Wednesday, December 24

Audiobook Review: Unmask Me If You Can by Shana Galen


Author: Shana Galen
Narrator: Victoria Aston
Title: Unmask Me if You Can
Series: The Survivors #4
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: Audiobook
Published: November 6, 2018
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)



Summary: 
This masked lord...
Lord Jasper, younger son of a marquess, suffered horrible burns fighting in the Napoleonic Wars. He wears a mask to hide his face from the stares and screams and finds comfort in the shadows. Jasper is an exceptional bounty hunter, so when a woman summons him to her deathbed and asks him to find her runaway daughter before she passes away, he doesn't refuse. Jasper is close to his quarry when he's knifed by an assailant. Imagine his surprise when he regains consciousness in the arms of the woman he seeks. Except she's not at all what he expected.

Is not the only one with scars.
On a remote cliff on the sea, Olivia Carlisle calls her five-year-old son in from an approaching storm. But the little boy is more interested in the man he's found on the trail to their hidden cottage. Olivia fears men and wants nothing more than to leave the injured man where she found him. But his knife wound is severe, and with the approaching storm, she knows leaving him will condemn him to death. As Jasper begins to heal, Olivia acknowledges her attraction to him, even though such emotions terrify her almost as much as returning to London. Jasper must convince her that her only chance at safety is to challenge the man who pursues her. They must travel into the lion's den—he to face his vulnerability and she to face her worst fears.

Review:
Had some issues with the last book, so I was hesitant to keep on going. However, the cover drew me in and I was super curious and hopeful for Jasper. He really deserves love!

Here we have Jasper who one of the survivors. He was mentally scarred and physically. He hides behind a mask because of the scars. He accepts jobs to find people and he is hired to find Olivia who ran away 5 years ago. Easy peasey. Right? As he finds her, he is attacked and left for dead. Olivia drags him to her cottage on a remote cliff near a small village. She fears men, but she can't leave him to die. As she heals him, she starts to like him and that terrifies her. After some time they grow to trust each other and they realize that her time of hiding is over. 

This one was really sad, but happy all at the same time. These two people are so damaged and so hurt. Through friendship and love, they start healing together. I really loved this slowburn. Yes, the lust is there, but they both need the time to trust the other and themselves. 

Jasper was a heartthrob. I loved him so much. I liked him in the other books, but we got to see the man behind the mask and I ended up loving him. Olivia was perfect for him. Sweet girl. And her son? What an angel of a boy. 

The author did a wonderful job with this story of healing. It didn't happen over night. But it didn't ruin the "romance". It was very sweet and still a sprinkle of spicy to make it fun. 

The conclusion of a baddie was lovely. I did want more. Maybe we'll more of his downfall later in another book. It surely can't be the last we see of that monster. 

The narrator was pure perfection for these characters. All the voices felt different. 

All-in-all, this renewed my spirits with the series. I was let down a bit with the last one, but this one has me excited for more. I hope we see Jasper and Olivia make some cameos. They were so sweet. 5 stars from me. 





 Challenge(s):
- Audiobook #62

Tuesday, December 23

Book Review: Highland Hearts Holiday Bookshop by Tricia O'Malley


Author: Tricia O'Malley
Title: Highland Hearts Holiday Bookshop
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy
Format: ebook
Pages: 338
Published: December 2, 2024
Where I got It: Kindle Unlimited



Summary: 
The universe is playing a joke on me.

An unexpected inheritance has gifted me with the dream of a lifetime – owning a charming bookshop in small-town Scotland. Little did I know this gift comes with a surprise – Highland Hearts bookshop has been running an underground magical matchmaking service – and as new owner of the shop, I am expected to deliver on these matches.

As Christmas looms, and lonely hearts beg for love, I’m tossed into the world of magic and romance, aided by a meddling book club who seems more interested in romance than reading.

The problem is – I just don’t believe in love. Or so I thought.

It turns out there’s one local bird nerd and Scottish hottie, Alexander MacTavish, who has my heart all aflutter. While he’s more into puffins than paperbacks, I can’t help but notice he’s showing up at the bookshop to help every time something goes wrong. Maybe it’s my determination to have an adventure, or maybe it’s the magic, but every time tall, dark, and grumpy enters my bookshop, I find myself wanting to read up on birds just to catch his attention.

As my newfound magic falters, and the town enters my shop into a cutthroat Christmas window decorating competition, I find myself working side-by-side with Alexander, who seems just as determined to avoid love as I am.

With Christmas fast approaching, I must figure out if I can suspend my disbelief and make the match of a lifetime – my own.


Review:
Awww I really like this author! She is so much fun and has such good ideas!

Here we have Rosie who has never taken a gamble or reached for anything. Everything she has settled for. She finally wakes up when she inherits a bookshop from a distant relative in Scotland. This is the new, fresh start she needs! Along with books, she is tossed into some magic, puffins, a hot man named Alexander, and a cutthroat Christmas window decorating competition. She will need Alexander's help to meddle through. 

This was adorable and I didn't want to stop reading. 

Loved the puffin. 

Loved the small town. 

Loved the magic element. 

Loved Alexander. 

Loved Rosie. 

Loved the book club!

It was adorable and fun for the holiday season. I def recommend this one! Too cute. Super fresh. 

5 stars. 



Monday, December 22

Blodeuedd's Monday: The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

Narrated by: Joanne Froggatt, Mark Noble, Asif Khan, Gemma Whelan, Simon Harvey

Release date: 12-30-25

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher: Tantor Media

Fiction/to review


Have I ever heard of the Yorkshire Ripper? No, but he killed a lot of people! Those few years must have been quite scary for women.

Miv is 12. Her mother is not really present, but she does not know why. She is just there. Her dad is busy at work and her aunt is staying with them. Everyone is talking about the Ripper, and they are told to be careful. Even if he goes after a certain kind of women, something she is not sure what it means either.

But together with her best friend Sharon she makes list of suspects and they investigate. During their investigations they make new friends, and find things that are not right. But how to solve problems when you are just a child?

It does get sad too, I did not expect it to get sad, but you are warned.

It was a really interesting book, I do confess to checking out who the ripper actually was in the end. I was just so curious! But I also managed to forget the name so I never knew what would happen.

A story of growing up.

There is quite a cast of narrators, 5 in total, that pop in here and there. And it works well, mostly it is Mivs POV, but there are other people around her too.



Twelve-year-old Miv is panicking. Life has been complicated since her mom got sick, and now her dad is talking about wanting to move their family away from the town Miv has lived in her whole life—because of the murders. Young women are dying, everyone is afraid, and no one knows who the culprit might be.

But as far as Miv is concerned, leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn't an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv's mum stopped talking. Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?

So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a a list of all the suspicious people and things on their street. People they know. People they don't. But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighborhood, within their families—and between each other—than they ever thought possible. What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?

Saturday, December 20

2026 Romance Reading Bingo Challenge



Hosted by: Blodeuedd @ Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell Jen @ That's What I'm Talking About Carole @ Carole Rae's Random Ramblings

We are doing it again in 2026! It's the Romance Reading Bingo Challenge (#RRBC2026), hosted by Carole, Linda, and Jen! The challenge is to read a book and check the boxes.

List of Challenges (Romance books):

  • Re-read
  • Wedding trope
  • Wallflower/Ugly Duckling
  • Office romance
  • Blind Date/Arranged Marriage
  • Number in the title
  • Cat/Dog on the cover
  • TBR over 2+ years
  • Part of a series you meant to go back to
  • Published in 2026
  • Duke in the title
  • Alien/Cyborg romance
  • Secret Royal/Billionaire
  • Pink Dress on the cover
  • Audiobook with 2+ narrators
  • MC Works in the Food Industry
  • Non-Regency Historical romance
  • Small Town romance
  • Second Chance
  • Sunset/Sunrise on the cover
  • Book starts with same letter as your name
  • LGBTQ+
  • Necktie on the cover
  • Travel / Vacation
  • Non-Christmas Holiday

Rules:

  • It MUST BE a genre romance book (HFN/HEA).
  • One box per book. If your book meets more than one box, you have to pick just one.
  • No changing the box. Once you put a book in a box, you can't move it.
  • Books can be used in other challenges. (examples: Goodreads, Library Love, TBR, Audiobook, etc.)
  • The goal is to get at least one BINGO! (see levels below)
  • The challenge runs from January 1 to December 31, 2026.
  • You may join whenever.
Bingo Levels: 1 or 2 Bingos: Beginner 3 Bingos: You're getting the hang of this! 4 Bings: Expert Level Entire Sheet: Supreme Ruler of Bingo! If you want to add your blog or Goodreads to the list, click on the linky below. NOTE: You do not have to have a blog or URL to sign up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
So what level will you try in 2026?