Key Change by Heidi Hutchinson
Contemporary Romance
October 12, 2021 by Smartypants Romance
ARC
Review by Jen
Key Change by Heidi Hutchinson was a super cute audio book. It’s set in the Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Universe. And, it is actually book three in the Common Thread series. I was a little apprehensive about this book because I’ve never read any book in those series. I’m such a big fan of a good audio book and went for it.
Narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and Wayne Mitchell, this was a light, sweet romance that was a great escape to listen to and has me interested in digging more into this world. Lucky me, it looks there are tons of books I can add to my list!
What’s it about?
To most people, Hannah looks like a (somewhat) hardworking customer service representative raising her sister. But she’s really Ashton James, international superstar singer and paparazzi favorite. Hannah enjoyed a party girl life for many years, she pissed off a lot of folks, broke many hearts and then went into hiding to keep her sister safe from the public eye and gossip rags. Enter Johnny…or at least Johnny’s little brother, who has figured out that Hannah is Ashton and he’s committed to impressing her with his musical skillz. Plot twist- Johnny is actually an old lover of Hannah’s. Not that she immediately remembers him at all! Her old drug and alcohol fueled days are a bit of a blur.
This isn’t a steamy book, it IS a feel good romance that shows how people change and embrace second chances at finding their true love. I enjoyed Hannah’s character, her integrity and brutal honesty and acceptance of her previous life choices. My only small peeve was at times the male narrator didn’t do it for me. Voices are so subjective, but something didn’t meld with the character.
Grade B
The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros
Contemporary Romance
February 23, 2021
ARC by Entangled: Amara
Review by Jen
The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros was such a unique experience, with alternating timelines and a surprise ending that I truly DID NOT SEE COMING!
The story told across WW2 and present day, was an emotional epic journey. We have the Stanton sisters from a noble British family, both serving in the war. Then there’s sister Scarlett’s great-granddaughter, Georgia, who is recently divorced from a jerk of a movie director and now going through her recently deceased great-grandmother’s estate.
Scarlett was a prolific romance author who ALWAYS wrote an HEA. Which is the definition of romance…of course there’s an HEA! She had one last manuscript that was never finished. It’s her own life story. From Georgia’s perspective, that story did not have a happy ending, her great-grandmother’s love life was tragic in many ways because she lost the love of her life in the war. Georgia’s mother isn’t a good person and unbeknownst to Georgia, she reaches out to have another author finish Scarlett’s personal story. The person is Noah Harrison. Noah is a very successful writer, an industry sweetheart with a huge ego and not the master of the romance requirement of an HEA. But he idolized Scarlett and this is the opportunity of a lifetime for him.
Scarlett and Noah are attracted to each other. They sizzle! Scarlett’s been recently burned and she knows from going through her great-grandmother’s things that real-life romance is a unicorn. One she’ll never find.
This book was a bit slow at times, but all and all it was excellent! My heart broke for Scarlett. In my bones, I could feel her worry, the anxiety and restless energy every time her love went off to battle. I can’t imagine what that was like. Her love, James, oh my…so romantic, his grand gestures, so damn sexy and a true hero. How can anyone recover from that kind of rare soul mate?
And, Georgia…what a smart woman! Scorned and then BAM…she comes out on top! Finally, we all need a Noah in our life. I loved him!
Grade B+
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