Review: ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Dominic Lim

 

ALL THE RIGHT NOTES by Dominic Lim

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

Publisher: Forever

Pages: 384

Source: Purchased |Libro.fm

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RATING

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

​In this hilarious and joyous rom com, sparks fly when a piano genius and a Hollywood heartthrob are thrown together for a charity performance of solos, heartfelt duets, and a big, showstopping finale.

Quito Cruz might be a genius piano player and composer in New York City now but it doesn’t mean that he’s any closer to his Broadway dream. Although Quito knows what the problem is. Or rather who . Because ever since that night in college—with pretty-boy jock Emmett Aoki—his inspiration has been completely MIA . . .

Now Quito’s dad wants him to put on a charity performance in his hometown. And there’s one hella big string convince Emmett—now one of Hollywood’s hottest celebrities—to perform.

It’s all shaping up to be the biggest musical fiasco of Quito’s life. Especially when Emmett agrees to attend, and Quito realizes that undeniable vibe between them is stronger than ever. Because there’s nothing simple about falling for a movie star . . . even when he’s pitch-perfect.

MY THOUGHTS

Dominic Lim did exactly what he intended to do when writing ALL THE RIGHT NOTES and left this reader with a song in my heart as I continue to spontaneously sing True Colors around my house. As a former choir kid and someone who enjoys a heartfelt, second chance romantic comedy, ALL THE RIGHT NOTES gets all of the stars and endless hearts from me. 

I was fascinated with Quito by his observations and descriptions immediately. I enjoyed seeing his view of his world around him. And he has a habit of rhyming when he’s nervous that is so endearing and that one habit reveals a lot of who he is. Emmett is adorable with his winking and smirks that you can’t help but have a crush on him. In the beginning, we don’t know what has happened that keeps them apart. Yet, the moment that they see each other again and Emmett is stunned into silence, it’s obvious that there is a lot left unspoken, but there’s something still between them that is undeniable. 

There is so much that I loved about the book:

• The timeline of the THEN and the NOW

• The rehearsals with Quito and Emmett allows for a closeness to their new friendship and showed the vulnerability and acceptance

• The relationship between Quito and his father. Mr. C. charmed me with how played match-maker and how he saw exactly who his son was and all that he could be

• All of the friendships and community and the roles that they all filled in each other’s lives

For all of the smiles and laughs ALL THE RIGHT NOTES gave me, it does take an emotional turn (one that wasn’t completely unexpected to me) . Readers should take notice of the content warnings as there are some topics that may be difficult for some and  they may need to take care with themselves while or after they’ve finished reading. 

I enthusiastically sing my praises for this book and hope that others discover the delight of reading (listening) to this story just as much as I did. As soon as I started listening to ALL THE RIGHT NOTES, I was so thrilled that I bought the audiobook because of the musical aspect and how the narrator’s performance drew me in. And now that I’ve finished it, I know that I will need the paperback too. Because, like Quito’s sheet music, I need the physical copy for the gift that exists within the covers.    

Disclaimer: 

I purchased a finished copy of this title for for my personal library. 

Thoughts and opinions are my own.

What I'm Reading and Loving Right Now

What I'm Reading and Loving Right Now

Ice Planet Barbarians

Barbarian Alien

Barbarian Lover

by Ruby Dixon

(links to Goodreads

Months ago in a group chat, I asked what everyone was reading and reader after reader kept listing Ruby Dixon's ICE PLANET BARBARIANS series. At the time, I didn't know about the series but I made a note of it because SO MANY people kept talking about it. A couple of days later, I saw a paperback of ICE PLANET BARBARIANS in an airport bookstore and I was tempted to get a copy, but didn't. Jump to April and I was in the mood for something different from the contemporary romance that I usually read. It was the perfect time to start ICE PLANET BARBARIANS.

I may be a little late to the game with this series, but I don't even care because I am LOVING it. I'm having so much fun getting caught up in the stories and constanting laughing. And these stories are hot, hot, hot filled with Barbarians whose main goal is loving, adoring, and pleasing women - what's not to love about that?

What I LOVE:

• The joy I'm experiencing reading this entertaining series - it's complete escapism  
• How the couples couple up  - it's more than their khuis/cooties - they do find their perfect mates for their personalities:

Vektal and Georgie - She speaks, He listens. They have so much to learn about each other and they are eager to do so.

Liz has more in common with Raahosh than she thinks. When they figure it out, it's more explosive than either of them can imagine.

Aehako's playfulness is adorable and he's such a flirt. He can bring the calm to a situation and helps to ease Kira of her responsibilities and worries. 

• The world-building - the elements are brutal. Their environment is both primitive and futuristic and it's interesting to discover it all as the women adapt and find a new way of life on the Ice Planet.
• The fantastic illustrated covers and their gorgeous depictions of fierce women

 I am so happy that I was curious enough to begin this science fiction romance. I've read the first three books of the series so far and don't plan to stop there. I'm having too much fun!

Ruby Dixon definitely has a new fan in me AND I cannot wait to dive into this fandom and discover all of the gloriousness that everyone brings to it.

Cover Reveal: THE LOBSTER TRAP by Heidi McLaughlin and Kassidy Maye

 

Today I'm sharing the newest book from Heidi McLaughlin and Kassidy Maye with the cover reveal of The Lobster Trap.  It comes out June 13th and you can pre-order it now. I've pre-ordered my copy and can't wait to read it and get it signed when I see Heidi at Book Bonanza next month. 

THE LOBSTER TRAP (The Seaport Series, #1)

by Heidi McLaughlin and Kassidy Maye

Release Date: June 13, 2023

Book Tropes:

Opposites attract 

Small island town / Beachy 

Vacation romance 

HEA

Strangers to lovers 

City Girl meets small town boat captain  

Rags to riches  

Stuck up rich girl meets enthusiastic, larger than life boat captain

About the book:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Forever My Girl: The Motion Picture, Heidi McLaughlin takes you to the classic New England Coast for a summertime beach romance that leaves you yearning for love, a boat . . . a cup of clam chowdah! 

After graduating from Yale, Caroline Taylor embarks on a summer long vacation in the small beach town of Seaport before she starts her corporate career at Goldman Sachs. 

Dune Carter, boat captain at Blue Lobster Adventures, and notorious heartbreaker is all fun and games until he meets the one tourist who turns his head in more ways than one. 

Despite her initial resistance to his charms, Caroline finds herself drawn to Dune, and his idyllic life on the island. From the endless sunny days, warm nights, sunset boat cruises, and cobblestone roads—Caroline begins to fall in love with Seaport and the boat captain. 

However, turmoil strikes their dreamy island relationship, and Dune must attempt to conquer life off the water in the ways he has always conquered the ocean and show Caroline why he’s worth staying in Seaport.

 

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HVMWri

Apple: https://apple.co/3nLzAHk

Nook: https://bit.ly/3VO5CyN

Kobo: https://bit.ly/44N3HPi

Follow the series on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@seaportseries 

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/146309553-the-lobster-trap 

About Heidi:

Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.

Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.

In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.

Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.

To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com

Social Media:

Website: http://heidimclaughlin.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHeidiMcLaughlin/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiJoVT/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidimclaughlinauthor/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6568302.Heidi_McLaughlin 

Goodreads Group: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/184432-heidi-s-hangout

Text GETHEIDISBOOKS to (833) 926-1009

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/HeidisNewsletter 

BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heidi-mclaughlin 

About Kassidy: 

Kassidy Maye, owner of The Tuesday List and law student, dips her toes into the other side of the literary world with her debut novel, The Lobster Trap, co-written with her mother, Heidi McLaughlin.  

Social Media:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/44JpHKN 

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/41mz7Jl

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kassidymaye/

Mini-Reviews: FIX HER UP, THE PROPOSAL, and 5,331 MILES

A collection of mini-reviews, quick thoughts, and books worth mentioning. Check them out!

FIX HER UP by Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: June 11, 2019

Pages: 400

Source: Library

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis (link to Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I enjoyed this book for all of the laughs. I'd read some heavy emotional reads prior to reading FIX HER UP and I was in the need for a good laugh and this book did it. 

Family dinners, inconvenient/convenient small towels, and heated kisses made for some memorable moments. I loved the women supporting each other in their Just Us League - we all need friends to depend on. This fake relationship turned real romance is oh so hot and oh so good. ❤❤

THE PROPOSAL by Jasmine Guillory

Publication Date: October 30, 2018

Pages: 325

Source: Netgalley | Purchased

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis (link to Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I love the “Friends to More” or “Friends with Benefits to More” trope. And when it’s served up with a huge dose of humor, it makes it even better. THE PROPOSAL is sexy and fun and great follow-up to Jasmine Guillory’s THE WEDDING DATE.

The entire time I read THE PROPOSAL, I kept thinking “Y’all are totally in a relationship.”  Just because Nik and Carlos say what they’re doing isn’t a relationship, doesn’t mean that it’s not a relationship. They didn’t want to claim to be in a relationship because of what that would mean, but their friendship developed into something more. They were intuitive of the other’s needs and didn’t recognize that what they were feeling for each other was love. Sometimes it happens just like that. 

And if the love story isn’t enough, this book had me craving all the yummy food - risotto, tacos, pancakes - I wanted it all. And cooking for comfort or as a way to relax is always a plus in my book. 

I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Thank goodness I already have a copy on my shelf.

5,331 Miles by Willow Aster

Publication Date: March 1, 2019

Pages: 288

Source: Kindle Unlimited | Purchased

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis (link to Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I first heard of this book when someone chose to receive it from a giveaway I’d hosted. Willow Aster was an author who was on my radar to read, and after reading the description for 5,331 MILES, I thought this was the perfect book to start with. First love, second chances, young adult - YES, YES, YES! This is the book for me.

I loved the storytelling of the past and present, the then and the now, as a way of  learning about the characters history and everything that they’ve experienced together and apart.

A favorite quote:

     “This -- kissing you, finally saying how I feel and hearing you say it back -- it’s a thousand times better than any time I’ve played it out in my head,” he whispered, placing one more kiss on my nose.”

     I grinned, amazed that he’d been imagining the same things I had.

This was a great book to introduce me to Willow Aster’s writing. Since reading 5,331 MILES, I’ve read her follow-up MILES AHEAD and have added some of her other books to my collection. Now I just need to decide which one to read next.

#ForeverSummerReading: THE GOOD LUCK CHARM by Helena Hunting - Guest Post and Giveaway

I'm holding onto summer for as long as I can. One way to do that is with Summer Reading. Forever Romance has so many books to choose from! Right now I have my eyes on FROM HERE TO YOU, DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES, and THE GOOD LUCK CHARM, but I know I'll want to read them all.

THE GOOD LUCK CHARM published on August 7, 2018.

Genre: Romance / Fiction / Romance / Contemporary 

Pages: 384

About the Book:

Lilah isn’t sure what hurt worse: the day Ethan left her to focus on his hockey career or the day he came back eight years later. He might think they can pick up just where they left off, but she’s no longer that same girl and never wants to be again.

Ethan wants his glory days back. And that includes having Lilah by his side. With her, he was magic. They were magic. All he has to do is make her see that.

Just when Lilah might finally be ready to let Ethan in, though, she finds out their reunion might have nothing to do with love and everything to do with improving his game. But Ethan’s already lost her once, and even if it costs him his career, he’ll do anything to keep from losing her again.

“Fabulously fun! Lilah and Ethan’s second-chance romance charmed me from the first page to the swoon-worthy end.” -Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author

***************************************************************************

Helena Hunting Shares What's in Her Beach Bag

I grew up going to the cottage on Loon Lake in Ontario, Canada. It’s north of Muskoka, which means nothing to most people unless you live in Toronto and you have some idea how far it is from civilization. Even now I only get one bar on my phone, although if I stand like a flamingo on the edge of the deck where the 12-foot drop is, I may get two bars for approximately 1.25 seconds.

In addition to being well removed from humanity, there are 111 steps down to the lake. It’s a lot of steps. Enough that I (along with everyone else) pack a beach bag very carefully prior to our decent to the dock.

What’s in my beach bag you ask?

1. Enough liquid to last me the next three hours: at least one bottle of water and a bottle of wine, plus ice cubes in a plastic tumbler with a lid. Because wine.
2. Sunscreen. It doesn’t matter how far north you are, you’ll burn if you sit in direct sunlight for several hours at a time. And let’s face it, the plan is to sit in direct sunlight for as long as humanly possible on the dock days of summer.
3. My paperback copy of Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan, with all my favourite parts earmarked so I don’t have to work to read the sections I adore. Do not bring an electronic reading device to the dock unless you plan to use it to kill dock spiders. The cracks between the boards are three times the width of a Kindle and if it ends up between the cracks, you’re never getting it back.
4. A portable speaker with your fun summer playlist so you can relax and read your book with a beach-inspired soundtrack in the background. I love listening to bands like The Tragically Hip or artists like Ben Howard and Ruelle when I’m on the dock, relaxing and reading.
5. Snacks. If you’re spending hours on the dock and it’s a full mile uphill to get back to the cottage for food (I might be exaggerating on the distance, but after two glasses of wine, 200 feet of elevation seems a lot like a mile), then you need to bring along something to snack on, like Doritos or Funyons. Or if you’re feeling particularly summery and health-conscious you could bring a fruit platter, which is also useful for making sangria.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her two awesome cats, who think the best place to sleep is her keyboard. She writes all things romance – contemporary, romantic comedy, sports and angsty new adult. 

For more on Helena and her books, please visit www.helenahunting.com.

The Good Luck Charm is available now!

https://www.forever-romance.com/titles/helena-hunting/the-good-luck-charm/9781538760154/

BANISHED by Kimberley Griffiths Little - Excerpt and Giveaway

Banished
by Kimberley Griffiths Little
(Forbidden #2)
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication date: February 2nd 2016
Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult












She thought she’d lost everything . . .

After spending months traveling the harsh, unforgiving Mesopotamian desert, Jayden reunites with a broken, injured Kadesh. Although everyone was convinced the violent and unpredictable Horeb, Jayden’s betrothed, killed the handsome prince, Jayden knew in her heart that her love was alive and safe. But their reunion is short-lived, as they learn Horeb is on their trail and determined to take back the girl he has claimed. Soon, the two star-crossed lovers are on the run toward Sariba, Kadesh’s homeland, where, as heir to the Kingdom, he plans to make Jayden his princess.

But the trek to Sariba is fraught with heartache and danger. After narrowly escaping being stoned to death for a crime she didn’t commit, and learning that her sister has disappeared, Jayden’s only solace is her love for Kadesh. But even he is keeping secrets from her . . . secrets that will change everything.

This gorgeous and enchanting sequel to Forbidden, is full of love, danger, and heated passion that will leave readers breathless.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

Sequel to:

Booklist Review:

“This sequel to Forbidden (2014) picks up with desert girl Jayden, distraught that the young man she loves, Kadesh, might have died. But, of course, he hasn’t. Scarred and missing an eye, yes, but he’s escaped the clutches of Horeb, Jayden’s malicious betrothed. Traveling bravely through the desert, Jayden finds him. But that perilous trip is only the first of the dangers to come. Gathering an army, Kadesh is determined to return to his faraway home, where the valuable frankincense grows, and introduce Jayden as his future bride. First, however, they must face betrayal, danger, and a waiting evil. Jayden achieves almost superhero status here, moving from adventure to adventure—not even a near-death stoning can stop her. Little’s descriptions of the landscape are evocative in both desolation and in beauty. Just as good is her pacing, which gets the blood pumping for both characters and readers. Far more than a bridge book, this will heighten anticipation for a no-doubt exciting conclusion."

EXCERPT:

A dirty, callused hand slapped down over my mouth and the stale breath of a man hissed in my ear. “Don’t move or I’ll slit your pretty, little neck.”
I clawed at the stranger’s cloak, trying to push him off, but he was too heavy. A moment later, I realized my ankles were tied together. I couldn’t run, couldn’t even move. Shrieks gurgled in my throat as if I was drowning, his hand cutting off my air.
Only one day into my journey to find Kadesh and I was already dead.
The sharp tip of a blade pressed against my neck, and I whimpered.
“Give me the frankincense of the stranger we killed.” The man’s foul breath dragged across my face. He was referring to Kadesh, the boy I loved, who’d been murdered by Horeb, the prince of my tribe.
With myself as a witness, I’d watched Horeb plunge his sword into Kadesh and then order his soldiers to drag his body off.
Shock flooded me when I realized who my attacker was. I wrenched his fingers away from my mouth and with a raw voice, said, “Gad? What are you doing lurking about the cliffs of Mari?”
This man was a childhood friend of Horeb’s and one of my own tribesmen. His body pressed against mine, and I writhed in disgust.
There was only one reason Gad was in the foothills of Mari, far from the oasis of Tadmur where my tribe camped for the summer. He was a member of Horeb’s army.
Horeb, my betrothed. The man who’d attacked and scarred me. Blackmailed me for the murder of his father to hide the fact that he’d killed his own father so he could steal the tribal crown.

Author Bio:
When I was a kid I read a book a day, scribbled stories, and dreamed about having my very own book on the library shelf. I grew up in San Francisco, but now live in an adobe house on the banks of the Rio Grande with my husband and sons. I think I've drunk so much Land of Enchantment water that some of that ancient magic got into my blood and now spurts out my pencil--I mean ergonomic keyboard. I adore anything old and musty with a secret story to tell.
I'm the author of 10 award-winning middle-grade and Young Adult novels with Scholastic and Harpercollins and I make way too many cookies when I'm writing - and I've got the best book trailers in the universe - for reals! Check them out here: www.kimberleygriffithslittle.com. Please find me on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Youtube.

Awards: Southwest Book Award, Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel, Whitney Award Finalist and Association of Mormon Letters of Art Award, Bank Street College Best Books of 2011, 2013, and 2015, a Crystal Kite Finalist, and New Mexico Book Award Finalist. 

Website / Goodreads / Twitter

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