Romance Reviews: BUSINESS OR PLEASURE & IN THE WEEDS

July 6, 2023/18 Comments/by Suzanne

Business or Pleasure Goodreads

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publication Date: July 4, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I’m a huge fan of Rachel Lynn Solomon’s novels. She just never misses when it comes to delivering heartwarming romances filled with humor and relatable characters, and I knew within the first few pages of Business or Pleasure that I was going to love it.

Chandler is a celebrity ghostwriter. She would rather be writing her own books, but she’s not ready. When she attends a signing for one of the books she wrote and the celebrity she worked with doesn’t even recognize her, Chandler heads to the nearest bar to drink away her frustration. While there, she hooks up with a charming man named Finn, but what starts out as a sexy one-night stand, ends up being the worst sex Chandler has ever had.

Then as if things weren’t awkward enough, she learns the celebrity she’ll next be working with is none other than Finn, who is an actor on a cult classic werewolf TV show.

I adored watching Chandler and Finn as they are forced to be together for months while they work on Finn’s memoir. They try so hard to keep things professional even though there are clearly some feelings there, and I just loved watching them grow closer and closer in spite of themselves. There’s of course plenty of witty banter and fun moments that kept me thoroughly entertained.

One highlight for me was how Chandler addresses her previous sexual encounter with Finn. She decides she’s not doing women anywhere a favor by letting Finn think he’s doing a good job in bed and so she tells him the truth. Finn strikes a deal with Chandler to teach him some tips on how to help better satisfy his partners. I loved how Solomon writes these spicy scenes, with Chandler & Finn having very open discussions about sex & the art of pleasuring a woman. I loved how this new aspect of their relationship makes it even more challenging to keep things professional.

Other highlights included the wonderful Jewish rep, OCD rep, & the he falls first & forced proximity tropes.

Rachel Lynn Solomon definitely has another winner on her hands with Business or Pleasure! 5 STARS

In the Weeds (Lovelight) Goodreads

Author: B.K. Borison

Publication Date: July 4, 2023 (reissue)

Publisher: Berkley

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

In the Weeds is the second book in B.K. Borison’s Lovelight romance series and it is a sweet and steamy delight! The first book in the series, Lovelight Farms, was one of my favorite holiday reads this past Christmas. I just adored the small town setting, the family-owned Christmas tree farm, and all of the quirky townsfolk, so I couldn’t wait to return to this world and visit Lovelight Farms during a season other than Christmas.

In the Weeds follows Evie and Beckett. Evie is a popular, no nonsense social media influencer, while Beckett is a grumpy tattooed farmer. Don’t let his grumpy exterior fool you though because on the inside Beckett is the gooiest of cinnamon rolls and a kitten rescuer, to boot. We meet Evie and Beckett briefly in the first book and it’s clear there is major chemistry and also something unresolved between them. It turns out that the two of them had a steamy one night stand that was so good, they extended it to a several night stand.

Beckett has been pining for Evie ever since, which is adorable by the way, and when Evie unexpectedly shows up at Lovelight Farms, he’s really hoping there’s a second chance in the cards for them. Evie is there for other reasons though. She has become burnt out and unhappy with her career and is looking for a reset. She wants to “find her happy” and the last place she remembers being truly happy was when she visited the tiny town of Inglewild and Lovelight Farms.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Evie and Beckett together and found myself rooting for them to make the most of the second chance they’ve been given. Their scenes together are a mix of fun, sweet, and positively swoony moments and I was fully invested in every page of their slow burn journey.

In the Weeds is the perfect follow-up to Lovelight Farms. It was everything I hoped it would be and more! Highly recommended for fans of second chance and/or grumpy sunshine/opposites attract romances, small town vibes and close knit family vibes. 4.5 STARS

Historical Fiction Reviews: THE PARIS DAUGHTER & THE SPECTACULAR

July 6, 2023/12 Comments/by Suzanne

The Paris Daughter Goodreads

Author: Kristin Harmel

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

Publisher: Gallery Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Every time I think Kristin Harmel can’t possibly top her last book, she proves me wrong and she has done it yet again with her latest WWII historical fiction novel, The Paris Daughter.

The story follows Juliette and Elise, two American women who are living on the outskirts of Paris in the late 1930s. Elise and Juliette are both pregnant at the same time, and when they meet, they immediately bond as expectant mothers and become great friends, each woman giving birth to a little girl. Juliette and her husband own a quiet but popular bookshop, while Elise is a sculptor and her husband is a famous painter. While they know war is lurking just beyond their country’s borders, neither Elise nor Juliette can fathom that their lives will soon be irrevocably changed, until the unthinkable happens and the Germans invade. When the Germans suspect that Elise’s husband is part of the French resistance, Elise knows she must flee or be captured as well and she leaves her young daughter in Juliette’s care, thinking she’ll be safer there than on the run with her. After Elise flees, however, tragedy strikes the little bookshop and when Elise finally returns at the end of the war, all she returns to find is a pile of rubble.

The Paris Daughter is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of each mother. We follow them both through the war, get inside their heads as they both have to make seemingly impossible choices, and how they find a way to move forward after unfathomable loss. Both of their journeys are often heartbreaking, but I admired the strength and resilience each displayed. As a mom myself, I kept trying to put myself in their shoes and wondered if I would have the strength to make the hard choices they made.

The Paris Daughter is of course a well researched WWII historical fiction novel, but at its heart, it’s also a beautifully written, heartwrenching yet inspirational story about love and friendship, resilience and strength, and ultimately about the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect her children. This is the fifth novel of Kristin Harmel’s I’ve read and it might be my favorite yet, although I also very highly recommend The Book of Lost Names and The Forest of Vanishing Stars. 5 STARS

The Spectacular Goodreads

Author: Fiona Davis

Publication Date: June 13, 2023

Publisher: Dutton

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I’m a huge fan of Fiona Davis’ historical fiction. I love how she always centers her stories around New York City iconic buildings. Davis’ latest novel, The Spectacular, was especially appealing to me since this time, her iconic landmark of choice was Radio City Music Hall, the home of the world famous Rockettes.

Set in 1956, The Spectacular follows Marion, a young woman who wants nothing more than to become a Rockette. When Marion is invited to join the troupe, she is the only one in her family who considers it an honor. Her father is so appalled by her decision to dance instead of settling down to get married and start a family that he actually kicks her out of the house and ends all contact with her. We follow Marion as she sets out, determined to follow her own dream. Like many others, I’ve always been fascinated by this elite precision dance troupe. It’s truly mesmerizing to watch them perform, so I was very excited to get a behind the scenes look into the world of being a Rockette. It was very eye opening to witness their grueling rehearsals as well as all of the little details that go into creating that illusion of precision, such as the way they sew costumes for taller dancers vs. what they do for the shorter ones.

Marion loves what she does, but occasionally wonders if the cost of losing her family was too high of a price to pay. That cost grows even higher when the “Big Apple Bomber”, who has been terrorizing New York for over 15 years bombs Radio City Musical Hall. One of the victims of the bombing is Marion’s sister, who against their father’s wishes, had snuck out to see Marion perform. Fueled by her grief and the frustration that the police are no closer to catching the bomber after 15 years, Marion goes rogue and enlists the help of Peter, a psychological profiler, to try to find and catch the killer.

What I really loved about The Spectacular was that in addition to having a well researched strong historical fiction narrative, it also features this riveting murder mystery/thriller, a pretty substantial element of family drama, and even the slightest hint of a potential romance. All of these elements combine effortlessly into a riveting read that I could not put down. It’s a story that definitely has a little something for everyone. I highly recommend The Spectacular to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, New York iconic landmarks, suspenseful thrillers, domestic dramas, and especially to anyone who, like me, has always been fascinated by the Rockettes. 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Lake House & The Senator’s Wife

June 29, 2023/16 Comments/by Sharon

It’s another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon! I hope everyone is doing well. This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Sarah Beth Durst’s YA thriller, The Lake House and Liv Constantine’s domestic thriller, The Senator’s Wife. Both of these books had me hooked from beginning to end.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Lake House & The Senator’s Wife

The Lake House Goodreads

Author: Sarah Beth Durst

Publication Date: April 25, 2023

Publisher: Harperteen

I have only read one other book by Sarah Beth Durst, and it was just okay. When I read the synopsis for The Lake House it sounded good, but I still went into this book with low expectations. I am happy to report that this book totally exceeded those expectations.

Three high school teenagers, Claire, Reyva, and Mariana are the last to arrive at an off-the-grid summer camp in Maine. Their parents went to this camp and told them that it would be a great experience for them. Oh, how wrong they were! The only way to get to the camp is by boat and after the boat drops them off and leaves, Claire, Reyva and Mariana find the remains of the burnt down lodge. There is no one else on this island except them or so the girls think. There are no bodies in the lodge, so did the other campers and counselors survive and leave the island? They soon find a dead body in the woods, and then a man with a gun starts shooting at them and another mad man is chasing them. To survive Claire, Reyva and Mariana must work together to find a way off the island.

I loved getting to know all three girls. Claire suffers from high anxiety and her brain is always figuring out the worst-case scenarios to the point that she blacks out. Because of this she does not have friends and is pretty much a loner who would rather stay in her room and read. Mariana is very peppy, always loves to talk and she loves rebuilding old cars. Reyva hides her emotions and does not like to come across as weak. She always has to have a tough-girl persona. I loved how they got to know and open up to each other and formed a friendship. They all needed that friendship in their lives and I was so happy they could rely on each other. The friendship they formed made me smile and their banter back and forth had me chuckling many times.

I also loved how strong and resourceful they were. They each had strengths that could possibly help them survive the terrors of this island. And even though they did not believe in themselves, the others were there to cheer them on.

I was so invested in Claire, Reyva and Mariana and was rooting for them to make it out alive. There was quite a few times that I was very scared for their safety. As well as creating great characters, I think Sarah Beth Durst did a great job of creating a very creepy setting for this book as well. The whole island setting with the burnt out lake house and periods of rain just added to the eeriness of this book.

The Lake House is a YA thriller that kept me glued to the pages. 4 stars

The Senator's Wife Goodreads

Author: Liv Constantine

Publication Date: May 23, 2023

Publisher: Bantam

I was very excited to read Liv Constantine’s (sister writing duo, Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine) newest book, The Senator’s Wife. I have loved all of their books and this newest book is no exception.

Two years ago, a chain of events led to the deaths of Robert Chase, who was the husband of D.C. philanthropist, Sloane Chase, and Peg Montgomery, who was the wife of Senator Whit Montgomery. Sloane and Whit knew each other and were close, as their spouses were cousins and their deaths brought Sloane and Whit even closer and they eventually got married. Things were going great for them, and when Sloane needed to have hip replacement surgery due to her lupus, they hired Athena Karras, a health aide, to help Sloane after the surgery. Athena was a godsend at first, helping Sloane with her charities, but then Sloane’s health started to deteriorate, and she started becoming very paranoid. Why is Athena asking so many questions about Sloane’s charity foundation and is it just Sloane’s paranoia or are Athena and Whit getting a bit too close. Sloane needs help before it is too late, but who can she trust?

The Senator’s Wife starts off with the events that lead to the deaths of Robert and Peg and then jumps two years ahead to the present with Sloane and Whit married. Even though it was for a short time, I liked getting to know Robert and Peg and see how their marriages to Sloane and Whit were. I think having seen that, it gave me more insight into the events that happen later in the book.

The book is told from multiple POV’s and with each POV we get hints of information of what is going on. I loved trying to piece everything together and thought I knew what was going on but then a twist at the end blew my theory up. LOL

I liked Sloane and sympathized with her, especially after she started getting sicker. I was rooting for her to figure out what was going on, or for someone else to step in and help her. I also liked that when the paranoia set in Sloane became an unreliable character.

My favorite character was Rosemary. Rosemary was Robert’s mother and she really loves Sloane. She does not believe for a minute that the event that happened to cause Robert’s death was an accident and she blames Whit. She has taken it upon herself to find out what really happened and as Sloane gets sicker, she is also trying to find out whatever she can about Athena. Rosemary is in her eighties, but she was one badass woman. I was cheering her on the whole time I was reading.

There is not much I can really say about what happens in this book without spoiling anything. I can say that The Senator’s Wife is a slow burn domestic thriller that had me turning the pages and by the end of the book I was on the edge of my seat. 4 Stars

Reviews: PLAY WITH ME & THE SWEETHEART LIST

June 26, 2023/17 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was filled with lots of naps and great books. Today I’m back to share my thoughts on two heartwarming summer romances that you’re going to want to add to your TBRs.

Play for Me Goodreads

Author: Libby Hubscher

Publication Date: June 20, 2023

Publisher: Berkley Romance

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Set at a prep school in New England, Libby Hubscher’s new novel Play for Me follows Sophie Doyle, an athletic trainer, who has just been fired from her dream job with the Boston Red Sox. Sophie had recommended that their injured star pitcher not play, which cost them a World Series title, and it did not go over well with Red Sox Nation. To add insult to injury, Sophie’s boyfriend, the team doctor, kicks her out since her recommendation contradicted his. Needing both a job and a place to live, Sophie takes a job at a prep school in New Hampshire. Here she can lay low, regroup, and come up with a game plan on how to get her job back. What Sophie doesn’t realize is how truly life changing this experience will be.

I adored Sophie from the moment we see her bean a rabid Sox fan in the face with a cannoli after he spits on her food. I loved her feisty spirit as well as her determination to find a new path forward after getting fired. I also really liked how she took it in stride when she finds out she’ll be rooming with three male teachers at the school due to an unforeseen housing issue. She makes fast friends with two of them, the most adorable gay couple ever, and they become like brothers to her. The third roommate, Jonah, a surly music teacher, is a different story. From their first meeting, Jonah is gruff and rude, and makes it all too clear he doesn’t want Sophie there. Or is something else going on there?

If you enjoy romances that feature tropes like enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, and he fell first, as well as lots of witty banter, you’re going to love watching Sophie and Jonah in action as their relationship evolves from hilariously awkward to something so moving that it actually brought tears to my eyes a few times.

I truly loved everything about this book, but something that especially stood out for me was the found family vibe at the school. Sophie gets the love and support she needs and she also pays it forward to the students she coaches, particularly a charming young man named Tyson, a gifted musician who also happens to have one of the best pitching arms Sophie has ever seen. That found family vibe isn’t just at the school either; Sophie’s dad also creates a found family of his own, by treating all of Sophie’s friends as if they were his own children. It was so sweet how they all forged relationships with him and would call him for advice and to chat. He and Sophie are also very close, and their heartwarming, tender moments were some of my favorites from the book.

Play for Me is filled with lovable characters, a swoony enemies to lovers romance, and just so many wonderful “found family” vibes. It’s truly a heartwarming gem of a book! 4.5 STARS

The Sweetheart List (Sunrise Cove, #4) Goodreads

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publication Date: June 13, 2023

Publisher: Avon Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The Sweetheart List is the fourth book in Jill Shalvis’ newest series, Sunrise Cove. I’m late to the Jill Shalvis party, but I started reading this series last year and it quickly became one of my favorite romance series. Each book has just been such a heartwarming delightful read filled with characters who are so well drawn that I feel like I know them. I also love the Lake Tahoe setting and I really like how even though the books are all interconnected by the setting, they can all be read as standalones.

The Sweetheart List follows Harper Shaw. Harper has abandoned her old life, which was no longer bringing her joy, and has come to Sunrise Cove, the last place she remembers being truly happy, looking for a fresh start. When she goes to pick up the keys to the shop where she’s planning to open a bakery, she has a hilariously awkward meet cute with Bodie Campbell and then can’t seem to escape him no matter where she goes. He not only lives near her, but he also owns the tavern next to her shop, and he and his family are her landlords. The sparks fly between Harper and Bodie every time they cross paths and you can just tell they could be good together if they give it a shot.

As much as I adored Harper for her determination to get out there and find a happier life for herself, it was Bodie who really stole my heart. He suffered two major losses while he was away working for the ATF, and when he returns home, everyone else seems to have already finished grieving and moved forward. It broke my heart to see him struggling so much, but thankfully he has an incredible support system with his mom and his hilarious brothers. As Bodie himself says, his family loves hard.

I also fell hard for Ivy, the teenage runaway, who has come to Sunrise Cove on a mission. Not only did I fall hard for her, but so does Harper, who takes Ivy under her wing, and Bodie, who recognizes another soul who is struggling. Watching these three characters come together like a family truly warmed my heart even more so than the romantic possibilities between Harper and Bodie did.

The Sweetheart List is yet another gem of a story from Jill Shalvis. If charming settings, quirky lovable characters, hilarious antics involving wild animals, swoony romances, and found families are your vibe, then this one is a must read for you! 4.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Marriage Act & The Only Survivors

June 15, 2023/16 Comments/by Sharon

Happy Thriller Thursday! Sharon here and this week I am excited to share my thoughts on two books that I was very excited to read. John Marrs’, The Marriage Act and Megan Miranda’s, The Only Survivors. I really enjoyed both of these books and happy they lived up to my expectations.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Marriage Act & The Only Survivors

The Marriage Act Goodreads

Author: John Marrs

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Publisher: Hanover Square Press

What if the government issued incentives (IE: better health care, tax breaks, homes in better parts of town) to upgrade your marriage and enter into The Sanctity of Marriage Act, would you take it? Even if they monitored every aspect of your life and used that info to ensure that you and your spouse are still in love? That is the premise of John Marrs’ newest book The Marriage Act.

The Sanctity of Marriage Act, known as Smart Marriage, is not all that the government says it is. Sure, if the Audite listening device installed in your home deems your marriage healthy, then you are doing great. But if the device senses tension in the marriage then things can get very rocky and you could lose all of your benefits, or as some couples found out, your life.

The Marriage Act is told from multiple POVs. Also, throughout the book we get to read pamphlets regarding Smart Marriage. For example: “What is in it for me?” gives all the benefits of a Smart Marriage, “How Does it Work?” gives the definition of each level. I really liked learning about the levels. Level 1: Once the Audite picks up on marriage troubles from the recordings, it will send push notifications with hints on how to improve the marriage. Level 2: If the Audite still thinks you need extra help a Relationship Responder (trained counselor) will be assigned to you to help with one-on-one sessions to improve your marriage. Level 3: If the Audite and relationship Responder feel further support is required, then it will be passed to family court, and they will decide the fate of your marriage.

Roxi is an influencer who is promoting Smart Marriage, the more popular she gets the more her marriage suffers, and she will soon learn the downside to a Smart Marriage.

Corrine is part of the Smart Marriage resistance called Freedom for All. She and her husband Mitchell have not upgraded their marriage and in fact will be divorcing once their twins start college in a few months. I really liked Corrine. She was a strong character, and I was rooting for her all the way.

Anthony works for the government and is very much involved in promoting The Sanctity of Marriage Act. But Anthony does not like where the government is going and wants out. Only problem is, he knows too much, and the government will not let him leave so easily. I loved how Anthony’s conscience got the better of him and he tried to right all the wrongs he did.

Noah and Luca have reached level 2 and have been assigned Jeffrey as their Relationship Responder. But their lives are in danger as Jeffrey is not a stable person and has killed to get what he wants.

I loved everything about The Marriage Act. This was one wild ride of a book that had me glued to the pages. John Marrs did a great job of creating a story that had me on the edge of my seat, filled with characters that I both loved and hated. 4 ½ stars

The Only Survivors Goodreads

Author: Megan Miranda

Publication Date: April 11, 2023

Publisher: Marysue Rucci Books

Megan Miranda’s The Only Survivors follows a group of high school seniors who survive a deadly bus crash, and the effect their survivors’ guilt has had on them.

Ten years ago on a high school field trip, two buses that were carrying students crashed into a river. Only nine students survived the crash: Cassidy (who is the narrator of this story), Clara, Grace, Oliver, Amaya, Joshua, Ian, Hollis, and Brody. They make a pact to never talk about what happened and what they went through to survive. On the one-year anniversary of the crash, Clara killed herself. After Clara died the others decide to get together every year on the anniversary to help each other cope. They stay in the same place every year, a cabin called The Shallows. But now ten years after the accident another one of them is dead and the safe haven of each other and The Shallows does not feel so safe anymore. Someone is watching them and wants to know what really happened the night of the accident.

I loved the setting of this book. The Shallows is located in a small town, located on a river and aside from a couple of other houses it is pretty isolated. Add to that the fact that a storm is coming in and washes out the roads and strands them and you have a very creepy atmosphere. There are also strange things happening at The Shallows that start to make the group turn on each other. Cassidy finds a phone on the beach, and it is the same phone number that has sent her mysterious texts. Joshua’s medication goes missing and Amaya left The Shallows and is now missing.

There were a lot of characters to get to know in this book and I think Megan Miranda did a good job of bringing them all to life. The story is told from Cassidy’s POV. In high school Cassidy was an outsider, the only reason she is friends with this group now is because of the accident. She has been trying to distance herself from them and had no intension of going to The Shallows this year, but when she heard Ian was dead she had to go. Aside from the pact they all made the night of the crash, Cassidy is also keeping another secret and she can never let anyone know what it is. We also get chapters from each of the other characters from the night of the accident. I think getting those chapters with bits and pieces about what happened that night really added to the mystery of this book.

The Only Survivors was a slow burn mystery but by the end of the book I was on the edge of my seat and when the final twist was revealed I was shocked! 3 ½ stars

Reviews: CIAO FOR NOW and SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER

June 12, 2023/10 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all were able to enjoy the weekend and, most importantly, spend some quality time reading good books. Today I’m back to share my thoughts on what I think are going to be two very popular beach reads this summer. Between their sunny and vibrant covers and their promise of romance and happily ever afters, I think readers are going to find them irresistible. I know I did!

Ciao For Now: A Romantic Comedy Goodreads

Author: Kate Bromley

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

Publisher: Graydon House

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

In Kate Bromley’s new rom com Ciao for Now, Violet Luciano, a talented student of fashion design, has landed the opportunity of a lifetime. She gets to spend a month in Rome, Italy, interning at a popular fashion house and competing against two of her fellow classmates for the chance to secure a job at a major label back home in NYC. Violet knows this experience will change her life, but she has no idea how much!

What’s the opposite of a meet cute, a meet ugly? Almost as soon as Violet lands in Rome, she manages to trip and fall in a cafe, crash landing on a sexy man, crushing his laptop and dousing him in coffee. He is clearly not impressed and Violet can’t wait to get away from him, but guess what? Turns out he’s Matteo, the grumpy son of the professor who is hosting the students from New York so they’re staying in the same place. 😂

This was such a fun read! I love the enemies to lovers and forced proximity tropes so I had a blast following Violet and Matteo as they awkwardly navigated their way around each other, only to, of course since it’s a romance, eventually develop feelings other than hate for one another. I loved both characters and thought they had amazing chemistry.

I also loved hanging out with Violet and her endearing classmates as they interned in the fashion world. I don’t know much about fashion but it was fun exploring that world with them and watching them design pieces for their contest.

One of my favorite parts about the story though was that Violet is somewhat older than her classmates and has returned to school to find her passion. Her journey to Rome is also a journey of self discovery.

This is my third time reading Kate Bromley and I have yet to be disappointed. If you like rom coms, Italian settings, fashion design, and journeys of self discovery, you’ll definitely want to check out Ciao for Now! 4 STARS

Same Time Next Summer Goodreads

Author: Annabel Monaghan

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Oh, how I do love a second chance romance! Annabel Monaghan’s new novel Same Time Next Summer features my favorite kind too – childhood sweethearts who are reunited after years apart. The nostalgic vibes and the sweet flashbacks showing a first love in bloom are just pure catnip for me.

Same Time Next Summer follows Sam, a young woman who has returned to her parent’s Long Island beach house to start planning her wedding. On the surface, Sam’s life seems perfect. Her fiancé is a handsome doctor and she has the perfect job. But the more we get to witness Sam in action, the more it becomes clear that things aren’t nearly as perfect as they seem. There’s trouble with her job, and her doctor fiancé isn’t quite the catch he should be. When Sam runs into Wyatt, her childhood sweetheart who she hasn’t seen in almost 14 years, it becomes clear that Sam has just been going through the motions both personally and professionally.

Monaghan does a wonderful job of alternating between past and present so we can witness the moving story of Sam and Wyatt when they first met, became friends, and then fell in love and then see them reconnect as adults and realize that they still have very strong feelings for one another. It made me sad to see what initially drove them apart but the bond between them is so strong that I felt confident that if Sam were to choose him, they could have a happily ever after.

The romance is lovely, but this is a story that features more than just a second chance at love. Sam’s return home, and everything she experiences while there, serves as a wake up call and a second chance for Sam to have the life she has always wanted professionally as well as personally. This creates a perfect balance between romance and women’s fiction. As someone who loves both rom coms and romances that have a little more meat to them, I loved the extra layers Sam’s personal journey added to the story.

Featuring a poignant second chance romance as well as a moving journey of personal discovery, Same Time Next Summer is a read that will appeal to so many readers. And with its vibrant beachy setting and nostalgic summer vibes, it’s the perfect book to toss in your beach bag this summer! 4 STARS

Reviews: MRS. NASH’S ASHES & MARRYING OFF MORGAN MCBRIDE

June 6, 2023/17 Comments/by Suzanne

Don’t mind me, I’m still playing catch up on my reviews. I thought I was done with May releases but then remembered I hadn’t share my thoughts on these two lovelies yet. Anyway, these really are the last of my May releases and I’ll be back to share some June releases later this week.

Reviews: MRS. NASH’S ASHES & MARRYING OFF MORGAN MCBRIDE

Mrs. Nash's Ashes Goodreads

Author: Sarah Adler

Publication Date: May 23, 2023

Publisher: Berkley Romance

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

As soon as I read the synopsis for Sarah Adler’s debut romance Mrs. Nash’s Ashes and saw it described as “A starry-eyed romantic, a cynical writer, and (the ashes of) an elderly woman take the road trip of a lifetime that just might upend everything they believe about true love,” I knew this was my kind of book. I love road trip books and grumpy-sunshine romances, and I also love quirky twists like someone’s ashes going along for the ride. This book had the added bonus of a dual timeline and second romance featured as a story within the story, which just made this read all the more special.

When the story opens, Millicent Watts-Cohen (Millie) is on a mission to keep a promise to Mrs. Nash, her elderly best friend who has recently passed away. Millie had promised to reunite Mrs. Nash with Elsie, the woman she fell in love with nearly 80 years ago. Mrs. Nash of course dies before Millie is able to find Elsie, but once she locates her and realizes that Elsie is in hospice care, Millie is determined to give these ladies a symbolic happily ever after. When we meet Millie, she is at the airport preparing to fly to Elsie in Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes in her bag.

A technological glitch causes all the flights to be grounded, so Millie, with no time to waste, agrees to catch a ride to Miami with Hollis Hollenback, whose flight was also grounded but who has a car. Their journey starts off rather awkwardly since Millie knows Hollis through her ex and because Millie can’t believe what a grump Hollis is. Thankfully the more time they spend in the car together, the more comfortable they get around each other and the more Millie is able to bring out Hollis’ cinnamon roll side. The more she is able to coax out that cinnamon roll side, the more Hollis becomes invested in making sure Millie gets to Elsie in time and it soon becomes all too clear that these two are starting to have feelings for one another. Their road trip is full of both hilarious and heartfelt moments, including a side trip to a tiny town where Millie ends up serving as Grand Marshal in a Broccoli parade, haha!

As hilarious and entertaining as Millie and Hollis’ road trip adventure is, I also love that it’s perfectly balanced with chapters that take us back in time to where Mrs. Nash and Elsie first meet and fall in love. Their chapters are just so beautiful and heartfelt, but are also tinged with sadness since it’s nearly impossible for them to have a future together because of the time period they are living in. My heart broke for the two women and it made perfect sense to me why Millie was so determined to reunite them in whatever small way she could.

Mrs. Nash’s Ashes just has so many wonderful layers to it. There’s a strong romcom element, but there’s an equally strong more dramatic one, but then there’s also an element of grief and loss. It’s truly a special book with a little something for every reader. 4.5 STARS

Marrying Off Morgan McBride Goodreads

Author: Amy Barry

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

Publisher: Berkley Romance

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Set in Buck’s Creek, Montana in the 1880s, Marrying Off Morgan McBride is the second installment in Amy Barry’s The McBrides of Montana series, a historical romance series that focuses on the four McBride brothers finding love. There’s just one catch to that – none of the brothers are actively looking for wives. Junebug, their 14-year old sister, has decided she’s tired of being the one to do all of the cooking and cleaning and so she gets the idea that if she secretly sends out advertisements for mail order brides, then maybe she’ll get lucky and her brothers will get married and then she’ll have some help around the house!

This series is such a good time! It might be a historical romance, but Junebug is definitely the star of the show and it is hilarious to watch her pull the strings and orchestrate everything that happens between her brothers and their potential love interests. Junebug’s shenanigans had me chuckling all the way through the first two books in the series. I especially love how she writes these advertisements making her brothers sound like the absolute worst, that way any prospective wife will be pleasantly surprised when she actually comes to Buck’s Creek to meet them.

In this second book in the series, Junebug sets her sights on marrying off her gruff, oldest brother, Morgan. Junebug adores Morgan because since their mom died and their dad ran off years ago, Morgan has been like a father to Junebug. Junebug knows that Morgan is dying to hit the trail and get back to his life as a cowboy and is hoping to secretly find him a wife so that he won’t leave her. And it wouldn’t hurt if this wife happened to be a good cook and an even better baker of pies, haha.

I really enjoyed all the characters in this book. It was fun to see all of the quirky townsfolk again, and I especially love Pip, the woman who answers Junebug’s ad. All her life Pip has been led to believe that she’s not pretty enough or feminine enough to land a husband and had just about given up hope until she saw Junebug’s ad and its cooking requirements. Pip may not be a lot of things, but she is a fabulous cook so this gives her the confidence to head to Buck’s Creek and a new life. I loved watching Pip strike out on her own in search of happiness rather than just let herself be confined to spinsterhood and taking care of her parents who clearly don’t appreciate her. Pip’s chaperone on this trip, Granny Colfax, is also a hoot who could give Junebug a run for her money in the shenanigans department.

There’s obviously a romance as well, and it’s a slow burn one. I really enjoyed watching Pip and Morgan get to know one another. Morgan is pretty determined to send her away so as to discourage Junebug from continuing with her matchmaking antics, but he has to admit that Pip gets under his skin from the moment he laid eyes on her. I liked how Pip was able to get past Morgan’s gruff exterior to reveal the big hearted man beneath. She gets him to open up about emotions he has kept bottled up for years so as not to worry his siblings, namely the guilt and sense of failure he feels regarding his mother’s death.

If you enjoy historical romance with a hefty side of laugh out loud humor, be sure to check out this series. You won’t be disappointed. 4 STARS.

Reviews: FOURTH WING & IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS

June 5, 2023/16 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone, I hope your week is off to a great start. I’m still playing review catch up, so I’m back today to share my thoughts on two wonderful sci-fi/fantasy reads from favorite authors that I enjoyed in May. I’ll be moving on to all of my June releases next so stay tuned for even more reviews later this week!

Reviews: FOURTH WING & IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) Goodreads

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Red Tower Books)

I read my first Rebecca Yarros book last year and it was a work of historical fiction called The Things We Leave Unfinished. It was a beautifully written story that ended up being one of my favorite reads last year. Needless to say, when I saw how much buzz her new fantasy novel, Fourth Wing, was generating, I had to check it out. Well, I’m here to tell you that the hype for Fourth Wing is definitely real. I don’t know if there’s anything I can say that hasn’t already been said, so I’m just going to touch on what the high points were for me.

🐉 Violet, the underdog heroine. Born with a condition that impacts her joints and muscles, Violet has trained her whole life to work as a scribe in the library. Her mom, the General, has other plans though and at the last minute, assigns Violet to enter the deadly training grounds to become a dragon rider. Not only is Violet physically unsuited to this, but she is also surrounded by fellow cadets who happen to be children of executed traitors, and who would love to see her dead to get back at her mother.

I adored Violet. In the face of truly impossible odds, she’s smart, fierce and resilient. She’s also sassy and sarcastic, which is always a bonus for me.

🐉 Found Family. Even though she’s in a kill-or-be-killed situation, Violet still manages to assemble a wonderful group of loyal friends. Even one she thought would be her mortal enemy but ends up being so much more.

🐉 Dragons. Not only are they massive and awe inspiring, but they also bond with humans and can communicate with them!

🐉 Worldbuilding. From the magic system to the politics to the Hunger Games style training grounds, everything is just *chef’s kiss.”

Fourth Wing not only lived up to the hype for me, but it exceeded my expectations and is now my new favorite read of the year. This primarily romcom reader did not see that coming at all. When I tell you I couldn’t put this book down until I knew how it ended, I’m not kidding. By the time I finished the book, I was drowning in dirty laundry and dishes from where I just ignored everything in my life until I got to the last page. 5 STARS

In the Lives of Puppets Goodreads

Author: TJ Klune

Publication Date: April 25, 2023

Publisher: Tor Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

TJ Klune’s latest novel In the Lives of Puppets is a queer retelling of the Pinocchio fairy tale and I don’t think I can even put into words just what a gem of a book it is.

The story follows Vic, the only human character in the book. Vic has been raised by three robots, and they are the only family he has ever known. Klune is a master when it comes to found families and Vic’s family is no exception to that. Giovanni Lawson (Gio), an inventor android, is the father figure in Vic’s life and Gio has Rambo and Nurse Ratched to assist him. Rambo is a little Roomba-style vacuum robot who has anxiety but who also just wants to be as helpful as possible. And then there’s Nurse Ratched, a medical android who often has very sadistic tendencies. (If you’ve read or watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, you know exactly what I’m talking about. This robot is very much like its human counterpart!). I really adored this little family. I loved the father-son vibe between Gio and Vic, and I also thought Rambo and Nurse Ratched were hilarious together since they fought and antagonized one another just like siblings.

In addition to loving the cast of characters, I also really enjoyed how creative and unique In the Lives of Puppets was even though it’s being billed as a retelling. When the story opens, Vic and his robot family have been living peacefully, hidden away in the forest, for years until Vic finds and salvages a decommissioned robot named Hap and learns that Hap and Vic have a shared and disturbing past that involved hunting humans. Things go from bad to worse when Hap accidentally alerts robots from their former lives to Gio’s location and Gio is kidnapped and taken back to his old lab in the City of Electric Dreams. Even though Vic hates that Gio kept his past a secret, he and the rest of his robot family are still determined to save Gio from being reprogrammed back to his former killing ways and so they set off on a dangerous rescue mission. Along the way, Vic realizes he is attracted to Hap but is conflicted since he also feels that Hap betrayed them. Can Vic get past those feelings for the sake of love? I don’t want to give anything away about their adventure, but it’s a wild ride!

As he did with The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, Klune has created a world full of charming and whimsical characters that will steal your heart, all wrapped in a timely story that will leave you with plenty of food for thought about the relationship between humanity and machines. 4.5 STARS

Reviews: UNFORTUNATELY YOURS & SUMMER READING

June 3, 2023/10 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I hope your weekend is off to a great start. I don’t normally post on Saturdays but after a busy week that involved a few trips to the hospital to run annual neurological tests on my son, I’m once again playing catch up. I’ve been reading a ton of great books and can’t wait to share my thoughts on them with you. I just need to either do better at scheduling time to sit down at my desk and write and blog, or else I need to figure out a more portable way to do those things. I hate lugging a laptop around but I’m also not great at typing on smaller devices. Oh well, I’ll figure out something. In the meantime, I’m here today to share my thoughts on two reads that you’re going to want to consider adding to your beach bag.

Reviews: UNFORTUNATELY YOURS & SUMMER READING

Unfortunately Yours (A Vine Mess, #2) Goodreads

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

Publisher: Avon Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately Yours is the second installment in Tessa Bailey’s A Vine Mess series. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was immediately curious about this one as soon as I read that it features a marriage of convenience between an ex-Navy Seal and a Napa wine heiress who can’t stand each other. It sounded like a recipe for a good time and I’m happy to share that that’s exactly what it was.

August Cates is a former Navy Seal who is mourning the loss of his best friend, Sam, who died while on a Seal mission. Sam had always dreamed of opening his own winery, and so to honor his fallen friend, August is attempting to start a winery. There are just two problems: 1) he’s terrible at making wine, and 2) he needs additional funds if he’s going to get any better at it but no bank will give him a loan. When we meet August, he’s frustrated and feels guilty because he thinks he’s failing Sam. Even though he comes across as gruff and tough outside, August is an incredibly likeable character because he obviously has such a big heart.

Natalie Vos may be a wine heiress, but she has her own issues that she is working through. She was recently fired from a job on Wall Street because she made a bad trade and lost a lot of money. She has come home to lick her wounds and regroup. Her trust fund would go a long way to helping her get back on her feet and make a fresh start, but thanks to some archaic thinking by her father, Natalie isn’t allowed access to the trust fund until she is married. Natalie has the added annoyance that her reputation as a party girl precedes her and she’s tired of being underestimated by everyone she knows. When Natalie learns that August also needs money, even though all they ever do is insult one another, she proposes that the two of them get married. That way she can secure her trust fund, and the Vos name should make it easier for August to get his business loan.

I think the marriage of convenience is such a fun romance trope since it means the couple will inconveniently catch feelings for one another. Bailey always writes great dialogue and it was such a fun time watching Natalie and August go from trading hilariously snarky barbs with one another to eventually trading flirty albeit still somewhat snarky barbs. The snark was definitely a key part of their chemistry and I enjoyed every word of it.

Bailey also excels at bringing the heat, so when these two finally give in to their attraction, you can expect plenty of steam and sizzle. Beyond that physical attraction, I also loved how their relationship progressed to the point where they became each other’s biggest supporter. Mistakes are definitely made along the way because both characters are all too human, but whether they realize it or not, they really are a dream team.

If you’re a fan of the marriage of convenience trope and enemies to lovers romances, Unfortunately Yours is the book for you! 4 STARS

Summer Reading Goodreads

Author: Jenn McKinlay

Publication Date: May 16, 2023

Publisher: Berkley Books

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I love to read books that feature bookish characters so when I saw that Jenn McKinlay’s latest novel, Summer Reading, features a “swoon-worthy bookworm” who falls for a non-reader, I was excited to dive in and meet these characters.

Set on Martha’s Vineyard, the story follows Samantha “Sam” Gale, a talented chef who was recently passed over for a promotion she should have been a shoe-in for. Angry and frustrated because she thinks her dyslexia is why she was passed over, Sam quits her job and moves back home and into her dad’s house. He and Sam’s stepmom are traveling for the summer so this will give her the opportunity to regroup in peace, her only responsibility being to chaperone her 14 year old stepbrother, Tyler, who she hasn’t had much of a relationship with in the past. Sam has no idea how life changing this trip home will be.

I’m going to say up front that while I really did enjoy this book, it wasn’t my favorite Jenn McKinlay book, mainly because the story felt a little uneven for me. I adored the part where Sam and Tyler really start to bond as brother and sister. They morph from practically strangers to true siblings throughout the course of the book and it’s a relationship that both of them clearly needed in their lives. I also loved the bond between Sam and her best friend, Em. Em is that kind of supportive friend who immediately asks whose butt she needs to kick when she learns someone has hurt Sam, and Sam is the same way for Em. It was lovely to see them looking out for each other.

The romance was actually the part of the story that I wasn’t completely sold on. I really liked Sam and Ben together. Ben was definitely a swoon-worthy bookworm as advertised and I was a big fan of the way he didn’t underestimate Sam’s intelligence once he learned of her struggles with reading. I also very much liked that he didn’t try to “fix” her but instead incorporated reading aloud into their time together so that he could share his love of reading and stories with Sam, just as she used some of their time together to share her love of cooking with him. As much as I enjoyed watching them spend time together, I didn’t quite feel the same level of “sparks flying” chemistry that I’m used to experiencing in romance novels. Since I didn’t experience that, I didn’t completely buy into them taking the relationship to the next level.

There were also a few dramatic side plots, including a big health scare for one of the side characters and a search for a long lost parent for another, and I felt like the story would have been better if those had been a bit more streamlined as I felt the side drama pulled me out of the story. There’s a grand gesture to end all grand gestures though that fully pulled me back in and had me grinning like a fool and finally buying into Sam and Ben as a couple, so all was well in the end.

As I said, Summer Reading was not my favorite Jenn McKinlay novel, but it’s still definitely worthy of going in your beach bag this summer. 3.5 STARS

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Fall & The Silent Bride

May 25, 2023/10 Comments/by Sharon

Hi everyone! Welcome to another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon. I hope you all are doing well. I am good, glad the weather is starting to get a bit warmer here. This week I am sharing my thoughts on Louise Jensen’s, The Fall and Shalini Boland’s, The Silent Bride. Both of these books are twisty psychological thrillers and I really enjoyed them.

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Fall & The Silent Bride

The Fall Goodreads

Author: Louise Jensen

Publication Date: April 27, 2023

Publisher: HQ

Louise Jensen has a knack for writing twisty psychological thrillers and her latest book, The Fall, is no exception.

Kate Granger and her twin sister Beth are celebrating their fortieth birthday with a party and everything is going great. Kate feels like the luckiest woman in the world. But the day after the party, Kate’s world comes crashing down. Her fifteen-year-old daughter, Caily, is found unconscious under a bridge near their home and now lies in a coma. The police do not think it was an accident and as they investigate what happened to Caily, they find that not everyone in the family was where they said they were at the time Caily was hurt and that they all are hiding secrets. As the secrets are revealed, the once close family starts to be torn apart and all of their lives are in danger.

This book is told from multiple POVs and I loved getting bits and pieces of information from each person. The more secrets that were revealed the more I suspected everyone of attacking Caily. I also really liked getting Caily’s POV. Her chapters started a few months prior and added a lot more suspense to the mystery. With all the twists and turns that was going on, I was totally taken off guard and could not believe it when the person responsible for hurting Caily was revealed. Good job on that one Louise Jensen.

Jensen also created a lot of family drama. Kate and her twin sister Beth were always close, as were Caily and Beth’s daughter Tegan. But as the investigation started breaking holes in Tegan’s account of her whereabouts, Kate and Beth also started breaking apart as both mothers were defending their daughters. But even though their relationship was fracturing some, they were also still there for each other when push came to shove and their lives were in danger. I loved how realistic their relationship was in this situation. Even when my brothers and sisters and I are at odds with each other, we are still there when one of us needs help.

I think Jensen did a great job in creating a setting that added to the mystery and eeriness of the book. The story takes place in December, so it was cold and wet. A lot of the story also takes place on the farm that Kate and Beth grew up on, and where Kate, her husband Matt and Caily live with Kate’s parents.

As well as all the main characters, this book also had a lot of secondary characters that just added to the suspect pool on who attacked Caily.

If you are looking for a twisty and suspenseful psychological thriller, packed with family drama and secrets, with an ending that you will not see coming, then I recommend Louise Jensen’s The Fall. 4 Stars

The Silent Bride Goodreads

Author: Shalini Boland

Publication Date: June 1, 2023

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Imagine walking down the aisle to get married, only to get to the altar and not recognize the man standing where your groom should be. Kind of freaky right? Well, that is the premise of Shalini Boland’s newest book, The Silent Bride. And it was very much a freaky and wild ride.

Alice Porter has found the man of her dreams in Seth Evans and after a whirlwind romance the two are engaged to be married. Alice could not have been happier, but her wedding day was anything but happy. As Alice is walking down the aisle on her father’s arm, she stops as she gets closer to the altar, because the man standing where Seth should be is not Seth. Her father and everyone else in the church try and reassure Alice that it is Seth and to go ahead with the wedding, surely it is just her nerves playing tricks on her. But she is adamant that is not the case and this man is a stranger to her. Why is she the only one that does not recognize the man calling himself Seth? Alice sets out to find out what is going on and find her real Seth.

The Silent Bride is told from the POV of Alice, both in the present as she tries to find out what is going on and in the past when she first meets Seth and then follows their romance leading up to the wedding. There are also chapters from an unknown character that really add to the mystery and freakiness of the book. I did not know what to believe and was all over the place at what I thought was going on.

I don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to spoil anything. I will say I did have a lot of sympathy for Alice. I cannot even imagine what it was like for her to not recognize Seth, all the while everyone around her knew who he was. At first the doctors thought maybe she had prosopagnosia (also known as face blindness) but since it was only Seth and his parents she did not recognize, that was ruled out. But even the thought of having that gave me the creeps. I read a book about that a while ago and I still shiver whenever I think about it. I am glad Alice had the support of her friends as she tried to figure this all out. Her family supported her somewhat, but her parents really irked me at times. Especially when they went to visit her and brought Seth with them, so Alice could talk to him and realize he was the real Seth. I mean really why would they do that? Geesh! Talk about giving Alice a panic attack. I wanted to just smack them.

Shalini Boland’s, The Silent Bride is a fast paced read that had me guessing until the very end. And while the reason why Alice did not know Seth was a bit over the top for me, there were a few twists and turns at the end that made me not even care about that. 4 Stars