Review: The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose

The Perfect Divorce (Perfect, #2)

by Jeneva Rose

Release Date: April 15, 2025

2025 Blackstone Publishing, Inc.

Ebook ARC (& Audiobook ARC); 288 Pages

ISBN: 979-8874620936

ASIN: B0DGYVBN3X

Audiobook: B0DHDDXQKJ

Genre: Fiction / Suspense

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

1.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

It’s been eleven years since high-powered attorney Sarah Morgan defended her husband, Adam, against the charge of murdering his mistress. Sarah has long since moved on, starting a family with her new husband, Bob Miller, and changing careers. Her life is back to being exactly how she always wanted … or is it?

After discovering Bob engaged in a one-night stand, Sarah wastes no time filing for divorce. However, amid their ugly separation, new DNA evidence is uncovered in the case against Adam, forcing the police to reopen the investigation and putting Sarah right back in the spotlight. But when the woman Bob slept with is reported missing, he and Sarah start to fight dirty, and a high-stakes game of cat and mouse ensues. 

My Thoughts

The Perfect Divorce is one of those books that I am truly glad I finished listening to and not in a good way. While I know we are not supposed to really enjoy the characters, I do have to have some empathy for them, even if they do some awful things, but these characters were written in such a way that made them so unsympathetic, bordering on just plain awful.

So, let’s talk about the characters. I can dislike a character intensely, but still find entertainment in the things they do.  A well-written character doesn’t have to be a ‘good’ character, but can have morals and values that are twisted and weird. However, with characters working in jobs where some integrity is needed, I just felt like this was pushing my boundaries when it comes to believability.  Oh, I know there are corrupt lawyers out there, that is not the issue here, it’s all of the other things they did that just bothers me to no end and then they take the high road as if everyone else is at fault and they are innocent. And as readers, we are supposed to buy into this and feel sympathy? No way. Bob and Sarah are still just as entitled as in the first book and there was no character development whatsoever.

And the plot. The implausible plot. The plot holes a mile wide. Not to mention you know exactly who did what from the first chapter. And while there were some entertaining moments, those were few and far between. Most of the time I was rolling my eyes wondering what absurdity I was going to hear next (and because I was driving through most of it, I had to be careful not to roll too much so I could still drive).  I guess just divorcing someone the old-fashioned way doesn't make a good enough story though?  We have to plot a silly, convoluted one, one that tries to have us believe a woman who does what she does actually deserves our sympathy. Embellishment and over-the-top behaviours do not make a plot twist!!! Which is why I laughed out loud when we got to the end and thought, You have got to be kidding me.

Verdict
The Perfect Divorce is time I wish I could take back. I usually DNF these, but honestly, I listened to the end because I was curious as to how embellished this would get and she didn’t didn’t disappoint in that area.  With little character development and an over-the-top plot line, I just can’t recommend this book. However, I do have to commend the narrator as he did a bang-up job. And for the record, I was not a fant of the first one either, but decided to give this one a chance. No more of these for me, though. Happy reading all!

Review: A Fatal Necessity by Marjorie Eccles

A Fatal Necessity (A Herbert Reardon Mystery, #6)

by Marjorie Eccles

Release Date: May 6, 2025

2025 Severn House

Ebook ARC; 287 Pages

ISBN: 978-1448316014

ASIN: B0DB5GDVW6

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

1935, Templewood, Worcestershire. Judge Waring’s glamorous wife Emilie is mysteriously missing and no one knows where she is – until she’s found the morning after a party at neighbouring Falquonroy Park, in a clearing in Templewood’s grounds, strangled yet neatly laid out next to two pieces of matching luggage.

What could possibly have brought Emilie to the site where the family’s new home, The Spinney, was about to be built, equipped for travelling? Was she planning to leave with someone she knew? Who was determined that she should meet such a terrible end? As Detective Chief Inspector Herbert ‘Bert’ Reardon and Sergeant Jago discover more about the enigmatic Emilie, they unravel terrible lies and devastating secrets stretching back years . . .

 

My Thoughts

A Fatal Necessity is the next book in the Herbert Reardon Mystery series, and I enjoyed this descriptive murder-mystery set in the politically tense days of the late 1930s before the world erupted in war. While set in a fairly peaceful part of Britain, events in Germany were still affecting the citizens in subtle ways, and the author blends this exceedingly well into the story.

I thought the story was very well told; the plot lines were subtle and well done. The author did a great job misleading the reader into thinking that Emilie’s disappearance was one thing, only to discover it was something completely different. As someone who taught WWII history for years, I love how the story brings a lot of the elements of the late 1930s into this book. The threat of Hitler and what was happening in Germany was certainly leaving a pall over the lives of everyone in the village, some taking completely polar sides over whom they supported causing a lot of tension and issues, including the rise of the Socialist and Communist Parties, most of which had to be secret, leading to increased tensions within households and police forces trying to tamp down secret meetings and spying.  I found the discussions around these topics fascinating and the author really had a knack for bringing it all to life. The mystery was subtly woven in between all of this tension and conflict.

Because there was so much focus on the political tension, I did feel like there was a lot of repetition and there were times I felt the story dragged. If this was simply a fiction book about this time period, I would have had a different reaction, but this was also a mystery book so I would expect the tension to be a bit higher, and it really wasn’t. And while I liked the ending, there was little to no suspense.  And I had to go back to my notes to remind myself what actually happened as it was not memorable so that says something to me when it comes to tension and excitement.

Reardon and Jago were interesting characters and I really liked how they were developed, especially Jago who was new to this book.  I liked him so much, in fact, that I hope he will appear in future books as I feel like there is so much more to develop with his character. And while the other characters were quirky and each had distinct voices, they were much more one-dimensional in nature and all blended together.

Verdict
A Fatal Necessity had a good story, and I did enjoy it overall. The author has a subtle story-telling method which I appreciate as it is not about throwing in useless red herrings and also allows the reader to discover things as they go. However, I did feel like you can go too far and forget that mystery novels also need to have that suspense and tension in them to make the reader turn the page, and I thought this one was lacking that element, concentrating more on the historical details.  However, there is still a lot to recommend in this book and if you enjoy historical mysteries, this one may be for you.

 

Review: The Floating World by Axie Oh

The Floating World (The Floating World, #1)

by Axie Oh

Release Date: April 29, 2025

2025 Felwel & Friends

Ebook ARC; 368 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250853080

ASIN: B0D7TF344S

Audiobook: B0DGVQDXBP

Genre: Fiction / Fantasy / YA / Mythology

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of perpetual darkness. An ex-soldier, he can remember little of his life from before two years ago, when he woke up alone with only his name and his sword. 

 

Ren is a cheerful and spirited acrobat traveling with her adoptive family and performing at villages. But everything changes during one of their festival performances when the village is attacked by a horrific humanlike demon. In a moment of fear and rage, Ren releases a blast of silver light—a power she has kept hidden since childhood—and kills the monster. 

 

Ren sets off over the mountains, where the creature came from. Her path sets her on a collision course with Sunho, but he doesn't realize she's the girl that he is looking for. As the two grow closer through their travels, they come to realize that their pasts—and destinies—are far more entwined than either of them could have imagined...

 

My Thoughts

The Floating World was a fascinating blend of Korean mythology, adventure, celestial magic, and found family. The world-building was really good as the author didn't waste time info dumping, but threw you into the world and you figured things out and learned with the characters, something that I love. But the author is quite skilled at weaving the fantasy world into the story so you have no trouble keeping up with the story even if you aren't quite sure how everything fits together at the moment. 

 

The story is told in multi POV, but it all flows seamlessly.  This type of storytelling can be confusing, but when done right, works very well, and this was done right. The author did a great job of revealing just the right bit of information to continue the plot, but not so much that you stopped guessing as to what may happen.  The worldbuilding is a bit strange at first, and it reminds me somewhat of Jeff Wheeler's Harbinger world, a world where there is a city in the sky and one below and that is what I kept picturing as I read this at first. However, the author's descriptive writing soon made this one her own and it definitely stood on its own after a while. The themes floating through this book were interesting, everything from found family to generational trauma to genetic manipulation to loyalty. Grief was also at the center of this story. I personally would have liked a bit more on the political side as that is my interest, and I found that part of this story a bit lacking. It didn't take away from the overall enjoyment, but because of this, I found the last quarter of the book to be rushed as the political factions started taking over with the development in that area being a bit smudgy, if you know what I mean.

 

The two main characters were somewhat well developed, but I did enjoy their journeys, both physical and mental, throughout the story. Both Ren and Sunho were suffering from loss of family and identity crisis, and I love how subtly this played into their relationship.  Their romance was quite slow and took a while to build, something I appreciated as I am not a fan of insta-love, and it really wasn't a main part of the story, just something that happened so I wouldn't necessarily call this book a romance by any stretch.  A lot of it was about Sunho and him learning who he really was as he searched for his brother and reclaimed his memories. I could understand his frustration at not knowing how he developed the strength and abilities he has, but also his fear as to how he will react when he finally learns the truth as he understood that could be worse.   

Verdict

The Floating World was a pleasant surprise and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The worldbuilding and plot were well developed, even if I found the last quarter to be somewhat rushed and lacking in the political explanations. The characters were unique and interesting, but I am hoping a couple of the secondary characters will be more developed in the sequel as they were just as interesting as Ren and Sunho. Overall, while I did feel this was somewhat predictable and not necessarily unique (as mentioned, Jeff Wheeler's Harbinger series also has this dual world), I did think it was fun and I enjoyed it quite a bit as it was refreshing and easy to follow. It could be that I just needed something lighter at the moment, and this fit the bill exactly.

 

Review: Who Will Remember by C.S. Harris

Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr, #20)

by C.S. Harris

Release Date: April 15, 2025

2025 Berkley

Ebook ARC; 365 Pages

ISBN: 978-0593639214

ASIN: B0D9J3XYFK

Audiobook: B0DLYXS992

Genre: Fiction / Historical Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

August 1816. England is in the grip of what will become known as the Year Without a Summer. Facing the twin crises of a harvest-destroying volcanic winter and the economic disruption caused by the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the British monarchy finds itself haunted by the looming threat of bloody riots not seen since the earliest days of the French Revolution. Amidst the turmoil, a dead man is found hanging upside down by one leg in an abandoned chapel, his hands tied behind his back. His brutal murder shocks the Palace and panics the already troubled populace.
At first, everyone in the dead man’s orbit paints Lord Preston as a selfless saint. But as Sebastian delves deeper into his life, he quickly realizes that the man had accumulated more than his fair share of enemies and that the pious Lord Preston may have been much more dangerous than those he sought to redeem.

 

My Thoughts

Who Will Remember is the latest book in the long-running Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series, and one of the reasons I return to this series every year is the detailed research by the author. I am always able to immerse myself in the time period because the descriptions are so vivid and the author manages to really make it come alive in my mind. However, I did think this series has started to feel a bit repetitive and formulaic, and for me at least, it was easy to figure out who were the culprits.

 

I don't really read these for character development at this point although I do feel like the relationship between Sebastian and Hero has gotten a little flat. It's not a negative thing as the fire and brimstone of courtship is often put aside in domestic bliss, but I would think a little more spark should be felt between them there was. By book twenty however, many of the secrets have been revealed and the story focuses more on the secrets of the secondary characters, some of whom I am glad to see returned in this book.  

One of the reasons I return to this series though, are the descriptions of Regency England as they are so well done.  Even with a history background, I love learning tidbits that I didn't know and enjoy following the characters as they go about their day-to-day activities. As I've already mention however, the books are starting to feel the same, and it wasn't hard to figure out the ending. And I read expecting the usual fight scene as it happens to Sebastian as least once per book, and the author did not disappoint.  So, the plot felt similar and repetitive. I did however, enjoy the scenes where Hero interviewed the soldiers even if it didn't really go anywhere, at least yet.

 

Verdict

Who Will Remember had an intriguing mystery and I did enjoy it for the most part. And while the research is impeccable, this one failed to keep up the tension and I was slightly bored as I read so it was difficult to keep going at times. While you don't necessarily have to start at the beginning of the series, there is definitely a lot of character entanglements that will make more sense if you do and the mysteries are quite engaging. I will keep reading this series, but I don't think this was one of the best. 

 

Review: The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner

The Amalfi Curse

by Sarah Penner

Release Date: April 29, 2025

2025 Park Row

Ebook ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-0778308003

ASIN: B0DGLJCW8P

Audiobook: B0K438DPL

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Magical Realism / Contemporary

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. 

 

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…

 

My Thoughts

The Amalfi Curse definitely had a lot going for it: the setting was amazing and I could just picture myself looking at the blue waters the author was describing and eating the food; the historical fantasy was very well-researched and worked rather well; the connection to the water and the impact it had on people's daily lives was amazing; and, the themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, passion, trust, and miscommunication were all on display.  So, why the rating? Personally, I felt like the character development was somewhat lacking, I wasn't a fan of the romantic relationships, and I thought the whole story line revolving around one person's mother didn't quite ring true.  

The character development was the weakest point of the book for me overall. Reading Haven's story line almost put me to sleep as there was basically no story. You would think a story about a marine archaeologist on a treasure hunt would be rather interesting. No dice. Her treasure chasing amounted to very little time on the water and chasing some guy named Enzo. And being at odds with some friends of her father's who pulled some dirty tricks on her that weren't even believable.  Her character was supposed to be this independent women who had fought to get where she was, but I didn't see that at all.

Now Mari is another tale indeed as I thought her story line was rather interesting. She was a fighter, one who did what needed to be done, and I thoroughly loved her story line.  Her story is gritty, believable, made me empathize with her situation, and I was rooting for her the whole time.  The magic system that Mari could wield was rather intriguing, but like a lot of things in this book, the setup was there, but the author forgot to light the match.  Which was disappointing as I really enjoyed this story line much more than Haven's. That being said, I did like the conclusion to this one.

 

The plot itself was sort of meandering, especially when it came to Haven's story. I did like the research she did to find out more as that was interesting, but the actual plot was kind of a letdown. I thought there would be more action, more diving, more fun stuff to hunt down, but we got a meandering plot that really went...nowhere. And the whole thing revolving around Enzo's mother made me raise my eyebrows a time or two.  It just wasn't believable.

 

Verdict

The Amalfi Curse had a beautiful setting and atmosphere and I will give kudos for making me want to get on a plane and go to Italy again right now. There were definitely some moments that really stood out, but they were mostly in Mari's story line, one that I really preferred over Haven's. I did think the overall plot was predictable and meandered quite a bit, in particular Haven's story line. If you like historical fiction with a touch of magical realism that is light, then this might be the book for you.  For me, it just didn't work.