Romance | Thoughts By J

Book Review: Royal Wedding (The Princess Diaries #11) by Meg Cabot

2015 Releases, Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Title: Royal Wedding (The Princess Diaries #11)

Author: Meg Cabot

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Adult

Format Read: Paperback, 434 pages

Publication Date: 2nd June 2015 by Pan Macmillan Australia

Synopsis: “A brand-new new adult instalment of the most popular YA series in all the land! Princess Mia is engaged to be married, but since when in Mia’s life did anything go to plan?! Fall back in love with Mia in this new book for older readers.
From Meg Cabot, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Diaries series, comes the very first new adult instalment, featuring the now grown-up Princess Mia!
Royal Wedding follows Princess Mia and her Prince Charming as they plan their fairy tale wedding – but a few poisoned apples could turn this happily-ever-after into a royal nightmare.
For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community centre, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements. And speaking of engagements, Mia’s gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn’t need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.
But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother’s leaked “fake” wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia’s father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone – especially herself – that she’s not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well?”

Book Review: China Rich Girlfriend (Crazy Rich Asians #2) by Kevin Kwan

2015 Releases, Adult Fiction, Book Reviews, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance

Title: China Rich Girlfriend

Author: Kevin Kwan

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Chick Lit

Format Read: Paperback, 400 pages

Publication Date: 1st July 2015 by Allen & Unwin

Synopsis: “Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, is back with a wickedly funny new novel of social climbing, secret e-mails, art-world scandal, lovesick billionaires, and the outrageous story of what happens when Rachel Chu, engaged to marry Asia’s most eligible bachelor, discovers her birthfather.

On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiancé willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore’s It Girl, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. A romp through Asia’s most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it’s like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich.”

Book Review: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

2015 Releases, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Title: Saint Anything

Author: Sarah Dessen

Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format Read: Paperback, 448 pages

Publication Date: 5th May 2015 by Penguin Australia

Synopsis: “Peyton, Sydney’s charismatic older brother, has always been the star of the family, receiving the lion’s share of their parents’ attention and—lately—concern. When Peyton’s increasingly reckless behavior culminates in an accident, a drunk driving conviction, and a jail sentence, Sydney is cast adrift, searching for her place in the family and the world. When everyone else is so worried about Peyton, is she the only one concerned about the victim of the accident?

Enter the Chathams, a warm, chaotic family who run a pizza parlor, play bluegrass on weekends, and pitch in to care for their mother, who has multiple sclerosis. Here Sydney experiences unquestioning acceptance. And here she meets Mac, gentle, watchful, and protective, who makes Sydney feel seen, really seen, for the first time.

The uber-popular Sarah Dessen explores her signature themes of family, self-discovery, and change in her twelfth novel, sure to delight her legions of fans.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Book Review: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, narrated by Dan O’Grady

2013 Releases, Adult Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance

Title: The Rosie Project

Author: Graeme Simsion

Narrator: Dan O’Grady

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Genre: Adult, Romance

Format Read: Audiobook, 7 1/2 hours

Publication Date: 1st October 2013 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Synopsis: “THE ART OF LOVE IS NEVER A SCIENCE

MEET DON TILLMAN, a brilliant yet socially challenged professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. And so, in the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers.

Rosie Jarman is all these things. She also is strangely beguiling, fiery, and intelligent. And while Don quickly disqualifies her as a candidate for the Wife Project, as a DNA expert Don is particularly suited to help Rosie on her own quest: identifying her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on the Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie—and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you.

Arrestingly endearing and entirely unconventional, Graeme Simsion’s distinctive debut will resonate with anyone who has ever tenaciously gone after life or love in the face of great challenges. The Rosie Project is a rare find: a book that restores our optimism in the power of human connection.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Book Review: The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

2015 Releases, Contemporary, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Title: The Girl at Midnight

Author: Melissa Grey

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Format Read: Paperback, 361 pages

Publication Date: 28th April 2015 by Hachette Australia

Synopsis: “Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she’s ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she’s fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it’s time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it’s how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren’t as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.”(Taken from Goodreads)

Book Review: Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst

2014 Releases, Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Title: Conjured

Author: Sarah Beth Durst

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Crime, Horror, Romance

Format Read: Paperback, 384 pages

Publication Date: October 1st 2014 by Bloomsbury Australia

Synopsis: “Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she’s in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.

At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined.” (Taken from Goodreads)

Book Review: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

2015 Releases, Contemporary, Crime, Romance, Young Adult

Title: Mr. Kiss and Tell

Author: Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Crime, Romance

Format Read: Paperback, 336 pages

Publication Date: January 2015 by Allen and Unwin Australia

Synopsis: “In the second book in the New York Times bestselling mystery series, Veronica Mars is back with a case that will expose the hidden workings of one of Neptune’s most murderous locations.

Gutsy, wise-cracking sleuth Veronica Mars is back with an edge-of-your-seat case at one of Neptune’s most murderous locations.

The Neptune Grand has always been the seaside town’s ritziest hotel, despite the shady dealings and high-profile scandals that follow its elite guests. When a woman claims that she was brutally assaulted in one of its rooms, then smuggled out and left for dead by a staff member, the owners know that they have a potential powder keg on their hands. They turn to Veronica to disprove the woman’s story.

But the case is a convoluted mess. The accused employee is no longer in the country; the security footage shows the woman entering the hotel, but there is no evidence that she ever left; and the victim is someone from Veronica’s past who has no good reason to trust her. As Veronica works to fill in the missing pieces, the one thing that becomes clear is that a dangerous predator is still on the loose … and that he’s one step away from striking again.”

Book Review: Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney

2014 Releases, Contemporary, Fantasy, Romance

Title: Starry Nights

Author: Daisy Whitney

Rating: ★ ★ 1/2

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Romance

Format Read: Paperback, 272 pages

Publication Date: 1st November 2014 by Bloomsbury Australia

Synopsis: “Seventeen-year-old Julien is a romantic—he loves spending his free time at the museum poring over the great works of the Impressionists. But one night, a peach falls out of a Cezanne, Degas ballerinas dance across the floor, and Julien is not hallucinating.

The art is reacting to a curse that trapped a beautiful girl, Clio, in a painting forever. Julien has a chance to free Clio and he can’t help but fall in love with her. But love is a curse in its own right. And soon paintings begin to bleed and disappear. Together Julien and Clio must save the world’s greatest art . . . at the expense of the greatest love they’ve ever known.

Like a master painter herself, Daisy Whitney brings inordinate talent and ingenuity to this romantic, suspenseful, and sophisticated new novel. A beautifully decorated package makes it a must-own in print.”

Book Review: Love Bomb (The Ladybirds #2) by Jenny McLachlan

2015 Releases, Book Reviews, Contemporary, Romance

Title: Love Bomb (The Ladybirds #2)

Author: Jenny McLachlan

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2

Genre: Contemporary, Romance

Format Read: ARC, 304 pages

Publication Date: 12th March 2015 by Bloomsbury Australia

Synopsis: “Betty Plum has never been in love. She’s never even kissed a boy. But when H.O.T. Toby starts school it’s like Betty has been hit with a thousand of Cupid’s arrows. It’s like a bomb has exploded – a love bomb!

More than ever Betty wishes her mum hadn’t died when Betty was a baby. She really needs her mum here to ask her advice. And that’s when she finds hidden letters for just these moments. Letters about what your first kiss should feel like and what real love is all about …

Is Betty ready to fall in love? Will she finally have her first kiss?”

Book Review: Avery (The Chronicles of Kaya #1) by Charlotte McConaghy

2015 Releases, Blog Tours, Book Reviews, Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

Title: Avery (The Chronicles of Kaya #1)

Author: Charlotte McConaghy

Rating: ★ ★ 1/2

Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

Format Read: Paperback, 384 pages

Publication Date: 2nd February 2015 by Random House Australia

Synopsis: “The people of Kaya die in pairs. When one lover dies, the other does too. So it has been for thousands of years – until Ava.

For although her bondmate, Avery, has been murdered and Ava’s soul has been torn in two, she is the only one who has ever been strong enough to cling to life. Vowing revenge upon the barbarian queen of Pirenti, Ava’s plan is interrupted when she is instead captured by the deadly prince of her enemies.

Prince Ambrose has been brought up to kill and hate. But when he takes charge of a strangely captivating Kayan prisoner and is forced to survive with her on a dangerous island, he must reconsider all he holds true . . .

In a violent country like Pirenti, where emotion is scorned as a weakness, can he find the strength to fight for the person he loves . . . even when she’s his vengeful enemy?

Avery is a sweeping, romantic fantasy novel about loss and identity, and finding the courage to love against all odds.”