A Bewildered Bachelor - Mini Review

A Bewildered Bachelor (The Gentlemen's Gamble, # ?)

By: Holli Jo Monroe

Publication: March 5, 2026 by Brillig Press

250 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--The bet was simple. The plan was perfect. The result was bewildering.
To win a high-stakes wager, Ambrose Hartley must find a wife, preferably one who will help secure his ideal future. Hardened by past disappointment, he is avoiding fickle emotions by focusing on a logical list of requirements. His plans include a serious courtship, a suitable partner, and a predictable life.

Susanna Fenton is unpredictable, unsuitable, and rarely serious. A contented spinster, she believes love is the only proper reason to surrender her freedom. Having known Ambrose since childhood, she doesn’t hesitate to mock his plan. But as she watches him court eligible ladies, she begins to wonder if what she feels isn’t sisterly concern but jealousy.

As Ambrose’s plan unravels, Susanna worries that she will never measure up to his impossible standards. With their mutual misunderstandings mounting and six hundred pounds on the line, can they find the courage to risk their hearts for a future they never thought to plan?

***The Gentlemen's Gamble is a series about seven men racing to the altar in order to avoid losing a wager. Starting January, the books will release in an unannounced order to keep the loser of the wager a surprise.

Somehow I skipped writing my review for A Bewildered Bachelor upon completing this book. That being said...I finished this book three months before sitting down to write my review of it, once I realized that I never did. And I remember nearly nothing about this book. Also, I didn't highlight anything in my Kindle for notes, impressions, or quotes I wanted to refer back to. I did list it in my spreadsheet when I finished the book with a 4 Star rating. Thank goodness for that. I have racked my brain trying to remember a single thing about this book, but everything I thought I remembered was actually about a different book in this series. I don't think that's a fault of the book, but my fault for not reviewing it promptly. I do remember that it wasn't my least favorite book in this series. I actually did write a timely review of that book, and it will be coming. Maybe I should re-read this book so I can write a proper review. This is probably the worst book review I've published on my blog since I had zero to say about Harry Potter when I was originally listening to those on audiobook back in 2011.

Have you read A Bewildered Bachelor? What did you think? Let me know!

Homeschool Friday - # 3

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

Goodreads description--Glenn and his goat go everywhere together. That silly little goat simply provides Glenn friendship and laughter until, one day, the goat helps Glenn find “gold” hidden in plain sight. This whimsically illustrated Silver Tales Series story is just right for Level 2 readers who will grow in their appreciation of hard work, family, tradition, and nature’s gifts.

We happened to be studying maple syrup the week we read Glenn and His Goat. It was the perfect addition to our science lesson this week. Glenn wants so bad to help his family out that is struggling financially. Glenn also wants his own pair of boots. Instead of sitting by and doing nothing, Glenn finds maple sap when his faithful goat starts licking a tree. The story of Glenn, and his goat's determination is something I want my kids to grow up with.

Goodreads description--From the creator of Ready Rabbit Gets Ready! comes a hilarious photo-story of sisterhood and one-upmanship.

Philomena needs new glasses. Her sister Audrey wants them, too. And if Philomena and Audrey have them, shouldn't their sister Nora Jane also have them?

In this utterly amusing tale of sisterhood, glasses, purses, and dresses, these girls soon make an important discovery. Not everyone needs the same things !

Philomena's New Glasses is about how often times we see what others have and think we have to have the same. Philomena needs new glasses, so Audrey's wants some too. And since Audrey gets some too, Nora Jane doesn't want to be left out. Eventually all of the sisters want new things, and all end up getting the same things as each other even though they don't need them. I can't remember all of the items they got off the top of my head, but the lesson is simple. We don't have to always have the same things as everyone else. PREACH IT!

Goodreads description--When Peter finds out that his blue furniture is being painted pink for his new baby sister, he takes the last unpainted item, a chair, and runs away.

A sweet book about a little boy who realizes that things he's outgrown are being revamped for his baby sister. At first, Peter is resistant. He doesn't want his things to be changed. And he doesn't want to give up his things. But he comes to realize that even if he doesn't want to outgrow his things (his chair or his bed), he truly can't use them anymore. And he changes his mind to be excited about giving his things to his new sister. A cute book with a good message.

Goodreads description--Charlie and friend Marv are in search of strange and tricky creatures. And they would like to search without Lola bothering and interrupting. But Lola knows EXACTLY how to catch strange and tricky creatures, and enlists a little bit of help from her invisible friend, Soren Lorensen, and, of course, one or three drops of pink milk. "Child is as visually inventive and verbally dexterous as ever ...classic." - Guardian "The Child recipe at its fresh, playful best." - Observer "A typically exuberant, imaginative whirl of a story." - Angels and Urchins "Child is second to none when it comes to capturing the imagination of young children." - Daily Express "A witty book that reminds us why we fell in love with Charlie and Lola in the first place." - Junior

This was a funny one. Charlie and Marv want to play without Charlie's little sister, Lola. Totally relatable. I had an older sister, and I always hung out with her and her friends. Every now and then she would tell me that it was time for me to leave and let them hang out together. And I wouldn't always be happy about it, but I understood her point. Now that I have children, I'm seeing my oldest want to play with her friends without her little brother bothering them. And I hate him being left out, but I understand it all at the same time. Well Lola had a great strategy to be involved in the play. She suggested her invisible friend, Soren Lorensen, could find the creature Charlie and Marv were trying to find. Lola is brillant. And I kind of wish my two would take a page out of her book.

There was no description on Goodreads. This was included in my daughter's level 2 language arts curriculum. This is a reader meant to be read with both parent/teacher and student. I can't say that my daughter always looked forward to reading this book. As a matter of fact, she often huffed and puffed when it was time to pull this out. However, there were also chapter breaks where she was excited to find out what was going to happen next. Wesley and the Wolves is essentially a boy-who-cried-wolf story. Wesley literally cries wolf, but instead of having multiple instances of lying, Wesley really only lied one time, but this book shows that once trust is lost it can be really difficult to win back. But I loved how Wesley did in fact work to earn trust back with every single person that he broke trust with. A great message in this story.

Goodreads description--The Sour Grape holds grudges for every reason under the sun. Lime never returned a scarf they borrowed? Grudge! Orange never called back? Grudge! But when a friend holds a grudge against the Sour Grape without listening to an explanation, the Sour Grape realizes how unfair grudges can be. Could a bunch of forgiveness and compassion be enough to turn a sour grape sweet?

Jory John and Pete Oswald serve up another heaping plate of laughs and lessons with this empowering, witty, and charming addition to their #1 New York Times bestselling series!

This book is really, really good! I wasn't expecting it to be so good. Honestly, I could have used this book growing up. And I certainly have one child that naturally veers toward being a "sour grape". The concepts in this book were so clear. Seeing how easily and how quickly we can turn into a grudge-holding, bitter, angry person in an illustration was really impactful. I recommend this book to EVERYONE!

Goodreads description--How can we give our children an understanding of the value of love, kindness, empathy, and compassion?

It's challenging to explain the importance of giving and receiving love. Why do some people behave hurtfully? How can we respond with kindness and compassion?

I liked this book. I actually got a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley, but all of my thoughts are my own. The Love Tank is a really good concept in a way that children can understand. I liked the specific difference mentioned between your love tank and being hungry and how trying to fill your love tank with food or shopping will only leave you still feeling empty. I asked my daughter (7 years old) what she thought of this book. She said it was good, and she liked it, but that it was too similar to another book she read. And that made me think of Have You Filled A Bucket Today?, and she verified that was the book she was thinking of. I agree with her. I didn't get both books out to compare one to the other (since we own Have You Filled a Bucket...), but I feel like it went more in depth. If you had to buy one of them only, I would recommend Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, but I like that they both address a similar concept, and this can be great for repition that children need. And having both to use in teaching your kids would be a great way to address their emotional needs and teach them about how to treat others.

Homeschool Friday - # 2

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review for each.

Goodreads description--A Massachusetts Book Awards Must-Read for 2022!

Sometimes Lulu wants to play, but her big sister Zoey doesn’t. Sometimes Zoey tries to share, but Lulu won’t. Sometimes, it is HARD to get along with a sister! But, sometimes, sisters come together and create something wonderful. This charming story follows the adventures of Lulu and Zoey as they navigate the ups and downs of sisterhood and find there is room in their hearts for each other.

I love the illustrations in this one. My 7-year-old daughter read this during independent reading time and told me I needed to read it too because it was so good. And she was right. It was. The challenges of having a sister is so tricky. One the one hand, your sister can be your best friend. On the other hand, sometimes you just want things for yourself. This is always the case with age gaps too. But we both loved this book, the message behind it, and the ending. It would easily be applicable to siblings of different genders, but there's certainly something special and unique about sisters.

Goodreads description--A silly, noisy bedtime book that will have readers squealing, croaking, and laughing along before settling down for a quiet night's sleep!

It's time for bed, but one little mouse just can't get to sleep—it's TOO QUIET! However, the night is actually full of sounds, from the croak of the bullfrog to the howl of a coyote on a distant hill. As the rhythmic symphony of nighttime noises build in this rollicking read-aloud, the mouse starts to wonder whether he wouldn't like a little MORE quiet.

• From the bestselling author of the Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series

• Sweet illustrations by renowned artist Tony Fucile

• A hilarious read-aloud perfect for bedtime or story time

Little readers will delight in the humor and interactivity of It's So Quiet —which concludes by encouraging an appreciation of nighttime's soothing quiet.

• Children's books for kids ages 3–5

• Funny, rhyming picture book

• Perfect for kids who love animals and animal noises

Meh, I didn't like it. The illustrations aren't my favorite. The animal noises or sounds the mouse heard weren't phonetically what I would imagine each time (some were, some weren't). Ultimately it just wasn't a favorite. I think we all kind of looked at each other disappointedly and then moved onto the next book in our stack. This was picked out by our 2-year-old boy.

Goodreads description--Perfect for all children experiencing loss or grief, A Flood of Kindness gracefully confronts difficult feelings and celebrates the healing power of kindness.

"The night the river jumped its banks, everything changed."

So begins A Flood of Kindness, a poignant picture book that addresses grief and loss and demonstrates how kindness can bring hope. Written in spare prose and told from an intimate first-person point of view, the story follows Charlotte, a young girl who watches floodwaters rise in her home and is forced to evacuate to a shelter with her parents. Kind people she doesn't know give her food, socks and shoes to keep her feet warm, and a place to sleep. As Charlotte adjusts to the shelter--a strange, crowded place that is not home--she grapples with feelings of anger and sadness. But as the days go by, Charlotte starts to realize how grateful she is for the things that she does have--her parents, a cot to sleep on, food to eat--and starts looking for ways to help others in the shelter.

All children deal with sadness and loss in some way, whether it stems from a natural disaster, the death of a pet, or moving to a new place. A Flood of Kindness acknowledges those difficult feelings and helps readers process them in a healthy way. Children will be encouraged to be kind to those who need a friend and to help others in whatever way they can, no matter how small.

I saw "kindness" and picked this up from the library without even flipping through the book at all. It deals with the heavy situation of a family being forced from their home due to a flood. The little girl in the book is so scared, and she just wants to be back home with her things and everything that makes her comfortable. I could tell that my kids were somber when I was reading this book to them. The story is really sweet even if heavy. I felt like this was a great lesson and exposure to them, but I also felt like I needed to liven the mood with something silly after we read this book. Great story and meaning though.

Goodreads description--A sweet sibling story about one fed-up big sister who wants to find a space of her own, perfect for fans of Ashley Spires's The Most Magnificent Thing .

Mia loved her big, bright room . . . until she had to share it with her new brother. With Brandon's toys, books, and even underwear taking up space, Mia has finally had it. "I'm moving out!" There are lots of new and interesting spaces she could settle into--the bathroom, the basement, even a pillow fort. But something is always missing. What could it be? Tackling the oh-so-relatable topic of finding a space of one's own, Mia will inspire siblings everywhere to work together as a team. Because sometimes the best place of all is a shared one.

This one sparked some discussion. I remember trying to run away from home when I was little. I don't even know how old, but I packed my things and was ready to leave, but my mom asked if maybe I shouldn't wait to leave until after dinner and I thought that was a pretty good idea. I might get hungry out there. And then she said well it's mighty dark out there, you might get scared. And I thought "yep, better wait until morning", and then by morning I forgot I was planning to run away. Having to share space with your siblings isn't always easy, but this was a nice lesson in learning to live together and share space. And hey, you might just be able to find a fun space for you and your sibling.

Goodreads description--A tender tale to remind the youngest of children that Mommy always comes back. "I want my mommy!" Three baby owls awake one night to find their mother gone, and they can't help but wonder where she is. What is she doing? When will she be back? What scary things move all around them? Stunning illustrations from striking perspectives capture the anxious little owls as they worry. Not surprisingly, joyous flapping and dancing and bouncing greet the mother's return, lending a celebratory tone to the ending of this comforting tale. Never has the plight of young ones who miss their mother been so simply told or so beautifully rendered.

I confess I had a little bit higher hopes for this book. I thought the little owls were going to have to work together to survive with their mom gone. Instead, this was just a realistic view of the potential responses a little one might have to their mom being away. It was cute, but didn't blow me away.

Very Wicked Things - Mini Review

Very Wicked Things (Briarcrest Academy, # 2)

By: Ilsa Madden-Mills

Published: May 13th 2014 by Little Dove Publishing

332 pages

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository )

*Note: The above links to Amazon and Book Depository are affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Born on the poor side of town...

Ballerina Dovey Beckham is a scholarship student at Briarcrest Academy, determined to prove she’s more than just a girl with the wrong pedigree. She does whatever it takes to succeed in her endgame, even if it means surrendering her body…but never her heart.

Until the day she meets him, and he rips apart all her well-laid plans. Suddenly, the girl everyone thought unbreakable might just shatter.

Born into wealth and privilege...

Cuba “Hollywood” Hudson is rich, spoiled, and a star football player. With his fast cars and superficial girlfriends, he lives the high-life, hiding his secrets from the world.

Until the day he meets her, and she offers him something he’s never tasted... love.

But once in a lifetime kind of love doesn’t come easy. When trust crumbles and doubts creep in, both will have to decide to either love or let go... forever.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy, where sometimes, only the wicked survive.

I don't have too much to say about Very Wicked Things, but I did want to make a few comments. I really liked how Dovey and Cuba have an entire history before the start of Very Wicked Things. Granted we do get most of their backstory in the form of flashbacks which I don't always love, but I did really like how we were thrust into the middle of their mess of a relationship rather than starting at the very beginning.

Cuba had a lot of moments that could have induced severe eye rolling. The way he pushes Dovey away and how he uses girls and sex as an escape. The way he treats Dovey isn't in any kind of way excusable even though there is a reason.

Dovey also had her moments. Despite being treated like dirt she can't stop caring for Cuba. I respect her ability to forgive, but still. Also, I struggled with her own decisions in the name of protecting those that she cares about.

Overall this was a quick read for me. It was exactly what I was in the mood for in the given moment that I read it, but I don't think Very Wicked Things will be an epic romance in my mind. I did enjoy it though. Very Wicked Things gets 3 Stars from me. Have you read Very Wicked Things? What did you think? Let me know!

*Note: There were sexual situations, but not too terribly many and not in as much detail as some new adult books. Obvious language was present as well. Just an FYI.