Sophie Reads YA: June 2023

June Summary

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2023 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Lovelight Farms (Lovelight #1) by B.K. Borison

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Lovelight Farms
Series: Lovelight #1
Author: B.K. Borison
Published June 6th 2023 by Berkley

Goodreads Synopsis
Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.

A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After buying a Christmas tree farm, Stella Bloom discovered that it isn't quite the winter wonderland she expected it would be. Instead she faces dead trees, raccoons running amok, and shipments going missing just when she needs them. The money is running out, and she needs a miracle to survive the season. In a last ditch attempt to save the farm, she enters a competition with influencer Evelyn St. James. If she wins, it comes with a $100,000 cash prize, as well as the added publicity which might just tide Stella over into another year. However, she told Evelyn she bought the farm with her boyfriend, and she's been decidedly single for years now. Can she ask her best friend Luka to be her fake 'boyfriend', when she's had a crush on him from the beginning?

I was drawn to this book by its cover initially, but as soon as I started it, I was hooked. Stella was a wonderful heroine, and I felt for her so much. Because of her past, she had always wanted some place to call her own, and Lovelight Farms had always been a dream of hers. Unfortunately, it had recently become a bit of a nightmare, and though she worked with her friends, Layla and Beckett, she kept the truth of how bad it was getting from them, and from best friend Luka. She hated having to rely on others, or ask for help, and she was embarrassed that she had been able to do it all herself. Asking Luka to be her fake boyfriend was one thing, but opening up about how bad it all was, even asking him to come to the weird 'thanksgiving' her father hosts each year, it was too much for her feelings to cope with. I loved the way we saw the romance between Stella and Luka come to fruition, as well as how their friendship developed into what it was. They had missed out on so much by keeping their true feelings from each other, though they had been sending messages to each other throughout - the air fresheners were a stroke of genius! I had such a grin on my face while reading this book, and I couldn't be happier than where Luka and Stella's romance was by the end of the book. Hopefully we see them again in the sequels, which I'm dying to get me hands on! A fantastic start to what is set to be a great series!

Dates Read:
May 3-5, 2023

Rating
4 Stars

Christina Britton

Waiting On Wednesday: What’s a Duke Got to Do With It (Synneful Spinsters #2) by Christina Britton

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Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

What’s a Duke Got to Do With It
Series: Synneful Spinsters #2
Author: Christina Britton
Published July 11th 2023 by Forever

Goodreads Summary

Four years ago, a scandal cost Miss Katrina Denby everything. Now, companion to the irascible Lady Tesh and in possession of wonderful friends, she believes her luck has finally changed. Until the man responsible for her ruination returns to England and promptly dies in a fall from her bedroom window. Now the life she had begun to build for herself is in shambles. And not only is she ostracized and vilified, but her friends are suffering as well because of their association with her. Katrina will do anything to gain respectability again and protect those she cares for. But her plans to marry one of the few men who will still have her despite the stain on her name and lack of fortune are thrown into turmoil with the arrival of the only man Katrina ever loved. A man who is now about to become engaged to another.

Sebastian Thorne, Duke of Ramsleigh, was a carefree rogue when he first met and began to fall in love with Katrina. But his father’s horrible actions forced him to give up on his dreams of a future with her. Now, after years of trying to save the dukedom, there is only one option left: to marry, and marry well. But though he has nearly secured the woman—and her fortune—necessary to protect the people who are counting on him, his future father-in-law sends him on one final errand to earn his blessing. What Sebastian doesn’t expect while seeing that job through, however, is Katrina—or that his feelings for her have not faded. In fact, they have only grown stronger, Katrina’s hold on his heart even more powerful than before. With both of their futures on the line and so many lives at stake, will their passion for one another lead to the ruin of them both—or give them a happiness they never dared to dream of?

Goodreads

Why I'm waiting:

Katrina's story was so good, and I'm glad we got to see her get her happy ending!

Are you waiting for this book? Have you already read it? Let me know :)

2023 Beat the Backlist challenge

ARC Review: The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

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The Sun Is Also a Star
Series: None
Author: Nicola Yoon
Published November 3rd 2016 by Corgi Childrens

Goodreads Synopsis
A story of a girl, a boy, and the universe

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Natasha and Daniel are just two teenagers, navigating life in the big city. But underneath their external persona, Natasha has less than 24 hours until she and her family will be deported to Jamaica, and Daniel is struggling with the pressure his family is placing on him. Meeting in the street, again and again, it's as if fate has a hand in their relationship. Will 24 hours be enough to change their lives, and the lives of everyone they meet along the way?

After reading Everything, Everything, I was really looking forward to Nicola's newest book, and overjoyed when I was approved for the eARC. Life got in the way however, and I never actually got around to reading The Sun Is Also a Star until recently. I liked the book, but it was strange, and didn't grip my attention quite like Nicola's debut did. Daniel and Natasha were interesting characters, but the little asides and secondary plot lines started to get on my nerves, and I switched off. I wanted the best for the pair, and Irene's story did keep me hooked, but I honestly found myself skimming the final third or so of the book. I am glad I had got around to reading it, but found myself wishing that maybe I had just done it at the time, because it left me wanting more.

Dates Read:
March 9-12 2023

Rating
3 Stars

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: If Not for the Duke (The Duke’s Lost Treasures #3) by Lana Williams

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If Not for the Duke
Series: The Duke’s Lost Treasures #3
Author: Lana Williams
Published November 30th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Can she keep her secret from the suspicious duke?

While thrilled her older sisters are happily married, Lena Wright doesn’t expect that future for herself. Not when her ability to foresee events causes her such distress. How unfortunate that her intuition places her directly in the path of the grumpiest man in all of London--the Duke of Renwick.

Sterling Dunworth, the Duke of Renwick, learned not to trust others from his father. Lena Wright is intriguing, and he’s grateful to her for befriending his shy sister, but a secret lurks in her beautiful eyes. If only he could remember that after their first kiss.

Lena is dismayed to learn His Grumpiness has launched a search for treasure on Oak Island. But when the famous treasure hunter the duke employs to lead the dig claims instant success, Lena refuses to remain silent.

All Lena wants is to unveil the treasure hunt as a fraud and protect her father’s legacy. She has no desire to hurt Sterling or his sister. Yet with each day that passes, it becomes clear she can’t manage both.

Sterling and Lena aren’t the only ones interested in the supposed treasure on the island, and they must put their love and lives on the line to stop the thief from stealing the most important treasure--the one they’ve found in each other.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

As the youngest Wright sister, Lena has always followed her older sisters. But now the only one unmarried, she's both relishing and hating the silence. And when her 'gift' of feeling when something is about to go wrong occurs at a garden party, with the Duke of Renwick's sister, Lena finds she is drawn to his family like never before. Sterling Dunworth will do anything for his sister, and that includes buying up the rights to dig on Oak Island. He's wary of Lena and Bernice's friendship, as women have tried to befriend Bernie in the past to get closer to him. Lena seems to actually care about Bernie, though, and it's clear that Sterling is the one who is falling.

I enjoyed the romance in this one perhaps the most, but parts of the plot line weren't as enjoyable as previous books. I did like that we got to see Lena's gift more, and learn about the family connection it has. It allowed Lena to come to terms with it more, and see it as less of a curse, and more of a bonus, particularly when it came to the people she loved. Sterling was a grumpy hero, but one who loved hard, and Lena was no exception. They were both wary at first, and tried to fight the attraction, but it was too much for them, and anyway, they were perfect for each other. A lovely way to tie up the series.

Dates Read:
December 19-20, 2022

Rating
3 Stars

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: A Kiss from the Marquess (The Duke’s Lost Treasures #2) by Lana Williams

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A Kiss from the Marquess
Series: The Duke’s Lost Treasures #2
Author: Lana Williams
Published August 4th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
A reclusive marquess meets a spirited lady and nothing will ever be the same.

Norah Wright is filled with guilt for what happened the day her father died while digging for treasure on Oak Island. Determined his work isn’t forgotten, she finds the perfect museum to display the few artifacts he found. But convincing the absentminded marquess who owns it to agree is a challenge.

Simon Webb, the Marquess of Vanbridge, carefully cultivates the artifacts on display at the Museum of Antiquities. His quiet and reclusive life focused on history helps ease the pain of his youth. He doesn’t fit in with Society, nor does he care to...until Norah barges into his world.

Though her eldest sister wants her to find a husband, Norah seeks adventure after their sheltered upbringing on the small island. She has no intention of marrying until she’s had a chance to truly live.

An unexpected kiss with Norah, who is opposite of him in every way, shocks Simon. She’s strong-willed, has more friends from her brief time in London than he’s made his entire life, and stirs a passion within him that he didn’t realize was possible.

When one of Norah’s father’s artifacts goes missing from Simon’s museum, along with several others, the pair must work together to uncover the thief even as desire burns between them, putting everything they hold dear at risk.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Norah wishes she never spoke harshly to her father on the day he died. Trying to atone for it, she wants the Marquess of Vanbridge to open an exhibit at his museum in honour of her late father, but getting him to turn up to any of her meetings is proving to be difficult. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, she turns up at Vanbridge's home, and is shocked to see that he is just a shy man, more at home with his own studies rather than in society. Simon is intrigued by the beautiful woman who storms into his study and demands a meeting. Though not interested in pirate treasure himself, he finds himself agreeing to create the perfect exhibit for her father's items, to great success. But when items, including David Wright's coin, go missing, Simon and Norah find themselves involved in a plot which seems too big for them to manage alone, and which may be dangerous.

I like how the theme of the sister's time on Oak Island runs through the series. After Ella and Marbury have married, Norah finds she wants to have something to do, and a museum exhibit is perfect. Vanbridge's museum is the best, but she's angry he keeps forgetting her appointment. When they finally meet, the attraction is instantly there, and I loved that both characters came out of their shells, and were able to be vulnerable to each other, when they've always hidden those parts of themselves. Norah and Simon really were a great couple, made for each other, which was clear throughout the entire book. I hope book 3 explores Lena's 'feelings' a little more, as they were extremely useful here.

Dates Read:
December 18-19, 2022

Rating
3 Stars

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Once Upon a Duke's Wish (The Duke’s Lost Treasures #1) by Lana Williams

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Once Upon a Duke's Wish
Series: The Duke’s Lost Treasures #1
Author: Lana Williams
Published May 17th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
An earl shadowed by the past meets a lady determined to start anew.

Ella Wright brings her two younger sisters to London after the tragic death of their treasure-hunting father on Oak Island, hoping to secure their futures. But the city presents new challenges, the first of which is convincing their estranged grandfather, the intimidating Duke of Rothwood, to take them in. Then their father’s journal detailing his search for pirate treasure is stolen, and Ella has no idea who to trust.

Leo Stanton, the Earl of Marbury, is alarmed when he hears three ladies claiming to be Rothwood’s granddaughters have arrived in London. Fearing the man who’s been like a grandfather to him is being taken advantage of, he rushes to Rothwood’s side to find three beauties under his roof and their father’s questionable scribbles missing.

Given Leo’s expertise in pirate artifacts, the duke requests his assistance to find the stolen journal. Leo reluctantly agrees, though he thinks Ella’s father was a fool. While he can’t ignore his resentment of past events, one heated kiss with Ella convinces him that more is at stake than a notebook.

Ella knows the pain pursuing a dream can cause, yet her growing attraction for Leo can’t be denied. Dare she trust him in her quest to regain her father’s journal along with her love, or will fate demand payment for the past?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After their father died, sisters Ella, Norah, and Lena Wright leave the only home they've ever known, in Nova Scotia, to travel to London. They hope their grandfather, the Duke of Rothwood, will welcome them, after his only daughter - their mother - ran off with their father over twenty years ago. Allowed to live in his home, but not embraced with open arms, the sisters find themselves trying to navigate London society, and when their father's prized journal is stolen, Ella will do anything to get it back. Even if that means working with the Earl of Marbury, and potentially losing her heart in the process.

I was drawn to this book first by the cover, and then the synopsis. And let me tell you, the story inside is even better too. The Wright's have never known their maternal family, and the thought of setting across the ocean to hope their grandfather will take pity on them is hard. And eldest sister, Ella, is taking it all on herself. She knows they need help, and she will do anything to see her sisters settled. Holding tight to her father's prized possessions, she crashes into a handsome man who just turns out to be the son of the man her mother jilted all those years ago. Ella and Leo clash heads almost instantly, but working together to find the journal, and learning more about the other person, and not the persona they put on for others, they quickly fall. I really liked the progression from wariness to love that Ella and Leo went through. The book really shows them falling naturally, and the added mystery of David Wright's journal helped to aide the plot. A great start to the series, and the epilogue was so sweet too!

Dates Read:
December 17-18, 2022

Rating
3 Stars