May 2022 EOM Wrap Up

I read 4 book (not including children's books). *These qualify for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Never Rescue a Rogue (The Merriwell Sisters, # 2) by Virginia Heath
An Unfamiliar Duke (Georgian Gentlemen, # 4) by Sian Ann Bessey
Edward & Amelia by Karen Thornell
A Healer's Promise (Brides of Laurent, # 2) by Misty M Beller

I have reviewed 4 books. *These qualify for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Games in a Ballroom by Jentry Flint
Rescuing Lord Inglewood (Inglewood, # 1) by Sally Britton
An Unfamiliar Duke (Georgian Gentlemen, # 4) by Sian Ann Bessey
This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, # 1) by Tahereh Mafi

Other Posts:
Sunday Post - 05/01/22
Sunday Post - 05/08/22
Sunday Post - 05/15/22
Sunday Post - 05/22/22
April 2022 EOM Wrap Up
2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - May Wrap Up

Goals:
I'm ahead on my Bible-in-a-year plan.
I've read 18 out of 52 books (including children's books).
I've read potentially 2 out of 5-10 series enders.

Sunday Post - 05/29/22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Our first week out of school. We started chore charts this week. I'm a firm believer in the benefits and lessons of doing chores for kids. The kids were actually excited to start, but of course the excitement waned as the week progressed. Monday and Tuesday were pretty chill days. We went for walks and played outside. I continued to work on the pool and started painting Little Girl's bedroom. I usually only have an hour here or there so progress is slow. Wednesday and Thursday it bascailly rained all day. Thursday, Little Girl had an allergy asthma check up. We get to take a break from breathing treatments over the summer. Friday was a rough parenting day. Baby Boy was into everything. The two big kids have been in a pattern of some behavior that needs to be corrected. It was just a draining day. Saturday was wonderful. Husband had one last day to use the tractor we borrowed from our brother-in-law. I took Baby Boy for a walk and then all of us went to swim with Husband's sister and family at Grammy's. Doing so kept the kids busy and away from Husband with his work. And the swimming wore the kids out.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, # 1) by Tahereh Mafi (3.5 Stars)
Wednesday: 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - May Wrap Up

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Tuesday: May 2022 EOM Wrap Up
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Monday: Review of Amelia & Edward by Karen Thornell

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - May Wrap Up

Time for our Monthly Wrap Up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge hosted by Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know and Holly @ Words Fueled by Love!

Neither Sandy nor Holly has finished any series enders this month.

Which series enders did you finish? Link the up below. Don't forget to include the title, your name, & your blog name (Ex: Requiem - Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know) Also, the May giveaway runs from May 25th - June 25th. On June 25th we will use random.org and the linky entries to pull a grand prize winner.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

This Woven Kingdom - Review

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, # 1)

By: Tahereh Mafi

Publication: February 1st 2022 by HarperCollins

512 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( 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--Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.

This Woven Kingdom has kind of a classic plot. Boy and girl should be enemies. Both are rulers of a kingdom. One is in a position of power. The other is in the lowliest position possible and must find a way to rally loyal subjects and rise from the lowly place back to power.

Kamran is a prince that will soon turn king. His grandfather knows his time on the throne is coming to an end. Kamran witnesses an interaction with a servant girl in the street where a street boy tires to rob her and she disarms him. Kamran immediately realizes something is off with this girl. He thinks there's a sinister quality about her, but he soon learns that she isn't out to harm anyone.

Alizeh has long given up on the idea of reviving her kingdom. She longs for much simpler things now. Safety. Security. A clean room. Water. She works hard and keeps her head down because doing anything else will get her killed. But some people can't leave well enough alone. Kamran's interest in her draws the notice of the king. And long ago the king received a prophecy that this girl would result in his demise. So he aims to get to her first.

Alizeh and Kamran have a connection that can't be denied. They are drawn to each other and appreciate the other for who they are, not what they are or what they can do. And it was only the romantic relationship that drove me to keep reading because not much else happened in the story. We'll I take that back. A lot happened right there at the end of the book. And so much happened so fast that I sometimes questioned what I was reading. Did I skip something? Did something not get explained? We went from zero to one hundred there at the end.

Favorite quotes:

-It took little, he realized, to rekindle a fire that only dulled, but never died.

-“I am an extremely generous person. Have you already forgotten how long I allowed you to sit on me?”

-“You have consumed my thoughts since the moment I met you,” he said to her. “I feel now, in your presence, entirely strange. I think I might fetch you the moon if only to spare your tears again.”

-Even in her most desperate moments, Alizeh had found the courage to move forward by searching the depths of herself; she’d found hope in the sharpness of her mind, in the capacity of her own capable hands, in the endurance of her unrelenting spirit. She would be broken by nothing. She refused.

-“You might do us all a favor, Hazan, and begin to manage your expectations of my state. This is where I live, minister. Here, between angry and irritable, lies my charming personality. It does not change."

It took me nearly an entire month to read This Woven Kingdom. That wasn't exactly the book's fault. We moved two days after starting this book, and I found myself falling asleep every time I picked it up. Now mostly that's because I was exhausted, but I do think the right book could have helped me stay awake a little longer. Regardless, I liked the characters, and I'm interested in seeing what happens next. This Woven Kingdom gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read This Woven Kingdom? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 05/22/22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Monday night Little Boy had closing ceremony. He was so happy to have a trophy. Husband switched to 4 10-hour work days this past week, and Tuesday was his off day. He surprised me with taking me and the boys furniture shopping. We didn't see anything we wanted to buy exactly, but we did get some ideas. Wednesday, Husband took the kids to school and ended up having a flat tire. Big surprise but there was a large nail in it. We weren't surprised at all because our lazy contractors haphazardly dropped nails, screws, and whatever all over the yard and driveway. Even though we've gone over much of the property with a large magnet, we are still constantly finding nails, screws, glass, concrete, brick pieces, random construction trash all over our yard. Thursday, it was me and the boys during the day. We had a good day for the most part. And then Friday was both big kids' last day of school. I got bit by a dog in our neighborhood on our walk. I was walking in the middle of the street and nowhere close to his/her property. The little terror came running straigt for me and snagged my ankle before I knew it. Honestly, I figured it was going to happen because this same dog has nipped me on the foot before several years ago. We live in the country so we have no burn laws and burned some boxes Friday afternoon. The fire was out, but Little Boy picked up something that was still hot and burned his thumb and pointer finger. His pointer finger does have a blister on it but his thumb looks much better than I thought at first. His crying woke Baby Boy up, and I had a mom fail and snapped at Little Girl during the whole process. It was a rough end to the day. Saturday, Little Girl had closing ceremony. After that we ran to a graduation party for a guy who goes to church with us. Then we came home and worked on the pool and yard. The pool has two years of neglect basically because it sat from fall of 2020 until April 2022 when we finally started giving it some attention again. But I feel like I'm finally seeing some progree on it, and we sure know how to turn a green pool back to clear blue.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of An Unfamiliar Duke (Georgian Gentlemen, # 4) by Sian Ann Bessey (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, # 1) by Tahereh Mafi
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

The Decoy Girlfriend

By: Lillie Vale

Publication: September 6th 2022 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

336 pages

Genre: Adult, Contemporary

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( 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--A laugh-out-loud funny and whip-smart romantic comedy from the author of The Shaadi Set-Up, about a young woman who takes the place of her celebrity doppelgänger, and must fake-date the actress’s sexy costar boyfriend.

Writer Freya Lal has a huge secret: she’s a dead ringer for It-girl actress Mandi Roy. Her second novel is due in a month, but inspiration is nowhere to be found. Desperate to shake off her writer’s block, Freya leans into her look-alike abilities and indulges in some mistaken identity for simple perks, like scoring a free mimosa or getting into a trendy nightclub.

Actor Taft Bamber appears to have it all: gorgeous, talented, and Mandi’s love interest both on- and off-screen. But what nobody knows is that their relationship is a PR stunt, and after years of playing make-believe, he’s yearning for something real.

When Freya’s latest impersonation of Mandi goes viral thanks to Taft’s accidental interference, rumors of a breakup threaten Hollywood’s golden couple. To make amends, Freya is forced to give Mandi a little time off: she’ll pretend to be the actress for a month, move in with Taft, and squash the rumors by acting completely in love. But as Freya and Taft play house, it becomes impossible to ignore that their instant chemistry isn’t just for the cameras. While faking it, they might have just found the real thing.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

An Unfamiliar Duke - Review

An Unfamiliar Duke (Georgian Gentlemen, # 4)

By: Sian Ann Bessey

Publication: May 16th 2022 by Covenant Communications

290 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)

( 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--At eleven years of age, Rosalind Ainsworth was convinced that Sebastian Lumley, the future Duke of Kelbrook, was the most odious young man she’d ever met. And ten years later, after having had no contact with the nobleman in the intervening time, her opinion of him has not changed. Unfortunately, neither has the marriage contract their fathers signed soon after her birth.

As Rosalind’s twenty-first birthday and the appointed wedding day approaches, Sebastian makes a rare appearance in London. His first meeting with Rosalind since childhood goes less than perfectly, but Sebastian has a compelling reason for honoring their marriage contract—a reason outlined in a document kept behind his workshop’s locked door.

After a quick wedding, the new couple relocates to Finley Park, where their acquaintanceship slowly blossoms into affection. But when Sebastian’s secretive work threatens their fledgling relationship and Rosalind’s life is placed in jeopardy, Sebastian finds himself forced to choose between the man he has pledged to help and the woman he has come to love.

I can't think of a single book where I've disliked the story that focused on a marriage of convenience where the couple ultimately fell in love. I mean I guess I'm just a sucker for this trope. An Unfamiliar Duke was no different. 

Rosalind and Sebastian have been betrothed since infancy. Their fathers were friends and hoped to spare their children the difficulties of finding a good match. Sebastian and Rosalind seemed to have only really met once in their past when they were children. Sebastian was fifteen I believe, and Rosalind was eleven. They didn't have the best initial reaction to the other. Rosalind talked a lot for a boy that was used to being mostly alone. And Sebastian cut her out in a way that made Rosalind feel unwanted. The two grow up knowing from this point that they're betrothed, but both are hoping to find a loophole to escape the contract. 

Unfortunately, the contract their fathers created is pretty airtight legally speaking. When the upcoming marriage can no longer be ignored, the two meet, and Sebastian at least asks Rosalind what she wants to do.  Luckily, these two ended up having some common areas of interest that laid the work for a friendship to form. From there things built rather slowly. Through shared experiences and teamwork, these two begin to develop a relationship that is not quickly broken. 

The relationship drove the story for me in An Unfamiliar Duke which is always my preference. Although there was a mystery or an added layer to the story that created some suspense and action mostly at the end. None of that was unpredictable. Yet I didn't mind because, again, it wasn't the driving force of the story. 

Favorite quotes:

-"You possess all the qualities necessary to be a marvelous wife."

-And if she truly wished to keep her list balanced, she must include the good no matter her current feelings.

-"...do not wish to compete with anything higher than this level of passable."

An Unfamiliar Duke was just what I was hoping it would be. Rosalind and Sebastian essentially have a marriage that they didn't pick yet can't get out of. They find a way to build a friendship that develops into more. All the while there are forces trying to work against them. I enjoyed every part of this book. An Unfamiliar Duke gets 4 Stars. Have you read An Unfamiliar Duke? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 05/15/22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Monday night Little Boy ended up having a makeup game which was his last of the season. Little Girl also had a game. Tuesday, I took Little Boy to get his haircut, and then we met some friends at a spash pad in town. We'd never been before so both of my little guys took nearly two hours to warm up to going out and playing in the water. Thankfully, I'd packed us a picnic lunch so we had something to do in the meantime. After Little Girl got home from school I rushed her to a hair cut appointment. And then we rushed back home and to her school for her kindergarden program. I am so proud of her, and I cannot believe kindergarden is ending already. We have one week of school left. Wednesday I ran some errands before picking Little Boy up from school and then had another one after getting Little Girl from school. Thursday my mom came to spend the day with us. And then Friday, Little Girl had her last game of the season. They finally won. It ended up being a rough afternoon and night though. You know how one person in the family will be in a bad mood and it just radiates out to everyone. And pretty soon there's a storm cloud hanging over everyone? Saturday I woke up with an upset stomach. So Baby Boy and I hung at the house while Husband took the two big kids to a party at the lake that we'd been invited to. They had a blast.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: Review of Rescuing Lord Inglewood (Inglewood, # 1) by Sally Britton (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of An Unfamiliar Duke (Georgian Gentlemen, # 4) by Sian Ann Bessey
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

Sunkissed

By: Kasie West

Publication: May 4th 2021 by Delacorte Press

320 pages

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Source: Personal Kindle Library (on sale for $1.99)

( 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--A lighthearted and swoony contemporary YA romance by fan-favorite author Kasie West about a girl who finds that a summer spent at a family resort isn’t as bad as she imagined…and that falling in love is filled with heartache, laughter, and surprises!

After being betrayed by her best friend, Avery is hoping for a picture-perfect summer. Too bad her parents have dragged her and her sister to a remote family camp for the entire summer. And that’s not even the worst part. Avery also has to deal with no internet, a cute but off-limits staff member, and an always-in-her-face sister.

But what starts as a disaster turns into a whirlwind summer romance as Avery embarks on an unexpected journey to figure out what she truly wants and who she wants to be.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Rescuing Lord Inglewood - Review

Rescuing Lord Inglewood (Inglewood, # 1)

By: Sally Britton

Publication: May 21st 2019 by Blue Water Books

232 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance, Regency

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--All he wants is someone he can trust. All she wants is to belong. But when compromising circumstances force them together, do they have a chance at finding love? Silas Riley, Earl of Inglewood, is known among his peers in Parliament as the man made of stone. As a wealthy peer, there are few he trusts with his friendship. He guards his heart and his honor with vigilance, and when an accident nearly takes his life, he’s faced with a situation which threatens his standing in society.

Growing up in the shadow of her older brother, Esther Fox’s acceptance in his circle has been indifferent at best. So when she ends up in a compromising situation as she saves the life of her brother’s dearest friend, the Earl of Inglewood, she is forced to marry him to save her own reputation. Once again, she finds herself accepted only because of the situation, and not because she is truly wanted.

Neither are prepared for a loss which further complicates their new relationship. With such a difficult beginning, can they ever hope to understand one another, let alone find love?

Rescuing Lord Inglewood starts off exactly there...where Esther rescues Silas by pushing him out of the way of a falling statue. The gossip that flies around concerning this incident was a stretch for me. In some ways, I could see it happening. And in other ways, it was beyond comprehension that this particular situation could be turned into something scandalous. Regardless, Sally Britton did choose to include a second situation that truly forced the marriage.

Esther is used to being left behind. Her brother was five years older than her, and even though she constantly followed him around, he was also constantly telling her she couldn't come and play with him and his friends because she was either too small or too young. Her mother dies after remarrying. Esther's brother eventually enlists in the military and goes off to war leaving her to live with her stepbrother and his wife. More than anything, Esther feels like she's constantly being left behind by those she cares about while they go off to their own whims and adventures and left out of the planning and say over her own life. And her marriage to save her reputation isn't much different.

Silas is best friends with Esther's brother, Isaac. And he was one of the friends always running off and leaving Esther behind. Silas is used to taking charge. His parents died when he was young leaving him an earl. His grandmother came to take care of him, but he was often on his own and had to learn to take control. He has spent a lot of time keeping others away and guarding himself and his emotions.

Silas wouldn't exactly have chosen the way his and Esther's marriage happened, but he was the first one to be open to the idea. Esther and Silas had a slow build to their relationship starting with trust and moving brick by brick into creating something special. I liked how they had complicated issues to work through and not just being unsure about the other's feelings.

The side characters made for a fun extended family of sorts, and I can't wait to carry on the series and read about each one of them.

Favorite quotes:

-"For the moment," she said, her fingertips brushing the polished surface of the desk, "my sorrow is at rest. That is the way with mourning. It is like a thunderstorm, drenching you one moment and the next turning into a misty fog."

-"What matters is living without regrets, and loving without fear. I wish to make every moment we have together count."

Rescuing Lord Inglewood was my first book by Sally Britton. And now I want to read them all. I enjoyed the complexity of the story and the character's backgrounds and conflicts. I loved the slow-building romance between Esther and Silas. I even enjoyed the existing friendships as well as the newly formed ones. I can't wait to continue the series. Rescuing Lord Inglewood gets 4 Stars. Have you read Rescuing Lord Inglewood? What did you think? Let me know!

Sunday Post - 05/08/22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Another busy week. Honestly the beginning of this past week feels months away. Monday night the kids had ballgames. Little Girl had a double header in another city. Grandma & Grandpa and Grammy came to Little Boy's game. My dad got all of the new window casings done between Monday and Tuesday. He left our house Tuesday not feeling well and went to the doctor Wednesday with a sinus infection. I finally started feeling better towards the end of the week. And I think we're pretty much all healthy right now. Tuesday, I took the boys to Walmart for a few things we wouldn't make it until Saturday without. And to get them out of my dad's way. Friday I dropped the kids off at school and ran to UPS to drop off a package. Then I dropped off some donations and got Chickfila for lunch after getting Little Boy from school. Both kids had games Friday night. Little Girl's team hasn't won a single game this season but we scored several runs in a row after a stretch of games with zero points. The league is offering a free softball camp this summer that we'll probably attend. There was an ice cream truck at the field Friday night so we grabbed treats for the way home. Saturday I got a good bit of painting done on various things. And then I started vacuuming the pool. It has over a year's worth of neglect since we were away all year last year and it just hasn't been our priority. But we do want it clean and functional for this summer so I got started on that. Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there. Momming is such a hard yet rewarding job. Take in your day Mamas! Also, today happens to my anniversary. Husband and I have been married 13 years. The last several have been challenging, but I wouldn't trade my partner for any other.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: April 2022 EOM Wrap Up
Thursday: Review of Games in a Ballroom by Jentry Flint (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: Review of Rescuing Lord Inglewood (Inglewood, # 1) by Sally Britton
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

The Dreaming Beauty

By: Anneka R Walker

Expected Publication: July 11th 2022 by Covenant Communications

256 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

( 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--Once upon a dream, two cursed people fell in love...

Tansy White doesn't want to end up alone like her three aunts who raised her, but when she is betrayed by her would-be betrothed, she fears she might never change her fate. At her aunts' suggestion, she seizes the chance to visit Rose Cottage, the country home of her late mother. For years, dreams of the cottage have haunted Tansy, and she is convinced it holds the answer to her hidden past. But after getting caught in a terrible storm, she meets a man who is just as determined as she is to learn all her secrets.

Marcus Taylor, brother to the Duke of Westmorland, is also troubled by vivid dreams. On a sleepless night, as a tempest rages outside his brother's estate, he makes a discovery far more mysterious than any dream: a young woman, cold as ice, lies unconscious in the library, and he is sure she is the key to solving his problems. When she makes, what begins as a shared quest for information turns into an unexpected friendship. As they piece together the fragments of their past, they discover a tangled web of lies, and their feelings for each other become just as entwined. But is their love as strong as their dreams. . . or their fate?

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Games in a Ballroom - Review

Games in a Ballroom

By: Jentry Flint

Publication: May 3rd 2022 by Shadow Mountain

272 pages

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( 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--London, 1815

Olivia Wilde has resigned herself to never finding a love match. Her father has insisted she marry a man with a title, if only to increase his own standing and reputation in society. But the men her father deems acceptable are, at best, boring and uninspiring, and at worse, are as brutish as her father, and are only looking to increase their own diminishing coffers. With her future looking dismal, Olivia decides to enjoy the last few months of freedom with her childhood friends, including the handsome Emerson Latham. His devilish smile and flirtatious teasing stirs up feelings she knows she cannot entertain.

Emerson is struggling to rise to his responsibilities after the death of his father. Though he might still be learning what he needs to do as the head of his household, one thing he knows for sure is that he wants Olivia Wilde to be his wife. Having grown up as childhood friends with Olivia, Emerson long ago had fallen in love with her quick wit, beauty, and passionate heart. However, without a title, he will never be permitted to court Olivia openly. But he has a plan that may give him a chance to court her in secret.

As the season kicks off, Emerson proposes a bit of fun with a playful game of tag. Olivia’s friends are delighted by the idea, though Olivia is more wary. After all, the game must be played in secret and they must be discreet when tagging each other at dinners and balls and the theater. As the romance builds between Olivia and Emerson, so does the risk of being discovered. Not only are their reputations at stake, so is their safety if they are caught by Olivia’s father, who has an explosive, and at times violent, temper.

Can their love find a happily ever after before the game ends?

Games in a Ballroom has such a unique concept. Playing a secret game of tag at various balls definitely sounds like a new way to flirt with the object of one's affection. Jentry Flint did a good job showing that games are important to this group of characters. Emerson, Arabella, and Olivia seem to have grown up constantly playing games with each other that exceeded the typical child. When Emerson went off to school, he met two other gentlemen that made up a trio. She showed that even as adults these games were important to each character to maintain a feeling of who they are deep down.

Olivia's father has built his financial empire from scratch. And it seems that all he cares about is advancing. He married Olivia's mom as an advancement. And all he lacks is a title. Now Olivia marrying someone with a title still doesn't actually get him a title, but that's as close to one as he'll get. He truly seems to care nothing about anyone but himself. He's volatile, angry, and abusive. And Olivia and her mother have done everything they can to fly under his radar and not upset him.

Emerson is struggling to find himself now that his father has passed away. He has new responsibilities. Finding a wife for himself, a husband for his sister, and taking care of his widowed mother is just a few of those weighty responsibilities. He doesn't have any problems setting his eyes on who he wants to marry. But he has to convince her that he's not just interested in playing games with her. And he has to convince her that defying her father will be worth it to her.

The side characters were all lively. I would love to read stories about each of them. And I absolutely hope Jentry Flint turns this into a series. I'm intrigued about Arabella and Northcott. But it will be interesting to explore Bradbury as well. He's strictly against marrying, and his vices and games draw him further away from the idea. I hope she explores the idea of writing their stories.

Favorite quotes:

-"The true making of a man is not measured by what he can physically obtain, but by his love for the woman he would give up all else for."

-"Blazes, Emerson, why did you have to go and make it uncomfortable?"

Games in a Ballroom is the first book to hold my interest in about a month. Even though I read it in October 2021 and it doesn't publish until May 2022, I didn't hesitate to pick it up. The description completely pulled me in, and Jentry Flint didn't disappoint with her debut. Games in a Ballroom gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read Games in a Ballroom? What did you think? Let me know!

April 2022 EOM Wrap Up

I read 1 book (not including children's books). *These qualify for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, # 1) by Tahereh Mafi

I have reviewed 4 books. *These qualify for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge.
Always Jane by Jenn Bennett
Enchanting the Heiress (Hearts on the Heath, # 3) by Kristi Ann Hunter
My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel
Manor for Sale, Baron Included (A Romance of Rank, # 1) by Esther Hatch

Other Posts:
Sunday Post - 04/03/22
Sunday Post - 04/24/22
Can't Wait for Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
March 2022 EOM Wrap Up
2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - April Wrap Up

Goals:
I'm ahead on my Bible-in-a-year plan.
I've read 14 out of 52 books (including children's books).
I've read potentially 2 out of 5-10 series enders.

Sunday Post - 05/01/22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

I've been getting a lot of painting done at the house during Baby Boy's naps this week. On Tuesday, Little Boy told me his ear was hurting and he couldn't hear well. After having the flu last week, I figured that was the perfect storm for an ear infection. Baby Boy had a wellness check up scheduled for Thursday so I called the doctor to see if I could bring Little Boy in at the same time and they said yes. So Thursday we ran to the doctor. Both boys have ear infections. Baby Boy's was lingering from before so we switched antibiotics. He's in the top 3% for height and is average for weight. I stopped by the pharmacy on the way home to drop off their prescriptions. Then got good behavior treats and gas in my car. When I got home my parents were right behind us. We'd gotten our windows replaced last week so my dad was coming by to get back to work on our house. My mom ended up watching the kids for me so I could go to field day for Little Girl. That's the first event I've been able to go to for her class. I dropped her off at the house and ran back to the pharmacy to pick up the medicine. Friday I ran to get groceries after taking the kids to school, and my dad came back to work on the house. He got the big window in our living room framed out. It looks so good. Saturday, we went to my niece's wedding. And then came home and crashed. I finally got a little reading done without falling asleep. I'm just so tired these days.

THE PAST WEEK:

Monday: 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge - April Wrap Up
Thursday: Review of Manor for Sale, Baron Included by Esther Hatch (4.5 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: April EOM Wrap Up
Tuesday: Top Ten Tuesday?
Wednesday: Can't Wait for Wednesday
Saturday: Review of Games in a Ballroom by Jentry Flint

Don’t forget to link up for the 2022 Series Enders Reading Challenge! You have until December 15th, 2022 to sign up. Each month there will be a giveaway for those participating with an end of the year giveaway too! Click on the picture below or the link above to find out more!

NEW BOOKS:

No new books this week.

That's it for my shelves and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you add to your shelves this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!