Lightning in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

 Book Excerpt:

"Gifted—or cursed—with the power to influence the weather, one woman must embrace her wild heart in the following electric romance from the author of Witch of Wild Things.

Teal Flores is desperate for control over her gift of weather and a date to her ex's wedding. The first is only possible once she finds her long-lost mother, but the second has a very handsome last-ditch solution: Carter Velasquez.

Carter needs Teal, too. His chance of receiving an inheritance depends on his marriage by age thirty (blame his traditional Cuban grandmother), so who better to pose as his wife than Teal? But fake marriage and cohabitation prove tricky when mutual attraction charges the atmosphere—quite literally for Teal, whose volatile emotions cause lightning strikes.

Together, Teal and Carter embark on a quest to find her mother and the answers she's searching for. But along the way, they'll discover something even better: a love that can weather any storm."

Title:  Lightning in Her Hands

Author:  Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Publisher:  Berkley

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four
Review:

"Lightning in Her Hands" by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

My Perception:  

'Lightning in Her Hands' was a good read about three sisters, a mother, and magic. There is another book I didn't read, but you can keep up with what is going on without reading the first book, 'Witch of Wild Things. 

Teal, one of the sisters, seems to have had her magic broken by her mom. What was that all about? Why was Teal wanting to get her control of her magic back at this time? Well, a best friend named Carter wants to mend their relationship, and when he presents a fake proposal, she accepts. Be ready for a journey that these characters will go on. I will say the two main characters [Teal and Carter]were something else in all the presented trauma. There will be 'trauma, neglect and abuse' that will continue, but I will stop here and say you must pick this story up and see how well this author presents magical realism, especially if you like magic in one's intriguing romance.   

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Wedding Engagement by Zoe Allison

 Book Excerpt:

"Planning a wedding is so romantic . . . except when it's not yours, and you're planning it with the guy you're secretly crushing on. 

Scottish schoolteacher Liv Holland has a secret. For years, she's been carrying a torch for Arran Adebayo, her brother's best friend. A blind date gone wrong cements in Liv's mind that Arran has no romantic interest in her whatsoever. But then, with her brother set to marry her best friend, she and Arran are enlisted to help plan the festivities…

After being left at the altar by his ex, single father Arran is having trouble managing his growing feelings towards the woman who is both his best friend's sister and his son's teacher: Liv. Then, his mind is blown when fate thrusts them together for an unexpected blind date, but he messes up his chance to tell her how he feels.
 
As the big day approaches and Liv and Arran's connection intensifies, their chemistry chafes against their checkered romantic histories. Risking everything for love could mean losing each other forever . . . or being the next ones to find their happy ever after."

Title:  The Wedding Engagement

Author:  Zoe Allison

Publisher:  Berkley

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

"The Wedding Engagement" by Zoe Allison

My Perception:  

If you are into a read of friends-to-lover romances, you have come to the right place.

Indeed, Liv and Arran were a lovely, cute couple, along with Arran's son Jayce.

I enjoyed reading about how these two had some problems to overcome and how well they were resolved in the end due to crossing the line of their solid friendship.  

The author did a fantastic job of bringing these two together. The secondary characters were also outstanding, and let's remember that Scotland's wedding setting gave the reader an incredible, sweet story and enjoyable ending.  

Thank you to NetGalley and the Berkley publisher for the ARC!

The Lawyer's Redemption by Freya Atwood

 

Book Excerpt:

"He betrayed everyone to survive, and now Benjamin Wolfe seeks redemption through justice.

His two life-or-death goals are to find his best friend's murderer and win the case that could save his brother—both of which he's responsible for.

But redemption comes at a price, and the highest may be sacrificing himself."

Title: The Lawyer's Redemption
Author: Freya Atwood
Publisher: Cobalt Fairy LLC.
Series: Island of Secrets Legal Thriller Series Book 6
Reviewed By: Arlena Den
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Lawyer's Redemption" by Freya Atwood

My Perception:

'The Lawyer's Redemption' series 6 was one of the best legal thrillers. The story deals with Ben Wolfe, his brother Nicholas, Lars Hansen, Sophie, Noah, Harper, Ingrid, and a few more characters, giving the reader quite a story. It would be best to keep up with the story because there are so many twists and turns. The story is a page-turner that will keep your interest until the end.

To understand this intriguing story, start reading from series 1.

Remember the extended epilog. It explains quite a bit if you still haven't figured out who killed Lar and why.