Books read and reviewed in February 2024

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In February I got back into reading a lot. It helped that I had a stint reading a 5 in one romance book, as I can read one of those in a couple of hours. Having cancelled football matches means a whole lot of time available on Saturdays to read! I’m trawling through all my chick lit with just a few crime or thriller thrown in. But I’ve also realised I probably need to clear out some of the read books from my Kindle* again, to free up some space and speed.

Anyway, here’s some of the books I read and reviewed in February.

• Books read in February – 19
• Books read in 2024 to date – 30

The Dog Sitter by Zara Stoneley

Book artist Becky has just been dumped by her boyfriend, and he’s making work hard too. So she takes on a dog sitting job in the Lakes to take time out and decide her next move. Influencer Georgie leaves her with mad but loveable dog Bella and some strict rules, which seem to be an issue for Becky to follow. Especially when Georgie’s ex Ash keeps trying to steal the dog away.

Will Becky be able to cope with the dog, Ash’s turning up, and potential new work while fullfilling her dog and house sitting duties and avoiding telling Georgie what’s been going on.

A typical and easy to guess plot, with lots of funny and cute bits, plus a bit of taking the mickey out of influencers’ way of life and view of reality. I’m enjoying reading Zara Stoneley books. They’re fun, happy and pretty quick to read. A chance to switch off.

Unfaithful by JL Butler

Rachel has it all, a great life, husband, home and a good relationship with her teenage daughter who’s about to leave for university. Missing her daughter, she decides to go back to the publishing world after 18 years of being a SAHM. One social networking event, and she bumps into her own uni first love Chris, and makes the mistake of hooking up.

Then follows a stalking and threats, with Rachel not knowing how to cope or stop, trying to forget about her mistake and put it behind her. But what’s coming next from the stalker.

Who is it that’s calling her out for being unfaithful, and can she stop it before everyone in her life is told?

Surprisingly I didn’t guess the ending, this was a middle of the road book for me. It did keep me wanting to finish it

Mr Right Across the Street by Kathryn Freeman

Mia moved to Manchester to forget all the disastrous relationships she’s had. To meet new people and get more out of life (if her family get their way). Then she spots gorgeous and fit bar owner Luke who works out in his window opposite hers.

They meet when she visits his bar, and he wants to give up his womanising ways to find out more about Mia. And starts leaving her notes in the window, encouraging her to see the sights of Manchester and come to the bar more often…as friends, which is all Mia wants.

She’s torn between wanting to get to know Luke more, but worried about his past reputation, and wanting to get together with him. But who is the woman next door to him, and will he ever stop his flirting ways.

Love in Lockdown by Chloe James

Sweet book if slightly unrealistic (think Love is Blind on tv, falling in love when you’ve never seen the person, or don’t think you have).

Sophia has given up a law career to be a teacher, losing her fiance in the process. James is used to living life abroad, enjoying life as a barman. But lockdown puts their lives on hold, with James needing to shield, and Sophia coming to terms with her epilepsy while continuing to teach key workers’ children.

They meet talking across the balconies having never known each other before, and start to build a proper community in their flats, making lockdown life better for everyone, and discovering a potential relationship as they continue to talk.

Faking it by Portia MacIntosh

‘Underperforming’ twin Ella is asked by her perfect and successful twin Emma to stand in for her while she sees off a prison stint. Only Emma’s perfect husband knows. But how will Ella cope being a mum to a teen girl and young boy, cope with her sister’s busy schedule, awful cliquey friends, and school politics.

Thankfully she finds a fellow ‘black sheep’ in Marco, her nephew’s uncle, and Ella starts to find her way, which includes some issues with men along the way.

A somewhat unrealistic plot, but it’s fun with some serious parts, and it’s nice to see Ella learn that it’s not always greener on the other side.

The Partner by John Grisham

A classic John Grisham plot, set in the legal world. Who is chasing Danilo Silva in Brazil, what cash does he have, how will he get himself out of the all the trouble he’s in – from murder, fraud, and various other crimes.

And where is the money he stole?

With several agencies, PIs and his former law partners after him, who’ll get their hands on him and the money first, and will his friend and lawyer Sandy, manage to get him free to meet up with his Brazilian girlfriend again before she is caught too.

I’ve not read a Grisham book for a while, but this is another good read. One to decide who you’re rooting for by the end.

The Shelf by Helly Action

Instead of going on the holiday she expects, Amy’s long term boyfriend dumps on her the pilot of a tv reality show The Shelf. Where women’s boyfriends finish with them, leaving them to discover through the tv show how to be the perfect wife and partner that all men would want.

Amy’s left with 5 other women, all very different, to try and find who they are, get over the finishing of their relationships (with no perfect men anyway), and try and win the million by being the favourite person voted by the public.

There’s some funny moment, some great characters, and horrifically you could imagine a tv show like this happening. If you’re a fan of reality shows, this could be a good book for you.

We Just Clicked by Anna Bell

After her brother’s death, Izzy wants to grow her Instagram and become a full time influencer, and bumping into Luke, a fellow aspiring influencer at her day job, and then an influencer event, they realise they could help each other grow by becoming a fake couple.

Their dream is getting closer, but so is Izzy getting closer to Aiden. But how can she drop Luke when they’re so close, and raising money together for a fundraiser that’s close to her heart. And how can she tell Aiden about Luke and her Instagram dreams when he dislikes social media so much.

Izzy seems a bit lost (and a tad annoying with the influencer obsessions), not willing to open up to her friends and family. Aiden is the guy every girl would want to be with. I found Izzy annoying that she could think it was going to all work out well faking things so far for the sake of social media dreams. Thankfully Aiden and her friends in the book were good characters, and there to give a bit more reality and more down to earth characters into the plot. And the retro film mentions are a nice touch for those of us who remembered some of them from our childhoods.

If you’re caught up in the Influencer game, then We Just Clicked may be a good read, and probably good for younger aspiring kids to understand that social media isn’t all real. It’s a reasonable book to read over a few hours without too much thinking about it.

Adulting by Liz Talley

Wildchild actress Chase is off the rails again until mum and manager puts her back in rehab. Prospective director wants to help Chase get well and back on track, and with the help of his ex’s sister life coach Olivia, they get Chase out of LA and out into the middle of nowhere to learn normality of being an adult outside of films and being told what to do her whole life.

Olivia has her own demons and troubles in her family, but works with her unconventional methods to help Chase. Can she keep Chase from falling for rugged fishing guide Zeke, keeping her on track, and what about her own attraction to celeb Spencer. Not to mention the conflict between her older sister and her due to previous family issues.

There’s a lot going on in this book, watch out for triggers for drugs and sexual abuse. I expected it to be a lot darker from the first chapter, but it a much lighter read. Some annoying bits that reference really famous celebs who Chase evidently hasn’t heard of, which isn’t realistic at all, but then it’s a novel, so I didn’t take that to heart.

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Minnie just got pipped to being the first baby born in the decade, for her mum to find her chosen name Quinn was ‘stolen’ by the mum she helped on the labour ward. Was Minnie really unlucky, because she seemed to have bad luck happen every year around her birthday. But 2020, her bad luck meant she ended up bumping into her birthday twin, so set in motion a change in her life – home, family, friendship, love and work.

Why do Minnie and Quinn keep being brought together, will they both be able to change to let someone else in, will their mothers sort themselves out, and will they find who they are and what they need.

A nice read. Everyone needs a friend like Minnie’s bestfriend Leila to big them up and encourage them. There’s some funny moments, some poignant, and some movie romcom misses/matches throughout.

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Wedding planner Lina is left at the altar. She isn’t expecting her dream job opportunity to arrive, which means working in a pair with her ex’s brother and best man who broke the news of her cancelled wedding.

Turns out Max is caring, empathetic, supportive and attractive, but she doesn’t want to make things more awkward. It’s not going to happen. But maybe it should.

I enjoyed this book. Max is a lovely man, and it’s obviously he and Lina are perfectly matched, and should be winning the job as their pair. But will they, and will they get together?

Some nice (and lol funny) family and friend classic moments, as well as a bit of sex

Check out my other books I’ve read and reviewed in the past.

What have you been reading this past month?