Book and Product Reviews by Roundtable Reviews

 Release Date - October 2021 (Originally) The version of The Orchid Inn that I reviewed supposedly has an April 2022 release date. I am not finding that version on Amazon, however. The cover is different on this one, but the book remains the same. It's worst-case scenario time for Ava Flynn. She's just learned her husband has drained their accounts and left for Europe. That's just the start. She also learns that she's being fired from her job at a high-power law firm in NYC. She's broke and isn't even sure she wants to return to the job she's been fired from. It's the perfect time to head home to her grandmother's inn on Orchid Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. There, she learns her sisters Charlotte and Sarah are also coming for the summer. She's excited to see Charlotte, but she and Sarah had a major falling out years ago. While helping their grandmother run the inn, the trio also have to mend relationships, figure out what they want to d

 May 21, 2019 I've tried several times to get through The Scent Keeper . I liked the writing style, but the plot just never drew me in. In an effort to clear it out, I tried once more. It was still a struggle. Emmeline lives on a remote island with her father. He's never revealed the reason he has small bottles in drawers that line the walls of the cabin they live in. All she knows is he is overly protective of the pieces of paper and "scents" within those bottles. His scent machine is a mystery to her, and one that he will not share.  As time passes, a tragedy befalls this small family. Suddenly, Emmeline is thrust into the world where a couple takes her in. Her new life is in an unfamiliar land where she's not living off nature and exploring by herself. She doesn't fit in and faces things like bullying. Emmeline needs to find her place in a sometimes cruel world, and it's going to start by examining how she got to this point. Once again, I struggled. The

Release Date - March 29, 2022 I adored Dial A for Aunties . I spent more time laughing during that book than I'd laughed at a book in a long time. Four Aunties and a Wedding is just as much fun. I can only imagine those headpieces! Meddy Chan's wedding is fast approaching. She doesn't expect her mom and aunties to pick the most ridiculous gowns and headpieces she's ever seen. Worse, they find the perfect wedding team within their own family. Soon, Meddy and Nathan are agreeing to hiring family members that Meddy's never met before, but it all seems perfect. And then the night before the wedding, Meddy overhears her cousin and photographer talking on the phone about a target. She confronts her cousin and learns they're Asian mafia and the wedding day will go as planned so that they can do their job. If she tells anyone, they'll reveal the truth about Meddy's family to the police. Caught between a rock and a hard place, Meddy cannot figure out how she can

 Release Date - October 2019 Some of the books I read don't click the first time. I try to work back to them and give them additional changes. I have loved the Catalina Cove Novel collection, but Finding Home Again never quite clicked. I finished it this time, but I still don't think it was one of my favorites from this series. Kaegan broke Bryce's heart many years ago when he made an assumption rather than asking her for an explanation. She never intended to give him a second chance. But, he's back in town and they keep running into each other. When Kaegan learns the truth of that night so many years ago, he cannot believe he let her slip away. He will do anything possible to win her back, but is it too late? I think this is one of those stories where I had a hard time sympathizing with the hero. He was an idiot and while he realizes it, it's hard to forgive him for making such a stupid decision in the first place. I'd like to rule it out as being a juvenile m

Release Date - October 2021 In the midst of all life's thrown my way, I read this months ago and failed to review it. First Kiss at Christmas is a fantastic romance. Kayla Harris is a school teacher with plenty of male friends, but never seems to find Mr. Right. When Tony DeNunzio brings his nephew, Jax, into her classroom, she feels an attraction.  Tony's goal this year is to help his young nephew adjust to a new home and new life without his mom. Love is not in the picture, yet the more time Tony spends with Kayla, the more he can't ignore the attraction. Is there something more there? This is an uplifting, delightful romance with a strong hero and the right balance of chemistry and caution. The character never lose track of Jax's need to be the center of attention. I loved that.

Release Date - March 22, 2022 Years ago, I read Me Before You and absolutely loved it. I worked my way through all of Jojo Moyes books after that. When I saw that The Next Thing You Know  was of a similar storyline, I knew I had to read it. Nova works as an end-of-life doula, a career that makes sense to anyone facing a terminal illness or end-of-life scenario, yet not everyone understands it. Mason, a musician, seeks  Nova out, despite not really understanding her work. Mason's career as he knows it is over, due to a debilitating condition that he doesn't really tell Nova too much about. Despite his younger age, Nova agrees to help him. It's what she does, yet this is one of the most personal, challenging clients she's ever had. There's more to this story than I feel comfortable bringing up. A major plot twist hits and the story then goes between past and present to tell Nova and Mason's experiences together. An end-of-life doula is a career I believe needs to