Christmas at the Scottish Lodge by Donna Ashcroft

I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for yet another opportunity to discover new authors and ARCs in exchange for my honest opinion.

This year I start quite early with the winter holiday spirit, with "Christmas at the Scottish Lodge" (thanks Chiskeik for pointng that out!).

A successful romance writer and a professional skier get married behind her brother’s back, who is also the groom’s best friend. 

But after the new husband’s accident on the slopes, he distances from her. Eleven months pass and, fed up with waiting, she travels to his Scottish family lodge to get him to sign the divorce papers. They are separated after all, so what could go wrong? 

Oh, right—feelings.

Publication date: Oct 27 2025

Publisher: Bookouture

I liked it, but I can’t say I loved it. The idea has potential and there’s emotional and sexual tension between the characters. 

→ Beware of a couple of mild spoilers.

The thing is that we read and love the genre, so we already know that it will end with a big gesture that will bring them together, with forgiveness following suit. So the real deal here should be the journey, enjoying the scenery. And there, it fell short, in my opinion.

For starters, I chose this one because I visited Scotland a couple of years ago and looooved  it. So I was eager to go back there through this novel. 

My first shock was that I didn’t feel I was there—it could've been anywhere.

The Christmassy vibe was very present there, and the coziness was built thanks to the lodge, the pies and some side characters that didn’t appear as often as needed (Aunt Effie, for example, and of course, all the strays). Also, the rough dynamic between the FMC's brother and her best friend was something I would have loved to read more about. The story relies on the back-and-forth between the main couple, as it should, but their emotions were explained at every turn, becoming repetitive, so the presence of other characters felt like a relief.

However, the biggest problem I found is the dialogue. It is usually short and intense, building-up good tension, but the author inserts several lines of feelings that we already know about, between one's question and the other's reply, so it lacks fluidity. I found myself skipping quite a lot of text, just to get to what they were talking about, beacause that's what interested me— not surprisingly, I read it so fast.

The emotional build-up leads to an ending that works, but Mairi is a romance writer after all, and she should know the tricks. I found that the end gesture should’ve been placed before the reconciliation— that would be what showed Mairi where his priorities lay, and then she'd turn around (you'll understand when you get there). 

I read many 4 and 5 star reviews, though, so I may be on the wrong side, but I really felt it was just "another romance story". Not bad, don't get me wrong... just not enough.

So... did you read it? What was your experience with it? How did it make you feel?

Do you think I should've waited longer to read Winter stuff? Let me read you in the comments.

Rating: ★★⯪☆☆

Vampires At See by Lindsay Merbaum

Husband and wife, they join a queer cruise in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Isn’t that a promising premise? Then consider what they are, and imagine the rest… but, no—not quite what you'd expect.

If it weren’t for the title, it would be difficult to know who’s narrating at first and what they are—a different type of vampires that felt kind of refreshing.

It was difficult for me to start, but then the story suddenly picks up. I don’t think I am the right audience for this book, as it’s almost a constant string of sex scenes, with some mystery about a third party who enters their open relationship, and turns out not to be what they seem to be.

For the right readers, I feel it will be ecstatic, provocative, and amusing.

Many thanks to both Creature Publishing and NetGalley  for the ARC, provided in exchange for my honest and personal review.

Publication date: Oct 07 2025

Publisher: Creature Publishing

Rating: 🟊🟊⯪☆☆

Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop by Jessica Redland

Finally, a proper romance with meaningful soul-searching, something I usually miss in this kind of story. I must say I absolutely loved it, and it moved me emotionally several times throughout the book. I smiled, and, yes, I cried–more than once. 

Original title: Winter Nights at the Bay Bookshop

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Expected publication date: Sep 09 2025

This is the story of Bay Bookshop co-owner, Lily, who’s had a couple of bad romantic experiences and is fed up with the men in her life. Now, she’s facing a different problem: her stepfather and business partner needs surgery, and they need to fill in his position during the 4-month recovery period.

On the other hand, there is Lars–a half-English half-Icelandic guy who has just sold his company and has nothing to occupy his time and mind. Now lost, he finds himself looking for his next professional adventure. A book lover, he’s drawn to the vacancy at Lily's Bay Bookshop, but he suffered all throughout his youth because of his accent, his family and at school… and he unleashed that anger on Lily, his schoolmate, back then.

Will they be able to overcome their past and find a way to work together? Could something new spark between them—something powerful enough to heal wounds both old and new?

→ SPOILER ALERT (jump to next part if you haven't read it yet).

There are a couple of things that slightly pissed me off and they are the reason I am not giving it the full 5 stars: first, Lily’s attitude about the boy who “needs to be fixed”, and second, the idea that after two disastrous relationships, one date with a new guy and she’s already thinking about her wedding dress? Seriously, girl? Didn't we learn? I think that's all for the negatives...

→ You are safe again.

Again, this is a heartfelt story of loss, love, and rediscovery—but above all, about family bonds and finding the right person.

There was a point in the story where I thought there was something about this street and its traders that I should know about but didn’t. I found out in the final acknowledgments that this is Redland’s 27th book, and I believe that some of the previous ones are set in this area. It was a vague feeling, though, and it didn’t really affect my reading experience. 

However, I wanted to comment on this to praise Jessica Redland for achieving that. It’s not easy, especially after writing so many books, as I mentioned in this cozy mystery review or yet in this one and this other one. Although there are writers who really do a good job in this area too. 

Ms. Redland had an advantage, though, as the characters do change from one story to the next.

 

Finally, a big thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Special quotes (beware of vague spoilers):

- “From now on, only books were allowed to reduce me to tears.” (Lily, chapter 5).

- “I’m sure those happy memories will keep coming back to you when you’re ready for them.” (Lily, chapter 50).

Rating: ★★★★⯪

If you're interested in romance, you'll find more reviews following this link.

You can also follow me on Instagram and Goodreads.

Cinnamon Spice Inn by Harper Graham

Madison left Maple Falls six years ago for a brilliant NYC career, leaving behind  the small-town life, her family, and her young love, Zach. Her mother’s passing hasn’t help her want to return to the memories and pain, but an anonymous letter urges her to come back and help her father and the family inn before it falls apart.

The plot has great potential. The characters are mostly likable and their relationships and backgrounds are strong. You can feel the MCs belong together—you yearn for them. It also makes you want to visit the small town of Maple Falls, feel the calm, the coziness, and eat all the pastries and dishes! 

Original title: Cinnamon Spice Inn

Publisher: Bookouture

Expected publication date: Aug 28th, 2025.

However, I personally felt the narrative a bit weak and kind of repetitive (same wording, same phrasing, too many times). As a debut, I truly hope Harper Graham improves and grows into a great romance author—the ideas and potential are definitely there!

This books is about roots: resentment, revival of young love, finding the way back home, and family. I wouldn’t label it enemies-to-loves. It works as it is without marketing it to the wrong audience.

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens

A Black Southern family drama that deals as much in tenderness and humor as it does in brutality, Addie E. Citchens’s Dominion reveals the many sinister ways in which we are shaped by fear and patriarchy.

As I started reading, I quickly realised the synopsis did not do it justice — it was not what I expected. And how happy I was to uncover its twists and turns.

This is a fast, compelling and engaging read, cleverly written from the POV of two women, each with her own authentic voice.

Set in a small town in southern Minessota called Dominion, the story follows a family led by a Reverend highly respected by the community, his wife and their five grown-up children—all independent, except for one: Wonderboy, a 17-year-old angel who still lives with his parents.

On the other hand, there’s Diamond, a poor 17-year-old girl who lives with her adoptive mother. Rejected by her birth mother and separated from her siblings, she had endured a hard life—until she finally finds love with Wonderboy.

Same community, same church, yet two different worlds apart divided of money, respect and appearances. Appearances that will soon turn their lives upside down.

I truly admire how the story evolves from blindness to realisation. Two women—one young one older—finding their way through the structures of patriarchy.  

The ending was unexpected and satisfying. However, I would have liked that the character's change of heart that led to it, was developed a little further, it felt rushed.

I found the wordplay between the town’s name and the concept of patriarchal male dominance to be quite clever.

For a debut novel, congratulations—I look forward to seeing what more she will share with the world.

Dominion 

Publication date: Aug 19, 2025

Editorial: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Interesting quote or description: 
“That was so forever ago; a tune snuck into my mind, a bit about time slipping, slipping into the future.”

Expected for Aug 19 2025, this is a honest personal opinion. I’d like to thank Farrar Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for this post.

Rating: 🟊🟊🟊🟊⯪ 

African Folktales For The Young At Heart by Abubakar Yusuf Ibrahim

(In English, below)

African Folktales For The Young At Heart (Hausa Tales of Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder) es una compilación de 20 fábulas que bien podrían ser contadas antes de ir a la cama o alrededor del fuego en una acampada.

Es un libro corto de 100 páginas, ilustrado y ameno, y aunque no comprendiera todas las moralejas, muchas me hicieron sonreír. 

Título original: "African Folktales For The Young At Heart

Hausa Tales of Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder"

Fecha de publicación: 15/08/2025

Editorial: Iskanchi Press (miembro IBPA)

La mayoría de protagonistas están representados por animales, y es curioso qué atributos les achaca cada cultura a cada uno de ellos. En este caso, son relatos tradicionales del norte de Nigeria con especial protagonismo de serpientes, cabras, hienas y chacales. 

Eso sí, los valores son similares en todas las sociedades, aún distantes, transmitiendo valores fundamentales y universales como la amabilidad, el karma, la sabiduría, el aprendizaje, advirtiendo contra otros negativos como el mal carácter o la codicia.

Si te gustan las historias y/o cultura africanas o simplemente quieres ver el mundo a través de otros ojos, te animo a leer estos cuentos tradicionales. 

Gracias NetGalley e Iskanchi Press por este ejemplar anticipado. ¡Espero que en el futuro, haya más compilaciones de este tipo!

Puntuación: ★★★★☆

The Little Island Flower Stall by Tilly Tennant

I loved this story! The perfect “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” kind of feel-good page-turner.

Bella discovers that her husband of 15 years is a *** cheater and decides to leave him for good. This is her journey to self-discovery, and you’ll find yourself rooting for her heart and soul to heal. 

At the same time, her 93-year-old great-aunt suffers an injury and needs help keeping her seaside flower stall running, so Bella jumps at the opportunity and visits her, rediscovering her childhood memories on the British island of Jersey. With the life-wisdom and loving support of her great-aunt, Bella finds herself standing tall very soon–holding her head high, as it should be.

I loved the historic background and discovering the island’s fight to defeat the Nazis that invaded their land. It adds to the typical rom-com and wraps it in a light mystery that I was completely grateful for. I must say that I like learning something new from each book I read, and this tale delivered.

I also enjoyed Bella’s internal struggle about her situation, and although she jumps straight into this new relationship with a complete stranger, it feels fluid, and she does it with some sense.

The love interest’s plot itself is quite original, although predictable; however, it’s cozy and mysterious, that ends in a moving way, full of heart.

The Vanishing Bookstore by Helen Phifer

This is a story about Dora, a florist who lives in London with her only family, her aunt Lenny. One day, a creepy guy called George appears in her shop and raises all kinds of red flags for her aunt, who convinces Dora to go visit Salem.

There she finds not only that they are witches, but that she has two more family members, a beloved pet and a long-lost love.

With their help, she embarks on a voyage of self-discovery and the process of learning about her blocked magic powers. She has to do it fast in order to recover the book that will save them from a curse to relive their lives over and over, hunted by the witch-hunter, George Corwin.

I highly enjoyed the story, it is very entertaining and fun in the right places.

There are flashbacks to tell the story about their several past lives, but they are not the typical flashback chapters, instead appearing as passages where the main character regains her memory. I found it very original and beautifully accomplished.

However, just as an improvement, I found that the learning process could have been more meaningful. With time being of the essence, everything goes kind of smoothly—or let’s say, too smoothly. I would have liked her to struggle a bit more. She achieved everything important she set out to do on the first attempt.

Furthermore, I would have liked the bookstore to have more weight or presence, almost like another character. I found myself a little (just a little) disappointed by the title (maybe I like bookstores slightly too much, and that’s the reason!).

Overall, it was a beautiful and entertaining read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories filled with magic, self-discovery, and a touch of romance.

A Hired Kill (Garrett Mann #2) by Steven Konkoly

First, I would like to thank the Thomas & Mercer publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC version of #AhiredKill in the Garrett Mann saga in exchange for this review, which is completely personal and freely offered.

This is a fast-paced, action-filled adventure featuring Garrett Mann as the leader of a mismatched team of not very rule-abiding FBI agents and Mexican ex-different-forces that find themselves involved in a plot much bigger than they initially expected.

This is the continuity of the previous book in the saga, A Clean Kill. Having not read the first one, I was thrown into the dynamics of a group of characters with many names that were initially hard to keep track of. However, some of them grow on you as you turn the pages.

It really is an action thriller, with a little heart that I would have liked it a bit more explored. What I liked the most is the delicate balance Mann and Serrano had to maintain. They had mutual respect and admiration, but duty intertwined with the pact they had made, and they had to dance around that sense of betrayal that strains their relationship.

Apart from Mann and Serrano, there were a few characters that I really liked, such as James or Gupta, they had something special that ticked. I really liked how James casually pretended not to hear the news. The group's playful ways of teasing Gupta, when he doesn’t catch on to sarcasm. These moments are what make the characters both likable and memorable. And when there are so many, this is important.

There were other personal plots that weren't developed enough. It's hinted that Serrano and Mann had feelings for each other, but then... there's no follow-up on that. The ending also felt a little bit incomplete. I don't want to spoil the very end, but there aren't enough clues to tell if that's the conclusion or if there will be a sequel. I would have appreciated more hints leaning toward the latter.

Expected publication date: May 27, 2025  

Overall, it was a well-paced action thriller. Quite entertaining. However, I highly suggest reading them in order, starting with A Clean Kill.

Puntuación: 3,75/5*

The Breaker (The Shattered Bones) by David A. Santana

I'll start by stating that... I absolutely loved this ride! The wide range of feelings in this book is abysmal, it has been a complete rollercoaster.

You change from pity to hate, to comprehension and love, once and again. You feel the tension and the internal discussions; you doubt alongside the main character (yes, the serial killer!) and sometimes even approve of his choice (yes, *that* choice, even you'd never do it in real life, of course)... Most times, both his doubts and his statements appeal to your core.

The flashbacks are very well intertwined with the "present" (2017), and I especially liked the jumping forward from one period of his youth to another. I felt the warmth of his family, his love for them. I really appreciated the backstories and was eager for those chapters.

I thought of the FBI agent's first chapter as an intrusion, as the novel was quite advanced and felt out-of-the-blue; it had nothing to do with the rest of the story. But next time he reappeared, I was ready and also enjoyed them.

I loved every page, I'll be waiting for the next one. Yes, there will be another one, as the final cliffhanger is spectacular. As a reader who usually gets plot twists easily, I thought I knew when their ways were going to cross but... nope! It was much better and unexpected.

And I loved that it was only hinted at, not explained like the reader is stupid. We are not. Thank you.

I totally recommend it!

If you want to see the writer's reaction of my review, you can enjoy it in my instagram and, once there, follow us both!

Puntuación: 5/5

The Marriage Gap Year by Yannick Thoraval

Looking at the title and cover, I expected one of these two things:

- Option One: a hilarious ride for the female character, escaping the "marriage prison" and discovering friends and life, flirting, changing jobs, etc.

- Option Two: a meaningful journey towards self-discovery, about the yearning for the idea of the freedom of single life and, once having tasted it, wanting to return to the comfort of marriage.

I started reading it, excited about the main idea and the laughs that would come, as the story mixes a bit of both; but the result was a little bit on the disappointing side. 

The husband, Rob, is described as a loving but dull alcoholic, skilled in his job but lacking a high level of education (I don't know why *that* was so important). The wife, Emma, is described as a college-educated woman stuck in life: a job in the wrong company, boring marriage, lack of sex and a kid leaving for college.

The result of it is Emma asking Rob for a year without any contact in order to rediscover herself, her needs and what she wants in life.

Their year is quite different for each of them:

Rob is handed a beautiful construction project surrounded by capable women, as an analogy to his frustrated marriage, and has to navigate the ways to work alongside these young colleagues and their new views on work and life. During this time, he grows in depth and develops a self-consciousness that is quite enjoyable. There is quite a lot of solitude, so we spend long periods in his head, understanding his actions, backstory, motivations and problems.

Emma, on the other hand, finds a place to live in the centre and goes out with her younger colleagues. She flirts with a guy, and yes, she sticks with this first younger man she encounters after "leaving a marriage where she felt stuck". I found it kind of depressing. And disappointing. In addition, she reconnects with her college friend, Kendry, who stays single and free, but has her own problems. Emma soon discovers that this freedom is not "for free".

What I appreciated:

First, I enjoyed the portrait of Melbourne, I went back to sweet memories of the city and found myself promenading and gazing again at the sight of crystal skyscrapers on both sides of the Yarra River.

There are a couple of scenes that I found funny, one with Emma and Erik at his house, and some with Rob and Sareena, who is the most likable character in the whole thing. She pushes Rob and explains things in a way he understands; in the end, she is the one who helps him evolve into a less old-fashioned, providing macho role.

I also enjoyed the generational clash Emma has to struggle with. Her 48-year-old woman's lifestyle and ideals against the late-Millennial/GenZ's.

I liked that Emma was not right about everything: she pushes her son into college and he soon discovers that it's not for him, she doesn't understand nor supports this, but Rob does. However, I found it satisfying that she doesn't give up and goes back to the marriage at the end, although things don't go well for her outside of it. 

I didn't enjoy that she had everything handed to her, though. She listens to a podcast, then she starts running but doesn't follow, she asks for interviews and does not prepare for them, she wants to enjoy life, but she seems to rely heavily on others for direction—what does she do the rest of her time?

Also, even though there are chapter separations as the seasons pass, I found it hard to know how much time passed between one scene and the other: days? Weeks? Months? There was no indication and I felt lost many times.

However, I must say that all the good vibes were quite short and not deepened enough, so they were not enough altogether to be a completely enjoyable experience.

 Thank you #Netgally for the opportunity of reading this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Puntuación: 2.5/5

Afterlife University: Game Knot Over by Jack Chaucer

I read it as a short story in Netgaley, but it was so short I finished before knowing what I was doing.

Too many characters for such a short thing, so it was difficult to really care about them.
Nevertheless, at the end, I surprisingly found myself wanting to know what would happen afterwards.

It looks like a prologue to something more...

Puntuación: 2.5/5