Book and Product Reviews by Roundtable Reviews

Release Date - February 18, 2020 Part of me found The Sun Down Motel to be a very sad story. It's also pretty haunting and held my interest from the start. On her way to New York City, Viv Delaney is dropped off in the remote town of Fell. She's ready for something bigger and better than the left she left behind, but money is an issue. She takes a job as the night desk clerk at a seedy little motel in Fell. Little does she know that the Sun Down Motel will change her life. After her mother's death, Carly Kirk feels lost. She's also always been curious as to what happened to her Aunt Viv. She never knew her and the family rarely talked about her. All that's known is that Viv disappeared from her shift at the Sun Down Motel and was never seen of or heard from again. Carly's going to travel to Fell and see if she can't uncover the truth. In Fell, Carly finds herself landing the exact same job Viv held. It's the same shift, too. Soon, she realizes

Release Date - April 2019 Just yesterday morning, I'd given up on this book. I had marked it as unable to finish. The book I chose instead of it wasn't grabbing me, so I went back and gave it one more try. Why I was never able to finish it in the past is truly beyond me. It turned out to be an emotional read. Julia Martin was kicked from her family's manor when she announced she was getting married, pregnant, and dropping out of college. Expecting her parents' support, she received a very cold dismissal. Fifteen years have passed. She's just had her first child after years of miscarriages. Her husband died tragically in an accident hours before their son was born. It's been a struggle, but her husband's death has made it impossible for Julia to survive. The bank is foreclosing on her home and she has no choice but to go home. There, she's surprised by her mom's warm welcome, but her father and sister treat her just as horridly as they did in

Welcome to a sneak peek into Harlequin's March 2020 releases. Each month, readers find dozens of new books to indulge in. From princesses to missing children, there's a lot in store for readers who want to curl up and get lost in an engaging story this March. For this month, my standout picks are: Reese Ryan's Secret Heir Seduction Debra Webb's Before He Vanished Annie West's Revelations of a Secret Princess Starting with Secret Heir Seduction , Reese Ryan's story takes you on a sizzling journey to Texas where sportswear fashion mogul Darius Taylor-Pratt is in town hoping to land a partnership. Things go awry when he learns his birth father was a very, very wealthy man and that he's really the man's long-lost heir. He's also not amused as he's never heard from or even of this man. Worse, or maybe that's better, Darius' rental home neighbor is his ex-flame. He broke her heart for reasons known only to him. The sparks betwe

Release Date - February 18, 2020 Foul is Fair is a violent, honest, and very, very satisfying revenge tale. I will warn that rape, rape culture, and murderous revenge are some of the themes you'll come across. Along with her friends, Jade is one of her school's elite. On her 16th birthday, the Los Angeles teen is attacked by a group of golden boys from St. Andrew's Prep. She will not let the brutal assault tear her down. She's going to reestablish herself and get revenge. This means Jade switches school and enters St. Andrew's Prep with the goal of taking down those boys and their circle. They may be the golden boys, but they're human and just as capable as suffering as Jade was the night they assaulted her. This isn't my typical read, but I am so glad I gave it a try. The writing is brutally honest. Imagine being 16 and raped by a group with far too much power. The desire to get even in just as brutal a manner is understandable. I cheered her on

Release Date - February 11, 2020 One thing is certain of Been There, Married That . The "husband" in this book is an obnoxious turd. I couldn't stand his character, which is probably for the best given that I found very little to connect to when it came to Agnes Murphy Nash. Agnes (Aggie if you will) is married to a powerful producer and has her own career as an author. She has bundles of friends, a gorgeous house with more than a dozen bathrooms, and a lifestyle that most would kill to have. Her daughter is not as easy to please, but then she's nearing her pre-teen years. After arriving home one day, she finds herself locked out of their estate. Worse, she's hit with a taser when she tries to enter anyway. Her husband has decided he wants a divorce. With her credit cards all frozen, a daughter who seems to hate her, and a husband who is busy sleeping but not "sleeping" with the household manager, Aggie isn't sure what to do. One thing is fo

Release Date - February 4, 2020 Book covers sometimes catch my eye and draw me in. That's exactly what happened with An Everyday Hero . The title didn't do much for me, but that cover most certainly did. Then, I read the blurb and knew it sounded like it would be a book that tugs at the heartstrings. Laura Trentham doesn't ever disappoint when it comes to hitting the emotions. Greer Hadley's returned to Madison, Tennessee, a little shaken. Her career as a Nashville songwriter didn't hit the mark she'd hoped. Her romance is over. Plus, she's gotten herself into a bit of a situation that's going to require her to perform community service for a bit. Her community service puts her into the tough position of helping others through music at Music Tree Foundation. Her first troubled souls are a teen and a wounded veteran. The vet, Emmett, is a former classmate who was injured in battle and doesn't seem himself as the man he once was. Greer can dea

Release Date - May 18, 2018 This is another book I struggled to get into. I'm glad I tried again. It was a lovely read that was ideal for a cold, dreary winter's day. Gina Zoberski is a struggling single mom. Her husband and true love died two years ago, and she has a hard time moving on. Her teen daughter's becoming moody and difficult to be around. Her mother is demanding and almost insulting at times. It's her food truck, "Grilled G's," and her clientele that keep her sane. Gina's sister doesn't have any easier a time with her mom than Gina does. Regardless, Gina stops by to check on her mom and finds her on the floor following a stroke. While searching for the paperwork the hospital needs, she comes across a shocking secret that has the power to change the sisters' lives. An Optimist's Guide to Letting Go was a tearjerker. Gina's easy to connect with. Her mother bugged me, so I could understand exactly why her Gina and he

Release Date - October 8, 2018 Here's a book I started and lost interest in. Tried again and still couldn't get into it. I gave it one more shot more than a year later, and this time I met with success. Unfortunately, I did also find myself frustrated that I did. Welcome to Willow Spring, Vermont. Chef Nathan Harte was given a historic inn by a favorite client. He's spent months restoring it, and work is coming to an end. A short time prior to the opening, Emily Harrington arrives hoping to go through the inn's historic documents. As Nathan's been injured and could use an extra pair of hands, he reluctantly agrees. Emily is in Vermont for reasons she doesn't want to share. She finds herself falling for Nathan, but she can't let that attraction keep her from her goals. Plus, Willow Spring has a lot going on. There's an arsonist on the loose, too. I liked the setting. I found certain things to be unrealistic. This really isn't a romance. It&