The Hike by Lucy Clarke

Every year, four school friends take a trip for a long weekend to reconnect. The destination usually involves sun and sand, but this year Liz has decided they should go hiking in Norway. The night before they start they all gather in a lounge bar where they discover that a woman had gone missing on the very mountain they'll be hiking and the locals warn them about everything from the weather to haunting superstitions. Each woman has their own secret that could tear the group apart, but as dangers mount they learn they need to rely on each other to survive. 

The story just has this underlying ominous vibe what with the disappearance, the feelings of being watched, and the overall haunting feel of the mountain. It was interesting seeing each woman's secret come to light and how the other friends reacted to it. Lace your boots up tight for this thrilling adventure with so many twists and turns!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

Abby Stern has finally made it to a point in her life that she can accept her plus-sized body and be happy with herself. Sure, her career is still a question and her relationship with her childhood fat camp boyfriend is getting more serious than she's ready for, but she still has her bike and the freedom it provides. Even though they grew up in similar fat shaming situations, Abby can't help but feel judged by Mark, who's now half his former size and his diet strictly regimented. When he starts pressuring her to move in with him, she's happy to get a reprieve and time away in the form of a two week bike trip through New York to Niagara Falls. But then who should show up but her mother, who's always pressured her about her weight, and a Sebastian, a one night stand from two years ago that she can't seem to forget.

This book is full of a diverse cast of characters, from the group of elderly bicyclists to a troubled teen with a secret. I thought the bike trip setting of this story was unique and interesting, the alternating chapters between characters kept the story fresh and gave a different perspective, and the scenery descriptions were beautiful. The only thing I didn't like was how often weight and fat shaming were mentioned. Even though Abby claims to have accepted her body size, her perceptions of herself and how she thought other puerile judged her were very negative. Overall, however, I did enjoy the book and will recommend it to others.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Love to Hate You by Camilla Isley

Travis Hunt was forced to give up his life as a big city lawyer when his father died and his mom was struggling to keep their family ranch afloat. And, unable to keep a long distance relationship going, he seems destined to avoid being set up by the daughters or granddaughters of the women of Emerald Creek, his hometown. That is until one day he meets a beautiful city girl in stilettos trying to sweet talk his cow out of the road.  

Samantha is a movie producer from New York City, forced to nowheresville Indiana to oversee the filming that's fallen behind. Turns out the mayor is holding out on their permits in order to get more money and improvements for their town. When she sites up at his office, she's shocked to find out that he's the irritatingly hot son of her current landlady. 

Ohhhh, Mr. Mayor! This charming cowboy checks all the boxes for Samantha and I hated the struggle of her having to leave for lack of job prospects and him unable to leave Emerald Creek. These two were so great together that I'm glad there was only a hint of a breakup before the inevitable brilliant solution and HEA. The side characters, small town busybodies, and especially the farm animals added a lot of humor to the story. This is the third book I've read in this series and I think it's also my favorite. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Last One by Will Dean

This book is intense, exciting, and full of action and plot twists. The writing is smooth and flows easily from one scene to the next. The main character has a complicated past that adds a level of mistrust to everyone she meets and is explained gradually throughout the book. There's an underlying sense of doom, especially the first half of the book, that adds tension to the whole story. 

From the book description:

When Caz steps onboard the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica, it’s the start of a vacation of a lifetime with her new love, Pete. On their first night they explore the ship, eat, dance, make friends, but when Caz wakes the next morning, Pete is missing.

And when she walks out into the corridor, all the cabin doors are open. To her horror, she soon realizes that the ship is completely empty. No passengers, no crew, nobody but her. The Atlantica is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is the only person on board. But that’s just the beginning of the terrifying journey she finds herself trapped on in this white-knuckled mystery.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Déjà Glitch by Holly James

It's been 147 days of the same random Thursday over and over on a time loop and Jack seems to be the only one aware of it. He's tried so many things to break out of it until he discovers that Gemma is the key. If he can make her fall in love with him in 24 hours, maybe time can move on. But every morning, it's the same thing with her looking at him like a stranger as he falls even more in love with her. Until one night at her best friend's birthday party, he leaves her with a kiss and the plea to "please, remember me!". The next morning, Gemma has an odd feeling of déjà vu as she goes through her morning routine until she crashes into an oddly familiar stranger. She has no memory of who he is, but as she looks at his face, she can picture the best kiss of her life while her favorite song plays. Could the 148th Thursday be the day they fall in love?

My problem with time loop books is the repetitive scenes and the feeling of wasting my time reading the same thing over. This book didn't do that. The story starts with the kiss that shocked things out of pattern, and Gemma and Jack's decisions the next day that change everything. We don't have to slog through 147 things that didn't work, although some are briefly mentioned. I love Jack's determination to start over every day trying something new and living with the heartbreak of Gemma looking at him like a stranger. I thought the book was a sweet and unique clean romance. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen

At twenty-four, Catherine Sterling is still living with her mother Ruth. It has always been the two of them, dependent on each other. But now Catherine is ready to spread her wings and start her new job in Baltimore. But the more plans she makes, the harder her mother clings to her. Ruth has always been secretive about her past but when she accidentally lets a small truth out one night, Catherine starts to doubt if her whole life isn't a lie. 

I kept my description deliberately vague because I think it's best to go into the story blind. As the truth unfolds, I was frantically flipping pages to discover the next twist. This book is a wild ride! And the epilogue left me wondering what will happen long after the story ends.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.