Wonderland Reader

  A Merry Little Meet Cute   by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone Published: 20th September 2022 by HarperCollins I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. After finding out what the premise of this book was, I was a bit skeptical about it, and it definitely had the potential to go very downhill, but I think Murphy and Simone found the perfect level of ridiculousness without being unrealistic. As a lover of crappy Christmas romance movies I was very excited to see that this was the setting for the novel, and I felt fully immersed in the world of Christmas Notch and the eclectic band of characters working on the film. I loved the plus-size inclusivity in this, and how it didn't feel tokenistic in the slightest, but I've read some of Murphy's works before so knew to only expect the best in that department! I loved reading about Nolan and Bee falling for each other, especially as I find it so hard to believe that costars

  There's Been a Little Incident   by Alice Ryan Published: 15th September 2022 by Head of Zeus I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. This felt like such a unique and refreshing read! I went in expecting a bit of a mystery, detective novel where a family goes to find one of their own, but There's Been a Little Incident  ended up being so much more than that. Through attempting to track down Molly after her latest disappearance act, we get to experience each family member's lives, their own troubles as well as memories of Molly and her mother and the family dynamic as a whole, and I really enjoyed it. I normally get overwhelmed with books that have a lot of principal characters, but I loved how each of their stories seamlessly weaved together and getting to see times in which they come together as a family. I don't really think the drug dealer storyline was, but that's just because I was enjoying the rest

Bad Girl Reputation   by Elle Kennedy (Avalon Bay #2) Published: 4th October 2022 by Piatkus Other works:  The Deal ,  The Chase ,  Good Girl Complex Rating: 4 stars I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This in no way affects my review. Synopsis: When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion... which she’s trying desperately to forget.  But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there. Ev

  The Player Next Door  by Elizabeth Davis Published: 11th October 2022 by Headline Eternal Other works:  I Love You, I Hate You ,  The Huntress Rating: 3.5 stars I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. Synopsis: Finance bro Logan and tabletop game designer Clare couldn't be more different. They know this because their apartments face each other, and they've noticed. But not, you know, in a creepy way. Still, when they get stuck in the elevator together, sparks fly and they each see an opportunity: Clare needs her co-workers to believe that she is capable of a one-night stand to get them to buy into her new role-play character, and Logan needs a steady girlfriend to prove his maturity to his boss. After one night together, they're keen to get on with their respective plans. Except Clare can't understand why her hook-up seems to want to date her, and Logan is confused that Clare isn't responding to his flir

  When in Rome   by Sarah Adams Published:  2 0th September 2022 by Headline Eternal Other works:  The Match ,  Off Limits Rule ,  The Cheat Sheet Rating: 4 stars I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. Synopsis: A burnt-out pop star stranded in small-town Kentucky can't help falling for her unlikely knight in shining armor--the notoriously grumpy owner of the local pie shop--in this charming slice of romance from the author of the TikTok sensation  The Cheat Sheet . Review: Warning - potential spoilers! I had heard of Adams' previous work, The Cheat Sheet , because of its popularity on the Booktok side of TikTok, so I was excited to read her newest work! What I didn't realise was that Adams seems like a veteran in the romance novel game, and considering how much I enjoyed When in Rome I definitely want to give her other works a go. The concept of this book sounded right up my street - I haven't seen Roman Hol

  Made in Manhattan   by Lauren Layne Published: 18th January 2022 by Headline I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I don't think I've enjoyed a book this much in a very long time! I read this in one sitting because I couldn't bear the thought of putting it down without knowing what happened next. I knew that Layne was an established romance author but I had not had the pleasure of reading her works before. I definitely want to dive into her back catalogue now! I just thought the chemistry between Violet and Cain was so strong, and I love the whole enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract tropes that Layne had going on, especially between Violet's uptight New York-ness compared to Cain's broody Southern gentleman ways. The bickering and constant back-and-forth between them put a smile on my face and I honestly didn't want it to end! It really felt like the perfect romance, and one that stands a league a

  The Dictator's Wife   by Freya Barry Published: 17th February 2022 by Headline I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I feel like this had the potential to blow me away but unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. I did like the angle that Berry took in the whole lawyer dynamic within the greater political sphere, as I thought that was a unique take on this type of story. However, I ultimately felt that, while the story started and ended on stronger notes, the majority of the book became overcomplicated, introducing lots of characters and information that I felt made the novel too dense and oversaturated. The concept of The Dictator's Wife is very strong, but I did just feel that there was too much going on. The combination of Marija's upcoming trial and all the work the lawyers were doing for that, as well as Laura's own investigations and her internal struggle with being back in her home country just

  The Mismatch  by Sara Jafari Published: 24th June 2021 by Cornerstone I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I finally got around to this book a lot later than I would have liked, but the fact that The Mismatch has already been out for a while has allowed it to build up a good reputation for itself, and I definitely felt that in Jafar's high-quality writing and character development. It felt apt to be reading this book, partially set just after Soraya's graduation from university, as it's something I've recently experienced myself. I felt I could definitely relate to her postgrad anxieties and the pressure to jump straight from full-time education into a full-time job. The dual-narrative between Soraya and her mum Neda provided a nice contrast to observe between the two women, but also showed some real similarities between them as well, ad how their respective adolescences gave the reader insight into their

Safety in Numbers   by Sophie Penhaligon Published: 3rd January 2022 by BooksGoSocial I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it ended up being a disappointment for me. I was glad to see that Milo and everyone else she disclosed it to took Seraphina's disability seriously and for the most part didn't belittle her, treating her with respect rather than pity. However, I felt that the build-up from work colleagues to romantic interests was way too quick, especially considering Seraphina's reservations literally in the chapter before. It also felt as though the power dynamics between the two protagonists weren't equal, with Milo being almost manipulative and using Seraphina's condition against her because she didn't know any better and would agree with him without question. It seemed quite false at times that Seraphina could open herself up to new chall

The Unsinkable Greta James   by Jennifer E. Smith  Published: 1st March 2022 by Quercus Books Other works:  The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight ,  This Is What Happy Looks Like ,  The Geography of You and Me Rating: 3.5 stars I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. Synopsis: An indie musician reeling from tragedy reconnects with her estranged father on a week-long cruise in this tale of grief, fame, and love from bestselling author Jennifer E. Smith. Greta James's meteoric rise to indie stardom was hard-won. Before she graced magazine covers and sold out venues, she spent her girlhood strumming her guitar in the family garage. Her first fan was her mother, Helen, whose face shone bright in the dusty downtown bars where she got her start. But not everyone encouraged Greta to follow her dreams. While many daydream about a crowd chanting their name, her father, Conrad, sees only a precarious life ahead for his

The Visa   by Lizzie O'Hagan Published: 3rd March 2022 by Headline Other works:  What Are Friends For? Rating: 3.5 stars I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review. Synopsis: The agreement was to get married . . . not to fall in love. In this sweeping romantic comedy, affairs are to be expected, and falling in love is betrayal... This topsy-turvy romcom is perfect for fans of Josie Silver, Beth O'Leary and Mhairi McFarlane. For a commitment-phobe who's never taken a girl on a third date, Jack finds getting married to his old friend Maya pretty easy. He's a New Zealander in need of a visa to stay in the country, and she doesn't believe in marriage anyway. Simple. Maya and Jack live in wedded, sex-less bliss, until one day Jack starts to get serious with someone else... Suddenly Maya finds herself falling into a role she never thought she'd be: a wife - and a scorned one at that - who is falling uncontrollab