Bookishly Jessie

Second Draft by Kate Leone | ARC Review

posted on

29/3/2026

by

Jessie

in

Book Reviews, Contemporary, Kate Leone, Romance

Second Draft by Kate Leone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 241
Published: on 3rd February, 2026
Format: Ebook
Source: Gifted
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon (not affiliated)

Book Synopsis:

Breakout fantasy author Emma Whitehart has her life neatly under control — corporate by day, writer by night, and a careful avoidance of romantic entanglements. Fictional men are safer. Celebrity crushes are harmless.

Or so she thought.

When Emma arrives at San Diego Comic-Con to promote her bestselling debut novel, she comes face to face with Darren Cole — British actor, internet heartthrob, and the true inspiration behind her morally grey, fan-favorite villain.

As if meeting him wasn’t overwhelming enough, it turns out Darren has read her book. And he is… intrigued.

Thrown together over a whirlwind weekend of panels, signings, press events, and a fandom determined to ship them into orbit, Emma and Darren find themselves navigating forced proximity in the public eye — where every look is analyzed and every interaction goes viral.

As circumstances keep pulling them together, the line between fiction and reality begins to blur. But real feelings come with real risks — to reputations, careers, and carefully protected hearts.

Book Review

*I received an ARC copy of this book, but all opinions are entirely my own and honest.

I’d never heard of this author before until they reached out to me asking if I wanted to be an ARC reader for their debut novel. The cover is very bold and eye-catching, and the premise is what drew me in. I absolutely love a romance book, so when I saw the tropes, I knew I had to read it… I’m so glad I did!

Considering this is the author’s debut novel, the writing is very strong. Leone does a great job with the characters, and the dialogue doesn’t feel forced between them. The story flows and I liked the chemistry between the main characters. I also liked the addition of the side characters too, particularly Leah!

My only criticism is that the pacing was a little unbalanced throughout the book. It started off slow and then once it reached around the halfway point, the pace picked up and it felt right. However, the ending, especially after the build up to the climax was a little rushed. Personally, I would’ve liked it to be a little slower so that we could see more of the main characters relationship development. I enjoyed the 6 month time jump but I would’ve rather we saw more in between.

I really enjoyed the setting of this book. I’ve only been to Comic-Con once in my life, but Leone was able to capture the atmosphere, excitement and chaos of it brilliantly. It fit the vibes for both of the main characters to be there. Emma is an author promoting her fantasy book and Darren is a movie star promoting his movie there. I also found it was very clever how the author tied in the moments when fiction collides with reality!

I will admit that the connection between the main characters feels very ‘insta-lovey’. Normally I don’t enjoy this trope but it was done well in this book. The romance is definitely a slow burner, and I liked their banter whilst it was blossoming. It was nice to have the FMC doing the hard work to reconcile the relationship instead of it typically being the man. This is because of the third-act breakup. Emma felt very relatable all the way through, and I liked seeing her vulnerable side and being able to tackle her fears. I really liked Darren’s character–reminded me so much of Hook from Once Upon a Time! Be mindful there is 0 spice in this book but there are some lovely kissing scenes when they eventually happen.

I would recommend reading this book if you’re looking for a contemporary romance from a new author. It’s a fun, heartfelt romance with a sprinkling of emotional depth throughout.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey | Audiobook Review

posted on

28/3/2026

by

Jessie

in

Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Historical, Jennie Godfrey, Mystery/Thriller

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
Genre: Historical, Mystery
Listening Length: 10h 57m
Published By: Tantor Media on 30th December, 2025
Format: Audiobook
Add to Goodreads

Book Synopsis:

“We’ll make a list. A list of all the people and things we see that are suspicious. And then . . . we’ll investigate them.”

Twelve-year-old Miv is panicking. Life has been complicated since her mom got sick, and now her dad is talking about wanting to move their family away from the town Miv has lived in her whole life—because of the murders. Young women are dying, everyone is afraid, and no one knows who the culprit might be.

But as far as Miv is concerned, leaving Yorkshire and her best friend Sharon simply isn’t an option, no matter the dangers lurking round their way; or the strangeness at home that started the day Miv’s mum stopped talking. Perhaps if she could solve the case of the disappearing women, they could stay after all?

So, Miv and Sharon decide to make a a list of all the suspicious people and things on their street. People they know. People they don’t. But their search for the truth reveals more secrets in their neighborhood, within their families—and between each other—than they ever thought possible. What if the real mystery Miv needs to solve is the one that lies much closer to home?

Book Review

I’ve seen this book a lot on social media but never thought to pick it up. My fiancé’s mother recommended me to try the audiobook version, so I finally caved and gave it a go. Although I’ve seen this book floating around social media, I’ve never thought to look into what it’s about… So you could say that I went into this one blind.

Multiple people narrate this book because the chapters are from different perspectives. I have no issues with the actors chosen and I enjoyed listening to all of them. Due to the storyline of this book, we have a lot of characters mentioned and the author does a great job with the depth of them. This book leans into the complexities of being a human and how people may perceive us without knowing our full stories. It highlights that people who seem ‘good’ can do bad things, and vice versa.

My main criticism with the book is that the storyline moves too slowly. There were times when I was questioning if the plot of the story was doing to develop. I quickly realised it is more of a character-driven story. I will say that I did have a eureka moment quite far into the book when it started to all make sense and I understood the underlying message. I think this book is very cleverly written, but the pace is too slow given the lack of a major plot.

The author does a wonderful job of rounding out the story and showing how the Yorkshire Ripper ties in with the main story itself. The book is set during this period, but I appreciate that it doesn’t centre too much on the Yorkshire Ripper. Instead, it is always present in the background of the story which I enjoyed. Godfrey was able to make me feel emotions towards her characters; some I ended up loving and others I ended up hating.

The ending completely shocked me and was very emotional. I want to mention that while it’s marketed as a mystery, it’s best not to expect a typical one. This story is more about the main character discovering herself and those around her in the community. If you are wanting to pick this up, I would highly recommend the audio itself. However, if you prefer immersive reading then definitely listen to it alongside reading it physically or digitally.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Birthstone Book Covers – March: Aquamarine

posted on

25/3/2026

by

Jessie

in

Monthly Book Challenges
Well, we’re almost at the end of March! I have been slacking with blogging so this post is coming a lot later than it normally would…

Leslie at Books Are The New Black hosts this fun monthly theme and I had a look at March which I thought would be fun to take part in.

The rules are simple:
- Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black) and link back so she can see your post!
- Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
- HAVE FUN!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY… to all the March babies out there!

March’s birthstone is a Aquamarine and after doing a little research, I found some interesting information on this website for what it means…

“Aquamarine’s name comes from the Latin for seawater, and ancient mariners claimed the gem would calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. This March birthstone was also thought to bring happiness in marriage. Beryl was believed to give the wearer protection against foes in battle and litigation. It was also thought to make the wearer unconquerable and amiable, and to quicken the intellect.”

“Aquamarine is not only the birthstone for March, but the gem is also given as a present on the 19th wedding anniversary.“

Right, lets get onto the book covers that I was able to find from books I’ve read (still own) and books on my TBR. This was quite an easy month for finding book covers!!
1. And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison (TBR)
2. Heartless by Elsie Silver (Read – still own)
3. Enchanted to Meet You by Cara Stout (TBR)
4. 10 Things to Do Before I Go by Chantelle Mathewson (Read – still own)
5. From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata (TBR)
6. Meet Me at the Wedding by Georgia Toffolo (Read – still own)
7. Good Spirits by B.K. Borison (Read – still own)
8. Off to the Races by Elsie Silver (Read – still own)
9. If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy (Read – still own)
This was a lot of fun to take part in for March and I’ve already taken a sneak peak for April which I will try to take part in but just thinking about the books I have… I think it’s going to be hard.

What amethyst books would you recommend? What would you add to the list?
February Reading Wrap-up

posted on

24/3/2026

by

Jessie

in

Reading Wrap-Ups

February continued on my good streak of reading for the year — I was able to read 9 books in total! I will admit though that I read more shorter books this month than I normally would… I wanted to get as many in as possible considering February is the shortest month of the year.

Pages read: 1,825

The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez – Started: 1st February – Finished: 1st February.
This is book #2 in the Valentines Day series which I read as an ebook on my Kindle. Considering this is a short romance novella, I really enjoyed it and ended up wanting more once it was over. I need to get to the first book now which is also by her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Best of Friends by Mari Mancusi – Started: 3rd February – Finished: 3rd February.
This book is from the Disney Twisted Tales Advent Calendar which I read physically. It was a cute read for a short novella, nothing amazing but nice to add to my collection.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Maybe This Time by Cara Bastone – Started: 6th February – Finished: 7th February.
This is a standalone book which I listened to on Audible. Whilst I enjoyed the narration, the book itself fell very flat for me considering the plot itself sounded intruiging.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Wolf’s Honour by Lee Lightner – Started: 17th January – Finished: 8th February.
This is book #6 and the final one in the Space Wolf series which I listened to on Audible. This was better than the previous one and ended out the series well.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between by Ruth Jones & James Corden – Started: 12th February – Finished: 12th February.
This is a standalone book which I listened to on Audible. This book was incredible from start to finish and a must read for fans of the TV show. I adored everything about it!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren – Started: 13th February – Finished: 13th February.
This is book #1 in the Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances series which I read as an ebook on my Kindle. This one was a cute romance novella but nothing jaw-dropping.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison – Started: 14th February – Finished: 18th February.
This is book #1 in the Heartstrings series which I read physically. Really enjoyed this one and I am so excited to pick up the next one in the series which I already have on my TBR!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young – Started: 19th February – Finished: 19th February.
This is book #2 in the Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances series which I read as an ebook on my Kindle. I preferred this one a little more to the first in the series but again it was an average romance novella.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Flawless by Elsie Silver – Started: 22nd February – Finished: 24th February.
This is book #1 in the Chestnut Springs series which I re-read physically. I re-read it because I wanted to annotate it. I loved it just as much as I did the first time round <3

Rating: 5 out of 5.

What was your best read for February? How many books did you read?
The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison | Book Review

posted on

22/3/2026

by

Jessie

in

Book Reviews, Dot Hutchison, Horror, Mystery/Thriller

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison
Series: The Collector #1
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Pages: 288
Published By: Thomas & Mercer on 1st June, 2016
Format: Ebook
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon (not affiliated)

Book Synopsis:

Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden.

In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.

When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.

As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding…

Book Review

My sister had recommended this one to me, and the premise sounded really intriguing. I really wanted to love this book as the concept was brilliantly chilling but overall it didn’t deliver as I’d hoped. If you have Amazon Prime then you can get this book for free almost like a library book which is what I did.

This book is promoted as a thriller and horror novel, but I think it lacks in both. I was more creeped out and chilled by the storyline rather than feeling thrilled or horrified. It was that disturbing that even at times when the pace was incredibly slow, I just couldn’t stop reading. There are a lot of heavy and dark themes throughout this book which I think the author handled well. However, I kept reading because I felt like it was building up to a huge twist at the end but it left me disappointed.

I really enjoyed that the story shifts between flashbacks and the present day. There are no chapters in this story but there is a page break between the present story and the flashbacks. This makes it really easy to follow and gives natural breaks where you can put the book down. It helped to add suspense, intrigue, and left just enough mystery throughout. It also made me think of Maya being an unreliable narrator, never quite knowing whether to believe what she was saying.

My main problem is that I just wasn’t connecting with Maya herself. She seemed very nonchalant when telling her story to the FBI and kept going off on tangents that sometimes didn’t feel necessary. I much preferred the scenes involving some of the other ‘butterflies’ like Bliss and Lyonette. Their character/personalities were way more interesting to see and compelling.

The first like 80-90% of this book had me completely hooked and the tone stayed entirely creepy throughout which I loved. The last 10-20% however is when it started to rapidly decline. I’m so mad with how it ended! I thought it was going to have the most shocking twist but it left me feeling confused and underwhelmed. I personally don’t think the ending fit with how they story was unfolding. This could’ve been a solid 4.5 stars but Maya’s character and the ending the rating significantly.

*Definitely ensure you check out trigger warnings beforehand if you are thinking of reading this. Regardless of my criticisms, the writing itself is very good. It’s hard to say I would recommend this book due to the themes throughout. However, it does make for a very interesting read and the plot is unlike anything I’ve read before. So I guess, I’ll allow you to be the judge of whether want to read it not.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young | Book Review

posted on

21/3/2026

by

Jessie

in

Book Reviews, Contemporary, Hannah Bonam-Young, Romance

Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young
Series: Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances #2
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 92
Published By: Amazon Original Stories on 20th January, 2026
Format: Ebook
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon (not affiliated)

Book Synopsis:

When a mysterious time capsule leads a Toronto teacher to England, she discovers some loves are worth crossing oceans—and decades—to find, from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Bonam-Young.

When a history teacher receives a letter from her deceased grandmother revealing a secret love affair in the 1950s, it leads her to a time capsule hidden decades ago. But it’s the charming grandson of her grandmother’s lost love who changes everything, proving that sometimes the heart knows exactly where—and when—it belongs.

Book Review

I looked for more romance books to read in February and decided to carry on with the books in the Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances series. I’ve not read from Hannah Bonam-Young before so I thought I’d try out her writing with a cute little novella. Because I have Amazon Prime, the eBook was included, so I didn’t have to pay for it either.

The book’s short length makes the romance feel very insta-lovely–a trope I don’t usually enjoy–but it worked well for this type of book. I enjoyed the main characters overall and feel they suited each other well. This short novella has a nice balance of being character-driven and plot-driven.

The story develops most of the relationship through the main characters being pen pals via email. I like how the FMC who’s a history teacher was sharing this with her students as part of a history project. The MMC is adorable and I like how it went from communicating via email to having long-distance phone calls. I’m glad the book gives the spice ratings at the start because it’s a very “closed-door” romance. I don’t typically mind this, as I think it fit the story’s vibe. It didn’t need any spice given the storyline.

Pacing was good overall throughout the book but unfortunately the ending felt a little abrupt. This is where I’m going to mention my main complaint. There isn’t a scene of them opening the time capsule together! This was a huge let down for me because the story has the time capsule as the focal point for the meet-cute. It would’ve been heart-warming and emotional to see the families open it together and learn about their grandmothers.

Overall, this is a cute and average romance book. If you’re looking for a quick romance palette cleanser to read between books then I’d give this one a try. After this, I’m definitely intrigued to try a longer Hannah Bonam-Young book so I can get a better sense of their writing.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison | Book Review

posted on

18/2/2026

by

Jessie

in

B.K. Borison, Book Reviews, Contemporary, Romance

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison
Series: Heartstrings #1
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 437
Published By: Pan Macmillan on 11th February, 2025
Format: Paperback
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon (not affiliated)

Book Synopsis:

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending… even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

Book Review

This is my 2nd book I’ve read from B.K. Borison and she did not disappoint!! I’ve really been enjoying her more recent stuff compared to her older stuff (I DNF’d the first book in the Lovelight Farms series). A friend over on Instagram recommended this book to me and I’m so glad they did. After loving Good Spirits, I knew I had to read more from them.

I’ll start off with the only criticisms I have and it’s the fact that I don’t think this book needed to be as long as it was. For me some of the scenes felt a little like filler scenes. This book could’ve easily cut out about 100 pages. I took off .5 from my rating because the book felt too long. I also want to mention that they author used a specific word during a spicy scene (referring to a woman’s part). Personally, I don’t like when this word is used in a book. The author could have used plenty of other, more suitable words instead.

Now onto everything I enjoyed! I really enjoyed the chemistry between the main characters. However, I will say that I much preferred Lucie’s character over Aiden’s. I had mixed feelings towards him all the way through. There were moments when he was a sweetheart but other times he was making me annoyed with his choices. It was nice to see their friendship blossom into a relationship as the book progressed.

The pacing was overall good but I don’t think it’s very slow-burn. The relationship between the two main characters develops quite quickly. The only real slow-burn aspect is the lead up to the few spicy scenes that are in this book.

The meet-cute situation was unlike anything I’ve read before and I liked that aspect. I honestly felt like I had the radio on and was listening to their broadcast. I appreciate the author adding transcripts throughout as a little extra (I love me some mixed media). There wasn’t a single side character I didn’t like in this book. They all had their own little purpose and I’m excited to find out more about Jackson in the second book.

This book had me all in my feels. It truly gives off rom-com vibes! It was cute, had me giddy at parts and also giggling at some of the exchanges between characters. Overall, this is a fun, easy read that will have you captivated from start to finish. Although it’s a typical romance, it keeps the cheesiness to a bare minimum and includes only a little bit of cringiness during the spicy scenes. Highly recommend!!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren | Book Review

posted on

14/2/2026

by

Jessie

in

Book Reviews, Christina Lauren, Contemporary, Romance

Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren
Series: Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances #1
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 93
Published By: Amazon Original Stories on 20th January, 2026
Format: Ebook
Add to Goodreads
Buy on Amazon (not affiliated)

Book Synopsis:

When marketing consultant Veronica accidentally crashes the wrong Zoom meeting and brutally critiques their presentation, she’s shocked to receive a job offer from the company’s intriguing CEO. Their professional email exchanges quickly turn flirty, but Veronica’s mind keeps drifting to her reserved but gorgeous new neighbor. As Valentine’s Day approaches, she’ll discover that sometimes the most improbable meet-cute can lead to the perfect match.

Book Review

I looked for more romance books to read in February and stumbled across this novella recommended on Instagram. I’ve not read from Christina Lauren before but I do have another one of their books sitting on my TBR trolley. I thought I would try out the writing style with a cute little novella. Because I have Amazon Prime, the eBook was included, so I didn’t have to pay for it. Win, win!

The book’s short length makes the romance feel very insta-lovey—a trope I don’t usually enjoy—but it works well for this type of book. I will mention that this book is definitely more character-driven than it is plot-driven. The main characters were okay overall and I do feel they suited each other well.

The story develops most of the romance through email, since the characters mainly communicate that way. I enjoyed the banter they were having with each other. Plus, it was fun that they kept bumping into each other in real life without realising they’ve been communicating over email. I’m glad the book gives the spice rating at the start because it’s very “closed door” romance. I would’ve liked maybe a little bit more in terms of the romance but for a novella it was okay.

Pacing was good all the way throughout the book but unfortunately the ending was a little bit abrupt. I understand that this can happen in shorter books, but I think the author could have handled it better. Overall, this is a cute and average romance book. If you’re looking for a quick romance palate cleanser to read between books then I’d give this one a try. After this, I’m definitely intrigued to try the full-length novel I have by Christina Lauren so I can get more of an idea about their writing.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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