Rachel Beck has hit a brick wall. She’s a single mom, still living at home and trying to keep a dying relationship alive. Aside from her daughter, the one bright light in Rachel’s life is her job as the night reservations manager at a luxury hotel in Miami Beach—until the night she is fired for something she didn’t do.

On impulse, Rachel inquires about a management position at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island. When she’s offered the job, Rachel packs up her daughter and makes the cross country move.

What she finds on Kelleys Island is Mason, a handsome, moody man who knows everything about brewing beer and nothing about running a hotel. Especially one that’s barely more than foundation and studs. It’s not the job Rachel was looking for, but Mason offers her a chance to help build a hotel—and rebuild her own life—from the ground up.

I read book one in this series years ago, but it never left my mind, and I’ve been waiting for my library to have the next book available on audio. It finally came in, so I grabbed it.

This story has such a different feel from the first book, which I remember being more emotionally raw and almost desperate. While Rachel does have a desperate moment, she’s not in the pit quite like her sister is; this actually feels more like Mason’s story, as he goes through more change than Rachel does.

Honestly, Rachel seems to cause most of the drama in her life, but that doesn’t mean the story wasn’t enjoyable. It’s actually a nice change of pace from most contemporary romance/women’s fiction. Instead of intense circumstances with potentially life altering consequences, The Suite Spot is more of a “slow burn” in terms of character growth–the story watches them adjust with each new month, in each new season. I usually prefer more tension and conflict, but this slower pace, watch-them-grow pace with a vibrant cast of characters invites you in to see what happens.

If you’re looking for less stress with all the swoon, this is the book for you.

Rated R for some swearing, alcohol, and sex (not closed door, but not as steamy as Tessa Bailey or Ali Hazelwood).

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Check out book one–Float Plan–here.

“It all began very innocently. Truly.”

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be, which comprise a series of novella-length volumes. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Just wrapped up book #4. I have mixed emotions about this series thus far. While Emma’s wit is motivating, and her back-and-forths with her aunt are hysterical, I’m still struggling to adjust my expectations of the books. While the slice-of-life, day-to-day accounts of her life are entertaining, I miss other points of view. I miss the intimacy of experiencing life with the characters. But I do very much enjoy Emma’s cheekiness.

I’m also not entirely sure how I feel about Emma. In some ways she’s a saint (letting her cousin stay with her), but she’s also very immature and self-centered. I want to root for her, but there’s not much to root for–her one goal is to keep her house, and she’s not really doing anything about it.

This is an odd series, but it’s easy to read and the quick remarks are enjoyable. At this point, I’m more curious than engaged, but I’ll keep reading.

Rated PG.

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To see my thoughts on volume three, click here.

Get your copy here!

“It has been a day ordained by the fates, for how else could one explain the wholly cursed chain of events?”

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London Neighbourhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plan for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be, which comprise a series of volumes. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

The action and length definitely picks up in book three, which is to be expected, as we already know the characters and don’t have to spend as much time getting to know them and their quirks. I very much enjoyed reading about Emma’s exploits, and it was nice to see her relationship with Pierce develop, even if it’s not entirely clear how it’s developing.

At this point, I’m really engaged with the book as much as I am curious–I want to know what the hype is about (though it does seem tedious that I have to read six more books to figure it out). Do I appreciate the wit and punch of the characters? Absolutely. I’m just not sure that I care about Emma as much as I’m curious about her.

I promised to keep reading, though, so I’m on to the next volume.

Rated PG.

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To see how the series started, check out my review of book one here.

Get your copy here!

“I was sitting at my desk reading, with a cup of tea, my windows flung open, when I heard The Tenant enter his garret, just on the other side of the wall from myself.”

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be, which comprise a series of novella-length volumes. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

I struggled to engage with the first book, but this one was easier to get into (probably because I was familiar with the characters).

The wit and banter is lots of fun. The author does a good job pulling emotions into the journalistic writing style, though I do usually prefer a deeper perspective. It nice to see more people who aren’t horrible characters.

The drama continues to build on itself in this book, which has finally piqued my interest. There’s no one thing about this story that stands out as the main plot point, but it’s getting more interesting. I’ll keep reading because I said I would.

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To see how the series started, check out my first book review here.

An ancient family diary. A timely prophecy. An epic conclusion.

As Sylvia prepares to meet Gabe’s parents for the first time, the last thing she needs is for her long-lost father to cause trouble. While his answers to her questions finally bring clarity, they also usher in danger.

But that’s not all her elusive father brings into Sylvia’s life. His treasured gift of an ancient journal passed down through the generations, connects her to the past with its mystical spells and captivating stories. Yet it’s the cryptic prophecy written on magical pages that capture Sylvia’s attention, hinting at a destiny entwined with Gabe’s. Does it relate to the threat of abduction that has dogged him for months?

The world’s fascination with his miraculous survival has drawn unwanted attention, leading to desperate attempts to unravel the secrets behind his extraordinary abilities. When these efforts fail, his enemies resort to drastic measures, targeting Sylvia to lure Gabe into their clutches.

Despite her caution, Sylvia realizes she may have inadvertently placed Gabe in danger. Has his luck finally run out?

Only time will reveal the truth.

The final book in the series, I couldn’t wait after finishing book five to read book six, and I finished the audiobook in one day.

By book six, I couldn’t wait to finish the story because everything had reached its peak–the family drama, romantic drama, and mystery suspense. As a big fan of romance novels, I loved seeing all the different relationships develop in this book. I also loved seeing all the pieces of each conflict coming to a conclusion in unexpected ways.

As the final book in a mystery series, this met all my wants and expectations (even the romance threads, which weren’t necessary).

This series is sort of “fantasy light,” for people who want to read more fantasy books without investing in the world building of a full fantasy series. It’s also got enough romance for the romance lover. And enough action for the suspense fan. Would definitely recommend.

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Fore more magical realism mystery series, check out:

Murder on Millionaires’ Row by Erin Lindsey
Flea Market Magic by Bella Falls