The Bookshop of Secrets is Stellar

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 After 8 years of being a book influencer I'm still awed, inspired and honored to be on street teams to promote books. It's always a special privilege to be on an author's debut novel. You see the author introducing their voice, style of writing and a story they are passionate about. I was absolutely floored by author Mollie Rushmeyer's 1st novel The Bookshop of Secrets it pulls you in from page one. 

Note: The Bookshop of Secrets tackles the heart-wrenching topic of human trafficking and deals with it in a realistic yet sensitive manner.

Because of her traumatic past, Hope Sparrow finds it best to always be on the run never staying in one place too long. Her trip to Wanishim Falls to search for the 1st edition classic books her mother left her leads her on a journey she could have never imagined. 

If you like contemporary slow-burn romances with mysteries, maps, history, a charming and overflowing bookshop called Dusty Jackets (Was there ever a cuter name for a bookstore?!)and pirate treasure then The Bookshop of Secrets needs to be put on your must-read list.

Hero Ronan Barrick just might be on my 2022 'favorite book boyfriends" lists. He was such a kind and caring hero. So patient and loving with Hope. Even though he'd experienced hardship in his life and had had a life changing accident he never had a 'woe is me' attitude, instead he chose to live life to the fullest. What really endeared him to me was his close bond with his grandparents. I may have melted a little every time Ronan was on the page. 

One of the things that I connected with Hope about was that she uses cooking to connect to people and deal with her traumatic past. In fact, on page 239, Hope explains why cooking matters so much to her and it really struck a cord with me. I would highly recommend having a highlighter ready for this beautiful moment. 

I love how this book reminds you that it is never too late to start over and rewrite your story. The reminder of this life truth and that God is the author of our story, is so grounding and needed in today's culture. I found it very motivating and a much needed prodding at this time in my life. Who doesn't need the encouragement that its never too late to change and start living the story God wants for you? 

You can judge this book by the cover. Don't you just want to dive into this cover and explore all the books? Whoever is responsible for the cover design did a phenomenal job. This is one of the best debut novels I have read in a long time and I will be purchasing a paperback copy to add to my collection.  

~~The Bookshop of Secrets was provided to me by the author herself and the publisher in return for my honest review. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are my own, I was not required to write a positive review. All viewpoints expressed are my own. ~~

Dangerous Beauty is so Good It Needs A Sequel!

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive teensy tiny commission for purchases made through these links. I only recommend books and products I love. Thank you so much for the support.

 Warning: Dangerous Beauty deals with the horrendous topic of human trafficking. It's heartbreaking in our society today this is still so prevalent.

Dangerous Beauty is the first book I've read by author Melissa Koslin and will definitely not be my last. It was a total page-turner. Every spare second I had, I wanted to be reading this book to find out what happens.  What drew me to this story was the vibrant teal cover with the fire-engine red, eye-catching title and three little words on the back cover "marriage of convenience." If you know anything about me, marriage of convenience tropes (at the risk of sounding cliché) are my favorite type of romances to read. Is this you too? Anyone else want to join me on #teamMOC? It's unusual to find a contemporary romance with this storyline. 

Liliana Vela was a heroine I both liked and admired. She was smart, brave, loyal, and cared about others. Despite the fact, she'd been through severe trauma with human trafficking, she still has a heart for helping others escape the same dangers. More importantly, she depended on God. I appreciated that throughout the story, Liliana was continually going to God in prayer, whether to aid or heal her or protect Meric.

Which brings us to Meric Toledan. He was intense, fiercely protective of Liliana and honorable to the core. At times his seemingly harsh personality can have him come off cold or uncaring, but I liked that Liliana sees through this and knows it's not his true character.

At times, the pacing in this novel is so high-speed I had to re-read pages and sections to make sure I fully comprehended what was going on. I consider this a sign of an excellent book  - not me forgetting details because the pacing is so slow. You actually had to keep up with the non-stop pace, making this fit my definition of a true page turner. 

Meric and Liliana's chemistry was off the charts. Wow. Chemistry is not easy to write and Ms. Koslin executed this to perfection. I loved this entire book, but Meric and Liliana's believable and exciting relationship just put the cherry on top of an already excellent story.

The ending of Dangerous Beauty left me wanting more. Ms. Koslin...can you please write a sequel? A 3-book series about Meric and Liliana would even be better. I want to know more of their story. Two other characters from Dangerous Beauty  I feel deserve their own stories are Agent Bando (Meric's head of security) and Alfred (Meric's assistant and right hand man).

If you are looking for a fast-paced, action story with a blossoming romance look no further than this book. 

Dangerous Beauty is a true page turner and should be at the top of your TBR pile.