Judge a Book by its Cover 21 – #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Gloria

The sunshine today may have something to do with this book cover catching my eye. Wouldn’t it be lovely to head off to the beach with a summer read in your bag?

That’s the kind of vibe this book is giving me. I love the warm colours. They’re cheerful and relaxing at the same time. The title Big Island Sunrise makes me think it’s a love story with perhaps a little humour but not a rom-com.

It’s an interesting blurb. The setting is in Hawaii, which adds to the intrigue – for me anyway.

Lani King and Emma Kealoha both need a fresh start.

Emma lost her husband at thirty-six, and life without him feels impossible. A Hawaiian inheritance might be her chance to start over… but the Kealoha place is a mess. The roof leaks, the goats keep escaping, and the jungle is overtaking the orchard. It’s more than she can manage on her own.

Lani spent years trapped in a marriage that went from bad to worse. Finally, she summoned her courage and moved home to Hawai’i. Now she’s starting over with her four year old in tow.

Emma offers Lani a place to stay — and together, they work to restore Emma’s crumbling farmhouse.

Lani reconnects with a childhood friend, now a gorgeous single dad. Romance is peeking over the horizon, but how can she open up to love when her ex won’t even sign the divorce papers?

Dive into this heartwarming saga set on the Island of Hawai’i.

Big Island Sunrise is the first in a series of eight. The stories are clean and wholesome romance and with only 200 – 256 pages in each book, they’re the perfect holiday reads.

Some people prefer quick reads like these, whether they’re on holiday or not.

Here’s a few Amazon reader reviews (out of hundreds) to give you more of an idea of what to expect from Shayla Cherry’s Big Island Series.

Big Island Sunrise

LaurenBaja ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ohana means family, and family means nobody is left behind or forgotten

Shayla Cherry created this truly amazing story, with 3 more books planned. What I love is the ohana or family strength to look out for each others. Like Ted Lasso of goodness while we struggle through plans that don’t work out, others that want to harm you, so much bad news in the world that a story of family strength to overcome and make everyone’s life better is heartwarming. Not fake but the characters she created makes you want you to follow their story and find out what happens?
Set in beautiful Hawaii and expertly written of the nature, the community and the native people.
Can’t say anymore without saying too much.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I the first book, and I cannot wait for the second book.

Big Island Neighbours

Pink Coconut ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wonderful Read!

The Big Island is my favorite place on earth and I love reading these beautiful stories about life & love there!
Such sweet stories!!

Big Island Horizons

J. C. Sandoval ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hardships, finding happiness and moving forward

The entire series has been warm and full of aloha, but this volume may be my favorite. The characters are relatable: the women have their flaws and baggage, their children have their issues as they navigate their lives and challenges, and they are all just trying to make it. They are not people of privilege, but they have a full appreciation of each other. In a world where things could be better, they can also be worse. The Big Island as a backdrop makes for a colorful and tropical ambience. As the drama unfolds, the Ohana becomes more close knit.

I think if you’re looking for heart-warming, clean romantic stories, these might be right up your street. The covers are easy on the eye too!

Thank you for reading. See you soon with more from Judge a Book by its Cover!

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Judge a Book by its Cover 20 – #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Gloria

This is one of the most colourful and vibrant book covers I’ve ever seen. Hard to pass it! I love it. The fact that I can’t tell the genre just by the cover doesn’t matter because I’m intrigued enough to take a closer look. Judging by the title, I’m sure there’s some kind of magic at play. What kind of magic?

Continue reading →

Judge a Book by its Cover 19 – #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Gloria

Serendipitous by Jay Essen is the book cover that stood out for me this week. If you know me at all, you’ll know how much I enjoy a good murder mystery. Black and white gives mysterious vibes. I like the eye; it has me curious.

The title, Serendipitous, is also intriguing. It gives me a good idea of what to expect. (Not every title does that) A chance encounter leads to a murder, or perhaps the solving of one. Either way, the cover along with the title entices me to look closer.

The Blurb

The murder of Mercy’s father began a series of deaths that, on the surface, appeared unrelated. For the victims a gruesome end, but for someone a serendipitous occurrence of untold benefit.

Who is pulling the strings from the shadows, directing, and manipulating a soul bound to them in fealty? Conniving and cunning, the puppeteer unleashes their ward to eliminate those in their way. Mercy is inextricably connected to the killer, convinced that they murdered her father. While DC Jane Donovan rushes to solve the murders and apprehend the killer, in the hope of revealing the criminal mastermind.

I really like the sound of this book. I like when there’s more than one murder, and of course, they all have to be linked. This blurb sells it for me but it’s the cover that made me check it out in the first place.

This is what some readers think about Serendipitous.

Darren John Lebeau ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really did enjoy reading this murder mystery. The characters are perfectly defined and keeps you guessing all way through to who carried out these murders. Excellent writing and no stone left unturned when it comes to the subject matter. I can see this book doing very well as a screenplay to be made into a Netflix drama series. I would highly recommend this book.

S. Donovan⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A must read

A dark thriller, with unexpected twists and turns. The book is very well written, quite fast paced and had me gripped from the first chapter.
I would definitely recommend reading Serendipitous and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Mario Wageman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Gripping Thriller You Won’t Be Able to Put Down!

Wow, Serendipitous was such a surprise! From the first chapter, I was hooked—Jay Essen knows how to pull you right into the story. The characters felt real, and the twists kept coming, just when I thought I had it all figured out. Set against the backdrop of the Covid pandemic, it was easy to relate to the setting, and that added a whole new level of tension. This book has everything a thriller fan could want: suspense, mystery, and moments that leave you catching your breath. I’d highly recommend it and can’t wait to see what Essen writes next!

So if you enjoy a good murder mystery like I do, you’ll check out Serendipitous by Jay Essen. It’s in my Kindle and I’m looking forward to reading it!

Thank you for reading. See you soon with more from Judge a Book by its Cover!