Annie Rains

Listen… first of all, this book WARNED ME.
Right there on the front cover of The Finders Keepers Library by Annie Rains it says: “If you love Hallmark movies, you will love this book.”

Let me be perfectly clear:
I do not love Hallmark movies.

I was about 25% in when I lost count of how many times the dialogue made my eyes roll so far back I glimpsed the cobwebs behind my brain. And yet—I pushed through. I had to finish what I started, especially after begging my husband to buy this book show more for me at the grocery store. The cover looked so frickin’ cute, the back sounded promising, and I never read contemporary romance before so I figured... maybe it's time to branch out?

Speaking of branches, the main conflict at the 50% mark was that lightning struck a backyard tree. A branch fell and damaged the Little Free Library. And there’s a wedding in two weeks that now might be ruined because of aesthetic issues. Cue the panic. The library needs to get repaired ASAP so as not to ruin the ambiance for the wedding!!!

Now, in all fairness, if my own book collection got rained on, I’d absolutely cry in the bathtub with three glasses of red wine. (Let’s be real—I’d cry in the bathtub for a whole week.) But when it comes to fiction, I like my stories with more grit. More conflict. Complicated characters with trauma and baggage and dysfunction. Something that takes more than a few pieces of wood, some nails, and a bucket of paint to resolve.

I guess this book is what they call "cozy romance." As it turns out, that’s just clearly not my genre.

If it’s yours, though—you’ll probably eat this book up like a gluten-free sugar cookie while wrapped in a cardigan snuggled up to a beige throw pillow, burning a Yankee Candle called something like "sugared cinnamon apple." You're probably the kind of person who reads to relax, not to dive headfirst into someone else’s emotional dumpster fire—and I respect that. But as for me, I couldn't wait to get through this book and move on to something else.

Reading this book was like eating a stale protein bar: technically food, but bland, dry, and not all that satisfying. I needed something with more flavor, so I started bouncing between this and "The Color Purple"—which was, honestly, A LOT more drama than I'm used to. I felt like Goldilocks, swinging between extremes: one book was too soft, the other too hard. I just needed something in the middle that was JUST RIGHT.

I didn’t quite understand what drew the main couple to each other beyond surface-level charm. They seemed sweet and well-meaning, but they never felt fully developed to me and I struggled to connect with them on a deeper level. Maybe I missed something, or maybe I’m just not the target audience for this kind of story. I genuinely feel bad giving it only 2 stars, because I’m sure the right reader would find it comforting and heartfelt. But for me, the slow pacing and ultra low-stakes conflicts made it hard to stay engaged. It definitely felt like a chore to get through... and a little mind-numbing in its gentleness.

I mean, at one point, the main character had to be rushed to the hospital, and I actually said out loud, “Ooooh, something exciting is finally happening! I hope she dies!” Not because I disliked her, but because I was so desperate for something to happen... anything. That's how little tension there was.

Bottom line: If you love cozy romance with low-stakes problems, wholesome characters, and backyard wedding drama involving soggy books, this might be exactly your cup of tea.
It just wasn’t mine.

(Note to self: maybe don’t buy books at the grocery store anymore.) show less

The Christmas Keepsake by Annie Rains
Love in Bloom series #2. Contemporary holiday family story with romance. Can be read as a stand-alone though characters from the first story appear briefly in this book.
The holidays are coming and Mallory Blue, though busy working full time as a nurse, agrees to direct the town play in lieu of her grandmother who is in a memory care facility with dementia. Mallory has a journal from her grandmother along with a box of wrapped ornaments. In her visits show more with Nan, and the unwrapping of the keepsake ornaments, the family stories are told over the decades from Nan’s perspective. Nan may not remember them anymore, but Mallory has her own memories from the years and they merge with the play, the town and neighbors as rehearsals and life Blooms.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook, sometimes reading them together. The audiobook is narrated by Ann Richardson who does a fantastic performance using distinctive voices for Mallory, Nan, Hollis and more. Amazing abilities. Emotions were clear as the multiple generations went through heartbreak, love, and doubt. I could visualize the care facility, the ornaments and the barn easily from the audio as the story progressed. Ann Richardson has preformed more than 300 audiobooks, both fiction and non fiction. I would definitely recommend this audiobook.
I listened at 1.5 and slightly higher to more closely match my reading speed.

Poignant and touching especially for the memory care aspect. Repeatedly said “Nan was still here, though hard to find.” Those glimpses of connections are precious, the confusion and loss, heart rendering.
Some sadness as the generations tell their stories although the overall feel is love, happiness and family. Beautifully told. Emotionally riveting.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio. show less

This YA summer camp romance is saccharine sweet as Paisley struggles to make the most of her last summer at Camp Starling. Two different romances, one teen and one adult, are at the heart of this story, which brings everything you want in a camp romance: ridiculous camp traditions, camp counselor romances and daring water rescues.

Paisley's parents built Camp Starling together, and every tradition is tied up in memories of her dad, who passed away a few years before. Now her mom is dating show more Dave, who struggles with everything outdoorsy and wants to move the family to his hometown in Wyoming. When Paisley learns that her mom plans to sell the camp and move to Wyoming, she feels like her world is falling apart.

Then she catches bad boy Hayden Bennett spray-painting dragons on the walls of the cabins, and as punishment, the adults make him serve as a counselor at Camp Starling. Paisley is livid until Hayden proposes a solution to all her troubles: he'll help her break up her mom and Dave. But the closer she gets to Hayden, the more Paisley falls for him as she learns he's struggling to deal with the death of a parent, too. And she begins to feel guilty for making things harder for perpetual nice guy Dave, especially after spreading honey in his sunblock gets him sent to the hospital due to an unknown bee allergy. Paisley must decide if she really wants to be the kind of person who bullies Dave out of her life.

Hayden's relatable as the bad boy with a heart of gold who's struggling to deal with his emotions in a healthy way. Paisley's a good girl turning bad due to her struggles to deal with all the changes her mom and Dave are introducing into her life. Together, they balance each other out and bring a lightness to each other's lives.

I also liked the discussion of best friendships through Paisley's rocky friendship with Nora, which is experiencing growing pains as Nora tries to control who all her friends "like" and date, selecting the best matches for them herself. In Nora's opinion, that's in no way, shape or form Hayden, so she does her best to split up him and Paisley. The two girls have to learn what it really means to be best friends as they face new challenges.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Christmas on Mistletoe Lane was an absolute GEM!

I was craving some Christmas-y goodness during the back to school blues, and this book hit the spot! Annie Rains has written one super cute novel that is a definite must read for romance lovers! Especially if you love those Hallmark Christmas movies like I do!

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane is a soft, sweet novel that moves at a fast enough pace to leave the reader breathless. It's a PG-13 novel (suggestive sex, no sexy show more scenes) that is packed full of romance, angst and Christmas delights! There's also some lovely side plots that give it the Christmas magic we all need (ex. Helping out an ill woman so her family can have a Christmas).

The kooky cast of characters were chalked full of hilarity - The Krespos, Paris (a biker Santa), Kaitlyn and Mitch are just some of the wonderful characters I fell in love with. Annie made them all lovable AND realistic. Each character had their own flaws, but they weren't depressing. The fact that I could easily read this book and see it totally happening in real life was awesome! It felt real enough and left me hooked to every page.

Let's get down to business here: Kaitlyn used to live in New York and be a fabulous Interior Designer. When a famous man ruins her career and shatters her, she returns to Mistletoe Lane to her Grandmother's old bed and breakfast. Her Grandmother recently passed away and left the ownership to her and a former marine, Mitch Hargrove. They work together to get the business back up and running, and slowly fall in love... Obviously, her Grandmother had more in mind for her than she realized!

This matchmaker side of the story was actually really cute! Sure, it's a trope that is used often but Annie used it well! There were so many little hints along the way that pushed these two lovebirds together, and I'm so glad this book ended WITHOUT a cliffhanger. The story felt finished, but I'm sure Annie will be able to continue their story in part in the sequels.

I really enjoyed this book. Mitch was a "broken" man who slowly finds his way back to his home town (and into a new job, post-Marines). On the other hand, Kaitlyn was a strong-willed woman who's working on getting stronger. Having these two together, bumping heads a bit, was a fun story! I definitely want to read more by Annie Rains in the future, especially this series! She makes a story full of ups and downs, but still utterly positive!

Five out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. show less