Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I'll Stand by You by Karen Grey Series: Carolina Classics #0.5
Published by Self-Published on May 18, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 73
Format: eARC
Source: Author
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Summer, 1991: Working at a beachfront hotel in their sleepy southern coastal town gives life-long friends Violet, Danielle, Whitney, Ford and Sully the chance to spend as much time as possible together after college graduation and before real life begins.
One exceptionally busy and very long night—which includes no less than a wedding, a lost dog, hatching sea turtles and a job offer—has each of them facing hopes and fears for the future. As each wrestles with life- changing choices, loyalties are tested and alliances shift.
Don’t miss this combo sequel to Grey’s Boston Classics series and prequel to her new Carolina Classics series.
I enjoyed this combo of a epilogue to the Boston Classics series and a prequel to the Carolina Classics series. With the pages being short, and two sets of characters, it was a lot of people, so they didn’t get quite as much development as a regular book. I’ll Stand By You did give us a base for the new series with small mentions from the previous one. I don’t think you need to have read either series but you will understand more if you do.
The chapters are seen from the point of view of five friends: Voilet, Danielle, Whitney, Sully and Ford. Hard to believe but a novella with only 73 pages has 13 chapters! Violet has the most chapters and I felt most connected to her. The five friends have known each other since kindergarten. When they were 14, they worked summers at the Rumrunner Hotel, now they are finishing college and they are all back in the hometown working here for the summer.
This weekend is a wedding at the hotel. The wedding couple are Henry and Bella who we met in Child of Mine. Many of their friends are in town for the wedding which is in Henry’s hometown. But they are just a side layer to the story. Through their jobs, we see the five friends and learn about them, along with their hopes and dreams.
There is a lot packed in this short story. I enjoyed it and appreciated the history and brief foundation for these five friends.
Review copy was received from Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
You Get What You Give by Karen Grey Series: Carolina Classics #1
on June 29, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 250
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Goodreads
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple
When a sleepy southern coastal town is crowned the Hollywood of the East worlds collide and sparks fly, especially for two casting directors who end up playing the roles of accidental rivals.
It’s not just that the town isn’t quite big enough for the two of them. Violet Davenport brings deep roots, local allies, and old-fashioned Southern charm to the table. Nate Fowler’s got deep pockets, tech knowhow, and a family that’s worked in movies since the silent film days.
For their business—and their hearts—to survive, they'll have to overcome both a bitter hostility and a sweet insta-attraction.
In this enemies-to-lovers, new-in-town, one-night-stand improbable love story, a boss lady and a Hollywood nerd find that you only get as good as you give.
Now we have Violet’s book, You Get What You Give. I really liked Violet in the prequel and even more in her own book. Violet is hard-working, capable and kind. She is a lot more straightforward about her thoughts and feelings than most people, and it makes her relationships easier in that people don’t have to guess. She handled all her curve balls with poise and generosity, no matter how they might hurt her. This allowed her to move along with her relationships and make the best of every situation.
I didn’t think quite as highly of Nate, although he is a couple years younger. He really hasn’t had to work as hard because of family money and businesses. Some things may have been harder for him though because he hasn’t really had the family support and interest so some things were tedious for him. From the beginning, he did do his best to care about Violet and her feelings.
I really enjoyed this and the development of both their careers and their personal lives. Their situation in careers is tricky. I think they handled things really well and honorably. It’s the only way they would survive in a smaller community. They were great as a couple and also their work strengths and interests complemented each other so well. I would say they are happy for now but there is more to develop with their families and business, which I hope we get to see as a sideline in future books.
About Karen Grey
KAREN GREY is the pen name for award-winning narrator Karen White. A stage, screen and radio drama actor in Boston, New York and Los Angeles in the late 20th century, she started recording books in 1999. Now back in her home state of North Carolina, she shares a home with her family and (probably) too many pets, where she continues to narrate audiobooks as well as make up stories.
Karen White is a classically trained actress who has been recording audio books since 1999 and has well over 150 books to her credit and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. Honored to be included inAudiofile’s Best Voices 2010 and 2011, she’s also an Audie Finalist and Best Audiobook of the Year winner for 2009, 2010 and 2011 (The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon Reed, Too Good to be True by Erin Arvedlund, and Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O’Connor) and she has earned multiple Audiofile Earphones Awards, recently for and You Had Me at Woof by Julie Klam and Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz. Publishers Weekly says of Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, “Karen White delivers a stunning reading, her character interpretations are confident and well-rounded, and she forges a strong bond with the audience.” Speaking of Audiobooks says of her, “Karen is one of my auto-buy narrators – if I think a book may interest me, her narration will sway me to give it a try.”
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 22-COYER
I didn’t even realize there’s a new spinoff! I take it I’ll need to finish the Boston Classics series first?
Wonderful reviews, Anne💜
Thanks Jonetta. You could start this without Boston Classics but since the sequel / prequel connect things I wouldn’t but I am stubborn about that for myself.
I haven’t read these but they sound good.
I’ve really been enjoying all of them.
What a fun series. I love that baby sea turtle on the cover of the first book
Thanks Wendy. You’ll be happy to know then there are actually baby sea turtles in the story.
Sounds like you had a good time with both books. I am glad you found the development of characters in terms of career and personal lives enjoyable.
This author does an excellent job with her characters and developing the connection to them. I highly recommend her work.
I really like this author. I liked the characters in You Get What You Give but haven’t read the novella yet. I need to get my hands on that one!
I really enjoy her work too. Oh you need that novella, it really lays out the foundation for the characters in the first book. I got the ARC for the novella but also purchased it as it’s only 99¢
I’m not familiar with this author but the series sounds really interesting. Violet sounds like a character I would really like.
I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t like Violet if they’ve met her. I highly recommend this author. I do read the series in order even tho each has a new couple to get the overall world building and relationships.
Nice to see that book 1 was a bit stronger than the previous one. The covers are really cute!
It’s really hard for a novella to do enough but this one really did a LOT. The covers are awesome.
I enjoyed the novella as the closing of one series and character introduction for the next one. I haven’t read You Get What You Give yet, as I’m going to wait for the audiobook. I loved the Boston series so much and look forward to see what the author brings in the new series.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. These series are really great.
Good reviews! Sounds like an interesting series, and one to take a look at whenever the contemporary romance urge strikes me again. (I seem to be gravitating toward historical romance, historical mystery and fantasy these days, along with the occasional PR/UF.)
This author is great if you are in that mood. It is a bit unique as it is 80s / 90s not current so it is a historical, sort of.
I’ve never read this author, but maybe I should give the novella a shot to try her out. Sounds like a lot is packed into it.
I really enjoy this author and hope you have a chance to try her books.
I wanted to read this one so bad, but didn’t have time to fit it into my schedule what with Book Bonanza and other review books. But I did get to meet this author at BB! Excited for a new series, will have to get this one picked up soon!
I love her books and was excited about her back when I listened to her narration. I was a bit behind on this one. If I don’t know about books a bit in advance they don’t make it onto my schedule in time for their release date week. I have her fall one penciled in already so I don’t have that problem again. I hope you do get to read her books. They are a favorite.