In the middle of World War II, two librarians will risk their lives trying to save as many refugees as they can.
After being offered the opportunity tIn the middle of World War II, two librarians will risk their lives trying to save as many refugees as they can.
After being offered the opportunity to collect information for her country, Avery runs away from home, breaking her engagement and catching a plane for the first time, arriving in Lisbon. But the city is full of spies and double agents, and Avery will learn fast that nobody is who they seem.
I loved the setting and the idea of this story. Avery was very easy to connect to, and the idea of two librarians saving the day was very thrilling. However, I didn’t quite believe how it was executed.
Firstly, everything happened exactly as I was dreading it was going to happen. For a second I thought I was going to be wrong and the book would end up surprising me, but a ‘plot twist’ moved the story in the exact direction I knew it would go. I was very underwhelmed by it, because I wanted to be surprised, and I expected so much more from a book full of spies and double agents.
Secondly, I wanted to believe both women could be real agents, but there was only one time I was surprised by Avery’s quick thinking. The rest of the time, I didn’t understand how they hadn’t been caught earlier. I didn’t mind that much when it came to Avery, because she was new at it, but I expected so much more from Camille. I didn’t understand how she wasn’t discovered, because she wasn’t being especially subtle and everyone seemed to know about her little secret and did nothing with the information.
Thirdly, even though not as important as the other two, the romance was so insta-love. I was quite disappointed by it, especially considering Avery’s line of work. I would have been so suspicious about every handsome gentleman coming my way!
The audiobook was what saved the story for me, I really enjoyed listening to it.
Overall, I had a good time listening to The Secret Librarian but was let down by the execution of the actual plot. Everything was too convenient and predictable, and I couldn’t believe that’s how everything would have turned out in real life. That being said, I liked the two women (until I felt cheated by their acting) and the premise.
Rating: 2 stars Audiobook rating: 4 stars
I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ...more
A book about unexpected friendships, found families, grieving, travelling and cozy Parsi cafes
Veronica has spent the last twenty years being a stay atA book about unexpected friendships, found families, grieving, travelling and cozy Parsi cafes
Veronica has spent the last twenty years being a stay at home mom: making sure her husband had everything he needed, prioritizing her family over academic goals and keeping everyone happy. All of that to be replaced by a younger, pregnant new wife.
When she finds a job that involves travelling during Christmas, instead of spending it alone while her kids are skiing with their father and his new wife, she jumps at the opportunity. She wasn’t expecting to find so much more than a job to cover the bills. A new love, new opportunities and, maybe, a new friend.
Mariah used to be an Olympian racing for gold. Now she needs to hire someone to help her carry her bags, since her leg is completely destroyed. But the loss of her career isn’t the only thing she’s grieving; her mother died sixteen months ago, and she still hadn’t made peace with it. By trying to write the last book her mother was working on, about Parsi cafes around the world, Mariah aims to figure out who her mother was, and how she should move forward.
I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. I bonded with Veronica from the beginning and, even though Maria was harder to relate to, she was impossible to hate. Even when she was angry, it was easy to understand where it came from and forgive her. I won’t say much because Maria’s story is part of the suspense of the book, so you’ll learn her secrets as you read.
The story is very character-driven and, while I really enjoyed the characters-especially Veronica, the author did such a great job at making me care for her from the very first chapter-, I wished we had something more. I saw the plot twist coming and the travelling wasn’t as thrilling as I thought it would be. I was expecting Rachel’s story to surprise me more than it did.
That being said, I cared about the characters and enjoyed listening to the audiobook. I liked the narrator, she made the experience so much better. I also appreciated the found family, the little love story and how much Mariah and Veronica helped each other.
It was interesting how the generation and society they were born into played a role on their friendship. Veronica was so focused on being a ‘lady’, she didn’t hesitate to give up her career dreams to have a family, while Mariah let herself be: ate what she wanted, dated without worrying about what to do next. Mariah helped Veronica to stop worrying about her weight and manners and start enjoying life. At the same time, having a mother figure taking care of her really helped Mariah grieve.
Also, the author's writing style was really good, I will check out if she has other books that catch my attention.
Overall, I enjoyed the characterization: the character arcs were interesting and I really bonded with the characters. But I thought the action part was going to be a bit more fast paced and engaging. I would recommend it if you are interested in the premise, because it delivers on what the characters are going through, but not really if you are more interested in the mystery surrounding Rachel Ellsworth.
Two rival chefs in love, marriage of convenience and a dream land to save.
Everyone thought Sullivan and Kia hated each other in culinary school, but tTwo rival chefs in love, marriage of convenience and a dream land to save.
Everyone thought Sullivan and Kia hated each other in culinary school, but they shocked them all by sharing a kiss in the graduation ceremony. After that, they went in separate ways and never saw each other again. Until Kia finds herself buying the land Sullivan has promised her family she’d save, to build a place for food truck owners.
When a fast food company also tries to buy the land, Sullivan and Kia decide to marry to ensure they are the ones getting it first. Kia is the lesser of two devils, but it’s still breaking Sullivan’s heart. Especially because Sullivan is starting to fall in love with the woman who is about to destroy her heart.
Taste the Love was, on paper, the perfect book. But the execution didn’t manage to live up to the amazing premise. First, I loved how Sullivan and Kia met. I adored the idea of two rivals who don’t hate each other, but love to compete to be the best, while also helping each other get better-it made me want to read that story instead.
The premise of Kia and Sullivan not being able to fall in love because they both wanted the same land for different purposes, while having to work together to ensure at least they were the ones getting the land, and not the fast food chain, could have worked as an obstacle if it didn’t have so many plot holes.
Firstly, it was very frustrating that Sullivan always blamed Kia for buying the land, when the fast food company would have bought it if it wasn’t for Kia’s help. Sullivan didn’t have the money to buy the land, so blaming the person who was buying the land when she wouldn’t be able to afford it didn’t make sense to me.
On top of that, if Sullivan’s dream was to ensure the land her grandfather loved was safe, it didn’t make sense that she, being a responsible thirty something year old, decided not to open the letters of the association who owned the land.
Because of that, I was frustrated about Kia spending the whole book apologizing and blaming herself when, in a way, was half-saving the land. Kia could have let the fast food chain buy the land and find another place for food trucks, leaving Sullivan to fix it herself (and she didn’t have the money to stop the deal). While Kia wouldn’t have preserved it, at least she would have made a better space than a fast food company would, and they could figure out a way to preserve part of the green places and use the others for the food trucks.
The most annoying part was that I figured out the solution at the beginning of the book. It was completely out of character that Sullivan hadn’t figured it out. I felt Sullivan spent the whole book pitying herself because Kia was destroying her dream and there was nothing she could do to preserve their love and her beloved land, but taking no action to save it herself.
Lastly, the whole fight with the food company felt unrealistic. Of course a big company can use its money and power to buy the judges and destroy the main character’s lives. But they weren’t being subtle, they used flat villains to blackmail the main characters outside court. They could have recorded the whole thing and make it viral, taking into account Kia was an influencer.
Premise aside, the book was too slow and the inner monologues were repetitive, they kept going through the same feelings for so long. The pacing of the romance was all over the place. Basically they were in love from the beginning, only that it took Sullivan some time to realize it, and then they couldn’t be together because of the whole land thing. I wanted to see why they were so obsessed with each other and see the progression in their feelings, instead of repetitive monologues and a sudden change of heart.
Also, it was mentioned several times that Sullivan had a masculine lesbian vibe that made all the guys fall for her back at school. Like, what?
Finally, I didn’t quite enjoy the audiobook. It didn’t really bring the characters to life and I kept losing attention and having to go back and relistening to it.
I could get going but I think it’s more than enough. I loved the idea of the book and I enjoyed the beginning, but the execution could have been better. I couldn’t stand Sullivan, the pacing was off, the drama wasn’t realistic and the story had way more pages than it needed to be.
Overall, I’m annoyed because I loved the premise and the cover but the story didn’t live up to them. I would have rather read the story of them falling in love while being rivals in culinary school.