Stacy Alesis BookBitch.com™ | Latest Book Reviews

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From the publisher:USA Today bestselling author Ward Larsen s globe-trotting, hard-hitting assassin, David Slaton, returns for another breathless adventure in Assassin s Strike!In a Syrian palace, the presidents of Russia and Iran undertake a clandestine meeting. No staff or advisors are permitted in the room. No records are kept. By necessity, however, there are two witnesses: the interpreters. The Russian, Ludmilla Kravchuk, returns to her hotel room burdened by what she has heard. When her Iranian counterpart is murdered before her eyes, Kravchuk fears she is next and goes into hiding in Syria.The CIA gets word of the defection. Desperate to uncover the purpose of the meeting, they task their newest off-the-books operator―legendary assassin David Slaton―to undertake a daring rescue. Deep inside Syria’s war-torn borders, what Slaton finds is a plot that will tear the Middle East apart. And one that only he can stop.Ward Larson has created one of the more interesting protagonists in fiction in the person of David Slaton. Slaton is an assassin, a very proficient one doing the bidding of his employers who were at first the Mosad, Israeli secret service, and currently the CIA. He was granted political asylum in the U.S. with the help of one of the top managers of the Central Intelligence Agency who suggested when doing so that they might ask certain professional favors from Slaton which he would be free to either accept or reject.During a secret meeting between the presidents of Russia and Iran held in Syria certain information is exchanged between these men which only they and the two translators working the meeting are aware of. Ludmilla Kravchuk, the translator for Russia witnesses her Iranian counterpart killed after the meeting between the two presidents finishes. She realizes that the two translators have heard an exchange that must remain secret and makes the obvious decision that she must flee and via local contacts she had when in Syria previously gets the United States interested in getting her into the U.S. and hearing her story. Slaton s supervisor thinks of him as the ideal individual to send into Syria to bring Ludmilla out. No problem in his accepting the job as the action is what he craves and goes after.The story of David Slaton s work in trying to effect Ludmilla s escape brings to bear Ward Larson s talent in creating bated breath action and another book by him that keeps the reader glued to the pages. In addition to bringing Ludmilla out of Syria Slaton must become involved in the situation described in the talks between the two presidents and attempt to rectify the problem. Events in the book move rapidly between Syria, Iraq, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. We can certainly look forward to more action-packed novels featuring David Slaton and the probability of all night glued to the books when they are published.1/14/2021 Paul LaneASSASSIN S STRIKE by Ward Larson.  Forge Books (August 18, 2020). ISBN: 978-0765391568. 336 pages.KindleAudibleFrom international bestselling author Harald Gilbers comes the heart-pounding story of Jewish detective Richard Oppenheimer as he hunts for a serial killer through war-torn Nazi Berlin in Germania.Berlin 1944: a serial killer stalks the bombed-out capital of the Reich, preying on women and laying their mutilated bodies in front of war memorials. All of the victims are linked to the Nazi party. But according to one eyewitness account, the perpetrator is not an opponent of Hitler s regime, but rather a loyal Nazi.Jewish detective Richard Oppenheimer, once a successful investigator for the Berlin police, is reactivated by the Gestapo and forced onto the case. Oppenheimer is not just concerned with catching the killer and helping others survive, but also his own survival. Worst of all, solving this case is what will certainly put him in the most jeopardy. With no choice but to further his investigation, he feverishly searches for answers, and a way out of this dangerous game.As part of the Hitler-ordered official vendetta against Jews, Gypsies, and other selected groups as part of his campaign to create scapegoats to blame for Germany s economic woes, a council working in the city of Neurenberg passed legislation taking away German citizenship from these peoples. The laws prohibited marriage between Germans and members of the selected groups.  They could not serve in the military and were forced to leave jobs and businesses. The code passed was termed the Neurenberg laws and was the law of the land between 1935 and 1945 with Nazi expansion by war taking place to rectify the damage theoretically done by these groups.     Harald Gilbers adroitly takes us back into the height of the effects of these laws in a very compelling novel set in the period cited. The appearance of a serial killer in Berlin in 1944 brings up a conundrum for the police working in Berlin at this point. Certain factors point to the killer being a member of the Nazi party elite. Since no disparaging information could be issued about high level party members to avoid misleading the people the police were stymied in their pursuit of the killer.     A unique solution was forced on the police. They had to reactivate Richard Oppenheimer who had been a member of the Berlin detective squad. He had been forced to resign his post with the police due to the fact that he was Jewish. He still lived-in Berlin due to his marriage to a woman who was ethically acceptable since she was a purebred German. It also developed that Richard had been one of the leading detectives while active and could look for and possibly even neutralize the serial killer without having to bring up the individual s place in the Nazi party.    Gilbers is very adept at breathing life into the characters involved in his book. He is also extremely adept with a description of the method used by the killer in disposing of the women (all victims were females.) It is not an easy task to read about the horrors visited upon the victims by the killer. I did understand the reason for this would probably be to allow the reader a better understanding of the degenerate behavior of an individual that is mentally not human. Germania is a unique novel in using a policy of discrimination against several groups by a leader who was undoubtedly insane running the show. It is also well written with a good plot. The book is certainly a good reason to start looking for Gilbers next book.GERMANIA by Harald Gilbers. Thomas Dunne Books (December 1, 2020). ISBN: 978-1250246936. 352 pages.An arranged marriage leads to unexpected desire, in the first book of Alyssa Cole’s Runaway Royals series…When Shanti Mohapi weds the king of Njaza, her dream of becoming a queen finally comes true. But it’s nothing like she imagined. Shanti and her husband may share an immediate and powerful attraction, but her subjects see her as an outsider, and everything she was taught about being the perfect wife goes disastrously wrong.A king must rule with an iron fist, and newly crowned King Sanyu was born perfectly fitted for the gauntlet, even if he wishes he weren’t. He agrees to take a wife as is required of him, though he doesn’t expect to actually fall in love. Even more vexing? His beguiling new queen seems to have the answers to his country’s problems—except no one will listen to her.By day, they lead separate lives. By night, she wears the crown, and he bows to her demands in matters of politics and passion. When turmoil erupts in their kingdom and their marriage, Shanti goes on the run, and Sanyu must learn whether he has what it takes both to lead his people and to catch his queen.A contemporary royal marriage makes for a really good read. Cole s latest has the perfect combination of love, passion, laughter, and drama. It actually reminded me a bit of the Eddie Murphy movie, Coming to America, so if you like that film, you should like this book. I sure did.Shanti has spent her life preparing to be a queen, but when she is matched on royalmatch.com (if only!) to Sanyu II of Njaza, things don t go as she imagined. The passion is there, but the King is following the tradition of basically trying out the marriage for a few months. Shanti s opinions aren t wanted, and she is relegated to be seen and not heard, which is not working for her. But the clock is ticking and she only has a few months to prove she is the real Queen her King and people need.The King s father had changed wives every four months for years, never finding his true queen,  but Shanti doesn t want that to happen to her. Her husband wasn t really ready to lose his father and take over, and he s not interested in marriage, per se. None of that helps the situation. But gradually they start working together and a happily ever after is reached.This was such a good read! I loved her last series, the Reluctant Royals and if this first book is any indication, this new series is a winner as well.1/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™A journey into the sinister heart of Stalin’s regime of terror, where paranoia reigns and no one is safeStalin’s Russia, 1950. Brilliant young artist Pasha Kalmenov is arrested and sent without trial to a forced-labor camp in the Arctic gulag. This is a camp like no other. Although conditions are harsh and degrading, the prisoners are not to be worked to death in a coal mine or on a construction project. Their task is to forge the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. There is a high price to be paid for failing to reach the required standard of perfection; particularly as the camp commandant has his own secret agenda. When the executions begin, Pasha realizes that only his artistic talent can protect him. But for how long? Worse horrors are to come—if he survives them, will life still be worth living?The Leonardo Gulagjourneys to the sinister heart of Stalin’s regime of terror, where paranoia reigns and no one is safe, and in which the whims of one man determine the fate of millions. Ultimately, the novel presents a moving portrait of the indomitability of the human spirit.Perfect for fans who love the artistry of Daniel Silva and the passion of Greg IlesThe Russian revolution in 1917 rid the Soviet Union of an oppressive monarchy but plunged it into a succession of despots with no regard for human life or human dignity. Doherty s novel is set during the later period of Josef Stalin s life and into the reign of Nikita Khrushchev.   Pasha Kalmenov is a young man coming of age during this period. Due to his extreme poverty, he lives with his mother in a small apartment and attempts to eke out a living as best as he can. He has one talent which sets him apart from others of his age. His artistic ability is above and beyond that of most of his generation. Apparently, Stalin knew of this talent and had Pasha arrested on no specific charges. With no charges read nor a trial in a court of law, he is sent to the frozen tundra of the Gulag. Expecting to be sentenced to the slave labor of working in a mine he instead becomes part of a group of talented artists that are assigned to copying the drawings of Leonardo DaVinci. While the life styles of the group engaged in this work are quite a bit above the normal existence of the main body of prisoners there are harsh penalties for not meeting the standards set by those supervising his group.     Pasha meets and befriends several people working in his group comprising both men and women. They are close and in some cases develop romances amidst the horrors they undergo on a daily basis. The death of Stalin finally generates changes in the prisoners lives and it is the events stemming from the shift in the regime that leads to an ending that is very well plotted and written.       Doherty employs a writing style that is a matter of fact and a bit blasé which makes the horrors described even more horrific. The reader s reaction will be a wonderment as to how human beings can go through the events that they undoubtedly did and still carry on. A fascinating novel and one that will certainly cause the author s next books to be eagerly expected and bought as soon as available.The Leonardo Gulag by Kevin Doherty. Oceanview Publishing (March 3, 2020). ISBN: 978-1608093816. 320 pages. [A] catchy premise with surprising wisdom and specificity. New York Times Book Review on The Bromance Book ClubA LibraryReads Hall of Fame Title A hacktivist and a cat café owner decode the friend zone in this romantic comedy from the author of Undercover Bromance. Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan. Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush.  Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.The friend-to-lover trope is always a good one, and Adams works her magic here for sure. This was one of those books I picked up and couldn t put down until I (sadly) turned the last page. Hopefully, there will be more books in one of my favorite series. I have to say the first book is still my favorite (The Bromance Book Club) but I have truly enjoyed every one. I think they are best read in order, but each book definitely stands alone. And breaking news from Adams Twitter account: coming soon to Netflix!The premise of these books is that this group of men learn how to treat women by reading (gasp!) romance novels. And it works. These are all big, alpha males who understand more about women because of their book club. That is not a bad thing. The other good thing is that these books are really funny, like laugh out loud funny, which I love.The main characters in this book are Noah, a computer nerd who is best friends with Alexis. Alexis is a sexual assault survivor and she is very sweet and kind. Noah realizes he s falling in love with Alexis but he also loves their friendship and is afraid to ruin it. But the book club teaches him how to make it all work out. There are some angsty moments for sure, but everyone gets their happy ending with a lot of laughs along the way. If you haven t started this series, please do yourself a favor and start reading. If you have read the first two books, what are you waiting for? Or start here, you definitely can. Put this one in the must-read column.1/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™CRAZY STUPID BROMANCE by Lyssa Kay Adams. Berkley (October 27, 2020). ISBN 978-1984806130. 352 pages.KindleAudible“I gulped it right down. Excellent, as always. . . . Cornwell brings battles to life like no one else.” –George R.R. Martin, Author ofGame of ThronesThe final installment in Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling Saxon Tales series, chronicling the epic story of the making of England—the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit Netflix series.England is under attack. Chaos reigns. Northumbria, the last kingdom, is threatened by armies from all sides, by land and sea – and only one man stands in their way. Torn between loyalty and sworn oaths, the warrior king Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg faces his greatest ever battle – and prepares for his ultimate fate…“Perhaps the greatest writer of historical adventure novels today” (Washington Post), Bernard Cornwell has dazzled and entertained readers and critics with his prolific string of page-turning bestsellers. Of all his protagonists, however, none is as beloved as Uhtred of Bebbanburg, and this thrilling historical novel continues the saga of his adventures and the turbulent early years of England.Bernard Cornwell s 13th book in his Saxon Tales series and the finale of the group which is a detailing of the making of England. Cornwell is a prodigious chronicler of historical detail with hallmarks of deep research and painstaking plotting. As in any great writer s interpretation of history written in the form of a novel his books impart a picture of the period being discussed with literary license to interject supposed conversations between the characters as well as descriptions of major events taking place at the time. This novel can be read as a stand-alone although preceding events may not be alluded to. The lack of preexisting data does not detract from the enjoyment of a well-written book. Also, if critical a bit of research should turn up the missing facts.     Lord Uhtred, King of Bebbanburg, a city in the province of Northumbria is caught between the quarrels of two men looking to annex the province and seeking him as an ally. Uhtred is getting on in years after a lifetime of war and would like nothing less than to spend his remaining life in the company of his lady and let his son take on the ruling of Bebbanburg as well as its wars.  Unfortunately, he realizes that if he does not pick the correct side in the intercene battles between the two prospective rulers he could very well lose everything including his life.     The reader is taken through the machinations of the opposing sides, including the reactions and plans of Uhtred. The era under review is rife with the growth of the Christian religion and taking the place of the Pagan beliefs of the peoples living then. Uhtred was a pagan but his lady, a former slave was a Christian. The book culminates in the battle of Brunanburh in 973 A.D. a little-known fight but claimed by Cornwell as the key event in the creation of England.  It took place almost a century before the battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. which allowed the Norman French to conquer and become a part of Anglo Saxon England.     Based on the long list of historical novels Bernard Cornwell has to his credit, it is certain that he will shortly present his next project and allow his readers to continue to enjoy his books.WAR LORD by Bernard Cornwell. Harper (November 24, 2020). ISBN: 978-0062563293. 352 pages.New York Times bestselling author Beth Harbison whips together a witty and charming and delicious story about the secrets we keep, the friends we make, and the food we cook.MUST LOVE BUTTER: The Cookbook Club is now open to members. Foodies come join us! No diets! No skipping dessert!Margo Everson sees the call out for the cookbook club and knows she’s found her people. Recently dumped by her self-absorbed husband, who frankly isn’t much of a loss, she has little to show for her marriage but his ‘parting gift’—a dilapidated old farm house—and a collection of well-loved cookbooksAja Alexander just hopes her new-found friends won’t notice that every time she looks at food, she gets queasy. It’s hard hiding a pregnancy, especially one she can’t bring herself to share with her wealthy boyfriend and his snooty mother. Trista Walker left the cutthroat world of the law behind and decided her fate was to open a restaurant…not the most secure choice ever. But there she could indulge her passion for creating delectable meals and make money at the same time.The women bond immediately, but it’s not all popovers with melted brie and blackberry jam. Margo’s farm house is about to fall down around her ears; Trista’s restaurant needs a makeover and rat-removal fast; and as for Aja, just how long can you hide a baby bump anyway?In this delightful novel, these women form bonds that go beyond a love of grilled garlic and soy sauce shrimp. Because what is more important in life than friendship…and food?I used to facilitate a cookbook club, AKA cookbook discussion group, so this title grabbed me right away. Harbison writes women s fiction with some humor, romance, but mostly friendship. This book and one other of hers that I have read (When in Doubt, Add Butter) have a foodie slant, which I always enjoy, especially when there are recipes included. I must confess I haven t made any of the recipes, but I might! I do have a recipe for a taco salad with Doritos (thanks, Judy!) and it is always a winner at any potluck.Three women meet over an ad and a shared interest in cookbooks and cooking. I loved these women. I could be friends with all of them. There is a lot of humor and a lot of food and some very sweet moments as well. They all have stuff going on in their lives, but this friendship brings them something joyful. I knew I was going to like this book when Margo threw her husband out:“Eat, she said, shoving his bowl closer as she passed him. You re going to need your energy. For what? He took a big bite and rolled his eyes in bliss. You ve really gotten so good at this lean stuff. She gathered her internal strength, vision blurring. Packing and getting the hell out of here. He shook his head, chewing. I don t have to leave right away, he said with a mouthful. Oh yes, you do. Seeing how much he was enjoying her food enraged her. It was probably more accurate to say it pulled the pin on the anger that was already tightening deep beneath her disbelief, but whatever caused it, she found herself unable to fight it. In fact, you ve got three seconds to eat whatever else you re going to eat there before you re wearing it. He looked genuinely shocked. Margo, this isn t like you! Correction: this isn t like Margo your wife. The flames of fury engulfed her. She couldn t believe this was happening, and that it was happening so so casually. Let me introduce you to Margo your ex-wife. Can t we be friends? The idea that they could suddenly shift baffled her violently. No. She picked up the bowl and dumped the whole thing in his lap, careful to make sure the oily dressing saturated his shirt. She looked him over and clicked her tongue against her teeth. Get yourself cleaned up, Calvin, honestly, you re a mess. Oh, and you have half an hour to pack what you want and get out. If you don t, I ll call the police. I don t know if they ll be able to enforce anything, but I do know that will embarrass you to death, and if there s one thing you hate, it s being embarrassed.”Gutsy move! Almost sounds like a fantasy, but life can be tricky sometimes so why not just go with it. These women share a love of cooking and learn to love one another, to lean on one another, and that makes for a delicious read.1/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™THE COOKBOOK CLUB by Beth Harbison. William Morrow Paperbacks (October 20, 2020). ISBN 978-0062958624. 384 pages.Kindle (As of this writing, the Kindle version is on sale for $2.99!)AudibleAn authentic Stradivarius violin turns up in Romania. A Stradivarius is rare enough, but this one is even more special. It is thought to hold the code disclosing the location of a treasure hidden in the fifteenth century. The violin is steeped in haunting mystique: it is believed to have been hidden by Vlad Dracula, whose historic tyranny led to the fabrication of the myth of vampirism. Russian, Chinese, and Romanian gangs centered in Boston want the code and all of them are hot on the trail. Violence is their language—brutality, their technique.And who is hired to see that the treasure lands in the rightful place? None other than Michael Knight with a little help from his senior law partner Lex Devlin and his crony, Billy Coyne, Boston’s deputy district attorney.Michael uses the thin leverage of his knowledge about the violin to keep each of the three gang leaders at bay, while he follows the chain of historic clues from a violin shop in the Carpathian Mountains to a gangster-infested nightclub in Bucharest, to a university in Istanbul, and back to the gang headquarters of the three competing criminal organizations. Secrets from the past and present collide along the perilous shuttle between Boston and Romania. In the end, what is the righteous solution?While all of the novels in the Knight and Devlin Thriller Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is:Neon DragonFrame-UpBlack DiamondDeadly DiamondsFatal OddsHigh StakesThis is the 6th book featuring Michael Knight and Lex Devlin partners in a law firm practicing in Boston, Massachusetts. I haven t read the previous five and based on this book that is something I ve missed. That is due to the well-done scenario, the originality of the plot, and the care taken in fleshing out the characters in this novel. It is due to my finding that the author is undoubtedly at the top of his career and I missed what I have no doubt are mesmerizing novels and similar to High Stakes in being all-nighters.     Michael Knight is offered a free trip to Romania by some friends. He can also take his wife of just a few months and treat the trip as another honeymoon. Just one favor asked by one of those offering the trip would be to pick up a Stradivarius violin held by a dealer that had been given it to sell. The violin is one of just a few hundred made by the master craftsman and his family in the late 17th century. The sound of the instrument has no equal and current rates to buy one can run well into a million or more dollars. Michael accepts the picking up of the violin as a small price to pay for a trip to a country that neither he nor his wife has ever visited.     This particular violin was owned by King Vlad of Romania during the 15th century. Vlad was a cruel despot and had the horrible custom of impaling people that displeased him and/or were his enemies. Vlad was immortalized by the 19th-century writer Bram Stoker who created him as an undead vampire awakening at night to drink the blood of those around him.  He could only be killed by driving a stake through his heart.     The violin owned by Vlad was thought to have a map hidden in it to get to his buried treasure. Legend had it that the treasure was immense since he took freely from his subjects as well as receiving tribute from foreign rulers as bribes not to invade them. Due to the legend of the map both the Russian mafia and Chinese tongs are out to get the violin at all costs.     Michael s travels and experiences in getting the violin and attempting to keep it out of the hands of the criminals are very well done. Dobbyn takes him easily from a night club in Bucharest, a visit to a noted historian teaching in Istanbul, and of course all around Boston. He is well described as a man of integrity, gifted with intuition and intelligence, and by no means a superman. In other words, a character fitting right into a plot such as outlined and finding his way through it like normal people who are not supermen would do.HIGH STAKES by John F. Dobbyn. Oceanview Publishing; None edition (October 1, 2019). ISBN: 978-1608093557. 320 pages.From the publisher:A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family, told through the eyes of a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for and everything she feared.Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, supportive mother she never had to her new baby Violet.But in the thick of motherhood s exhausting early days, Blythe doesn t find the connection with her daughter she expected. She s convinced that something is wrong with Violet the little girl is distant, rejects affection, and becomes increasingly disruptive at preschool.Or is it all in Blythe s head? Her husband, Fox, says she is imagining things. Fox doesn t see what Blythe sees; he sees a wife who is struggling to cope with the day-to-day challenges of being a mother. And the more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity Then their son Sam is born and with him, Blythe has the natural maternal connection she d always dreamed of. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth about herself, her past, and her daughter.The Push is a rare and extraordinary gift to readers: a novel about the expectations of motherhood we re taught not to challenge and what really happens behind the closed doors of even the most perfect-looking families. It s impossible to put down and impossible to forget.Three generations of women have difficulties with motherhood and their stories intertwine in this very dark debut novel.Blythe s mother, Cecelia, left when she was eleven years old, and Blythe assumes she probably shouldn’t have children as her mother was not a very good role model. But their toxic relationship pales in comparison with Cecelia’s relationship with her mother, Etta.There is an air of foreboding as Blythe’s story continues when Fox, Blythe’s gentle husband of three years, convinces her that it is time to have a baby. Blythe sees other mothers with their babies and hopes that she, too, will be like them. But Blythe never feels any kind of connection to her baby daughter, Violet, although Fox is immediately enamored.As Blythe sinks into depression, Fox is convinced that she just doesn t love the baby enough. There are some behavioral issues that Blythe sees in Violet that increase as she starts school, but Fox always turns a blind eye. Then Blythe has a son, Sam, and her maternal feelings for him are real and deep. Things still aren t good with Violet, though, or with the marriage, and everything spirals out of control when tragedy strikes the family.The marriage implodes and Blythe is having serious difficulties. This is not your typical tale of motherhood by any means, and the superlative writing makes this a gripping, unforgettable story indeed.Verdict: For readers who enjoyed the darkness of My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh, or Jack of Spades by Joyce Carol Oates.©Library Journal, 20211/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitchTHE PUSH by Ashley Audrain. Viking (January 5, 2021). ISBN 978-0735239890. 320p.KindleAudible Leave a Comment | Book Reviews, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Women's Fiction | Tagged: Psychological suspense, Thriller | Permalink Posted by Stacy Alesi Penny wise or pound foolish? A heartbroken young Brit decides to turn his love life over to the flip of a coin—in this delightfully British rom-com in the vein of Jenny Colgan, Rosie Curtis, Nick Hornby, and David Nicholls.To coin a phrase, Josh is suffering a quarter-life crisis. He just broke up with his long-term girlfriend, lost his job, and moved back home with his parents (shudder). Welcome to rock bottom in Bristol. As Josh starts questioning all his life choices, he has a mad thought: Maybe he would just be better flipping a coin. After all, careful planning has landed him homeless, jobless, and single.What starts as a joke soon becomes serious and Josh decides to start putting his faith in the capriciousness of currency. He doesn’t have anything to lose.But when the chance of a lifetime and the girl of his dreams are on the line, will the coin guide him to a rich love life or leave him flat broke?I am always curious about a contemporary romance novel written by a man. There aren t a lot of them, but I like to read them just for an opposing viewpoint. This is a debut novel so double the pleasure; I love finding new authors as well.This book opens on New Years Eve (probably 2019) and our hero,  Josh, has made elaborate plans. You see, he is going to propose to his long term girlfriend and he wants it to be memorable. He reserves something called the London Eye , a glass bubble high above London with spectacular views. The occupants get to spend a predetermined amount of time in the bubble, and about halfway through, Josh drops to his knee to propose. Unfortunately, the girlfriend says no and to add coal to the fire, also tells him she s been cheating on him. They get to spend an additional 28 minutes in the glass bubble after that. Painful, to say the least.But that s not the end of Josh s troubles. Since his now ex-girlfriend is also the boss s daughter, he feels compelled to resign his position. And since he lives with the ex-girlfriend in her spectacular loft, it means he has to move back in with his parents, your basic nightmare existence for a twenty-something. The icing on the cake? He arrives at his parents house to an engagement party. He sneaks out of the party to watch a movie with his Pap, who offers him a coin to toss to determine which movie to watch. Since all the decisions he has made have not worked out, he decides to let the coin decide his life for the next year. He figures it can t do any worse than he did.The coin leads him on some crazy adventures, including chasing a girl all over Europe (but not in a stalker-ish way.) He learns a lot about himself throughout the year, and it was such a pleasure reading all about it. This is a very funny yet heartwarming read, and I just loved it. I am looking forward to more from this author. Highly recommend!1/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™THE FLIP SIDE by James Bailey. William Morrow Paperbacks (November 17, 2020). ISBN 978-0063019393. 384 pages.KindleAudible Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address: Subscribe To Newsletter Join Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com today! Approximately once a month you'll receive our newsletter. Click Here to Join!

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