The Rebound by Catherine Walsh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When Abby loses her fiancé, her house and her job, she escapes home to Ireland.
Shortly after her arrival she meets a mysterious and attractive stranger. Sparks fly between the two of them however it isn’t long until Abby realizes that the mysterious hottie is her neighbor, Luke. Luke who she grew up with. Luke who she barely paid attention to but who certainly remembered her.
Firstly this was an incredible well-written book. I’ve been struggling to get into reading again but within a few seconds of reading this book I was hooked!
Secondly I kept highlighting sentences because there were so many parts that I related to.
I loved the character of Abby and found her really relatable. All the characters here are incredibly well fleshed out. The plot is intriguing. I couldn’t put the book down. A little bit of rom com was exactly what I needed and I enjoyed myself immensely
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Category: Books
September TBR
I haven’t done a TBR post in forever! I also haven’t picked up a book in forever. I hate being an adult. Anyway I have lots of great books- some from publishers and some that I have purchased myself. Here is my ambitious September TBR.

- The Subtle Act of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson- For reasons unknown to me, I ordered this journal from Jonathan Ball publishers. Two pages in, I was hooked and had to go get the novel itself.
- Twisted Love by Ana Huang- I requested this from Jonathan Ball publishers. I heard lots of great things about this book on BookTok but personally it has not grabbed my attention.
- When Women were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill-This was another book from Jonathan Ball publishers but this one I love. I actually only read two lines but it grabbed me instantly. I haven’t finished it because I feel like this is the sort of book where you need to block out time in your schedule and sit down with snacks.
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson- I have the entire boxset that was given to me by Jonathan Ball publishers. Again I feel this is a series to binge and I don’t the time for that. (Can I just quit my job for a month and read all the books?)
- Family of Liars/We Were Liars by E. Lockhart- These are books that look like they can be finished in one setting but at this point the hype is so great that I am terrified that I will be disappointed.
Have you read any of these books? What does your September TBR look like? Let me know below
Fiction Friday: Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay
Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve been having trouble paying attention to books (thank you, TikTok. Again).
Jane and Marnie have been best friends since high school. They tell each other everything. But when Marnie falls in love with a douchebag, Jane doesn’t admit that she hates him.
But this small lie eventually snowballs until Marnie moves in with and then marries the pretentious ass.
Jane wants to see her best friend happy but why him? (I asked myself this several times over the course of this novel. Marnie’s husband is a slimy pig. Never have I ever hated a fictional character so quickly).
Eventually, Marnie’s husband (sorry, he is not worth remembering. Not even for this review) dies and Jane feels guilty. Maybe if she had spoken up sooner things would be different.
Like I said before, I absolutely loathed this man. So hats off to Elizabeth Kay for making him so hateable.
This was a really well-written book that I read in one go. This was such a rollercoaster of a novel but I loved every second!
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Page to Screen Review: Along for the Ride
Along for the Ride, based on the novel by Sarah Dessen, tells the story of insomniac (and Type A) Auden who goes to visit her dad at a seaside town. While there she encounters the mysterious Eli. Eli is also an insomniac and it isn’t long before the two start to bond.

I definitely think this was worth a watch. I read the book as a high school graduate in that weird in-between phase where uni hadn’t started yet but the days were just a blur. I loved it. I loved the movie too and I think it stayed pretty true to the book.
My only issue (and honestly this really does feel like a “Me problem” is that I hadn’t realised that I had basically grown up to be Auden. Whatever. Go watch this movie if you haven’t already.
Fiction Friday: Book Review- The No-Show by Beth O’ Leary
The No-Show by Beth O’Leary
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from Jonathan Ball publishers in exchange for an honest review.
So despite the cheery cover I assumed that this book was some sort of murder mystery.
It’s not. This is very much a fun little rom-com.
Siobhan, Miranda and Jane are three very different woman who are all involved with the same man.
Think “Tinder Swindler” but without the cash.
I found it interesting that whereas Siobhan and Miranda had actual romantic relationships with Joe. Jane’s relationship seemed to be more of a friendship.
Joe is an expert at becoming whatever the women in his life needs which leaves the reader questioning his motives.
How can a guy who seems so sweet be such a twisted liar? Or is he?
I read through this book desperate to hate Joe but I couldn’t. His actions just left me confused.
However things start to make sense in the end.
Simply put, this book BLEW MY MIND! It was well-written, the characters were fleshed out beautifully and the romance…amazing.
Never have I ever rooted for a guy dating three woman (and I really hope that this was the first and last time)
Definitely give this book a try. Beth O Leary does NOT disappoint!
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Fiction Friday: Book Review- A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee
A Sweet Mess by Jayci Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I needed to track down “A Sweet Mess” after I finished reading “The Dating Dare”. I needed something light and fun and this did not disappoint.
Aubrey runs the bakery, Comfort Zone which she plans on expanding eventually. She has no time for relationships. But when she runs into Landon she decides there is no harm in a one-night-stand.
But Landon accidentally samples an experimental treat from her bakery that he hates and then writes a brutal review for.
When Landon realises that Aubrey is the owner of the bakery, he offers to make it up to her by giving her a spot on a celebrity cooking show.
Desperate to restore her business, she agrees.
But trying to remain professional after their one-night stand proves to be harder than either of them thought. (That’s what she said! I am sorry. The opportunity was there and I had to take it).
This was a read that I finished in one sitting and it was SO GOOD! If you are a fan of contemporary romance give this a try.
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Fiction Friday: Book Review- A Daring Pursuit by Kate Bateman (Ruthless Rivals #2)
A Daring Pursuit by Kate Bateman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The next book in the “Ruthless Rivals” series follows enemies Carys Davies and Tristan Montgomery.
The two delight on picking on each other and from the very first few pages it is clear that there is a strong chemistry here.
Carys has a secret that she is hiding. When Tristan comes dangerously close to finding out the truth about Carys’ scandal, she tries to distract him.
The end result is a bargain between the two of them. They would spend a week together. Tristan would show Carys a good time (and get her out of his system) and once the week is over, they resume their lives.
This was a disastrous idea considering that they had family married and would probably see each other again. However I was fully in support of it in order for the main characters to get together.
I am a bit disappointed that this wasn’t as action-packed as the first book but I did feel like there was much more romance.
This was a delightful read that I recommend to anyone looking for a historical romance.
Fiction Friday: Book Review- Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting
Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received a review copy of this book via Netgalley.
London Sparks is one of the three owners of Spark House, a family-run events company. When she goes out to a bar to celebrate being newly single, her sisters are delighted to see the return of “fun London”. London tends to get too serious when she is in a relationship and her sisters are glad to have her let off some steam.
However while celebrating, London makes intense eye contact with a gorgeous guy who pays for their drinks and then gives London his number. London politely turns him down. Like all newly single people, London has decided to focus on her career.
A few months later, London is stressing about their business, which is rapidly growing, when she receives a call from a multi-million-dollar company who wants to discuss working with her.
London presents to the team but is interrupted by the CEO of the company, Jackson Holt. Who is also the guy from the bar.
London and Jackson eventually start to develop feelings after working together for a while. However Jackson has something in his past that might pose a threat to them being together.
This was a wonderful read that I enjoyed immensely. (Though to be fair, I have not seen a Helena Hunting novel that I did not love). If you are looking for a fun, contemporary romance, give this a go.
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Fiction Friday: Book Review- Ghosted by Emily Barr
Ghosted by Emily Barr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received a review copy of this book on Netgalley. This book hurt me and I was so not ready.
When Ariel’s toxic, hot-tempered father turns his back on their family, Ariel retreats to an abandoned store-room in a corner of the mall. But then she encounters Joe and the two of them exchange numbers.
Joe is on his way to France and he knows he should be excited but he just feels dread.
Ariel tries to text Joe but it turns out that his number is disconnected. Hurt, Ariel goes back to where she met him. There he is, with no memory of her or their meeting. And he still claims that he is leaving to France that afternoon.
Soon Ariel and Joe realize that Joe is reliving the same day over and over. Ariel promises to solve the mystery of Joe but eventually starts to turn her back on her reality in order to fix Joe’s.
I actually have no words to adequately describe this book. It was engaging, it was gripping, it was emotional. IT WAS EVERYTHING!
This book was alot but in the best way possible.
Ariel and Joe are adorable and by the end of the book, I was ugly-crying. If you want a book that is thrilling and will not let you go, I recommend this one.
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“This addictive enemies-to-lovers romance…captures both characters’ intense emotions and undeniable chemistry. It’s sure to have readers hooked.” —Publishers Weekly
Ruthless Rival, an all-new addictive and emotional romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen is now live!

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen comes an enemies-to-lovers romance about the fine line between seeking revenge and finding love.
When she was young, Arya Roth became best friends with her housekeeper’s son. Soon, friendship turned to young love, and when Arya dared him to kiss her, a chain reaction of disastrous events led to the boy being sent away and out of Arya’s life.
Now, two decades later, Arya is an on-the-rise publicist with her beloved father as one of her biggest clients. So when her father is sued by a former employee, Arya sets out to prove that her father is not the monster he is accused of being. The only problem is the attorney who is determined to destroy her father’s good name. Christian Miller is charming, ambitious, and devilishly good looking, and Arya has no idea he is that same boy who kissed her all those years ago.
Past and present collide as Arya falls hard for Christian. But when she finds out who he really is and about his obsession with getting revenge on her father, can she choose love over family?

Fall in love today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3N3FScV
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/RuthlessRivalLJ
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3tlAkmf
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3N32B9b
Add Ruthless Rival to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3IoIVJ6

About LJ Shen
L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
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