she’s going to break his heart because that will bring in higher ratings.

Elise doesn’t want to break his heart, she’s in love, but she’s also reminded that in her contract it says she is to do as told! She’s so conflicted she starts to stray away from Jared, but eventually he gets the information out of her and they come up with a plan to stay together!

It’s a cheesy romance, a light, fun read, with a shocking ending. It’s a quick read absolutely packed with adventure. 3.5 stars from me!

Title: Heartbreak Beach

Author: Bailey Thomas

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Bailey Thomas Books, LLC

Release Date: April 25, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: True Life in Uncanny Valley

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children’s, and Labyrinth Road for this advance reader copy of True Life in Uncanny Valley in exchange for my honest review! This book came out last week and is an absolutely fantastic YA read!

Eleanor is your typical teenager being raised by a single mother. She has a sister, also know as mom’s favorite, and almost lives in both their shadows. Eleanor is also obsessed with celebrity Hugo Harrison, but not for the reason you may think…you see, Eleanor’s mom had an affair with him and he’s her dad. In her spare time she enjoys spying on him and his family and wonders what could have been.

Fast forward to Eleanor running into his new wife and small child and landing a nannying job for the summer. She’s finally going to see what he’s like, but can she keep her true identity under wraps? How will she keep this from her mom?

I think any pre-teen/teen will absolutely devour this book. It has the perfect amount of teenage angst and I never found Eleanor or her friends to be annoying. It was overdone, it was just the right amount. I think at any point in time as teens we can feel lost and ignored and the author did a beautiful job at writing this story just so. I think a lot of teens will be able to directly relate to this story. There’s even a smidge of clean romance!

4 stars. Even adults will find this story unputdownable as what will the outcome possibly be? I really enjoyed this one and this should be at the top of your list if you love reading YA!

Title: True Life in Uncanny Valley

Author: Deb Caletti

Genre(s): Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Labyrinth Road

Release Date: March 18, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Girl Anonymous

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for this advance audiobook copy of Girl Anonymous by Christina Dodd which was released earlier this week!

Where do I begin? This is a spicy, mob based thriller that bounces around a bit, but towards the end has one focus and is easy to follow along with. I almost wanted to stop this one in the first half, but I kept going…albeit at a slower pace, but I’m satisfied I stuck with it.

We have Maarja who lost her mother at a young age and inadvertently helped kill a mob boss, which because of this was in hiding. As an art mover, she ends up back at the Arundel house (the same one where she was involved with the now deceased mob boss), where an explosion takes place and takes out the mother. Maarja manages to make it to safety, but now is dealing with Dante, the Arundel son.

Dante decides he must protect her and essentially he forces himself on her. At this point in the book, I was rolling my eyes and just not enjoying Dante as a person. Maarja was a virgin and was essentially forced into something in order to save her life, and I just didn’t like the aspect and how Maarja justified what was happening. It felt abusive and I never really liked Maarja and Dante after this.

The story goes on and we find out someone is after the Arundel family. More spicy scenes happen and more cringing on my part happens. They put together a plan to try and catch who is doing this to the family and I will say the last 25% of the book I was hooked in. It was all business and I absolutely enjoyed the ending. I think if there wasn’t so much bouncing around or spice (don’t get me wrong, I love spice, but this was just cringey and felt very forced), this would have been a 5 star book, but it took a lot to get through to enjoy this one.

3 stars. If this falls into your lap, read it, but take caution. I wouldn’t seek this one out!

Title: Girl Anonymous

Author: Christina Dodd

Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance

Publisher: Canary Street Press, Harlequin Audio

Release Date: March 11, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

What happens when you leave your Netgalley shelf alone for so long…you end up buying a physical copy of a book you were fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advance copy of The Good Sister in exchange for my honest review.

The story is about twin sisters, Fern and Rose, who grew up with a less than stellar mother. Fern works in a library and sees her sister multiple times a week. Rose is married, desperate to have a child, and ensures her sister is well taken care of.

Fern is neurodivergent and I thought the way Hepworth wrote her character was absolutely fantastic. I loved Fern so much and found myself wanting to protect her through the pages. This story is also told from Fern’s point of view in the current time and through Rose’s journal entries where she talks about the past.

The real question is…who is the good sister? As this story unfolds, we start to see a few things that have us questioning a lot. Was their mother really abusive and a user? She did have an overdose when they were 12 years old that sent them to foster care. Fern regularly visits her mother in an assisted living home. Rose refuses and has not seen her mother in 10 years.

Fern works at a library and is pretty much an outcast. She never partakes in activities with her colleagues and they all kind of leave her alone. No one really understands her…

Without giving too much away…Fern finds a way to get her sister a baby. A baby she gets warned about to not give to her sister. With everything that has happened in her past, Fern is in no way capable of raising a child, nor should she really be trusted. Rose has done nothing but protect her, shelter her, and take care of her, it makes sense she should raise the baby…right?

4 stars. The suspense part of this book doesn’t really kick in until the last part of the book, it reads more as a fiction/literary tale up until that point, but once it kicks in, it’s a WILD ride. I absolutely loved how Hepworth kept us guessing and strung us along. I also really enjoyed Fern’s friend Wally aka Rocco and loved what he added to the story, along with her colleagues. This put a smile on my face at the end with everything that happened, absolutely delightful read, highly recommend!

Title: The Good Sister

Author: Sally Hepworth

Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Suspense

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Release Date: October 27, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: One By One by Ruth Ware

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! Yes, this is another 4 year overdue post…but at least I’m staying committed to the cause and writing my review!

This story is one of my Roman empires…I think about this book more often than I should. It made a lasting impact on myself. The story starts off innocently as eight co-workers enjoy a mountainside chalet…and then they get snowed in thanks to an avalanche.

Someone ends up missing…then someone ends up dead. No one else is around so that means one of them has committed the crime. Even with 8 characters running about, I found it easy to keep track of who was who as each character has a distinct personality.

I enjoyed the pace of the book and the vivid descriptions. I felt like I was there in the cabin next to the fire at times. There is another twist in the mix with everything…the co-workers went there to vote on selling the company. Is this what causes people to go missing and then someone to be killed? Only time will tell…

I have such a vivid recollection of the end…and I won’t spoil it for you, but just know I think about it often. Why? I’m not 100% too sure. But I truly find myself coming to the end of this one all the time. It’s rare for me to remember such detail about a book, so take that for what it is worth!

4 stars. The book does slow a bit on the pacing at times, but I feel this is a Ruth Ware writing trait. The book does NOT disappoint and leaves us turning the pages quickly to find out who did it. Our own suspicions build, but will you choose the correct whodunit? Find out and pick this one up!

Title: One By One

Author: Ruth Ware

Genre(s): Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: September 8, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: A California Christmas by Brenda Novak

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for my advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review! This was originally released in 2020 and I promise you I read this a few years ago…I PROMISE…I just never wrote the review, YIKES!

Emery Bliss is a promising TV anchor, until she breaks up with her boyfriend (who also happens to be a colleague…which also happens to not be allowed) and then he leaks a sex tape. Don’t get me started on how angry this made me because she ends up taking all the heat and he essentially escapes scot free! UGH!

Looking to be out of the public eye in LA and where she isn’t known, she flees to Silver Springs, her hometown. She finds solace with Aiyana Turner, who ends up being like her mother figure (oh yeah, Emery’s parents are going through a crazy divorce) and helps her with her ranch and prepare for her upcoming wedding.

One by one Aiyana’s family comes to town and in walks Dallas Turner. A bachelor. A man who travels all around the world and doesn’t have time for anyone. A man who also had a crush on Emery back when they were in high school. A man who will help Emery stand up to her ex-boyfriend.

The subject of revenge porn I felt was portrayed in a realistic manner. Dallas helps Emery, even with a lot going on in Dallas’ own life. There are so many side stories to the main story in this tale, it is JAM PACKED. Novak does such a delightful job at stringing everything together and giving us all the answers we need. You’ll be cursing Dallas one moment, cursing Emery the next, then back to Dallas, and eventually you find yourself falling in love with the flawed characters and want the best for them.

5 stars. This was more than just a romance book. This has grief, pain, heartbreak, and love. While Emery is our star, Dallas is a fantastic co-star and his story is just as intriguing as Emery’s in. This is the perfect book to set up a great Christmas in July if I do say so myself! It is part of a series, but it’s a standalone! Enjoy!

Title: A California Christmas

Author: Brenda Novak

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Holiday

Publisher: Harlequin, MIRA

Release Date: October 13, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review! This book is released TOMORROW, so hear about it today and then pick it up then!

Meet Charley, a house keeper at the Precipice Hotel in Maine. She lives and works at the hotel, which grants her the opportunity to keep her grandmother, her only family member alive, in an assisted living home. When her boss dies and the home raises her grandmother’s rent, Charley finds herself between a rock and a hard place.

The Bishop sisters, daughters of the man who owned the hotel, arrive to read his will and decide what to do with the property. Before they arrive, Bree stumbles in, trying to escape her abusive ex-boyfriend. Charley sees a money making opportunity and agrees to let Bree stay, hidden and out of sight, in exchange for cash (that Bree promises she’ll get her as soon as she can). Mind you, everyone is arriving as Hurricane Larry makes landfall and batters the area.

The story is told from mostly Charley’s point of view and in four parts. We do get glimpses of the sisters’ lives, which is important for the storyline. The book starts off slow, but the burn is there. By the time you hit the final part of the book you cannot put it down, so much is happening.

The will is read and the sisters are upset. Somehow, the son-in-law receives the hotel, with the lawyer also having some control. Will family stick together or will they be torn apart? Death & murder is surrounding the hotel and people start to drop like flies. This is written almost in a one room manner, but they have an entire hotel at their disposal. Poems are scattered around, threatening more bad will happen unless secrets get exposed…and boy do the Bishop sisters have a LOT!

3.5 stars. I thought this was alright. Nothing stood out to make this spectacular, even though it is a solid thriller with twists I did not see coming, especially at the end. I think the pacing at the beginning took away from the book for me, but I can see this easily being the favorite tale of MANY people, so don’t let my rating deter you! The writing is solid and again, the twists are TWISTY! Plus, we have a very happy ending at the end. Overall, go for it, I’m not mad I read it and when you round 3.5 up, you get 4! Happy Reading!

Title: One Big Happy Family

Author: Jamie Day

Genre(s): Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Release Date: July 16, 2024

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Faking It

Thank you to Netgally and Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter for my advance copy of Faking It in exchange for my honest review! (This is a LATE review, I have previously read this one and am just catching up on writing reviews…my apologies to the publishers!)

Faking It is the perfect lighthearted, fun read if you’re looking for something not so serious. We meet Hannah Thompson, who is a relatable mother and wife, trying to juggle it all. She is working on publishing her first novel, a work of erotica, while trying to hide that from her kids because…well…she doesn’t want them to know what she’s been (tastefully) writing.

What I loved most about this book was how supportive her husband was. That is ALWAYS appreciated when I read novels, especially with moms. Being a mother myself, if my husband wasn’t supportive between everything I do I would absolutely lose it.

Hannah decides to take on an alter ego and write a little more on the naught side and finds herself about to be the guest speaker at a sex convention. The research she does with her friends was just hilarious. I could see myself in her shoes!

4 stars. If you’re a fan of chick lit, you’ll enjoy this one!

Title: Faking It

Author: Rebecca Smith

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter

Release Date: August 7, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads

Blog Tour: That Summer In Maine @zebriez @HarlequinBooks #NGEW2020

Thank you to Justine Sha and Harlequin Publishing for the advance reader copy of That Summer In Maine in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. I am please to be part of this tour!!

What a beautiful novel this turned out to be! The story is told to us by Jane, Hazel’s mom, and Hazel herself. Their dynamic is interesting. Hazel is a 16 year old withdrawn teenage girl living her mom, step dad, and newborn twin brothers. She feels abandoned by her mother and Jane has no clue.

One day out of the blue Hazel gets a message with someone who claims to be her half-sister. She invites her to spend the summer in Maine with her and their father, Silas. Jane hesitantly agrees and goes on a journey within herself and realizes she’s been losing Hazel slowly.

I loved this story. I loved all the characters (even though I wanted to wring the half sister’s neck NUMEROUS times) and loved Silas. I thought there was a LOT of growth with Jane AND Hazel. Jane grew mostly from reading the diary of Susie, the mother of Eve, Hazel’s half sister. She took it upon herself to create her own diary filled with letters her daughter would probably never see to explain herself and the decisions she made. Hazel grew after she realized the life she thought she could have with blood relatives wasn’t quite what it was cracked up to be.

This book had me feeling the lake breeze while mosquitoes buzzed around in the sweet, sticky heat of the summer. I imagined myself sitting next to the fire while the girls and Silas talked. It was so easy to image the scenery, Wolfson did a remarkable job with that!

4 stars. This is a PERFECT summer read that will have you smiling from ear to ear at the end. Sometimes we all need a happy book and this one delivers just that. You won’t be disappointed if you pick this one up to read!

Author Bio: Brianna Wolfson is a New York native living in San Francisco. Her narrative nonfiction has been featured on Medium, Upworthy and The Moth. She buys a lottery ticket every Friday.

Title: That Summer In Maine

Author: Brianna Wolfson

Genre(s): Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: June 23, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads