Review: Writing Mr. Wrong

 

After her divorce, Gemma wrote a romance novel; no one wanted to publish it. She wrote another one featuring an asshole alpha. He's based off a guy she knew in high school who now plays professional hockey. 

On the day of the book's publication, Gemma's on the local morning TV show. The host is a woman she went to high school with, and she brings out Mason Moretti. Gemma is stunned to see him and also embarrassed. Mason hasn't read the book, so he's flattered that she based her hero after him. 

After their interview, people start talking about them. Mason's going through a rough patch in his career. He could use a boost of good publicity. He offers Gemma a deal where they fake date for good publicity for them both. After the moments in their past, Gemma's not sure she wants to open that door. But she can't help be tempted by it either.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I love how Gemma and Mason had history from high school. Yes, Mason is kind of a jerk. But he has good intentions, he just needed to stop and think before he acted. I love that Mason was trying to become a better person, but really it was just become the right person for Gemma. I love how he influenced her writing. I loved how he talked about his troubles reading, but that didn't stop him from finding alternatives. 

Cover Thoughts: Funny

 Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your public library's romance collection.

* I loved the Easter Egg to this book:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books about Books

 This week's topic is all about jobs in books. I love reading about authors, libraries, and bookstore owners. Here are some of my favorite bookish stories and a few I want to read:

Read:

Magical Librarians

Reporter

Author

Author

Librarian

Authors

Librarians turned spy

Currently Reading:

Author

Want to read:

Bookstore

Fake author

Librarians

Librarians

Bookstore

Author

Any of these on your list to read too? Or have you read any of these? 

I'm such a sucker for bookish books. 

Christmas Romance Review: All I Want for Christmas

Jessica Carrington always wanted her own happily ever after. But, until that happens, she spends her days as a small-time romance writer, penning satisfying Happily Ever Afters to soothe the heartache left by her ex-boyfriend Nick Matthews, a fellow romance writer and now her biggest rival, who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. It's clearly what he's good at, after all . . .

So, when their professional obligations find them snowed in - and forced to share a room! - at the same remote inn a few days before Christmas, Jess and Nick are both fuming. But what's more fitting for two romantic writers in a slump? And when they realise the friction between them might be the only cure for their writer's block, they decide to turn their frustration into fiction . . . and the pages start flying.

Jess can't shake the feeling that Nick is the last guy on earth she should be falling for (again), but, as they both finally get back in their flow, is he actually all she wants for Christmas? - summary from the publisher

My Thoughts: I loved this one. I loved how they were both not over each other. I loved how they both had writer's block but after trading barbs on social media, the words start flowing again. Then they get stuck snowed in at the book event. At breakfast, it comes out that they are essentially writing the same book, an editor suggests they write the book together. There was so much banter and flirting in this book. I loved it so much, I handed it off to a co-worker. And now I need to read the author's other works. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Recommendation: Highly recommended for your romance collection

BookTok: Neighbor Favor

Chatting about this fun book:

@yabooknerdlibrarian My new favorite book! So charming and bookish. Just perfect! 😍🤩😍 #booksoftiktok #bookishbooks #Inverted ♬ original sound - Jennifer @YA Book Nerd 📚📚📚

Picture Book Wednesday: Just Like Beverly

A biography about the amazing children's author Beverly Cleary. This was a short biography (48 pages) but it was full of information. I loved learning more about her childhood and how that influenced her writing. I love learning about her childhood experiences with books and how that led her to become and librarian. Her time as a librarian also influenced her writings. I loved learning how her first book became a book.

An inspiring read about the importance of books!

Library Recommendation: A must have book for school and public libraries.

Blog Tour: The Lady and the Highwayman

About the Book:

Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls’ school and a well-respected author of “silver-fork” novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories—the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Mr. King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks.
 
Fletcher Walker began life as a street urchin, but is now the most successful author in the Penny Dreadful market, that is until Mr. King started taking all of his readers--and his profits. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher’s fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the rights of the less-fortunate.
 
Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher approaches Miss Black. As a fellow-author, she is well-known among the high-class writers; perhaps she could be persuaded to make some inquiries as to Mr. King’s whereabouts? Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher, if only to insure her secret identity is never discovered. 
  For the first time, Elizabeth experiences the thrill of a cat-and-mouse adventure reminiscent of one of her own novels as she tries to throw Fletcher off her scent. But the more time they spend together, the more she loses her heart. Its upper-class against working-class, author against author where readers, reputations, and romance are all on the line. (Summary from the publisher)

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this Victorian Romance. I loved the dual perspectives. I loved the Penny Dreadful writing in between the story. I liked learning more about this style of writing. I loved the Dreadful Penny Society and how they helped children escape from the terribleness of life and gave them hope. I love how the network of children looked out for each other. I enjoyed the school life and the discussion of education females. I enjoyed the banter between Elizabeth and Fletcher. Lots of secrets, danger, and action kept me turning the pages to discover what was going to happen next.

About the Author:

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today Bestselling author of witty and charming historical romances, including Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, as well as 2014 Whitney Award winner for "Best Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.