No Judgments by Meg Cabot

Synopsis: The storm of the century is about to hit Little Bridge Island, Florida—and it’s sending waves crashing through Sabrina “Bree” Beckham’s love life…

When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.

But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.

My Review: So growing up I love Meg Cabot. I'll admit I read The Princess Diaries well into my adulthood. So I was really excited to see a new Fiction novel by an author I love! But it just fell flat for me. 

The main two characters are Bree, who admittedly is dealing with some major crap, and Drew, who just wants to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. And the book spends more than 200 pages of them two bickering back and forth with each other. You can tell they like each other, you can tell they're falling hard but like teenagers they spend forever admitting it.

I've said before I am not a huge romance fan but if it's good, I'll definitely read it. I am also someone who hates that slow burn. Like stop fighting the feelings and just go for it! And this book was both of those elements. So I think that is why it just fell flat for me.

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆

The Royal Nanny by Karen Harper

Synopsis: Based on a seldom-told true story, this novel is perfect for everyone who is fascinated by Britain’s royal family—a behind the scenes look into the nurseries of little princes and the foibles of big princes.

April, 1897: A young nanny arrives at Sandringham, ancestral estate of the Duke and Duchess of York. She is excited, exhausted—and about to meet royalty. . . .

So begins the unforgettable story of Charlotte Bill, who would care for a generation of royals as their parents never could. Neither Charlotte—LaLa, as her charges dub her—nor anyone else can predict that eldest sons David and Bertie will each one day be king. LaLa knows only that these children, and the four who swiftly follow, need her steadfast loyalty and unconditional affection.

But the greatest impact on Charlotte’s life is made by a mere bud on the family tree: a misunderstood soul who will one day be known as the Lost Prince. Young Prince John needs all of Lala’s love—the kind of love his parents won’t…or can’t…show him.

From Britain’s old wealth to the glittering excesses of Tsarist Russia; from country cottages to royal yachts, and from nursery to ballroom, Charlotte Bill witnesses history. The Royal Nanny is a seamless blend of fact and fiction—an intensely intimate, yet epic tale spanning decades, continents, and divides that only love can cross.

My Review: If you're a royal family fanatic, like I am, this very fiction novel is rather cute. It follows Ms. Lala through her years as Prince George V children's headnurse. For those that need a refresher, his children are Queen Elizabeth's father, uncles and aunt.

I rated this one 3 stars because I didn't love it but I also didn't hate it either. It was just a book I read. I did like the flow and I liked the romance bit added with the main character. I loved the royal family being the center of the novel. I love how they added the events with the Tsar and Tsarita but I am also a Romanov fanatic almost as much as I am a royal fanatic. But it wasn't something that made me feel anything or wanting more. 

Book rating: ⭐⭐⭐

One Day in December by Josie Silver

Synopsis: Two people. Ten chances. One unforgettable love story.

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic...and then her bus drives away.

Certain they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It's Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered.

My review: This was one of my local book club picks for December (I was in 2 during 2019!). Let me start off by saying if you're looking for a feel good, not very deep read with all the stress of the holiday season...then this is probably perfect for you. 

The book follows the lives of 3 friends Laurie, Sarah and Jack who are living in London and how their lives do complete 180s for one friend and for the other two it takes 12, yes 12, years for change. 

While I did think the story was cute, it definitely annoyed me in a lot of ways and just seemed very unrealistic in others (like how Sarah was that unsuspecting for so long and how Laurie searching for this mystery man never once ever came up?) Laurie's husband being so easy going and just too nice actually drove me nuts! There was never any real conflict there and even the "big" conflict was taken as like "okay. So we're doing this then." But if you take this book for what it is, just a feel good December read, then that's what you'll get out of it. 

Given the hype about this book, I thought there would have been more substance to it. But I leave my readers with these questions: Have you read this and if so what did you think? Do you think Laurie should have told Sarah? What about Jack? 

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

Synopsis: A year ago, Irene Steele had the shock of her life: her loving husband, father to their grown sons and successful businessman, was killed in a helicopter crash. But that wasn't Irene's only shattering news: he'd also been leading a double life on the island of St. John, where another woman loved him, too.

Now Irene and her sons are back on St. John, determined to learn the truth about the mysterious life -- and death -- of a man they thought they knew. Along the way, they're about to learn some surprising truths about their own lives, and their futures.

My review: Okay, let me start by saying I had no intentions of starting this series. None. One of my local book clubs picked the first one last year as the December pick and I was going to be out of town anyway so I was like "okay, cool. Don't need to read the fufu." BUT we have both of them at my work and the 2nd was picked as this years December pick so suck it up buttercup.

And you know what? I was hooked. Read the first in 24 hours. Having just visited the Carribean myself in September, I loved it. Remembering the warmth, the beaches, the food, drinks. It brought up so many memories while reading it. I miss the white sands. I miss the heat. I miss the tropical drinks. I. Was. Sold. 

So imagine my surprise when this one wasn't...as...good...as my expectation from the previous book made me want it to be. Don't get me wrong, it was a page turner. But it made me hate Russ and Rosie even more. Russ is the typical lying cheating criminal and Rosie is 100% Brigid and doesn't really seem to care all that much. Their storylines in this book made me not care that they were murdered in book 1! What it did do though is make me feel worse for the people those two people left behind. And yes I know that's the point but man. I went from being like "OMG, they were murdered!" to being like "eh. they were murdered." Now. All that being said. I can't wait for the conclusion in October 2020. 

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐