Reviewer: @marshallreads (Instagram)
✨𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨✨
𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚜 by @authorhannahby
4⭐️
A delightful exploration of love and connection, wrapped in a comedic adventure. The story follows a married couple on a wilderness expedition, highlighting their struggles and growth. The story centers around Sarah and Caleb Linwood, high school sweethearts who have been married since they were nineteen.
As they navigate the challenges of adulthood, Sarah begins to question her identity and purpose, feeling lost after the death of her mother. In an effort to reconnect, they embark on a couples’ hiking retreat, which serves as a backdrop for their journey of self-discovery and relationship repair.
Sarah is portrayed as a relatable and authentic character, grappling with her sense of self and the expectations placed upon her. Caleb, her devoted husband, embodies the ideal partner, showcasing patience and unwavering support throughout their struggles. The dynamic between the couple is both heartwarming and realistic, reflecting the ups and downs of a long-term relationship.
The novel explores themes of grief, self-growth, and the importance of communication in relationships.
Bonam-Young’s writing is both tender and insightful, capturing the emotional nuances of her characters’ experiences. The dual timeline structure, alternating between past and present, adds depth to their love story and highlights their evolution as individuals and as a couple.
Overall, it’s a charming tale that resonates with anyone navigating the complexities of relationships.
Reviewer: @indy_and_kiki_goes_paperback (Instagram)
The West Wind by Alexandria Warwick
Fantasy Romance inspired by the Scottish Ballad Tam Lin
⭐️3.75/5
The West Wind felt like stepping back into the kind of fantasy stories I loved growing up. It had that classic, immersive worldbuilding that pulls you in, with a slow-burn romance and a heroine questioning everything she thought she knew.
Brielle is a devoted young woman who has spent her entire life within the walls of an abbey, preparing to become an acolyte. She is deeply religious, trusting in everything she’s been taught, but that belief is tested when she is taken to Under. Brielle’s journey reminded me of the kind of character growth I loved reading about in my teens—where a sheltered protagonist is thrown into an unknown world and has to adapt, learning that the world is much bigger and more complicated than they ever imagined.
Then there’s Zephyrus, the West Wind. He starts off distant and unreadable, and it took me a while to warm up to him. But as the story unfolds, you start to see the weight of his past and why he acts the way he does. His slow-growing connection with Brielle felt natural, filled with stolen moments and lingering tension. The romance never rushes, and the chemistry between them feels almost palpable towards the end.
Under is haunting and strange, filled with unsettling creatures that feel like they walked out of old fairytales—the kind meant to warn rather than enchant. It’s not a world of glittering, beautiful fae but of eerie landscapes and beings that just feel off. The Orchard King adds another layer of mystery, making Under feel unpredictable and alive
Brielle’s relationship with Harper frustrated me so much at the start. Harper starts off as the classic mean girl, bullying Brielle at every turn. But as the story progresses, their dynamic shifts, and I loved seeing their reluctant understanding grow into something like friendship. It’s the kind of character development that sticks with you long after finishing a book, and shows that people can change and that first impressions don’t always tell the whole story.
Religion is a big part of the book, with clear influences from Christianity. Brielle’s faith is woven throughout the story, and a lot of her struggles come from questioning what she’s been taught versus what she’s experiencing.
Overall, The West Wind reminded me of the fantasy books that shaped my love for reading. It has a rich, atmospheric world, an intriguing romance, and themes of faith, identity, and change. That being said, I wanted a little more depth in certain areas—some moments felt like they could have been explored further. Still, it was a story that left me curious about what happens next, and that’s always a good sign.
Reviewer: @wickedly.bookish (Instagram)
“𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘹, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦! 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘬𝘦, 𝘔𝘢𝘹, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘦.”
𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:
The Ex Effect premise had my attention right from the get go and that opening scene had me full on laughing.
There is nothing I love more than supporting local authors, and even better when said local author gets to shed light on the beauty of South Africa. Honestly, Jo did a phenomenal job with her picturesque descriptions of Cape Town, Kruger and Zambia to name a few whilst showcasing our diverse wildlife at the same time.
I was also a big fan of the South African humour that Jo managed to get across in the pages of this book.
I will say that the only thing I would have loved for this book to be is a little less sex-orientated and more character and plot orientated. Although, having said that Max’s character glow up was definitely appreciated. But I wanted less push and pull with Ash and Max and more flashbacks to the early stages of their relationship when they first fell in love.
This was the perfect smutty palette cleanser read in between all the fluffy romance and fantasy books I have been reading lately.
“𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.” “𝘖𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘯.”
The Ex Effect releases in stores April 1st, be sure to grab yourself a copy!
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮:
🌴 Romantic comedy
🌴 Slow burn romance
🌴 Second chance romance
🌴 Forced proximity
🌴 Laugh out loud moments
𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:
“𝘐’𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”
Reviewer: @reading_caffeinated (Instagram)
The Lamplighter’s Bookshop by Sophie Austin is a warm, quietly moving novel about secrets, grief, and the quiet redemptive power of stories. It’s a book for readers who love to get lost among dusty shelves and long-forgotten pages—and for those who believe healing can come from the most unexpected places.
Set in the heart of York, the story begins when Evelyn Seaton, carrying the weight of her past, answers a mysterious ad for an assistant position at a small, nearly-forgotten bookshop. The Lamplighter’s Bookshop isn’t just charming—it’s almost otherworldly, wrapped in shadow and silence. But it’s not the shop that rattles Evelyn most—it’s William Morton, the bookshop’s prickly, reclusive owner with secrets of his own.
Both Evelyn and William are people in hiding—one behind grief, the other behind guilt. And yet, through quiet days among the shelves and long evenings of shared silence, a delicate connection begins to grow between them.
Austin’s writing is elegant and intimate, giving the story a sense of timelessness. She explores the human experience with a gentle hand—loss, hope, trust, and the complicated journey of rebuilding oneself. The emotional undercurrents are powerful, but never overwhelming.
What makes The Lamplighter’s Bookshop so memorable is how it balances its melancholy with warmth. The bookshop setting is lovingly drawn, filled with texture and soul. Readers will feel like they’ve stepped into its dimly lit aisles, smelled the parchment, and heard the creak of the floorboards.
The romance is soft and slow-burning, built on mutual respect and shared vulnerability. It’s the kind of love story that sneaks up on you—one that earns every flutter of the heart through quiet conversations and meaningful glances.
Fans of The Lost Bookshop, The Keeper of Lost Things, and Before the Coffee Gets Cold will fall in love with this book. It’s a story that doesn’t need grand gestures or dramatic twists to feel magical—it finds its strength in small moments, deep emotions, and the healing power of connection.
A beautiful meditation on books, trust, and second chances, The Lamplighter’s Bookshop is a must-read for anyone who believes that sometimes, the right book—or the right person—can help us write the next chapter of our lives.
Reviewer: @just_reading_no_thandolwethu (Instagram)
Reflections: I think I have found my favourite self-help book for
2025 and I would say that this book ranks right at the top with my other all-time non- fiction favourites. This book read like a “one stop shop” to doing life the right way. I think the reason I enjoyed it so much was because it focused on 5 themes and not just one as most books would do. I loved that the focus on these 5 themes ensured that the author gives us only the most important information about each and at no point did it feel repetitive.
Things I loved about the book: I will start by saying this is probably the first time ever that the list of the things I loved about a book is this lengthy, but here goes nothing:
- I appreciated the guides at the end of each section which posed as both reflective questions and prompts.
- I loved that there was a summary at the end of each section which allows you to go straight there even before you read that section to know what each section is about or acts as a reminder of all points discussed in the section. This summary also has the most critical points covered in each section.
- I loved the “Wealth score quiz” which after you have answered the questions shows you the areas in your life that you are doing well in and the ones you need to improve on to live a more balanced life.
- While many people will advocate for goal setting, the author spoke equally of the need to have “anti-goals” which are things you don’t want to happen. Which I felt was so necessary.
- The quotes mostly at the beginning of each section were a great touch.
- The graphs on “Time spent with people” were very telling. They showed that which truly matters in life…PEOPLE (community) and mostly highlighting who we likely spend most of our time with and thus the importance of choosing our circle wisely.
- I loved that the author also referenced other books with similar themes which helps the reader should you want more literature on the themes covered in this book.
- I loved the “Mental wealth hacks I wish I knew at 22” I feel like even if I am way past 22 these are so relevant and can still help me navigate my late 20s.
- Whether the author was intentional about it or not I loved how the section on “financial wealth” is at the end of the book which for me was an indication of
just how other areas of our lives are so much more important than finances yet most of us have made our lives solely about making money or earning a living to the detriment of the other areas of our lives.
- I loved that after reading this book I had a long list of “things to start doing”. Honestly if that is not impact then I don’t know what impact is.
The one thing I didn’t like:
- I don’t know if it was intentional but some of the scoring activities/quizzes were repeated multiple times in the different sections and I just didn’t enjoy that repetitiveness.
My favourite quote:
“Your wealthy life may be enabled by money but in the end, it will be defined by everything else.”
