Review: B'Nai Mitzvah Mistake (Last Girls Standing #1) by Stacey Agdern

 

Sharing isn’t caring when it comes to your big day.

Judith Nachman loves working as a project manager at the Mitzvah Alliance charity, and after five years, it’s finally her turn to have the bat mitzvah of her dreams. Judith is enjoying every single moment of the process—until she learns she has to share her day with the annoying hockey player who derailed her sister’s career.

Retired hockey player Ash Mendel is determined to start an organization to support Jewish athletes, and the first step is to have his bar mitzvah. He's not sure what he wants his day to look like, but he knows he definitely wants forgiveness from Judith, the woman he's sharing the date with.

But Judith’s nephew needs to interview an athlete, and Ash needs professional advice for his foundation, so they exchange favors. Except as they get to know each other and their worlds start to mingle, Ash and Judith will have to decide whether sharing their lives as well as their B'Nai Mitzvah is the best decision they could make, or the biggest mistake of their lives.

 

My Review:

A great start of a new series.

This book is so good.  It’s heartfelt and hopeful.  I really like the characters, Judith and Ash, who made the best of their unexpected situation.  The friendship they formed over time, which eventually led to more, and Judith trying to keep the friendship/relationship a secret, made for a fun read.  I can’t wait to read the books that follow this one. 

 

 

Review: Stealing Mr. Right (Misguided Masala Matchmaker #4) by Sinclair Jayne Sawhney

 

She’s found the perfect man…except not for her client.

Budding matchmaker and relationship “expert” Rani Kapoor should be walking on air. She helped find love matches for her cousin and sisters, her dissertation passed, and she’s inked her first book deal. But what if her success comes crashing down? Desperate to prove herself, Rani makes a bet. Using her new scientific method, she’ll find her first official client—her best friend—Mr. Right in time for her cousin’s wedding.

Tech tycoon Jasminder “Jas” Singh just sold his second start-up and is looking for his next challenge—breaking into the lucrative Indian tech market. But Jas lacks family connections and cultural knowledge, so all doors have been slammed in his face. Taking a new approach, Jas reaches out to the “Misguided Masala Matchmaker.” He has no interest in a bride, but he’s not above pretending he does so he can score an invitation to—and make business connections at—the Indian wedding of the season.

The minute Rani meets Jas, she realizes science has failed her again. Yes, the potential groom is perfect—for her.

 

My Review:

A beautiful end to an amazing series.

I have been curious about Rani Kapoor’s story since I first started reading the Misguided Masala Matchmaker series.  In this book, Rani is really making it in the world with her pod cast and her book and game ready to launch.  I was anxious to finally see how she would find her love match.

Jasminder Singh seemed very conservative and socially awkward at first, but with Rani, he comes out of his shell.  They are the perfect couple for this opposites attract romance story.  I laughed through so many scenes as Rani is such a fun free spirited character and you never know what she might say.  But there was this one scene where I literally cried for her.  Be warned.  It was extremely touching and real.

I am going to miss this series and this big, fun and fabulous Indian American family.  They have grown on me like friends I always want to visit.  I highly recommend this book; really all of the Misguided Masala Matchmaker series. 

 

 

Review: Have You Seen Sarah Baker by T.A. Cruz

 

The search is on, but what exactly are the folks of Fulton County hiding?

For five years, high school English teacher Sarah Baker has helplessly watched her marriage become emptier than the bed she crawls into alone each night. But a divorce would leave her in financial ruin, so she stays shackled to the husband who left his vows at the altar.

Then Sarah discovers an escape and takes the ultimate risk, only to find herself chained again—this time in the basement of a remote cabin.

When a grisly teen murder rocks his quiet northwestern town, rough-around-the-edges Sheriff Jeffrey Mills has his hands full identifying the body while facing the mounting pressure of tracking down the missing high school teacher the community is determined to find. In the blink of an eye, a heart attack sidelines him during the search, and Mills faces an impossible choice: skirt the law and lose his one chance for redemption or leave Sarah Baker to her fate.

But one thing is clear: they’re both running out of time.

 

My Review:

One of the best mysteries I have read in a long time.

I was completely blown away by this book.  When I say I stayed up past my bedtime, I am not lying.  The excitement of the story kept me going.  Of course, the story is centered around missing school teacher Sarah Baker.  But we also learn about Fulton’s Sheriff Mills and his Deputy Holloway, who have a unique friendship, almost father daughter like, but with Mills teaching Holloway the tricks of the trade in his own unique gruff style.  This story is told in snippets of past and present, which usually confuse me when books do this, but in this book it really works.  You get just enough information to keep you hanging until you get to the mind blowing ending that I did not see coming.  All I could say was “wow”. 

If you are looking for a mystery that will keep you hanging to the very end, this one is for you.  I highly recommend it.