Best of March

Happy April everyone!

Here are our faves for March. 

Best Book of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne

"Haunted house, toxic family. Great story."

Carole -  Turn of Fate by Anne Bishop

"I really, really fell in love with this book. 100% recommended."

Best Movie of the Month:

Carole -  Dracula - A Love Tale (2025)

"Loved it. It's stuck in my head."

Blodeuedd - Nada this month. I do not remember at all any movies...

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Love is Blind: Sweden & Stargate (S1 and S2)

"I watched LiB cos I want drama. I also watched Sg1 s2, but then I had to take a break as I binged 2 seasons pretty fast."

Carole - New Girl (s1-s3) & Outlander (s3-s5)

"Going through New Girl again. So stinkin' good. I also watched a lot of Outlander!"

Best Cover of the Month:

Carole's pick: "Cool!"

Blodeuedd's pick: "Cute!"

Cast That Book: The Tempest by William Shakespeare

A weekly meme that showcases my "cast" of a book if it were to become a movie or TV show. Anyone can join!

Well, well, well. I can't believe we are FINALLY bringing this back weekly post back from the dead!! I've been wanting to do it, but 1) I forget and 2) I really didn't know if it was a good idea. 

But let's give a go! I think I might do this once a month or more if I'm feeling inspired. 

For those that are new and haven't been here since 2012 (yes, this is THAT old). The idea is that, I pick a book I recently read and cast it with my dream cast. Anyone can join in. You can do the same book or pick a different book that you read. 

Rules (aka self-imposed...you don't have to follow them)

- A recent book I read

- Only books that I gave a 4 or 5 stars

- Casting the main cast and maybe some of the side characters

- Sky is the limit

For our first book back, let's do 'The Tempest' by William Shakespeare (mainly because I can remember all the characters and I can easily look up the character list). Future books I'll make notes of the names of characters or something. 

Prospero - Idris Elba

Miranda- Halle Bailey

Ariel- Charithra Chandran

Caliban- John Bell

Ferdinand- David Berry

Alonso- Dermot Mulroney

Antonio- Daniel Francis

Sebastian- Josh Lawson

Gonzalo- David Alan Grier

Stephano- Ben Schwartz

Trinculo- Joe Lo Truglio

2-in-1 Audiobook Reviews: A Match Made for Thanksgiving & The One Night

Author: Jackie Lau

Narrator: Khristine Rivière
Title: A Match Made for Thanksgiving

Series: Holidays with the Wongs #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novella
Format: Audiobook
Published: October 8, 2019
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

Advertising executive Nick Wong enjoys living in Toronto. He loves late nights partying and taking women back to his penthouse. And so it is with great reluctance that he returns to his boring hometown of Mosquito Bay for Thanksgiving.

This year, however, is even worse than usual. His interfering parents and grandparents, frustrated with the lack of weddings in the family, have invited blind dates for him and his three siblings. Nick’s brother Greg has been set up with Lily Tseng, who just so happens to be Nick’s latest one-night stand, the one he can’t get out of his mind.

Although Nick has never been interested in settling down, Lily has him reconsidering. Perhaps he’s good for more than a single night of sex, dumplings, and bubble tea after all. But first, he has to get through this painful weekend with his family and convince her that she should be with him, not Greg…

Review:

I meant to read this at Thanksgiving, but I totally forgot all about it. I then meant to save it for Thanksgiving later this year, BUT I couldn't resist. I needed a nice and spicy read for March. Weeee!

Here we follow Nick and Lily. Nick has loved his bachelor's life and doesn't plan to change now. Until he meets Lily. After a wonderful one-night stand with her, he can't get her out of his head. It's Thanksgiving, and he returns to his small hometown to his loving but interfering family. Enter his family, who set up some blind dates for him and his siblings. Lo and behold, Lily walks in, but she is set up with his brother. He will need to spend the weekend convincing her that she should be with him. 

I had a lot of fun with this one. It was cute and sweet. Love watching a womanizer and rogue finally settle down. It's always fun. 

I liked Nick and Lily. You could see the chemistry right away. I loved how different but similar they were at the same time. They are adorable. 

Nick's family was very sweet. Yes, they are a LOT to handle, but they love him, and they fall for Lily, too. So sweet.

My biggest issue was the narration at times. There were times it felt and sounded so robotic. The performance was so stiff at times. It took me out of the story a couple of times because of how stiff and robotic it was.

I really want to read the next book, but I might have to settle for either the ebook version or the physical version. The same narrator reads that one too. 

All-in-all, I did like this a lot. Loved the set-ups. Loved the characters. The spiciness was well done. My only issue was that I struggled at times with the narrator. 

I'll give this 4 stars.  

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #11

- Reading Romance Challenge #8 (Non-Christmas Holiday)

Author: Meghan Quinn

Narrator: Laurie West & Teddy Hamilton
Title: The One Night

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novella
Format: Audiobook
Published: December 14, 2021
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 

Recently divorced Cooper Chance knows he’s officially in a rut when his parents take him barhopping in the hope of resuscitating his love life. At first, he’s skeptical. How could a gritty dive bar possibly solve his problems? But then he runs into Nora McHale.

Nora isn’t at the bar looking for love. She’s there to unwind after yet another exhausting day at her bakery. And even if she were hoping to meet someone, it sure wouldn’t be Cooper—her best friend’s ex-husband.

According to the unwritten rules of romance, Cooper and Nora are completely off limits to each other. But after a fun, flirty night at the bar, they can’t ignore the wild attraction between them.

Is this the beginning of something real, or will their passionate night together be their one and only?

Review:

I needed a Meghan Quinn book, and I picked up this little guy. I'm glad I read a review or two because this is technically a prologue to the next book. Oooo

So Cooper and Nora have known each other for years. They are completely off limits to each other. After a flirty night at a bar and a funny situation....the two realize that their is not just lust between them but something more. However, will their passionate night be their only one? 

This was fun. Cooper's parents were the stars of this little number. I love them so much. I can't wait to see what shenanigans they cause in the next book. Hilarious!!!!!!!!!

I did like Cooper and Nora. The ending was sad. Super sad. I wonder how this will all be resolved. 

The narration team was amazing. I hope they do the next book. 

But yes, adorable with an ending that really isn't an ending. It is a teaser to make you read the next book. And yes, I have it downloaded already. 

4 stars from me. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #11

- Reading Romance Challenge #8 (Non-Christmas Holiday)

Blodeuedd's Monday: Wed for Their Royal Heir by Jackie Ashenden

By: Jackie Ashenden

Narrated by: Julia Eve

Series: Three Ruthless Kings, Book 1

Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins

Release date: 03-31-26

Publisher: Tantor Media

Romance/to review

I decided to give Harlequin a go, I have not read one in ages. And I must say, were they always this passionate? I do not remember it like that since I read these at 10. Not like anything more than normal, but these two really have the hots for each other.

Solace had a one night stand, she was a virgin, they always are, she got pregnant, and omg the babydaddy is a king! And then she was tired, and she did not know she was pregnant and she signed away the rights to her child. 6 months later she is back with a plan to get her child back.

First, the kid is a bastard, he should not be heir, so forget about that plothole. I am sure they have it written in their constitution and like in the olden days when a king married and had kids they were not at all jealous that the bastard got the throne, lol.

King Galen is really alpha, I mean really alpha. He meets Solace again, sparks fly. She wants her son back. He does not want scandal as he told everyone the mother was dead. There is an uncle who wants the throne.

We all know they will get their HEA, and Galen is so alpha so he will make sure he gets his HEA, without scandal.

I did enjoy it. It was short, passionate and I always like fake royal countries

The narrator worked well and did a good job with this book

In a moment of dark despair, a destitute Solace Ashworth gave up her newborn to palace officials. She was sure his wealthy father, King Galen Kouros, could provide the life she never could. Now she’ll do anything to get her baby back—even blackmail the king!

Facing the woman he shared one reckless night with, Galen experiences the same lightning bolt of desire. Then shame at discovering the terrible mistake that tore Solace from their son. There’s only one acceptable option, and it starts with claiming Solace at the royal altar!