Reading Roundup #84: The Perfect Reading Weather

A cold front came in over the weekend, and I’m relishing the opportunity to layer up and hunker down with a good book in the evening. And this round of books is great for the coming winter, with plenty of smoke and mirrors going on… sometimes more humorously and sometimes quite seriously.

First up is Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Finlay Donovan #2) by Elle Cosimano: Picking up right where the first book left off, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead follows our heroine and her loyal (if ethically challenged) nanny, Vero, as they navigate dirty diapers, holidays, and… oh yes, that contract that’s out on Finlay’s jerk of an ex husband’s life. Personally, I’d say let them get the walking garbage man, but Finlay’s a better person than me and doesn’t want her kids to lose their dad (… some loss it would be, ahem). As is usual with Finlay and Vero, things quickly spiral out of control. Cosimano does a great job of balancing humor and ever-increasing tension while also keeping the characters and relationships moving forward. I loved every minute and can’t wait to see what book #3 brings us. And like Vero and Sylvia… I am 100% Team Hot Cop. Though I’ll never say no to Finlay and Vero just riding off into the sunset together because they are the best besties ever.

The Perfect Scam (The Reed Files #1) by Susanna Shore: Good old fashioned cat and mouse fun, full of action and banter that reminds me of some of my favorite procedural TV shows (think Remington Steele, Scarecrow & Mrs. King — like that). The plot is also fun, but honestly, it’s convoluted and emotional involvement is minimal, so I mostly just let it flow past me — because the real highlight is the relationship between the leads, two criminals who prove that sometimes bad guys make the best good guys (as they say in my beloved Leverage). Watching them flirt and banter as they think themselves out of increasingly sticky situations was a delight. I like that Shore left a few secrets unspoken between them, as I’m sure we’re building up to a bigger series arc, and I’m looking forward to the reveals… and to more capers. My thanks to NetGalley and Crimson House Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

That Summer in Berlin by Lecia Cornwall: A gripping adventure set in 1936 Berlin, as a journalist and a socialite work to expose what’s really happening behind the glossy facade of the summer Olympics. Cornwall does a great job of portraying the complexities of the political climate in Europe leading up to WWII. After enduring the hardships of the Depression, many English citizens (and leaders) are attracted by the seeming success of the Nazi party in “turning things around,” while people with clearer eyes — within Germany and without — try to expose the atrocities that are already taking place and prevent the coming war. Although they obviously fail to stop it, the novel’s final message is one of great hope because of the people who fought for what they knew was right — even when they could only help one person — and ultimately prevailed. It is also a reminder that we should always be vigilant in protecting civil rights. The characters themselves are excellent types but never felt truly fleshed out to me, but in a book that is doing so much and tackling such a difficult subject, I would much rather it get the larger issues right, which it did. My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

And that’s my reading week! As usual, many more books being read in the background, to be reviewed soon. I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying your current reads. Oh and by the way! I finally broke done and joined Instagram! Feel free to connect with me there @bookitwithbecca.

—b