My 2024 Goodreads Reading Challenge: January - February

The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden

It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. One day I can’t help but knock on the door. What I see inside changes everything. That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe. Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…

After really enjoying the first book in the series, this was a bit underwhelming. I did enjoy the twist but for some reason Millie felt really weak compared to how she was in the first book. The character of Brock and him being in it at all wasn't really necessary either. I get that he served a purpose but I wasn't a fan of the way that Millie was stringing him along. And Wendy was the worst. At least in the first book I had some sympathy for Nina and why she had done what she had done. Having said all that, I am still really looking forward to seeing what happens in the third instalment.

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

Celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, podcaster Alix crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie. Josie is also celebrating her 45th. Josie says she thinks she would be an interesting subject for Alix's podcast. And indeed, Josie's life appears to be strange and complicated. Slowly Alix starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it Josie has cajoled her way into Alix's life -- and into her home. Soon Alix begins to wonder who is Josie really? And what has she done?

This was a real page turner, thanks to its short, snappy chapters. I also particularly liked the Netflix documentary sections that were woven in. A lot of the story and subject matters made me feel quite uneasy and the way that Josie acts, especially around Alix, is so creepy. Sadly the last few chapters felt a little bit unfinished. And I'm still not sure what to think about Josie's final chapter either. After what's happened, who should we believe? But I was hooked the whole way through and I liked that this was a bit of a different take on a thriller.

Never Lie by Freida McFadden

Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are house hunting. But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate. In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance.

I found the main character in this to be incredibly frustrating. I've read books with unreliable narrators before but having to completely discredit all of Tricia's chapters up until the big twist was silly. I also didn't enjoy the obvious misdirect of the EJ character being seemingly so similar to Ethan. Then we have 'the video.' It was absolutely crazy to me that Adrienne was acting as though slashing some guy's tyres was going to be received in the same way as if she'd literally killed someone. While on the flip side, she had zero qualms about actually murdering someone.

Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage

For the first time in her life, Emmy has no idea what she's doing. After an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape. Luke is Meadowlark's most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. As Emmy's older brother's best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonising her. It's been years since he's seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can't take his eyes off her. Can he help her get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?

I did have to google a few things, like 'what is barrel racing?' and 'what is tacking a horse?' But one thing this book did really well was I could actually picture certain scenes, almost like I was watching a rom com. There were some nice steamy scenes but I'm always put off when the male main character starts referring to the woman that he's been pining for/is clearly falling in love with as a slut in the bedroom. Outside of that Luke/Brooks seemed like a nice, albeit understood, guy and I liked seeing their relationship develop. I understood that Gus was most likely being set up for his own book but did he need to be acting that way about his grown adult sister? I think not.

So Late In The Day by Claire Keegan

After an uneventful Friday at the Dublin office, Cathal faces into the long weekend and takes the bus home. There, his mind agitates over a woman named Sabine with whom he could have spent his life, had he acted differently. All evening, with only the television and a bottle of champagne for company, thoughts of this woman and others intrude -- and the true significance of this particular date is revealed.

At under 30 pages this is a particularly short short story. But I found it to be beautifully written. I also liked the way that it was told in the current day and via flashbacks. I couldn't quite believe how much was crammed into such a limited number of pages. After seeing that this was published under the title Misogynie in France, that certainly feels like a better fit than So Late In The Day. But this story has definitely piqued my interest when it comes to Claire Keegan's writing. And I look forward to picking up her longer novellas next.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

Daphne always loved the way Peter told their story. That is until it became the prologue to his actual love story with his childhood bestie, Petra. Which is how Daphne ends up rooming with Petra's ex, Miles. As expected, it’s not a match made in heaven -- that is until one night, while tossing back tequilas, they form a plan. And if it involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their adventures together, well, who could blame them? But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex, right?

I think this might be Emily Henry's best yet and I have adored all of her books thus far. The whole initial setup was just *chef's kiss*. And their banter - wow, was it good! I really empathised with Daphne and saw so much of myself in her. I enjoyed seeing her friendship with Ashleigh and the poker nights, as well as the whole readathon. And Miles - he is easily one of the best book boyfriends that I have ever read. I mean, the love declaration! I'm going to need a minute to recover from that. I felt like I truly knew each of the characters by the end. It was full of emotion, tension that leads to some great steamy scenes and a whole lot of depth and growth.

Publication date: 25th April 2024

The Exception To The Rule by Christina Lauren

One typo, and a boy and girl connect by chance. Wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day isn’t the end. In fact, it becomes a friendly annual tradition -- with rules: no pics, no real names, nothing too personal. As years pass, the rules for their email “dates” are breaking, and they’re sharing more than they imagined -- including the urge to ask…what if we actually met?

When I started reading this and realised that a good chunk of it was emails between our two characters, I wasn't really vibing with it. Yes, it was cute but it all felt very YA and not what I was really expecting from Christina Lauren. But then came the internal monologues and it really came into its own. The chemistry, the connection, him realising who she was before her; it was all done so well. I would have read another 300 pages of Terra and Callum in a heartbeat. Like, I need more Callum ASAP! This was such a satisfying novella and it packed a lot in for it being under 100 pages long.

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez

Holly is dealing with the impending death of her grandmother and still reeling from a bad breakup. One bright spot: a Valentine’s Day card on Holly’s windshield -- even if it wasn’t meant for her. An amusing mistake soon turns into a lovely exchange of anonymous notes, little acts of kindness, and a growing affection between two strangers.

This fell a little flat for me. The idea of them swapping back notes and gifts via Holly's car was cute. But it was a little heartbreaking to read about her grandma being on the cusp of passing away, especially in such a condensed number of pages. I would have loved an epilogue or even seeing them on their first date. But the way that it ended right when they finally realised who the other person was made it feel really abrupt. It also felt incredibly unrealistic that in the end they lived in the same apartment building, right after crossing paths at his brother's/her grandma's apartment building. I mean, what are the chances of that happening in real life?

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne

Rosie and her sister are up for some Galentine’s pampering at a day spa. Getting locked inside a flotation tank is so Rosie. Enter a firefighter hero determined to pry this luckless pearl out of her high-tech shell. All Rosie has to go on is a dreamy voice and a flirty sense of humor. Remain calm, Rosie. This could be what you’ve been waiting for. Is this the man she’s waited for her whole life?

The whole concept could have been an interesting one, especially as it features a fireman rescue. But there was no way that these two people were in their mid twenties from the way they spoke to one another. I mean, both of them were speaking like actual children. They were also way too familiar with one another from the get go. Rosie also won't stop comparing herself to her sister in a negative, self deprecating way either. And then what was that whole bullying at college storyline about? I get that it went to explain why she felt claustrophobic but it's just thrown in there with absolutely no explanation. Yeah, this just didn't work for me.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory

This Valentine’s Day, Daisy has her heart set on binge-watching rom-coms. Instead, an earthquake traps her inside a bakery with its impossibly rude and insufferably handsome owner and head baker. They already have a history: she’s always smiled, he’s always scowled. Where better to finally get to know each other than amid the disaster? Then again, they have no choice.

This had the potential to be quite interesting. From the forced proximity to the bakery setting. However, the writing just felt so simplistic. There's also insta-love and then there's going from thinking someone hated you to seeing how quickly you could get them into bed. It quite literally went from 0-100 in minutes. I do always like it when a guy falls first but it sounded like he was pretty rude to her, even if he kept giving her free baked goods. I will say, it did make me want to go to a bakery and indulge in some sweet treats.

The Intruders by Louise Jensen

A manor house available rent-free to house-sitters is an offer too good to miss for Cass and James, who have been saving for a deposit on their own home for so long. Although it had been abandoned for almost thirty years, after a home invasion left almost all the inhabitants dead, it is an amazing chance for them to build their future. Newington House may have bad energy, and a dark reputation. But surely there’s no reason for history to repeat itself, is there?

From the very first page I was hooked. I didn't expect the twist and it took me a few minutes to think back to how this would completely change the way that I had read the book and viewed the characters up until that point. A few things did feel a little bit unbelievable and in terms of the way that it ended, I felt a bit conflicted. I know that what Rose set into motion was terrible but I don't feel like she deserved the ending that she got. Ultimately, I felt sad for Rose and what she had gone through. Some of the spooky or potentially supernatural goings on came to nothing as well, which was a little disappointing.

Publication date: 11th April 2024

With Any Luck by Ashley Poston

Audrey is cursed to be the person before you find your soulmate, the girl you dump for your true love. So when her best friend disappears hours before his Valentine’s Day wedding, Audrey fears that she did the unthinkable and kissed him at last night’s bachelor party. With help from the best man, she retraces her steps to find the missing groom and, with any luck, a true love of her own.

The concept was interesting but there's no way that it could get enough attention in such a short number of pages. At times it was also difficult to work out whether she was in love with her best friend or talking about Theo. And then the next minute I was like, did they have sex the night before and the day of the wedding? Or what is happening? It was a literal blur. Their surnames (Luck and Love) had me rolling my eyes too. It was giving The Hangover vibes but I'm not really a fan of characters getting blackout drunk and having no idea what they've done, especially when they're in their 20s/30s.

Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson

Princess Ilaria has had it up to her tiara with the paparazzi. Trading places with her assistant, Ilaria wants just one blissfully ordinary weekend. Then a handsome photographer with a sexy Scottish burr offers to be her guide. Sparks fly, but how long can they last? Ilaria’s secret has to come out -- and it could ruin a perfectly serendipitous romance.

I liked that this was set in Rome and we basically follow the two leads as they walk around the city touring the sights and getting to know one another. But I guess I'm just not a fan of insta-love. Did we need a third act breakup in a novella? No, especially when she forgave him after about two seconds. Callum's reaction to who she was and then changing his views on being a royal also felt super iffy. And don't get me started on the the amount of times that the word ken was used. I appreciated the attempt at Scottish dialogue but as a Scot, it just made me cringe over and over again. Basically this is just like 90 pages of people lying to one another.

Talking At Night by Claire Daverley

Will and Rosie meet as teenagers. They're opposites in every way. But over secret walks home and late-night phone calls, they become closer - destined to be one another's great love story. Until, one day, tragedy strikes, and their future together is shattered. But as the years roll on, Will and Rosie can't help but find their way back to each other. Time and again, they come close to rekindling what might have been. What do you do when the one person you should forget is the one you just can't let go?

A lot of this was really frustrating. I almost felt myself begging Rosie to have a backbone and the amount of times that she picked Will up, like a toy, only to discard him time and time again, was ridiculous. I just didn't feel this epic love story between them and wasn't rooting for them to be together at any point. Rosie was also really rather bland and unremarkable the whole way through. The characters did evolve and there was some welcome growth for them, particularly when they were both doing their own things towards the end. However, the ending itself kind of made no sense, after that growth.

The Reason I Married Him by Meghan Quinn

He proposed and I said yes. Normally a jovial occasion for a couple in love, but this proposal has a very different feel. Because the man that I'll be calling my husband blew into town with one thing on his mind, to make my life a living nightmare. So why did I say yes? Well, because we both need something from each other. Namely, I want the farm land he currently owns, and he needs a wife in order to inherit his family cabin in his grandfather’s will.

At times Meghan's voice was so clear in Wyatt's narrative that you would have sworn you were reading the female lead's thoughts, just in terms of the way that he spoke. But I did like him being an author and watching Aubree open up. I could empathise with her and how she had built up a wall to keep people out. So seeing Wyatt break that down was nice. Ultimately, though, it was probably at least 100 pages too long. Again, did we need that third act breakup? No. However, I would definitely be up for reading more marriage of convenience stories in the future.

Lies And Weddings by Kevin Kwan

Rufus is drowning in debt. The only solution, according to his scheming mother, is for him to attend his sister’s wedding and seduce a woman with money. Will it be the French hotel heiress with a royal bloodline? Or the venture capital genius who passes out billions like lollipops? Or will Rufus betray his family and confess his love to the literal girl next door? When a volcanic eruption burns through the nuptials and a hot mic exposes a secret tryst, the Gresham family plans – and their reputation – go up in flames.

I really enjoyed being transported across the world and getting another peek into the lives of the ultra-rich. This does follow a somewhat similar formula to Crazy Rich Asians, so it was a little predictable. But I found it comforting to jump back into his writing. Now, I do understand why Lady Arabella is the way that she is. But at times she felt a bit one dimensional. I also didn't really get much romantic chemistry between Eden and Rufus. So, I wasn't necessarily rooting for them to eventually get together like I should have been. But this was a fun and captivating romp that I devoured within 48 hours. The brief Kitty cameo was a nice touch too.

Publication date: 20th June 2024