Review: Jasmine and Jake Rock the Boat by Sonya Lalli

 

About the Book

An impulsive decision to join an Alaskan cruise getaway brings the chance for an onboard romance in this new enemies-to-lovers romance from the author of A Holly Jolly Diwali.

Jasmine Randhawa likes everyone to think she has it all—great job, perfect Seattle apartment, and a handsome boyfriend. But she’s not as confident or successful as she seems, and her relationship is at a breaking point.

 When Jasmine finds herself single and tagging along on her parents’ vacation, she’s not sure her life can get any farther off course. It’s a nightmare for someone who’s been so fiercely independent to find herself on a cruise full of family friends who’ve judged her since childhood. Things only get worse once the ship leaves the harbor and she realizes that this is a seniors’ cruise, and the only other person under fifty on the entire boat is her childhood acquaintance, cocky and successful Jake Dhillon.

Jasmine and Jake clash right away, with Jasmine smarting over how their South Asian community puts him on a pedestal as the perfect Indian son, whereas her reputation as a troublemaker precedes her. Except they can’t avoid each other forever during the ten-day cruise, and they soon recognize a surprising number of similarities, especially in how many secrets they’re keeping hidden from their families. Their restlessness seems to disappear whenever they’re together, but is this relationship strong enough to last on land?

My Thoughts

Can we first talk about how beautiful this cover is? Absolutely gorgeous!

This is my first time reading Sonya Lalli and I was completely enchanted by her storytelling. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. Jasmine and Jake had great chemistry and I wanted to shake Jasmine so many times for her to wake up and realize it! I also love a good family-oriented story.

What really stuck with me about the book are the cultural and societal norms that affected the relationships between Jasmine and her parents and Indian community. I feel like I got an education as Ms. Lalli introduces the reader to this diversely vibrant community. But what really crushed my spirit was the way Jasmine was treated (and the way she saw herself) after making a mistake at 15 by kissing a guy at one of the community get-togethers in which everyone could see.

This brought embarrassment to Jasmine and her family, causing her to be shamed (and backbitten) by the community and by her parents. Well, I think that’s too harsh an observation. There was a lot of animosity between Jasmine and her parents because Jasmine did something that this community considers inappropriate and distasteful and nothing like what “good girls” should do, ultimately hurting her chances to find a suitable husband in the future. I found this aspect gave the story so much more depth and realness to it.

I felt so much sympathy and love for Jasmine. She’s a beautiful and vivacious modern woman, easily relatable. She’s just trying to figure things out in the world like all the rest of us bumbling around. After being fiercely protective of her for most of the book, as it neared the end I became so proud of Jasmine for growing and becoming the person she’s always wished herself to be.

This is not just a romance story, it’s also about finding one’s self and being happy with it. About giving yourself a break when you mess up. We all mess up. No need to punish yourself and deny yourself happiness because you don’t think you deserve it or you don’t want to disappoint your parents or someone else. We all deserve happiness, I am just so glad Jasmine was brave enough to claim hers.

Wow, sorry I didn’t mean to go so deep there. I never thought this book would hit me the way it did, or how wonderful and beautiful the world is now with this story in it.

Bottom line: I absolutely enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to all readers!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book.

Book Sale: I Want to Hold Your Hand by Marie Force!

 📖❤️Book Sale❤️📖

OMG! I am so excited to share with you this steal of a deal! I Want to Hold Your Hand (Green Mountain #2) by Marie Force is currently on sale for $1.99* for a very limited time! It's an amazing, heartfelt, beautiful and heartbreaking story! And it's got a moose who thinks he own's the town! Get your copy today!!!! 

💗Purchase Links💗

Amazon Kindle

💗About the Book💗

For the Abbott siblings, the Green Mountain state has always been an idyllic place to call home. But it isn’t until they open themselves up to love that they’ll truly discover how fulfilling life can be…

Almost seven years after losing her husband in Iraq, Hannah Abbott Guthrie isn’t sure she’s ready—or able—to move on, but the attentions of a lifelong friend are making her think about it for the first time. The memory of the sweet kiss she shared with Nolan Roberts hasn’t strayed far from her thoughts, but she also fears that pursuing something with him would mean betraying her husband’s memory.

Nolan has loved Hannah for years, but he’d been giving her the space she needed to heal from her devastating loss. Now, when an opportunity arises to show her how he feels, Nolan can’t resist, but he knows earning her love will take more than a kiss. Somehow he has to prove to Hannah that finding love twice in a lifetime is possible—and well worth risking her heart.

💗Excerpt💗

Still not convinced? Visit Marie's website HERE for an excerpt! 

💗About the Author💗

Marie Force is the #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than 100 contemporary romance, romantic suspense and erotic romance novels. Her series include Fatal, First Family, Gansett Island, Butler Vermont, Quantum, Treading Water, Miami Nights and Wild Widows.

Her books have sold more than 13 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today bestseller, as well as a Spiegel bestseller in Germany.

Her goals in life are simple—to spend as much time as she can with her “kids” who are now adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news. For more information about Marie and her amazing books, please visit her website HERE!

*Amazon Kindle copy of book is on sale for $1.99 at time of posting. The sale is for a limited time and can end at any time. I have no control over price change. 

Happy Release Day P.A. DePaul! Review: Exchange of Fire (SBG #1) Rerelease!

I am so excited to celebrate the rerelease of Exchange of Fire by P.A. DePaul! This Romantic Suspense book was first published as an eBook special in 2014 from Penguin's Intermix line. I immediately fell in love with these characters and exciting storyline! Today you can get Exchange of Fire in eBook AND for the first time in PRINT! She's pretty guys! Get your copy today! 

About the Book

Between one blink and the next, Sandra Walsh’s world turns from mission to horror.

As a lethal sniper for SweetBriar Group, a covert agency with assassins for hire, Sandra Walsh has no room for error. Accidentally killing a young girl she’s supposed to save, Sandra knows she has to retire. Unable to leave without consequences, she fakes her death and establishes a new identity in North Carolina. Her vows to never pull another trigger or have contact with her former life again have been no problem…until her past threatens Casper Grady.

Grady has retired from the Marines. He’s gone from protecting the nation to establishing a safe haven for local children and families. With his pained past, he has a debt to settle and his entertainment center is where he can find redemption. When Sandra Walsh applies for a position, his instincts say she’s not what she seems. Drawn to the mysterious woman, he can’t deny her qualifications and hires her for the position. As time goes by, he doesn’t regret the decision, then her past brings trouble through his front doors. Determined to help Sandra, he refuses to back down even when her secrets become dark and dangerous.

The danger escalates and their attraction intensifies. Will their newfound love survive when they’re forced to choose between each other and the people they’ve sworn to protect? They have to stay alive long enough to find out…

Note: This book was digitally released by Penguin/Berkley in 2014. I have made extensive edits to upgrade the technology and match my current writing style (which hopefully has improved.)

My Thoughts

Exchange of Fire is an exciting, engaging romantic suspense with dynamic characters and a storyline that’ll keep you glued to the pages! 

Sandra Walsh is on the run from a past that haunts her. Her mistake on a covert op cost a young girl her life. When she fakes her death, leaving her team and the covert group behind, Sandra’s penance is helping Grady run his entertainment center and serving the at-risk kids in the community. Grady is a great guy with a killer smile who’s shown interest in Sandra but she keeps him at arm’s length. As much as she craves a life of normality and the safety Grady offers, Sandra knows she’s on borrowed time and will soon have to dance with the devil. Little does she know, it’ll be sooner rather than later.

This book is so amazing! I absolutely LOVE it! There’s so much action! The story is fast-paced and crammed full of suspense! The scorching chemistry between Sandra and Grady is so hot, you’ll definitely feel the burn! The characters are diverse and dangerous and so funny! I love a wicked sense of humor! 

I highly recommend Exchange of Fire and can’t wait for the next book!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my thoughts or feelings about the book.

Purchase Links

Purchase

About the Author

P. A. DePaul is an award-winning author who earned the prestigious Sapphire Award from Romance Writers of Australia and has achieved multiple placements on the Publishers Weekly Bestsellers listings.

Her favorite genre to write is Romantic Suspense. Her books are full of action, suspense, and romance. But, she can’t promise she won’t branch out into other genres. When an idea grabs hold, she allows it to take her for a ride.

As a hybrid author, she has books traditionally and independently published. Her traditional publishers include Berkley, a Penguin Random House imprint, and Harlequin Books. Learn more about P.A. and stalk her on all her socials at padepaul.com!

Welcome to the blog!

Hello! I'm Elizabeth and this is my blog. I've been a book reviewer for over 13 years and have had several blogs over the years, including HEAs Are Us and Ever After Book Reviews!

Check out the About section for more info about this venture and all the blog policies and such. 

I love reading romance! Fantasy/Sci-Fi and Paranormal romance books are my favorites to read. I'm also a sucker for small-town Contemporary romances, chilling romantic suspense and anything else that tickles my fancy. 

This platform is used to share my love of books and cheerleading for all the amazing authors out here working hard to make their dreams come true. And ours, too!

My cousin reviews too so you'll see her around as well.

Thanks for visiting us and if you don't mind, please drop a few book recommendations in the comments and let us know what you're reading and loving!