When East Coast elite and wealthy bachelor Gavin Williams wakes up in a rural West Virginia hospital, he doesn’t remember who he is or where he’s from.
He doesn’t remember his heiress fiancée, his luxury homes, his exotic travels, or his private plane.
And he especially doesn’t remember insulting local country-girl and fiery redhead Jamie Sutton, smashing her dreams, and leaving her in a pinch.
So when a redhead in overalls stands over his hospital bed and convincingly tells him he loves banjos, hound dogs, and rustling chickens, what’s he supposed to do?
Suddenly Gavin is scrambling to fit into a country life that doesn’t feel familiar and that can’t possibly be his. A wife? Kids? A chicken coop?
His life is full of holes and secrets, desires and dreams, and as Gavin learns more he begins to wonder—will he ever remember? And what happens when he does?
When Gavin was sad and pleading, like Elijah when he begs to go out and play baseball instead of doing his homework, I sorta felt sorry for him. But now, he’s looking at me like I’m a diseased rat that somehow, incomprehensibly ended up in his pristine world, and all my feeling sorry evaporates.
I stiffen, because honestly, I do have some pride.
“You have two seconds to answer me, or I’m calling the police.”
Not for nothing, but “the police” is Daryl Jones, my second cousin. That’s not going to help Gavin. All it’ll do is embarrass me. Daryl will get a good laugh out of this.
Gavin pulls a phone out of his pocket and holds it up threateningly.
“Tell me your name and what you’re doing lurking in my home.”
Slowly, I stand. I don’t want to startle him after all. When I do, he gets a good look at my dirty overalls, my roughed up boots, and my frizzy hair. His eyes widen and his nostrils flare. I get the impression he just got his first whiff of ol’ Billy.
I really should’ve taken a shower.
I would’ve if I’d known this was going to happen.
“My word, she’s a squatter. I’ve got a squatter in my home.” His jaw hardens and he thrusts his hand toward the open door. “Out. Get out.” He motions at me like I’m some mangy stray.
“Hey!” I put my hand on my hips. “I’m not a squatter. I’m Jamie Sutton.”
He stares at me, his expression uncomprehending. “What did you say?”
I blow out a long breath, the hot air stirring the hair sticking out from my braid.
“I said,” I annunciate and talk real slow for him, “I’m not a squatter. I’m Jamie Sutton.”
He shakes his head like he still doesn’t understand and then he takes slow, careful steps toward me, like he expects some loony behavior on my part. When he’s only a few feet away, he wrinkles his nose and looks at me with utter distaste.
“I don’t know what jammy sudden is, but I want you to remove your person from my home.”
Oh lordy. He can’t understand plain English.
“Jamie Sutton,” I say slowly pointing at myself.
He stares at me, uncomprehending. No wonder the fairy princess left him. He’s gorgeous, but his head is full of rocks. And he has a temper. I know it, because he steps forward and grabs my arm, his fingers hot and calloused. “That’s it. If you won’t get out, I’ll take you out.”
Author Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her books have been described as “euphoric”, “heartwarming” and “laugh out loud”. Her debut novel The Fall in Love Checklist was hailed as “the unicorn read of 2020”. She loves to write fast-paced, emotionally compelling romances about quirky, smart women and the men who love them.
Before writing romance full-time Sarah had lots of fun teaching at an Ivy League. Then she realized she could have even more fun writing romance. Her favorite things after writing are adventuring and travel. You’ll frequently find her using her degree at a dino dig site, crawling into a cave, snorkeling, or on horseback riding through the jungle – all fodder for her next book. She’s lived in Scotland, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland and NYC. She currently lives in the Caribbean with her water-obsessed pup and her awesome family.
As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure for more details.
Three Reasons You Should Read Contemporary Romance:
It Takes a Villa by Kilby Blades takes place in Italy – an old small town in need of a little repair – that sounds absolutely beautiful. The sights, the sounds, the smells – they all come to life.
Natalie Malone is one brave and determined woman. Picking up everything and moving to Italy to restore a villa she bought for $1. That takes some guts.
Pietro truly loves his town and restoring its beautiful buildings, and you can’t help but fall in love with him and his strive for perfection.
For the reasonable price of $1, Natalie Malone just bought herself an abandoned villa on the Amalfi Coast. With a detailed spreadsheet and an ancient key, she’s arrived in Italy ready to renovate—and only six months to do it. Which seemed reasonable until architect Pietro Indelicato began critically watching her every move…
From the sweeping ocean views to the scent of the lemon trees, there’s nothing Pietro loves more than his hometown. And after seeing too many botched jobs and garish design choices, he’s done watching from the sidelines. As far as he’s concerned, Natalie should quit before the project drains her entire bank account and her ridiculously sunny optimism.
With Natalie determined to move forward, the gorgeous architect reluctantly agrees to pitch in, giving her a real chance to succeed. But when the fine print on Natalie’s contract is brought to light, she might have no choice but to leave her dream, and Pietro, behind.
It Takes a Villa by Kilby Blades is a fun mix of contemporary romance leaning towards woman’s fiction. Natalie is determined to make a new life for herself in Italy. And the first step is to fix up the villa she purchased for $1. This is a type of program that I’ve seen run in several European areas, but I hadn’t seen it brought into play in a book before. The biggest catch is she only has a short period of time to complete the renovations. And there is a lot to do.
She is not the only person from the rebuilding program living in the area. She connects with a group of fellow re-builders from around the world. They were fun, supportive, and helped her navigate the first few confusing days in Italy. But she also finds herself relying on Pietra, a local man with a love for old buildings and restoration. And he’s quite the expert on how to get it done correctly.
I found Pietro’s conflict with his father – who seems to never really respect Pietro’s expertise – to be one of the most interesting parts of the story. The generational struggle and possible disappointment of not following where your parents thought you should go as an adult is a situation many can relate to. Natalie struggled mostly with repairing her villa in time to meet the program’s deadlines. And while I learned a bit about architecture, it just didn’t draw me in as much as Pietro.
There is plenty of drama, a little catastrophe, and lots of relationships being built. There were a couple of things that really threw me off. The first was the sudden change from what was reading as a fairly clean romance to a spicier romance. While I don’t have a problem with either, the tone of the book changed and it threw me off. The second was the ending. It just sort of stopped. The resolution was there, but then it just cut off and didn’t tell me the wrap-up. Which is one of my favorite parts.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
Title: Feisty Author: Julia Kent Genre: Contemporary Romance
It was one little dare with razor-sharp teeth—work for him. Yes, he’s a fire-breathing grump and gazillionaire bachelor. Yes, I just gave him an ego check he’ll never forget. Yes, he’s still offering me the job dreams are made of.
But Cole Lancaster is the stuff of bossy nightmares. Too handsome for real life. Big Coffee kingpin. Guarded papa bear. His precious daughter is the only reason he ever stops grumping for five seconds. I’m sure I can deal with his scowls and cutting glances for one huge payday.
Only, sometimes your best assumptions are dead wrong. Like the business trip to paradise that shows me a different Cole. A man with a beating heart and a billion-dollar smile. A master of soul-stealing kisses. A mess of secrets that leave me reeling.
I wish my taste in men didn’t match my coffee. Strong, steamy, and unspeakably complicated. When I took the job, I didn’t know the risks. What if one crazy dare means falling in love?
I can smell him. Earth, citrus, a hint of espresso, and overpowering alpha male.
“You just can’t sit still, huh? You had to take over the flight attendant’s job?” His voice is a low rumble, a purr that plucks at my nerves.
The attendant rounds the corner and gasps. “Oh, I’m sorry, sir! I offered to do it, but she said she wanted the experience. I didn’t see the harm…”
“Guilty,” I say without looking at him. “I couldn’t pass up a chance to join the coffee mile-high club.”
His eyes flash with a wicked gleam when I realize my mistake.
“Are you done bothering me, Mr. Lancaster?”
He smirks at the flight attendant. “It’s fine. I know how Eliza gets.”
What? He doesn’t even know me.
Why is he acting so familiar?
First the flirting, and now this?
Did he really bring me on this trip for the sake of coffee science? What do I know about Kona beans, anyway? I’ve never picked them by hand.
The sudden crisis of confidence hits like a Mack truck.
“Why don’t you sit down? I’ve got this. I think we’re the only people left without coffee,” I say, ignoring how he squeezes into the tight space next to me.
Lancaster doesn’t move. If anything, he inches closer, watching how I tremble every time he brushes me and—oh, God. He’s enjoying this, isn’t he?
When I grab the new carafe, I almost elbow him in the gut on my way out.
“Do you mind? Like I said, I’ve got this.”
His look reminds me how very little I’ve got anything when it comes to self-control. I almost drop the coffee container on the floor.
When his hand darts around my wrist, I almost hit the ceiling.
I’m barely breathing as he moves his fingers slowly up my hand, gently lifting the carafe away from me.
“You’re shaking like a leaf with a container of hot liquid. Are you sure you don’t need a hand? Serving coffee isn’t below my pay grade, sweetheart,” he whispers.
Dear Lord.
I shake my head fiercely, until he gives up the carafe again when I reach for it, touching his fingers.
For the faintest second, my hip brushes his.
“I can handle my coffee, Mr. Lancaster, but…but thanks.” And because I can still feel his breath when he’s so achingly close, I add, “It’s not as hard as I thought it would be.”
He clears his throat loudly.
At first, my mangled words don’t register.
Shocked that this self-possessed man seems so flustered, I replay the last two lines in my head.
Nicole Snow is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. She found her love of writing by hashing out love scenes on lunch breaks and plotting her great escape from boardrooms. Her work roared onto the indie romance scene in 2014 with her Grizzlies MC series.
Since then Snow aims for the very best in growly, heart-of-gold alpha heroes, unbelievable suspense, and swoon storms aplenty. With over a million books sold, she lives for the joy of making two people fight with every bit of their soul for a Happily Ever After.
Current fan favorites include her Enguard Protectors series, accidental love novels, plus long beloved MC romance thrillers like the Grizzlies and Deadly Pistols.
Dallas Walker is haunted. He won’t ever forget the horrors he witnessed while working undercover to bust a human trafficking ring, but he has a plan to start a new life. Coming home to his family is step one. Getting to know his alluring new neighbor could be step two. If only she’d give him a chance…
Maggie Ellis just wants to be left alone. She’d rather spend her days spinning clay into art and feel nothing than open herself up to another devastating loss. But her sexy new neighbor with a lonely look in his eyes isn’t giving up. And he makes her question everything…
Together, Dallas and Maggie might have a shot at happily ever after. But only if they can let go of the past and hold on to each other when it matters most.
Claudia Connor is an award winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance, including the beloved McKinney Brothers series. Claudia writes, warm, heartfelt romances with a bit of steam, a lot of family and always a happily ever after.
Claudia attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood education, and completed her studies in Sawbridgeworth, England. When she’s not writing, she enjoys movies, reading, and travel, with a heavy dose of daydreaming during all three. Claudia lives near Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters.
Title: Lake Bride Author: Shanna Hatfield Series: Holiday Bride #5 Genre: Sweet Contemporary Western Romance
Fall in love with a soldier, a nurse, and a small-town adventure brimming with delightful characters, amusing animals, and abiding hope.
Twenty-one steps. The past two years of Bridger Holt’s life have centered on the twenty-one steps he repeatedly walks back and forth as one of the sentinels guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Now that his duty is coming to an end, Bridger has no idea what to do with the rest of his life. Guilt from his past and trepidation about his unknown future drive him to the mountain cabin he inherited from his beloved uncle to gain clarity and direction. The quirky residents in the nearby town of Holiday, the assortment of wildlife that adopts him, and the woman who shines a light into his tattered soul might be what Bridger needs to find the redemption he seeks.
Outgoing, upbeat Shayla Reeves spreads sunshine wherever she goes. Holiday has become her home, and she enjoys spending time in the mountains around town. She adores the patients in the dementia facility where she works as a nurse. But something is missing from her mostly joyful world. When she mistakenly camps on private land owned by the mysterious and brooding Bridger Holt, she realizes what her life is lacking isn’t adventure but love.
Will two opposite personalities overcome their challenges and figure out a way to build a future together?
Find out in this sweet love story full of hope, small-town humor, and the wonder of falling in love.
USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.
Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.
As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure for more details.
Three Reasons You Should Read This Middle Grade Fantasy:
The Mirrorwood by Deva Fagan is an amazing fantasy that pulls from all my fairy tale tropes and takes a deep look at what really makes someone a person.
Moth, Fable’s cat, does a great job of playing the part of loyal sidekick, best friend, and at times, a guide as Fable travels through Mirrorwood and navigates the landscape of how she views herself.
The creatures and inhabitants of Mirrorwood were inventive while remaining just a little familiar. It’s fun and creative, with just a little creepiness to make the atmosphere fit.
Fable has been cursed by what the people in her village call the Blight, a twisted enchantment that leaves her without a face of her own. To stay alive, Fable has to steal the faces of others, making her an outcast that no one trusts. When the fierce Blighthunter Vycorax comes to kill Fable to stop her curse from spreading, Fable narrowly escapes by fleeing into the thorny woods surrounding her small village.
The treacherous forest has been ruled by a demon-prince for centuries, a deadly place trapped in time. Fable—and her opinionated feline companion, Moth—is the first to dare enter in a very long time. There, she encounters a tediously chatty skull, dangerously meddlesome deities, and a beast so powerful it tears at the fabric of reality, leaving nothingness in its horrible wake.
Fable will soon discover that, in the Mirrorwood, nothing is quite like the stories say, and the perilous realm may be the only chance she has to break her curse and find her true self.
The Mirrorwood by Deva Fagan is an amazing mashup of fairy tale tropes and concepts. Recognizable, but twisted around in a way that made them feel brand new. From Wonderland to Beauty and the Beast, so many seemed to be represented. And it all starts when Fable is blighted (cursed) to always wear another’s face. While this may not sound too bad, the author did an amazing job of showing how mentally devastating this was to her and her family.
Fable’s only real solace is her cat, Moth. Moth couldn’t have been more perfect. He was Fable’s Jiminy Cricket with words of wisdom paired with some general cat aloofness. He was her constant companion and best friend – and I really wish I could know this little furry ball of love.
Vycorax, Fable’s unexpected companion who tried to kill her at first, is a Blighthunter. Sworn to protect the realm and remove all the blighted people. Vycorax begins by blindly following her duty, but when she finds herself stuck in the Mirrorwood with Fable, forced to work together, she has to re-examine her thoughts. Vycorax was another great character that could have easily been the lead character if she had wanted to. She was tough, determined, and utterly loyal once you earned her trust.
The Mirrorwood was almost a character itself. A vast realm cursed by the Blight and slowly disappearing (hello Neverending Story!) The land itself came alive with amazing creatures and a Sleeping Beauty-esque curse that only gets worse as the girls get closer to the castle. I wish the land had felt more vast. It was supposed to be a large area, but the travels made it seem rather small at times.
I really want more Mirrorwood, but if that doesn’t happen, this book does come to a very nice conclusion.
Why? Because people break up—and sometimes they should. But when I learn that entertainment attorney Cyrus Hart is someone else’s mistake, I can’t believe it. He’s smart, successful, and sexy as hell.
When a chance encounter with Cyrus turns into something more, I can’t help but fall for him. Our chemistry is undeniable. But his ex used my company to send him that letter—and that’s a problem. Especially since he doesn’t know I own the company.
How can this possibly work? I know from experience that the riskiest ventures are the worthiest ones…but falling for Cyrus Hart may be my biggest gamble yet.
Cyrus
I’m a man with a plan—college, law school, a great career. So far, so good.
Until a stranger shows up on my doorstep and reads me a breakup letter from my girlfriend. My carefully laid plans unravel.
But then I meet someone new. It’s spontaneous. It’s electric. And it’s not according to plan.
It’s not a lie. My hastily thought-of plan drove me here. But part of me hasn’t decided if it also wasn’t simply the desire to see her again. Or an exercise in self-control. Dangling what I shouldn’t take in front of me to see if I possess enough discipline to keep my hands to myself, to walk away. Or tempt myself with this sensual form of edging by embracing what I shouldn’t.
The ambiguous answer seems to be the correct one, though. The tension slowly ebbs out of her body, and she props an elbow on the chair’s arm.
“That makes the two of us, then, because I haven’t figured out yet why I came here.” She huffs out a soft breath. “I’m certain of one thing, though. This isn’t right or smart.”
“Why? Because you’re Val’s friend?” I slice a hand between us. “She’s already seeing someone new. Probably was before she sent you to do her hatchet job. So I don’t care about that.”
“Is that what this is, then?” she murmurs. “Revenge? Payback? You plan to throw”—she twirls a hand in the air—“whatever we’re doing here back in her face one day for breaking up with you and moving on too quickly?”
I almost laugh long and loud at that bullshit.
“There aren’t many things that are a one hundred percent certainty. Weather, election outcomes, the price of gas, Hollywood marriages. But this I can state without a shadow of a doubt. Not happening.”
She studies me, and I can practically read all the questions in those brown eyes. How can you? Why? What happened?
But she lifts her cup and drinks, and instead of asking what she so clearly wants to know, she says, “Not my business.”
“Isn’t it? When you chose to put yourself in the middle of our relationship, it became your business.” The moment comprehension dawns, her eyes widen, then narrow. But I lean forward, a smile curving my mouth. And that smile? It’s possible it isn’t nice. Because nice doesn’t accurately describe this uncomfortable and unwanted gnawing inside of me. I’m feeling hungry. “You owe me.”
I both hear and see the hitch in her breath. The almost nonchalant note in her voice belies the worry in her eyes. Too bad for her; I make a living at reading people. Too bad she’s shit at hiding her emotions. God, I could fucking feast, become a damn glutton on her honesty.
“What?” she whispered.
“You heard me.”
“Yes, I heard you.” My own breath really shouldn’t quicken or my blood pump hotter at the sound of those words coming through clenched teeth. Or the sight of her hand wrapped tighter around her cup. As if only her grip on the cardboard container is preventing her from transferring it to my neck. “But obviously I don’t understand your meaning. I owe you for what?”
For witnessing my weakest moments since leaving my aunt’s house. For reminding me that my life, my world, is not in my control. For throwing me back to that twelve-, fourteen-, sixteen-year-old uncertain boy again.
For refusing to be evicted from my head like a sexy, stubborn squatter.
For being my answer, my salvation, in this moment, when for years I’ve vowed to depend only on myself.
And her most heinous sin? For deviating from my carefully laid-out plans. For stepping outside those lines and hungering for something, someone, I have no business desiring.
But I say none of that because those reasons are mine and mine alone.
She gets, “For not stepping back and letting Val have the guts to do her own dirty work. Instead, you allowed yourself to be her patsy, and I’m pissed with you and her about that. I’m also mad as hell that you both stole the chance for me to have my say.”
A starkness enters her eyes, and she briefly closes them before glancing away, her hair concealing most of her profile. Fisting those curls and moving them out of the way so I can see her expression, her thoughts, is such a fierce urge I shift away from her.
“I didn’t think about that. About stealing your voice. I’m truly sorry for that.”
I believe her. But I’m not letting it go that easily. It isn’t in my interest to.
“Look at me,” I say softly. I order softly. And a coil in my gut draws almost painfully, sweetly tight when she obeys. “You owe me. And I’m offering a form of . . . penance.”
She loses that pained, haunted expression, and anger tautens the skin across her cheekbones, emphasizing their boldness, their strength. As perverse as it might make me, my cock pounds at the sign of her ire. Yeah, I’m turned on, and part of me is hoping she takes it out on me with teeth and nails.
Well shit. When did I become a man who enjoyed an edge of pain with his pleasure?
Published since 2009, USA Today Bestselling author Naima Simone loves writing sizzling romances with heart, a touch of humor and snark. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and described as balancing “crackling, electric love scenes with exquisitely rendered characters caught in emotional turmoil.”
She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.
Gabriel Abruzzo Soft. Ripe. Juicy. Her name is Empress. I asked, she didn’t tell. The new masseuse at The Governor is quiet and delicate. Delicate things get broken in the underworld, but Empress is on edge, those dark eyes harboring a thousand nightmares. Edgy gets my attention. And drawing my attention means trouble is coming. I should send her packing, but she clings to me, a man without a soul. One touch and all I think about is the taste of sweet nectar on my tongue. I know she has secrets but I’ll protect my little peach from bruises…at all costs.
Empress Reign Dark. Lethal. Haunted. I ran from a dangerous man. Now, I’m attracted to one with a darkness that frightens even my demons. Distractions, in the form of my new client, Gabriel could prove deadly. Touching him, stroking my fingers over all his sinewy muscle makes my mouth water for a taste. Getting involved would mean trusting him with my secret. Gabriel’s no angel, yet being close to him transforms my living hell into heaven. Maybe I’m biting off more than I can swallow, or am I?
Siera write heroines you know, heroes you love, and romance you feel.
A USA Today Bestselling & Award-winning author, Siera London pens contemporary and paranormal romance, romantic suspense, and crime fiction.She crafts stories of diverse characters navigating their journey with intelligence, wit, emotion, and love.
Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more.
Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile—a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling.
From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home… a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.
I fell in love with Jenny Colgan’s books a few years ago, and The Bookshop on the Corner lives up to all my expectations. Nina Redmond is such a darling character! She’s who I want to be best friends with and talk to every day for the rest of my life. Oh, the bookish conversations we could have.
But Nina doesn’t start off in a very good place. The library she works at is closing and being consolidated into an I don’t know what, techy, hyped up, no book place? I didn’t even understand what the place was supposed to do, and neither did Nina. So she packs it all in and heads to Scotland. I mean, why not? And starts a book shop on wheels. Why not?
Now things get interesting. From finding and buying a humongous van, renting a cute little barn/cottage, and meeting some very interesting men while almost dying. This all sounds very exciting (and yes, some of it was very thrilling on the page), the story rolls out slowly like a stroll across the meadow, stopping to birth a baby lamb when needed.
The question of “what is romance?” is the thread that holds this story together. Along with a few snips of what is home, and where do I belong. The questions don’t always play nicely together, but in the end, they figure most of it out.
As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure for more details.
Three Reasons You Should Read This Middle Grade Fantasy:
Kraken and Lies by Tui T. Sutherland & Kari Sutherland wraps up the loose ends from The Menagerie quite nicely, but not before a whole lot of excitement and a little bit of danger.
I learned A LOT about some magical creatures that were kind of new to me.
The personalities of the creatures really shine through in this book. They were hilarious and fun, and at times, a bit ridiculous.
About Kraken and Lies by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland
The Menagerie trilogy comes to a fantastic conclusion in Krakens and Lies, the third magical and mysterious adventure from Tui Sutherland (New York Times bestselling author of the Wings of Fire series) and Kari Sutherland. Young readers who love mythological creatures and series like Fablehaven, the Spiderwick Chronicles, and Spirit Animals won’t want to miss the Menagerie.
Someone has been sabotaging the Menagerie, and Logan and Zoe are on the case. But their troubles only get worse when the basilisk escapes its enclosure and the merpeople go on strike—leaving the kraken to its own devices. The race is on to solve the mystery and save the Menagerie in this riveting, action-packed finale!
There is a lot going on in Kraken and Lies, the final book in The Menagerie trilogy, and things are wrapped up pretty nicely. No fancy bow to make it feel like “the end.” You know the characters are continuing on, and the authors let the reader know it (and leave it open for potentially more books at some point).
I didn’t feel as much of that building and growing of the characters in this book. And what developing there was, was really spurred by some sort of magical-type event. And the ultimate villains, I think they came out a little disappointing. They were more comical than bad, and I couldn’t really see them succeeding at much of anything. It made the stakes seem a little less high.
The trail of clues leading to these bad guys was laid quite nicely. Just enough information to keep everyone moving in the right direction. Not so much information that it felt rushed.
And the Kraken – he really stole the show several times. In fact, all the water creatures were amazing, and they played a big role in how the story played out. I loved this ending, and do hope that we get to revisit this world to check in on how everyone is doing.
