Book Review: Between Us by Shae Green

 Title:  Between Us

Author:  Shae Green

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date:  November 19, 2024

Publisher:  Independently Published

Rating:  💣💣💣💣

About The Book

To make room for the present, they have to unpack the past.

It was easy for Alex and Antonio to commit to the unknown when the beautiful sand and waters of Miami surrounded them. Now that they’re back home, they’ve got to match their actions with their words. The problem is, Antonio is used to being as wide open as a bank vault, and has trouble balancing business and bliss. Then there’s Alex, who learns of a bombshell that makes her second guess everything, just when she’s resolved to keep looking forward.

Although the odds seem stacked against them, their affection for each other deepens, allowing for the vulnerability to fully embrace love.

But unbeknownst to them, danger lurks behind the anonymity of cyberspace, causing Alex and Antonio’s confidence to waver and resulting in a painful setback.

Is the promise of persistence enough to keep them together, or will old habits prove to truly die hard?


**Between Us is the second installment of a trilogy and is therefore NOT a standalone. Additionally, please note that it ends in a cliffhanger like Book 1!

My Thoughts

Wow.  This book took me on such a ride.  This is a continuation from book one, and although I'm not really a fan of cliffhangers, I could appreciate it while reading this book.  The reader is taken on a whirlwind of emotions when reading this book.  The story was well written and so enjoyable.  And I really enjoyed the Banter between Alex and Antonio.  This book kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end and I can't wait for the last and final book in this series.  

About the Author

Shae Green is a debut novelist from Philly who crafts romance with a touch of realism. Her stories are heart warming (and sometimes heart wrenching), but there’s always a happy ending. When Shae’s not working on her next release, she’s cuddling with her four-legged fur baby and yelling at the TV, indulging in the latest episode of some totally, non-scripted reality series.

Blog Tour And Review: Untethered by Angela jackson Brown

 

Title;  Untethered

Author:  Angela Jackson Brown 

Genre: African American Historical Fiction 

Publication Date:  December 3rd, 2024

Publisher:  Harper Muse

Rating :  💥💥💥💥💥

About The Book 

Sometimes family is found in the most unlikely of places . . .

In the small college town of Troy, Alabama, amidst the backdrop of 1967, Katia Daniels lives a life steeped in responsibility. At the Pike County Group Home for Negro Boys, she pours her heart into nurturing the young lives under her care, harboring a longing for children of her own. Katia's romantic entanglement with an older man brings comfort but also stirs questions about the path she's chosen.

The weight of her family's history bears down on her; a twin brother is missing in action in the heart of the Vietnam War. Having lost her father to cancer, Katia took up the mantle of caretaker, ensuring her mother and brothers were looked after. Her sense of duty extends to the boys at the group home, creating a web of obligations that stretches her emotional bandwidth thin.

Amidst a power struggle at work with the board, Katia finds solace in the pages of romance novels and the soothing melodies of Nina Simone. When Seth Taylor, a familiar face from her high school days, reenters Katia's life, he brings with him a breeze of nostalgia and a reminder of a time when her dreams felt less tethered. As their friendship rekindles, Katia grapples with the idea of making choices for herself, even as the realization that she can no longer have children weighs heavily on her.

This novel is a poignant tale of a woman torn between the demands of her heart and the responsibilities she's shouldered for so long. Set against the backdrop of a changing South, this novel delves into the complexities of love, family, and self-discovery in a time of transformation and upheaval.

My Thoughts

Have you ever read a book, slept on it because you had a hard time outting into words how it affected you, and hours later, still having a difficult time?  Thats how I felt about this book.  I finished it around one thismorning, and was so captivated by the story and the characters, couldn't fall asleep until after 3 am.  This book was absolutely mesmerizing and amazing.  The character had such a hold on and still does.  As much as I've been through, it takes a lot to make me cry these days, but I was constantly heartbroken and spilling tears throughout this story.  This was not my first read, and it surley won't be my last.  I rarely do a top 10, because I read so much (although I do have a top list listed by genre ), but if I did, this would be one of the books.  

About The Author

Angela Jackson-Brown is an award-winning writer, poet and playwright. She is an Associate Professor at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN where she teaches in the creative writing program. She is also a member of the graduate faculty of the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University in Louisville, KY.

She is a graduate of Troy University, Auburn University and the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University. She has published her short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry in journals like The Louisville Journal and the Appalachian Review. She is the author of Drinking From a Bitter Cup, House Repairs, When Stars Rain Down, The Light Always Breaks, and an upcoming novel, Homeward.