Sarah ReadyCritiques

Fiona Abry has a wonderful life, but she never dreams of what could be. That is until her mother arrives for her “birthday”. She gifts Fiona with the missing pocket watch created by Adolphus Abry, founder of the watch company Fiona and her brother inherited. There is a legend associated with the ancient watch. Unable to ignore the lure of the beautiful timepiece, Fiona falls asleep holding it.

Ready's depiction of Fiona's dreams was so vivid and realistic. I felt drawn into life on the island just as Fiona was each night and felt sad each morning when she woke. I could feel the chemistry between Fiona and Aaron, even though I could feel how much she cared for Max. I did not want to stop reading this book! I love anything by Sarah Ready, but she’s outdone herself with this magical story. 4.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC, IBPA for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this story, this is my honest and objective review. Fated is the 3rd in a series, I've read and enjoyed the first two and this was a good one although I think I liked Ghosted more. I don't know that you have to have read the other two in order to enjoy this one, it works fine as a standalone. Events take place prior to Ghosted (the first in the series, Daniel's story). What I've liked about the series is there's always an element of mystery in these fantastical scenarios that the stories have in them. What's real and what's not? It's not always easy to see where the story is going, for me anyway (which, frankly, it would be boring if you could). So the reader commits to following the author along on all the twists and turns to see where it finally ends up. And as with the other two in the series, you really need to suspend disbelief if you're going to enjoy the story, otherwise you'll be distracting yourself from the story with reasonable but needless and frustrating questions about reality. Trust me on this.
So we have Fiona, sister to Daniel, both heirs to family watch company. Fiona has a young daughter Mila, from a past relationship that ended in heartbreak for Fiona. Fiona's close friend is Max, who of course wants to be more. Fiona's mother abandoned her to her father when young. As mentioned, Daniel is the mmc from the first book, we met Fiona briefly in Ghosted. At the center of the story is the first timepiece made by the Abry family, which went missing decades ago. So of course Fiona's hippy-dippy absentee mother has it, stolen from Fiona's great-uncle Leopold. Fiona has closed herself off to love and legend is that the watch can help you to live your dreams, which Fiona decides to test because why not? She then dreams a very real-feeling world in which she takes over another woman's life (Becca), married to the lovely Aaron McCormick, living on an island somewhere. The dream life is definitely written more vividly than her Swiss life. So where does she really belong? Is she Fiona or is she Becca? Are the dreams even real? Will it be Max or McCormick? What if the dreams exist just to show you how you can make changes in your real life to get there what you have in your dreams? It was a great ride, and the story itself grabbed me until the end. Her books must take so much planning, holy cow.
My main issue here is that while I liked all of the characters (it's hard not to like Aaron and Max, and I'd already liked Daniel in Ghosted although he's kind of a watered-down version here), I had a little bit of a hard time with Fiona. She was a bit cold and hard for me to engage with in the beginning, I assume the distance was on purpose to show how much she'd shut herself away from love. She definitely came to life once the dreaming started. This was a great installment in the series, and I'm looking forward to the next one!

This was such a fun read until it wasn't. When it wasn't, it made me cry.

If you're looking for a slow burn romance, spicy (2/5 chillies spice meter), funny but also has sad moments book, this is it! Like most romance books, you might predict how it ends but boy, oh boy, are you in for a treat.

Sarah Ready definitely knows how to write a book that will pull you in and leave you wanting more. I listened to it in a day, and whenever I wasn't listening to it, I was thinking about it.

I liked Gemma. I loved how she was written as this woman who is lovely, but also a little bit annoying at times. It was sometimes hard to like her and root for her. I guess what I'm trying to say is she was a realistic character, flaws and all. Some of her choices were aloof; completely, and they didn't make sense, but some of them lead her to the path that she wanted. She goes through one particularly difficult event, and honestly, I wish the author delved into it a little bit deeper since we were in the throws of sadness anyway. But I would have loved for that topic to be explored more

Josh. Oh Josh, he was so funny. Argh, so so funny. I loved that. There were some conversations in this book that literally had me bending over laughing. But, I have to say, part of his storyline was some of the saddest in the book. I found myself throwing him a pity party in my head, but somehow I knew he would come out alright.

More than that, this story is also about community. The different ways people show up for each other, family or chosen family. Josh and Gemma truly had fostered communities to shoulder some of the shit that they went through, and made it a little bit lighter. I loved that.

So, if you're looking for a book that will get you out of a reading slump, I would highly suggest this, but please for the love of all good things in the world, read the trigger warnings.

Spoiler alert: Be prepared for a lot of pining and I think we can all agree Ian is a douchebag who deserves to be pooped on by a bird every time he leaves the house.

I got this book in advance from Netgalley, and this is not a sponsored post. However, many thanks to Netgalley, and my inner spidey senses for choosing a wonderful book based of off the cover. Happy Reading :)

*if you see this same review on instagram, don't judge.*

This was a fun romance with some sci-fi elements mixed in! American Serena and Brit Nick have a unique meet cute in Geneva but- oops -he's her boss! Romance takes a back seat until an accident at CERN forces them to swap bodies. They're not just freaky friday-d into each other, but they experiences and memories of the bodies they live in, which was a little disconcerting for me, but for magical realism fans it might be more welcome. It had a bit of a fated mates vibe for me, which I struggle with as a trope. The pacing was great, but some of the descriptions were a little too detailed and too flowery for my taste at times. I think that's a nod to the magical realism/fantasy elements.
I listened to this and the primary narrator, Kelsey Navarro Foster, did a fantastic job. The secondary narrator, James Foster only appears for a short section and totally took me out of the book. I would have preferred the voice Nick had earlier in the book. The book would have been a 4 star for me, were it not for the second narrator and the superfluous descriptors.
Although this is book 2 in a series, you do not need to read book 1 to enjoy it.
Thank you to the publishers (via Netgalley) for providing an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, slightly-deeper read that asks the question: do you have to give up yourself to be in love? Love-phobic fmc, hooks up and brutally dumps mmc who turns out to be her straight-laced new boss. Set amongst the backdrop of the CERN in Switzerland, and I like that both characters are intellectual. Gets a bit whackadoodle about 40% in, but in a good way. Suspend disbelief and stick with the story, you'll be glad you did. I liked the premise and how the author handled Serena's processing of her feelings for Henry and reconciling them with her tightly-held beliefs about love and identity. Heavy initial clinical focus on science, to the point of being a bit much, but it feels intentional as that was also Serena's mindset at the beginning of the book. The unique writing style in the beginning took some adjusting but I liked it, I just needed to slow my reading down to process the prose in order to more fully enjoy it. This was a good one; new-to-me author and the second in a series. I hadn't read the first book but I didn't feel lost; I'm going back to read that one since I enjoyed this one so much. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review!½

It took my brain a hot minute to remember what happened in book #1 "Ghosted" and why the main character was familiar. Once I remembered who was who, the story took off.

I like that this story could be read as a standalone novel as it focuses on Serena and Henry but I highly recommend reading Ghosted first so you know how Serena ended up in Geneva (and Ghosted was also a great story).

Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster did a great job narrating this story. I look forward to listening to more books narrated by them in the future.

Switched by Sarah Ready
Ghosted series #2. Contemporary romance with just a touch of magic. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Serena Otaki is a science geek and happily unattached. Until she accidentally becomes attached to a bar booth seat via a recent varnish. Serena didn’t see the warning sign and is grateful that Henry Jones come to her aid with his coat. A rescue turns from flirty to a steamy night but Serena isn’t prepared for a commitment of love. An unexpected electric storm on top of science has the two consciousness switching and they find themselves living in each others bodies. Now they need to work together to figure it all out.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook copy of this which was narrated by Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Addison Foster. The performance was charming and engaging. I knew exactly how the characters felt as we moved with the transfer and dealing with family situations. Serena’s comments to the audience or footnotes are humorous but detracted from the story by taking us away from the relationship and story. Those footnotes did give us a lot of background on Serena’s life philosophy.
I listened to the audio at my regular speed of 1.5

Quotes and excerpt:
“Things are only impossible until they’re not.”

“Life is more fun with charts, graphs and footnotes.
Footnote 1
If a date asks me how many sexual partners I’ve had, I say 8. However, in the unspoken footnote they haven’t read, I say sexual partners are like age. Once you hit a certain number, you stop counting.”
Excerpt from Switched by Sarah Ready

I felt a little sorry for Henry. He falls in love and she can’t or isn’t willing to look beyond the physical. Until she’s literally in his body and can no longer walk away. There is a lot of humor in the switch as they deal with family and events in each other’s lives.
Overall it’s lighthearted and romantic.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Swift & Lewis.

Ghosted was one of my favorite books last year so I was thrilled to receive this DRC of Switched by Sarah Ready. The story itself was captivating and absolutely hilarious at times. I would definitely recommend this one, but perhaps not as an audiobook.

I love listening to books. In this instance, I believe I would have enjoyed it more on the written page.

Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster are outstanding narrators. I just don’t think they were a fit for this novel. I enjoyed Kelsey’s dialogue turns and she was so funny during much of it. I enjoyed her voice as Henry more than James's performance. The actual story narration, I didn’t like as much.

That being said, I love Sarah Ready’s writing and this one was 4⭐️.

Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Crown, and imprint of Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC, for this complimentary DRC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I always enjoy reading Sarah Ready's books. She has an awesome imagination and creates unique and compelling stories. This book has a cool freaky friday premise. I liked the idea of Serena and Henry switching bodies. It was fun to read how they coped with the situation. The story is told mostly from Serenas perspective, but it would have been nice to hear Henry's side of the story too. They are both so sweet, especially Henry. The couple had sizzling chemistry right from the beginning. I'm not fond of insta-love, though. Slow burn is so much more satisfying. Anyway, this was such a fun and sweet story and the ending was perfect.

This is the second book in a Ghosted series, but you do not need to read the first book in order to enjoy the story. I listened to the audiobook version that was narrated by Kelsey Navarro Foster and James Anderson Foster. They were both really perfect fit for the book.

Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Crown and Imprint of Swift & Lewis Publishing for an audio-arc of this book.

This is the first book I have read by this author and in this series, yet I wasn’t lost at all. In this story we have Gavin who is this wealthy, handsome man, who also has an attitude for days. Gavin’s past was such a heartbreaking one and he endured a lot of pain, so as he got older, he did everything possible to never stay in one place for too long, always seeking the next adventure. When his life gets derailed, and he ends up in West Virginia with an ex-fiancé and a case of memory loss the only person that’s there for him is the very first person he insulted while in WV. Jamie hasn’t had it easy over the years as she has worked hard to provide for her kids and trying to build up her sculpture business, after meeting with the man that is Gavin who insults her and her art, she is furious. She sees an opportunity arise when Gavin is hit with amnesia and she takes advantage of that to get the money she is earned, but she wasn’t expecting him to turn out to be this amazing man. As the lies build up, tension fills the air, and sparks fly Jamie finds it hard to keep lying but she doesn’t want to let this man go. This book gave me vibes from the movie Overboard, so I was expecting a lot of laughs and a romcom. Well, I got the laughs but what I wasn’t expecting was all the emotions and heartache that was attached with these characters, and it made this read that much more special. This book will make you laugh and feel all the emotions, but it is one you will love.

This is the first book I have read by this author and in this series, yet I wasn’t lost at all. In this story we have Gavin who is this wealthy, handsome man, who also has an attitude for days. Gavin’s past was such a heartbreaking one and he endured a lot of pain, so as he got older, he did everything possible to never stay in one place for too long, always seeking the next adventure. When his life gets derailed, and he ends up in West Virginia with an ex-fiancé and a case of memory loss the only person that’s there for him is the very first person he insulted while in WV. Jamie hasn’t had it easy over the years as she has worked hard to provide for her kids and trying to build up her sculpture business, after meeting with the man that is Gavin who insults her and her art, she is furious. She sees an opportunity arise when Gavin is hit with amnesia and she takes advantage of that to get the money she is earned, but she wasn’t expecting him to turn out to be this amazing man. As the lies build up, tension fills the air, and sparks fly Jamie finds it hard to keep lying but she doesn’t want to let this man go. This book gave me vibes from the movie Overboard, so I was expecting a lot of laughs and a romcom. Well, I got the laughs but what I wasn’t expecting was all the emotions and heartache that was attached with these characters, and it made this read that much more special. This book will make you laugh and feel all the emotions, but it is one you will love.

This was a great book, I loved the alternating timelines. I felt so badly for Jillian when Daniel didn't remember, I even cried a couple of times. This was a fun, paranormal romance. Looking forward to reading more of Sarah Ready's work in the future.

Sarah Naughton and Rob Brinkman did a great job narrating this book and it was easy to identify which character was speaking with the two narrators.

Jillian can not talk to men due to a traumatic event years ago. When she moves into a new apartment, she finds out it's already lived in, by David who turns out to be a ghost. Jillian finds out it's easier to talk to a ghost than real men. David promises to help her with work at the online news site, and with her dating life. Jillian on the other hand is trying to help David 'move on'.

I found the premise intriguing. The prose is really beautiful, flowing and descriptive, but also quite rambling. I do not like insta-love and actually could not really see why Jillian and David made such a good couple. Of course they are both drop-dead-gorgeus, but isn't there more to love than looks? And the ghost sex was so cringey. I really liked the side characters, though. They were a mixed bunch of fun sidekicks. Jillian is a Trekkie and the book was full of neat references to Star Trek. There is this paranormal/magical realism theme that made the story plausible if not entirely believable. This book was a little too long to hold my interest the whole time. I did like the story, though and the ending was nice.

I listened to the audiobook and Sarah Naughton's narration was awesome. Rob Brinkman read the epilogue and did a great job as well.

Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Crown for an audio-ARC of this book.

I have a definite Sarah Ready rom-com hangover right now! I immediately fell in love with the whole situation and finished in one day. Jillian, a shy, nerdy, Trekkie, moves into a low rent apartment that looks like it’s been used to film 70s porn. But that’s not the weirdest thing. Turns out it’s haunted by a hot, shirtless guy who just won’t leave her alone.

I loved how the story unfolded and the ultimate conclusion. The peripheral characters were hilarious. I listened as I read this touching, funny, romantic story made more so with excellent narration by Sarah Naughton and Rob Brinkman. 4.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and W.W. Crown, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Truly one of the most poorly written books I have read. It was painful to listen to such terrible prose, especially when that prose was deployed in service of a well-known character stolen from an existing series. I cried uncle at the hour mark on the audio. I usually would not rate the book since I stopped so early. That said, unless Ready realized how bad this was, learned how to write, and then restarted writing the book, (leaving intact the original section with its terrible writing) I feel confident this is a one-star through and through. Also, Ready needs to lay off binging Bridget Jones movies, stat.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked it so much, decided to buy the Kindle version so I could read again in the future. I would caution readers it does contain infertility and pregnancy loss. I would recommend book and author. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐½
This book was an emotional rollercoaster. The best book I've read from this author so far.
Jace and Andrea meet in Central Park when they are both seventeen. Jace is a budding musician who lost his parents at thirteen and was raised by his two older brothers. Andrea comes from money, a family that values achievements more than friendship and love. Andrea and Jace connect right away. What follows is a love story of epic proportions.
I loved both Jace and Andrea. They were both so real. The story is told through alternating POV's and I think it gives so much depth to the story. This could have been a full five star read without some charicature-like side characters.
I listened to the audiobook. Narrators James Fouhey and Rachel F. Hirsch were both spectacular and just right for this book.
Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Crown for the audiocopy of this book.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I am impressed with aspects of the plot development and how the main characters change and grow. I was incredibly frustrated with the way lack of simple communication drove the entire plot.

I wasn't a fan of the timeline of the plot as it shifts eight years and then another five years and then a few months and then another few years. It just took away from the enjoyment for me.

The characters' ethnic diversity seems to be thrown for its own sake without true development of context.

Spoiler:
The ending in particular seems incredibly unrealistic and bothered me. What mother would take her five year old with what amounts to a complete stranger to the child across the globe for months at a time?

When I first started listening to this, I didn’t have great expectations. But now, after an entire day spent with headphones on and a growing pile of teary-used tissues, I realize how wrong I was. This book was good. So much heartbreak and joy. I loved it and I hope you will, too. 4.5 Stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Crown, IBPA Members' Audiobooks for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Absorbing romance in France
5 Stars

I’m a big fan of Sarah Ready’s stories, especially her romcoms. This book is a complete standalone - not connected to any previous book or series - and comes with its own HEA.

I connected with Merry from the very first. She’s got a lot going on what with her sister marrying the only man she’s loved, her unrequited love of said man, her job being terrible and her crazy family. Despite all this, she was written in such a way that made me like and relate to her. She made me laugh, too, which is always good. But I really liked her best when she was interacting with Noah.

I can’t help but fall for a character like Noah. He’s a bit of a grump yet he’s a secret sweetheart - and so in need love that I just want to smoosh him into a giant hug. He’s something of an enigma but it’s clear he’s hiding deep feelings and that’s my catnip right there.

This story is told completely from Merry’s perspective - in first person, present tense. I normally prefer to hear from both my main characters but that just wouldn’t have worked in this tale. By just hearing and knowing Merry’s point of view, we’re equally in the dark about Noah’s thoughts, feelings and what he’s really up to. I was as confused and frustrated as Merry herself which really helped me connect with her more.

I love a good enemies-to-lovers story and this had the added bonus of forced proximity, only one bed, a little mystery and, of course, the French setting. I admit to being slightly apprehensive when I heard the story was about two Americans in France. Would be getting a rose coloured glasses, stereotypical and a bit cringe view of France and the French? Now I’m not French, but I didn’t get that vibe at all. In fact, the setting really made me yearn to be in France and, in France or not, eat lots of cheese, bread and pastries.

There is some sex in this story and while it’s descriptive, there’s not a lot of it and it comes towards the end of the story. And to be honest, it’s exactly the right amount. The build up of affection, sexual tension and love between Noah and Merry is slow, but you really feel it so any sex is just the icing on the cake.

Sarah Ready’s writing style is so absorbing that you’re right there in the story with the characters and in France along with them. I got shivers down my spine when the gothic romance was at the fore, I was distraught when Louis was about to meet his maker and I got teary when the mystery came to its conclusion. I was utterly engaged from the first and continued to be so to the very last page. Another superb tale from Sarah Ready and she can take me to France at any point in the future. 5 stars for this one.

This was a very light, entertaining and delightful read. Merry’s sister has just married her best friend, and the only person Merry has ever loved. So when given the chance to spend three months in a French Castle, she jumps at the chance. Only problem is the ‘best man’ also turns out to be staying there, and to say she dislikes him is putting it mildly.

This was a very enjoyable read with sone great characters, great interactions between them, and plenty of laughs along the way. Of course you could feel the direction the book was heading in, but this didn’t spoil the reading experience at all. Before long you find yourself rooting for Merry. There are a fair few twists and turns along the way, and it also deals with some difficult themes that have impacted on Merry and Noah. This RomCom is brought to a very good ending that has you cheering for Merry.

If you like a good RomCom I would definitely recommend this book, and enjoyed it more than a previous Sarah Ready book I read. I listened to the audiobook, and this book was almost made for the audiobook format, and I really enjoyed the narration of it.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sarah Ready has done it again. I loved Josh and Gemma Make a Baby and was excited to read her new book.
Merry's little sister is getting married with Leo, a man Merry secretly loves. After some unpleasantness she also quits her job and hatches a flight plan with the aid of her godmother Jupiter. A three month vacation in France living in an adorable chateau. Except for Noah, an old enemy, who is also staying at the chateau. And there is only one bedroom and one bed.
This story is quite atmospheric. I fell in love with the descriptions of France and especially the food. The romance was slow burn and I enjoyed the build-up. The chateau was old and charming, but also dilapidated and housed some groovy pets like rats, bats, cocroaches and last but not least Louis the Lobster. There were funny moments and adorably romantic moments. I really liked Merry and Noah. They were passionate but also very level-headed individuals with baggage that did not bring them down. The only thing I did not like was the continuous use of the word toasty. I grew to detest that word.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kelsey Navarro. Her narration was very good. Her raspy voice irritated me now and then, but it did not hinder my enjoyment of the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC for a copy of this book.

Is this enemies-to-friends-to lovers romance predictable? Yes, definitely. Is it entertaining? Also yes, reasonably. Read my full review here.

Publication is expected April 26.

#NetGalley #Swift&LewisPublishing #FrenchHoliday

“No. No. But haven’t you noticed? Women are always told, chin up! Don’t complain! Be quiet! Don’t ever ask for more. If your life is hard, too bad, that’s your lot! Stay with the terrible husband, stick with the horrible job, keep trudging along until you die… No one ever tells women that it’s okay to leave. It’s okay to get out!”

French Holiday reminded me of 27 Dresses... but better. Merry has secretly been in love with her best friend Leo for years, but on the night she plans to tell him about her feelings, Leo meets Merry's little sister Angela. The next morning Leo and Angela are engaged, and Merry is left heartbroken. After the wedding and a spur-of-the-moment decision to quit her job, Merry accepts an offer from her godmother to spend three months at a French chateau. She needs an escape—a flight plan—and the chateau is just that.

The only problem: the property’s already been leased to her ‘nemesis’ Noah. Noah is a famous travel documentarian who is in France researching his next project and hoping to get answers about his past. Neither Noah nor Merry is willing to give up the chateau to the other, so they are stuck sharing the chateau and its only bed.

This book does not take itself too seriously and is full of humor and laughter. It is a great choice for anyone who likes tropes such as enemies to lovers or forced proximity romances. While reading this novel, I laughed regularly and shed a few tears. From angry lobsters to falling down castles to family mysteries, it will keep you entertained from beginning to end.

Thank you Netgalley for this e-ARC.

Read if you like
🦞enemies to lovers
🦞forced proximity
🦞vacation romance
🦞family mystery
🦞 light-hearted romance½

NetGalley provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Josh and Gemma make a baby - audiobook

I have to tell you I recently found a passion for audiobooks, and I grab every opportunity for a free one (judge me, but I'm a student and can't afford it right now). So when I saw one in NetGalley, and romance one, what did I do? I grabbed it. And I listened to it for two days.

This book is amazing - so heartwarming, and funny, and lovely, and cute! I loved all of it. I genuinely laughed out loud with Gemma's friends and felt the love of Josh. They were just such a cute couple.

But let's give you a short synopsis.

Gemma is a 32-year-old single woman, whose dream is to have a baby. One sweet, little girl. The problem is that she doesn't have a boyfriend and doesn't want a random man to inseminate her, so when on 1st January she asks her brother's best friend Josh about it, and he declines, she feels desperate.

Luckily, or not so much for Josh, his dad is sick and he decides he wants to make a baby, so he can leave something after.

And there starts the IVF procedure and here starts their connection.

Gemma - yes, she was selfish and blind for the people around her, but she was not mean (except once) and was really enjoyable to read about her. Her adventures as a single woman who likes her career, but wants a child felt cute and lovely, and when I put my headphones in, I couldn't stop listening.

Josh was the best - kind, and funny, but also thoughtful and caring, and his smile was just brightening the world. He felt human, and I loved that he wasn't envious (of certain things). He just wanted to make the earth a better place.

There wasn't much spice or steaminess, but the whole book felt so wonderful and complete, I didn't need it. The characters were realistic and definitely rippled a few laughs from me.

The writing was amazing, and the story was excellent. So if you are looking for a sweet, heartwarming, and funny romance, this book is perfect for you.

Erin Mallon also did a fantastic job putting voices behind the characters, and her impressions in the book were genuinely terrific! I would listen more of her if I could.

So in the end I do recommend this book and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.