| Title | : | A Class of Her Own (The Thornback Society #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 216 |
| Publication | : | Published December 1, 2022 |
Her friends call her determined, strong, and dedicated. Her enemies, well, their words are a little less flattering. But, Meredith doesn’t have time to worry about appearances, especially not when she finds herself locked in a life or death battle with her new HOA president – a man, incidentally, who didn’t even want the job that should have been hers.
Brooks VanOrman doesn’t have a lot of time or interest in fighting battles. However, when he finds himself unwittingly in the position of HOA president, he realizes he’s going to have to start caring, and soon. To complicate matters, his neighbor - the feisty, dark-haired woman of his nightmares - refuses to follow the rules and he’s the one called in to enforce them.
It’s an instant clash of wills.
Only the more Brooks gets to know Meredith, the more he realizes that there’s a lot more to the fierce warrior than meets the eye.
A Class of Her Own is a closed-door, kissing only, sweet and clean romance with all the swoon but no explicit content.
A Class of Her Own (The Thornback Society #2) Reviews
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I absolutely love Aspen Hadley’s writing! She really immerses you into the lives of every single character. They feel like real people. I want adopted into this fictional friend group, please! These women are so supportive and delightfully funny!
Book two follows Meredith Atwood and her feud with HOA president Brooks VanOrman. And let me say, Meredith is the most lovable grump!
“How is it possible that I fell for a guy that’s in a good mood all the time? It’s unhealthy.”
Beginning as a hilarious revenge plot by purposely breaking HOA rules, leading to ticket after ticket, the witty banter between Meredith and Brooks was SO GOOD.
Dependable, calm, and truly an acts-of-service man, Brooks was perfect for the emotionally guarded Meredith. And the romance in general was so mature! Brooks was completely upfront with his intentions, not allowing for any miscommunication. I loved seeing the realistic effort put into their relationship!
There’s a million other details I’d love to gush about. It had the perfect blend of humour, romance, friendships, and family complexities. And the kisses! Sizzling! I’m so excited for book three!
(heat level: kissing only)
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own -
Aspen Hadley is one of my auto-buy authors. I love the way she writes her characters, you feel as if you could know them. And her comedy parts always make me laugh. Her books are top notch. You need to read them all! I read Class Act during the summer and knew I wanted to read this one as soon as it came out. It was so great!
I loved getting to know Meredith in this one. I wasn’t quite sure what to think of her from Class Act. She seemed kind of…intense and grumpy. (Side note, I enjoyed that the girl was the grump and the guy was the sunshine in this one.) She definitely is both of those things. At least sometimes. But the reader really gets to know her in this book. And to see why she is how she is. I grew to understand her and to love her. And Brooks really brings out the best in her.
I really had to laugh at the things Meredith did to get to Brooks. The “twerking turkey” made me laugh so hard. And it helped Meredith to get to know her neighbor a little better. It was fun to see those two become friends. Meredith grew a lot in this story and she grew to understand those around her a lot better as well. I loved that aspect of the story.
This book was such a great story. I didn’t want to put it down!
I was sent an e-copy of A Class of Her Own as a gift from the author. All opinions are my own. -
Definitely one of the better grumpy/sunshine tropes where the heroine is the grumpy one. I loved the hero and seeing the others from book 1 and prequel.
-
This made me cry, so five stars 😭😂.
Full review to come! -
I am loving this new series from Aspen Hadley! The "Thornback Society" ladies are serious #friendship goals!
The beginning of this enemies to lovers had a bit of a women's fiction feel to it as Meredith had some serious baggage to work through. Very similar vibe to Halstead House which is not a bad thing because I loved that book! It's also a grumpy/sunshine but in reverse of what we usually see (this time the woman is the grump) and it was such a fun spin!
Once the slow burn romance takes off watch out because Brooks is seriously one of my fave leading guys! He is in it to win and the romance is so sweet and swoony! I mean, the gifts?? That first kiss?? Be still my beating heart.
So many hilarious moments (the skunk! the turkey! the HOA meetings!) combined with the swoony and the heartwarming friendships make this a delightfully fun read! Aspen is and will continue to be an auto-read author for me. She brings her characters to life in such a relatable and fun way and I am here for it! 4.5 stars
I received a complimentary copy of the book but a positive review was not required. -
I loved the first book in this series, Class Act, and it was the same group of strong independent women with love and support, witty banter and teasing each other and men that find themselves in their space and a sweet romance.
🏡
Meredith is stubborn, determined, confident and sarcastic. She has set her sights on the HOA president and has declared war. Brooks isn’t sure what he’s done to deserve it but it isn’t about to let Meredith get away with anything.
🏡
Sparks fly, skunks run, hot and cold then kisses flying and 1 inflatable twerking turkey. (If I were super clever I’d make it work to match the Christmas song on the 12th Day of Christmas. But thankfully there weren’t that many skunks! 🤞🏼🙏🏼).
🏡
There were a few surprises of how I thought the story would go which would fall in line to cute, cheesy Hallmark movie but Meredith needed to grow and trust a lot. And Brooks is the best and sweetest and he recognized pretty quickly he’d need to slow down for Meredith.
🏡
Plus it was fun to chat with Aspen about my own HOA experiences, seriously so crazy some of the things that come up! 😅let’s just say I don’t want to be HOA president 🥴 but loved the shout out and having my name in the book! 🤩🤩
🏡
This book comes out next week. I received an advanced copy of the book from the author and these are my own thoughts and opinions. -
Reverse grumpy/sunshine book? Here for it!! I go into all of my Aspen Hadley books blind for the most part because I know whatever she writes I am going to read. I had seen glimpses of Meredith in Class Act and her novella Sun, Sand and Second Chances, but I'm not sure I was fully prepared for Meredith in her own book lol.
Meredith is a wonderfully complex character that I really enjoyed reading about! She's a snappy, spitfire that does not relent and is 100% okay with taking care of herself, no help needed. I enjoyed learning her backstory because it slowly revealed why Meredith is the way that she is. By the end I felt like she was more fierce and loyal than grumpy.
Brooks. What isn't there to love about Brooks. He gets 5 gold stars himself for his patience with Meredith and watching that romance develop is worth it's weight in gold!! His communication skills are what really pushed me over the edge for her. He was patient but wasn't going to be walked all over either.
There are so many tender moments in this book. So many laugh out loud funny moments in this book. And so many happy sigh moments in this book.
I absolutely recommend this book!
Thanks to the author for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own. -
2.5
This probably falls under its-not-you-its-me type book. I just didn't end up connecting to this one like I hoped. Felt more like a women's fiction with a dash of romance (which is fine).
Content Rated PG -
(4.5 stars) - Absolutely wonderful!
Meredith is a survivor with a WHOLE LOT of scars, coping mechanisms & walls. Frankly, I had no problem finding her sympathetic but wasn't sure I could like her as the leading lady of a romance. She turned out to be excellent at both.
The story takes the time to show readers where she's at and how she's changing which might make it seem slow to the impatient, but that's what makes the changes in her credible as well as the romance that develops in the process.
Brooks is enough like her to understand her but also different enough to be flexible & roll with her punches. One of the things I truly loved is that Brooks is a great guy but not an unbelievably patient perfect saint. It made him more real & their romance more real! I absolutely loved their story!!
*Romance level: passionate kisses, nothing graphic
*Political: there's a little women's empowerment talk, but nothing controversial & nothing more offensive than an unfortunate cat named after the very messed up Betty Friedan -
What a cute reverse grumpy/sunshine, rivals and neighbors romance. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and love interconnected books.
Meredith frustrated me a little. I just wanted her to act a little more maturely, to let others in, and not be so self-destructive. But she did realize it and work on it towards the end which was good.
Brooks is the reason I’m giving this four stars. I loved him! He was so sweet to her, always did things at her pace and supported her. When he helped her at her dad’s house?! 😭
This was a fun read and I’m very excited for Aryn’s book next! -
I know Aspen Hadley isn't a new author but I think this is the first time I've reviewed one of her books on my blog. I happened to be sitting at a table with her at an event and we got to talking. She is a lovely person. Lots of fun. Of course I went to check out her books! I have a few unread ones on my kindle but decided to start with the newest series, The Thornback Society. I read the first book, Class Act (which is on KU) in preparation for reading and reviewing this book. I do think these books should be read in order just for reading enjoyment. There is a continuation of storylines for the characters.
Meredith is a prickly character until you get to know and understand her better. Isn't that always how it is, though? I enjoyed her emotional journey of awareness and breaking down barriers. It was super satisfying. I liked that her friends called her out on some of her poor verbal choices but always followed up with understanding and love.
Speaking of the friends, they take up a large portion of this book. I would say at least half of the book is spent with them. This puts the romance as a backstory until at least half way through. Then it starts moving. Personally, I would prefer to see more of the romantic relationship and the friendships as more of a secondary story but that's just me.
Brooks might be the most patient, understanding man ever. He is so aware. So intuitive. A unicorn among men, as Meredith realizes too. I loved the scene where Brooks is vacuuming and Meredith is having a moment of complete attraction. She panics and calls her friend. It's hilarious. And true. I wouldn't have thought that 20 years ago, but now? Vacuuming is totally sexy.
When you read this book, don't forget to read the author's notes at the back. You won't believe how much of this story comes from the author's personal experiences. It's crazy and so fun.
I'm really enjoying this sisterhood of friends and these sweet romances. Author Aspen Hadley is definitely someone I'll be keeping my eye on from now on.
Content: mention of child neglect. Kissing.
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. -
“I was used to him giving as good as he got, but I wasn’t used to enjoying it. Other men hadn’t wanted to spar with me – they’d wanted to break me down and win a battle. It was never fun or clever, and it was always painful. I was used to banter with my friends, but Brooks was the first man to banter with me who seemed to enjoy my sharpness, and it was throwing me into a tailspin.”
This was a fun and heartwarming grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers story. I loved the witty dialogue and banter, supportive friend group, character growth arc, holiday vibes, and clean romance.
Meredith and Brooks are such fabulous and lovable characters. She is guarded, fiercely independent, snarky, pessimistic, and a fighter—one that never gives up. But underneath that prickly exterior is a loving, loyal, caring, and amazing woman.
Brooks is the perfect man to peel back her layers, and that process was an absolute delight. He is kind, patient, dependable, strong, and he sees all the good in Meredith. When she’s afraid of her feelings for him and tries to push him away, he won’t budge. His steady and unwavering pursuit of her is wonderful.
Many thanks to the author for a gifted copy. All opinions are completely my own. -
I really liked this book. It had me laughing out loud many times, and learning from the author notes that some of the situations are based on real life experiences, makes it even better. The first 40% or so felt more like women's fiction than a romcom, but the relationship between Meredith and Brooks picked up about halfway through. There was a lot of introspection and self discovery for Meredith, and Brooks was a patient prince, the sunshine to her grumpiness. It was sweet and clean, and a great continuation of this book series.
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The second book in the Thornback Series is just as delightful as the first. And such an appropriate read for this time - it spans Halloween through Christmas.
With lines like these, how can you say no to this delightful read?
“Right now, you’re wondering what to do with me. I’ve jumped from ‘annoying neighbor’ to ‘hunky, great kisser.’”
“Leaving me gifts in bed? I think you need to slow down a little, Atwood. We are barely on speaking terms.”
But in case you thought it was nothing but hilarious banter and fluffy romance, we also have lines like:
“But even strong things benefit from a support system.”
Wow! Such wise words!
So, if you love:
🏠banter
🏠teachers
🏠enemies to more
🏠twerking turkey lawn ornaments
🏠home repairs
🏠interesting HOA meetings
🏠nosy neighbors
🏠daring (animal) rescues
🏠supportive friend groups
🏠bearded, lumberjack like men
Then this is your next read!!!
Thank you Aspen for asking me to be on your ARC/release team! I feel so honored! A positive review was not required and all thoughts and my opinions are my own. -
Meredith is on a mission to heal the past pains and face the future. Brooks has the patience to not just watch her muddle through the baggage, but lend her a helping hand. He's there for her when she needs him. A clean romance with lots of passion.
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Absolutely addicting!
This is the second in a series not counting a novella and I think it stands alone. And I hesitate to say this, but maybe it’s my favorite? An enemies to lovers trope. There is plenty of fun and sarcasm throughout, but there is so much heart. And healing. And friends who see you for who you really are and love you anyway. And a very hot Brooks. Also known as the most patient man on earth.
All the feels and heart eyes to this book about a group of friends trying to find their person and the support they are for each other. Looking forward to the next one. Note: It’s a series so you get continued happiness with the previous couple, which is a huge win for me. Terrific!! I’ve been binging this author and she’s a go to for me now! -
“I’ve jumped from ‘annoying neighbor’ to ‘hunky, great kisser,’ and now you’re trying to shove me back into ‘neighbor,’ but I won’t go.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Class of Her Own is the second book in Aspen Hadley’s Thornback Society series about a group of teacher friends. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but I’ve been reading them in order and getting ready for the next book which comes out June 1st!
Meredith and Brooks are a fun enemies-to-lovers, reverse grumpy/sunshine story. The first half felt a little more like woman’s fiction because it is written in single POV and with the slow-burn romance, our main characters didn’t have a lot of time together at first. Meredith had a lot of opening up do to and it was good to see her growth and journey.
Once the romance picked up, it was amazing! I loved their great communication and it felt like a healthy, realistic adult relationship.
I loved Brooks!! He was just the sweetest! I was dying to get to know him better because I just knew he was more than what Meredith’s impression of him was. It would have been fun to get his POV, but we do see how great he is during the second half.
There were so many fun scenes— the skunk, shoveling driveways, and even SKIING! Guys, there was a skiing scene! I love to see my sport represented! Things really picked up after skiing. I always knew a good ski date made the sparks fly! That’s how my husband and I fell in love! He wouldn’t have noticed me at all, I’m sure, if I hadn’t been a skier!
The story takes place over thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s but isn’t focused too much on the holidays and can be enjoyed anytime.
🔥:Kisses -
I like the first book of this series. I would say this one was enjoyable too. I like how we see the inner struggle of the FMC even if she gives off the "I Don't Care" vibe. I love how complementary the couple are.
My Rating Scale
⭐️⭐️: Okay, but not my cup of tea
⭐️⭐️⭐️: I liked it, but some were so-so
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: I loved it, but I will not reread
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: Favorite and will reread -
Mmm I think this is closer to 3.5 stars for me, but I really did enjoy it so I'm happy with the 4 star rating.
Meredith's character isn't one that I often enjoy reading. Often these firebrand characters are written as very rebel without a cause, overly self-righteous and lacking in self-awareness or perspective. To add insult to injury they are often times written without significant character growth or development. Or when they are, it's still not a fun time, because the character themselves are so draining to read about.
All this to say that I entered this read with a dose of trepidation, but I think Aspen did an excellent job in writing a layered and sympathetic character.
As has been said in other reviews, this is less about the romance and moreso about Meredith, and it was very successful in that iteration. Where this succeeded for me was giving a complete picture of Meredith. Yes she can be abrasive, but she's aware of it. She's also aware of the effect on other people. She's someone who isn't trying to change who she is perse but is trying to grow as a person, and that's a key difference and one that I appreciated. We really saw all of her layers. Her caring, her passions, the reasons she's the way she is. We did also see her complicating her life through stubbornness and not always dealing with other people very nicely but then we see her having fun with her friends and sisters and having a sense of humour. All this to say is this wasn't a one note novel based on a quest to change Meredith.
And this was also what made the romance successful. I actually think that this might be the most chemistry I've read from Aspen. She masterfully wove the threads of interest in such a compelling way. And she built from there very successfully. I was definitely a fan of Brooks.
This isn't 5 stars because it did feel a smidgeon uneven somehow for me, in terms of plot pacing. Can't wait for more in this series. -
This might be my new favorite book by Aspen Hadley. I am so thankful for happy, fun books that showcase healthy communication and relationships and have so much heart! I kept feeling so deeply and yet still laughing so much at their wit and playfulness—I really loved this one.
Things I Loved:
-Twerking Turkey
-Alleged cat
-Hazel
-Annual pun parade
-“Why are you here?” “I like to make sure that my strangulation victims are okay before I take my leave.” I put my hands on my hips. “I’m fine. Besides, I’d have thought you’d want to applaud yourself for strangling me.” “You lived, so there’s really nothing to applaud.”
-Rocky
-Unusal pep talk
-Candy cane hat
-Secretly serving people
-“We learned that this is not the proper way to handle noodles.”
-“Start war with a guy, warm up to the guy, scare the guy away—the Meredith playbook, ladies and gentleman.”
-Fat cat issue
-The rescue
-Not normal first kiss 🔥
-You fight dirty
-“I couldn’t promise the wall would stay down, but I could promise to leave a doorway open.”
-Christmas Gift
-Meredith with her sisters ♥️
-Vacuuming
-“Never mind. Questions are a horrible idea. Secrets are the way to go.”
-Texts (Thornback texts, flirty texts, sister texts, all of them)
-Hunky Monkey
I do not have the same personality as Meredith at all, but so many of her internal thoughts and things she was processing hit so close to home. I highlighted so much. This was a read that left me swooning, smiling, and really thankful for who I have in my life. ♥️
So basically, go read this book. 😉😂
Trigger warning: I don’t really think It needs a warning per se, but the MC deals with processing how her past loss of a parent as a child and a neglectful parent left to raise them affects her as an adult. It hit close to home for me, but in a healing way. -
A few months ago Aspen reached out to me to see if I wanted to be part of her launch team for “A Class of Her Own.” Little did I know that accepting her offer would mean I would find one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE clean rom-coms😭❤️
ACOHO was such an amazing story. I don’t think I’ve read a romcom quite like it before. Yes, the story was heavy on the comedic scenarios and sarcastic comments (which I LOVED), but the novel also had so much DEPTH and dimension of characters.
Meredith was such a fantastic character to read about. Her painful childhood morphed her into a woman who is slow to let others in and quick to be suspicious about their motives. Her walls are a mile high, but they were no match for H.O.A. Brooks VanOrman😍
Brooks has happily joined my list of ALL-TIME favorite book boyfriends. GUYS!!!! His patience. His acts of service. His intentional communication. His NICKNAMES😭🤣 I loved every part of his character❤️ He has set the standard HIGH for future book boyfriends (& real boyfriends🤫😅🤣).
As an educator myself, I LOVED the scenes set at the elementary school🥳 And Meredith’s friend group of teachers were such a HOOT! Although I was at a slight disadvantage since I haven’t read book 1 yet, I still enjoyed getting to meet each of the gals and their unique personalities. I can’t wait to read each of their stories in books to come!!💗
My favorite parts…
🦃 Twerking turkey
💦 The “water people”
😼 Betty’s attacks
🦨 Skunk rescue
😳 Candy cane hat
🔪 Ruby’s knives
🔥 Ch 17&18
🥹 Brooks vacuuming
🥡 Chinese leftovers
🥳 New Year’s party
This is definitely going on my list of favorite reads in 2022❤️ I loved Aspen’s sense of humor so much!!
🚨TW: mentions of child neglect
🚨CW: this is a CLEAN romance with no language & no implied intimacy. -
Someone hand me a fan because this book by Aspen Hadley was hot (and clean)🔥 These two characters, so different from the first book, were so fun from start to finish! Speaking of the start, the beginning of this book was ICONIC 🦃 and the fact it was a grumpy FMC 😠 and sunshine MC ☀️ !
Meredith. To be honest, I did not like her in the first book and was wary about reading a book with her as the FMC. BUT!!! I loved her in this book 😍. She has so much to her than the sarcastic 🙄 powerhouse 💪🏼 she shows to the world. Her backstory 💔 was heartbreaking made everything make sense.
Brooks VanOrman. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, Brooks will forever be one of my favorite names for a male lead. A lawyer 👨🏻⚖️ and woodworker 🪵?! I don’t know how Meredith didn’t swoon right from the start (her friends all did 😉).
Once again, gotta have a shoutout for the Thornback women! I’m so sad to see Lizzie go, but she got her Prince Charming. And I am SO EXCITED for Aryn’s book next! (I’ve already started it 😊). Three new characters! Forest 🌳 , Willow 🌷, and Ash 🦋! I absolutely love her sisters so much and her fathers story is so sad but added so much depth of character.
Y’all this book was everything my enemies to lovers heart needed. Definitely recommend (and the kissing scenes 💋 , especially that first one 🥵 wow) and if that doesn’t convince you, read those quotes. This book is full of amazing one-liners that had me laughing my head off 😂 -
I have never read an Aspen Hadley book I didn’t like. This was no exception. I like a good enemies to lovers romance RomCom and this more than checked all the boxes for me.
Meredith’s character was so prickly and emotionally unavailable. Her vendetta against poor Brooks was relentless. He was so patient in finding out why she had it out for him and why her reactions were so extreme.
Brooks was such a great guy! He really put up with a lot, but never gave up on Meredith. He was just what she needed. I loved all his sneaky ways of inserting himself into her life.
I loved the witty banter and the great supporting characters. The other members of the HOA board were hilarious! I loved the group of friends from school. You couldn’t find a better or more supportive group of friends!
The many antics and adventures of Meredith were hilarious! They included a skunk, a twerking turkey, a near death experience on a ski lift and many more.
If you like to read RomComs you will love this book! It is a clean read with lots of sizzling tension. Great character growth arc and lots of laughs. -
I loved this book! I could talk about the off the charts chemistry Aspen created. Or how much I’m falling in love with all the Thornback ladies. Or the absolutely phenomenal character development. Cause all those things combined to make a fabulous read.
But my absolute favorite part of Aspen Hadley writing is how she is always flipping stereotypes on their head in a way that makes you think.
I read this book thinking, why is it when a guy is a Grumpy Sunshine he’s hot and mysterious. But when a girl has those same personality traits, she’s …a word I don’t say.
I loved how Aspen showed Meredith’s history, her vulnerability and her growth. She rocked that grumpy sunshine trope in a female.
And if that wasn’t enough she dropped this line: “Guys have feelings, too, and it’s not fair to assume they should do all the chasing.” I loved her even more for shinning light on things that need to be acknowledged.
Just like Brooks does for Meredith, even with the tension and drama and misunderstandings there was adult communication and compassion.
I loved this book and these characters so much! -
I loved this enemies to lovers story! Meredith found herself locked in a battle with her new HOA president, Brooks VanOrman. Thing is, he didn't even want the job, which should've been hers. She brought her feistiness into it, infuriating Brooks and at the same time amusing him. She refused to follow the rules just to annoy him, the enforcer.
She had important issues to raise, and of course went about that in the wrong way, so I loved seeing her and Brooks work as a team once the weapons were downed 😄 The simmering tension between these two definitely made for amazing chemistry 🔥
One thing I'm loving about this series is the communication. Both MCs are open once the relationship starts, not leaving anything unsaid or misconstrued. It's so refreshing 😄
I can't believe most of the hilarious goings-on in this story were real life occurrences 😂 Definitely cannot wait to read Aryn's story, got my ARC 🥳 I love this friend group! 😍 -
I have been looking forward to Meredith’s story, and it is everything I was hoping it would be! This book is funny and sweet, with wonderful character development, and I loved every moment of reading it.
Meredith is prickly and grumpy, with a big wall around her heart. But she’s also loyal and caring, the kind of person or family member who will always be there for you. The romance in this book is wonderful, but I also felt like this story was more than just a romance because there is a lot of personal growth for Meredith. Meredith’s character development is absolutely masterfully done, and I loved her so much! I was cheering so hard for Meredith as she worked to overcome thought processes and feelings from her difficult childhood with the help of her friends and Brooks.
Speaking of Brooks, he is the perfect hero for this story! I love how he balances Meredith out, and I appreciate the way he cares for her. He doesn’t always know what’s best, and I adored that he would ask Meredith what she needed. He is respectful, caring, and supportive, and he delivers absolutely swoonworthy lines! Their romance is beautiful, and I thought it was perfectly written.
This book is also hilarious! I love Meredith’s friend group and the different funny situations throughout the story! Her friends are amazing and they are so much fun to read about. They can be serious and supportive, and they are also zany and fun, and I love them all!
I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
