Tag Archive for: 2022 release

Review: THE NO-SHOW by Beth O’Leary

April 8, 2022/20 Comments/by Suzanne

The No-Show by Beth O'Leary
Also by this author: The Switch

Published by BERKLEY on April 12, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction
Pages: 352
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Goodreads

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

Don’t let the rom-com vibes of its cover fool you, Beth O’Leary’s new novel The No-Show is no rom-com. While the story did make me smile at times, it also made me shed a tear or two because it’s such an emotional journey for some of the characters. The story also took a huge unexpected turn that I don’t want to spoil so I’m going to be a bit vague with what I enjoyed about this book.

The No-Show follows three women who only have one thing in common – they were all stood up by the same man, Joseph Carter, on Valentine’s Day. Siobhan is a life coach whose life is so over-booked that she doesn’t have time or the desire for a relationship. Since her past relationships haven’t been great, she has decided that booty calls are the way to go, with Joseph Carter being her go-to when she’s in the mood. Then there’s Miranda, a tree surgeon, the only woman on an all-male crew. She’s okay with being treated like one of the guys but she gets defensive when her crew makes fun of her boyfriend, Joseph Carter, because he’s so different from her that they don’t seem like they should be compatible. Lastly, there’s Jane, a young woman who volunteers at a charity job and who has decided, after a disastrous romance at her former workplace, that she will no longer date. To keep everyone she knows off her case about finding herself a man, she has a friend that she fake-dates whenever she has a function to attend. That is, until she realizes she actually has feelings for him. That man is, you guessed it, Joseph Carter.

Aside from the mystery of how this guy manages to keep up relationships with all three of these women but somehow manages to stand them all up on the most romantic day of the year, what really fascinated me were these women’s reactions to being stood up and the fact that all three of them actually forgive him and let him back into their lives. In that sense, the story focuses much more on the emotional and personal journeys of Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane than it focuses on Carter. I loved how well-developed and fleshed out all three of the women were. Their voices and experiences were each unique, as was their path forward after being stood up. I loved watching the other relationships they cultivated that in many ways were more important than their relationships with Carter. I loved the friends Jane made through the charity shop and how they supported her and boosted her confidence, and I loved Miranda’s teammates who, although they razzed her at times, ended up being a pretty great support system for her as well.

Solving the enigma of Joseph Carter and wondering if one of these women was going to end up kicking his butt also had me very invested in the story. I was so ready to hate this guy, and that’s when the entire story gets turned on its end and takes a direction I was not even remotely expecting. I’m used to this kind of huge twist in thrillers, so it really caught me off guard here. Beth O’Leary is sneaky here and I mean that in the best possible way.

I don’t want to say anything else because you really need to meet Joseph Carter and follow the women in his life yourself to get the full experience. If you’re in the mood for a beautifully crafted story of love, friendship, and how to move forward when life doesn’t turn out the way you thought it would, you’ll want to check out Beth O’Leary’s new novel, The No-Show. 4 STARS

About Beth O’Leary

Beth studied English at university before going into children’s publishing. She lives as close to the countryside as she can get while still being within reach of London, and wrote her first novel, The Flatshare, on her train journey to and from work.
You’ll usually find her curled up with a book, a cup of tea, and several woolly jumpers (whatever the weather).

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Romance Reviews – SADIE ON A PLATE and IN A NEW YORK MINUTE

March 21, 2022/23 Comments/by Suzanne

Hey everyone! I’m back from my trip to New York and ready to get back to blogging. I had a wonderful trip and loved being able to share my love of the city with my son since it was his first time there. We had great weather most days, although it did rain a bit and was pretty foggy on Thursday. We took him on a boat ride so he could see the Statue of Liberty, the Freedom Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge, and other iconic sites around the island, and we also did a carriage ride in Central Park and took him shopping in SoHo, among other activities. The bright lights and chaos of Times Square was his favorite part of the trip, with New York style pizza a close second, haha. I also introduced him to Broadway with Hamilton and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I was not the biggest fan of the printed script version of Cursed Child or of she who shall not be named but I have to admit that seeing it on stage was pretty great. The special effects are amazing. My son gave two thumbs up to New York overall, but we are all definitely glad to be back to the comfort and quiet of home now.

Today I’m sharing reviews of two books I read while traveling to and from New York. Both are quick and wonderful reads, perfect for my trip.

Romance Reviews – SADIE ON A PLATE and IN A NEW YORK MINUTE

Sadie on a Plate Goodreads

Author: Amanda Elliot

Publication Date: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

Sadie on a Plate is Amanda Elliot’s debut adult romance novel and it is an absolute delight. It follows Sadie who is making a name for herself as a rising star in Seattle’s culinary world. That is, until a very public breakup with her famous chef boyfriend gets her blacklisted from pretty much every restaurant in the area. When we meet Sadie, she is sure her career is over and is reeling from the loss until a stroke of good fortune lands in her lap – she has been chosen for a coveted spot on the next season of the popular reality TV show, Chef Supreme. If Sadie can perform well in this competition, she can get her career back on track.

I love a good underdog story so I was rooting for Sadie to kick butt in this competition. Sadie is smart, sweet, talented, and resilient and I just really wanted her to prove everyone wrong since there have been some folks in her life who don’t think she has what it takes to succeed. I was also rooting for her to hit it off with Luke, the sexy seatmate she meets on her cross-country flight, because she deserves someone better in her life than her ex. Even though Sadie and Luke have major chemistry, however, there’s one major obstacle to any possibility of a happily ever after for them. When Sadie arrives at the Chef Supreme studios, she learns that Luke is actually one of the judges so he is off limits unless she wants to be disqualified.

While I really enjoyed the forbidden love element of their relationship because it added drama and suspense, not to mention longing looks from afar, the romance does not take center stage in this story. Instead, it bookends the main focus of the story, which is actually the competition itself. If you enjoy reality TV cooking shows like Top Chef, you are sure to enjoy the competition scenes in this book. Between the delectable descriptions of each dish Sadie and her fellow competitors created, to the tense competitive atmosphere, it truly felt like I was watching a cooking competition. The entire cast of secondary characters was great, but I most enjoyed following Sadie as she came up with so many creative ways to show that Jewish cuisine is so much more than just latkes and pastrami. By the end, she had me wishing she really did have a restaurant where I could partake of her delicious sounding creations.

I would have liked a little more focus on the romance, but honestly, watching Sadie come into her own and grow both on a personal level and as a chef was more than enough for me. I would highly recommend Sadie on a Plate to anyone who enjoys a good underdog story with a side of romance and to fans of reality TV cooking shows. 4 STARS

In a New York Minute Goodreads

Author: Kate Spencer

Publication Date: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Forever

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

Kate Spencer’s new novel In a New York Minute is a hilarious yet tender romantic comedy that perfectly illustrates how you just never know what (or who) life is going to throw your way. It follows Franny Doyle, a young woman, who in the opening scene of the book, has just been laid off from her job. It wasn’t a great job, by far, but it at least paid the bills. Feeling sad and defeated, Franny lugs her box of belongings onto the crowded subway. Just when she thinks her day can’t possibly get any worse, she feels the back of her dress get caught in the subway doors and rip wide open. A dashing stranger offers her his suit jacket so that she doesn’t moon all of Manhattan, and their embarrassingly awkward meet cute is captured on video. They go their separate ways without even exchanging names, but the incident goes viral on social media and soon, half of New York is rooting for the “Subway QTs” to get together. True to form, the local media outlets know a good story when they see it and so they set out to find and reunite Franny and her mystery hero.

I was hooked on this book from this laugh out loud funny opening scene and was immediately rooting for Franny to find happiness and to follow her dream of owning her own design business. I was also hardcore rooting for the Subway QTs. Even though their meeting on the subway was brief, there were definitely sparks, although you wouldn’t know it when they are finally reunited on the local news for an even more awkward encounter than their first one. The hero, Hayes Montgomery III, handsome and chivalrous as he is, is truly as socially awkward as they come. Pretty much everything he says comes out wrong and he is way more self-conscious than you would expect. As much as I liked Franny, it’s Hayes who really stole my heart. His awkwardness is just so endearing, especially since you can also tell what a great guy he is. I loved watching he and Franny get to know each other.

In addition to the delightful slow burn romance between Franny and Hayes, there is also a fabulous cast of secondary characters. I especially loved Franny’s best friends, Cleo and Lola. They were so much fun to watch in action and I just loved how loyal and supportive they were of each other. They were total squad goals!

I was also a huge fan of the New York setting and thought the author did a brilliant job capturing the vibrant atmosphere of the city. I was actually reading this novel while riding the train up to New York and it had me even more excited to experience the city than I already was.

In a New York Minute is a gem of a book. It’s filled with heart, humor, and heat and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a slow burn romance as well as an engaging story that is laugh out loud funny. 4.5 STARS

Reviews: THE SUITE SPOT & IF YOU ASK ME

March 7, 2022/18 Comments/by Suzanne

How in the world is it March already? It feels like just last week I was reading my first book of 2022 and now it’s nearly spring and I’ve read 46 books. Amazing how much reading time insomnia and cancelling your cable can get you, lol. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. Today, I’m sharing two more fabulous reads that straddle the line between romance and women’s fiction. This was my second read from Trish Doller this year and she’s now an auto-buy author for me. This was my first time reading LIbby Hubscher and I enjoyed this one so much that I’m really hoping to read her last book Meet Me in Paradise later this month.

The Suite Spot (Beck Sisters, #2) Goodreads

Author: Trish Doller

Publication Date: March 8, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

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

One of my first five star reads of 2022 was Float Plan, the first book in Trish Doller’s Beck Sisters series. It was such a beautifully written story about loss and grief and about how Anna Beck finds her path forward after losing the love of her life. That book just blew me away, so needless to say, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second book in the series, The Suite Spot, and meet Anna’s sister Rachel Beck. How did this book compare to the first one? 5 stars all the way!

Rachel Beck’s life is not going as she had hoped it would. She’s still living with her parents and she’s a single mom dealing with a flaky baby daddy. Rachel loves her daughter, and she loves her job as a night reservations manager at a posh hotel in Miami Beach, that is until she gets fired for telling off one of the hotel’s VIP guests when he tries to ram his tongue down her throat. With limited prospects, Rachel decides it’s time for a fresh start and she takes a management position at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island.

I really admired Rachel’s spunk and determination. It’s not easy to just pack up and move across the country, but she knew she needed to do something both for herself and to make sure her daughter has the best possible life. I hated that she was wrongfully terminated from a job she loved, but I was so happy for her when it becomes clear that this new job is the chance of a lifetime, definitely professionally but also personally – if she can get Mason, the sexy but moody hotel owner to open up to her.

As much as I loved Rachel, I think I may have loved Mason even more. Under that moody exterior is a man who has suffered a devastating personal loss and is clearly still reeling from it and struggling to move forward. As soon as the townsfolk meet Rachel, they are rooting for her to be the one to help him put the pieces of his life back together. And I was rooting right along with them because I loved the chemistry between Rachel and Mason and I loved how they were such a great team when it came to bringing all of the details of the hotel together. They were just so in synch with one another and I thought they really brought out the best in each other too. Each is exactly what the other needed.

Rachel and Mason’s growing relationship had me 100% invested in the story from a romantic standpoint, and there was also plenty of angst and drama to keep me turning those pages. I also really loved all of the scenes that dealt with the brewery and with the designing of the hotel’s interior. Those scenes could have easily been dry and dull and pulled me out of the story, but instead, I thought the scenes were vibrant and really helped enhance the reading experience. I could practically see the beautiful rooms coming together and taste the new delicious craft beers that Mason was brewing.

I flew through The Suite Spot in just a couple of sittings and was left thoroughly satisfied by the book’s conclusion. If you’re in the mood for an engaging and heartwarming story with a strong focus on romance, family, and how to cope with loss and grief, you’re going to want to check out The Suite Spot. 5 STARS.

If You Ask Me Goodreads

Author: Libby Hubscher

Publication Date: March 8, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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

Libby Hubscher’s new novel If You Ask Me is a heartwarming and hilarious romance that follows what happens when a popular advice columnist finds her own life in turmoil.

Violet Covington writes Dear Sweetie, a popular advice column in North Carolina. She doles out sage wisdom on everything from matters of etiquette to parenting to relationship advice. When the story opens, Violet has just received the great news that her column is being considered for national syndication. She goes home, intending to tell her husband and celebrate, only to get there and discover he’s in their bed, naked with their neighbor. Feeling betrayed and hurt, rather than take a page from the countless times she has given advice on this subject, Violet goes off the rails, first by using her column to dole out some uncensored brutally honest advice and vent her frustration, and second, by torching almost all her cheating husband’s belongings on her front lawn. The second one isn’t all bad though as it brings a sexy firefighter named Dez to her door.

I found Violet to be a very sympathetic character and I liked her a lot, even though some of her rogue moments had me cringing for her, knowing she would regret her actions later. I also really loved Dez. It’s clear from those first moments with Violet that he’s a sweet and caring man, and that he’s a bit smitten with Violet even though she’s obviously a hot mess. I was so excited for her when he stopped by the next morning to make sure she was okay and left his phone number for her. I was rooting hard for the two of them to get together because they just seemed so perfect together, and Violet deserves so much better than a man who had the nerve to bring another woman into their bed.

As sweet as Violet and Dez’s journey to a possible happy ending is, it’s really Violet’s personal journey that drives this story. When she goes off the rails, it is not without consequences. There’s fallout professionally and personally because her boss is also her best friend. The hole she digs for herself forces Violet to take a good hard look at herself and decide how she’s going to find her path forward from the infidelity, especially if she hopes to have a future with Dez.

If You Ask Me is one of those books that has a little something for everyone. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me angry at times, and I loved how hopeful it had me feeling as the story wound to its conclusion. The writing is also wonderful, flowing smoothly so the story is an easy read, and I especially loved the entertaining excerpts we get from Violet’s Dear Sweetie column.

If You Ask Me is an enjoyable read that is sure to appeal to romance fans and to fans of women’s fiction. 4 STARS

Romance Reviews: HOOK, LINE AND SINKER & MR. WRONG NUMBER

February 18, 2022/7 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Friday! I’m back today to share reviews for two of my most anticipated romance reads of the year. I actually have a couple more February ARCs to read and review, but my inner mood reader just wouldn’t wait for these two any longer. So happy to report that both of these reads lived up to my very high expectations, which is always nice. 🙂

Romance Reviews: HOOK, LINE AND SINKER & MR. WRONG NUMBER

Hook, Line, and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters, #2) Goodreads

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Avon Books

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

Tessa Bailey’s new novel Hook, Line and Sinker is the follow-up to last year’s popular romance, It Happened One Summer. The main characters of this installment are Hannah Bellinger and Fox Thornton, who we met in the first book. It was pretty clear in that first book that the two of them were attracted to one another, and I loved both characters so I was very excited to head back to the small coastal town of Westport, Washington to see what, if anything, might develop between them. I was also hoping for a few glimpses of Hannah’s sister, Piper, and her significant other, Brendan, our sunshine/grumpy duo from the first book and was not disappointed.

What I found most intriguing about Hannah and Fox is how truly vulnerable they both are. On the surface, Fox seemingly prides himself on being a ladies’ man and his reputation precedes him everywhere he goes. The more we get to know Fox though, the more we see that Fox is actually quite uncomfortable with his reputation. It has almost beaten him down to the point that he feels like he has nothing to offer any woman he actually cares about. He’s also attracted to Hannah but has been warned by pretty much everyone in Westport to stay away from her, that’s she’s too sweet for a player like him. He therefore settles for a friendship with her.

Hannah also has some insecurities. She is passionate about music and would love to pursue a career putting together soundtracks for films, but she just doesn’t feel she has what it takes. As she tells Fox, she’s just not “leading lady” material and will always be in the background. Fox knows about her passion for music because it was at a vinyl album convention that the two of them first bonded and he makes it his mission to get her to see that she can do anything she puts her mind to. Hannah treasures his friendship and support, and they grow even closer when Hannah, who is planning to stay with her sister when she comes to Westport, ends up staying with Fox instead due to some logistical issues. Temporarily living together is all it takes for their friendship to grow into something more and I enjoyed watching them navigate the waters between friendship and more than friendship.

It takes a while for Fox and Hannah to get to where I wanted them to be, but I found their friendship to be very endearing so the slow burn didn’t bother me at all. They always have a great time together, but they are also there for each other when it counts, offering emotional and moral support as they each set out to figure themselves out and what they’re actually capable of. Just as Fox makes it his mission to give Hannah the boost she needs, she does the same for him, making it her mission to prove to him that he is so much more than just a ladies’ man with a handsome face.

Bottom line, Hook, Line, and Sinker is a slow burn romance that is worth the wait. 4 STARS

Mr. Wrong Number Goodreads

Author: Lynn Painter

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Berkley

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

Lynn Painter’s novel Better Than the Movies was one of my favorite YA reads last year, but I think she has really outdone herself with Mr. Wrong Number, her new adult rom-com.

The story follows Olivia Marshall, a young woman who has a streak of bad luck a mile long. She was cheated on and then dumped by her longtime boyfriend, she loses her job, and in a freak accident involving a bucket of burning love letters and a runaway possum, she manages to burn her apartment down and has to temporarily move in with her brother and his roommate, whom she loathes. Olivia feels like she has pretty much hit rock bottom, but then life throws an unexpected twist at her in the form of a steamy text from a random wrong number. With nothing else better to do, Olivia strikes up a conversation with Mr. Wrong Number and their exchanges form the basis of the hottest, most entertaining relationship she has ever had.

I adored Olivia. She’s hilarious, sarcastic, down to earth, and just so relatable. I love that she’s able to laugh at herself even when she’s dealt a terrible hand and that she’s even able to take her bad luck and spin it into a writing gig for herself. Her text exchanges with Mr. Wrong Number also kept me in stitches. Without even having met, the two of them obviously had major chemistry.

I also quite enjoyed the relationship between Olivia and Colin Beck, the roommate she loathes. Olivia’s hatred of him springs from a childhood of him mocking and teasing her. Olivia soon realizes that Colin isn’t that obnoxious boy anymore. He has in fact grown up into a sexy beast with abs to die for, and he’s actually quite thoughtful and kind-hearted. I loved watching the two of them realize they’re attracted to one another and then proceed to fight that attraction every step of the way. Colin, in particular, tries hard to fight his growing attraction to her because she’s his best friend’s little sister, but then everything goes off the rails for him, when to his horror, he spots Olivia’s phone one night and realizes she’s the Miss Misdial he has been sexting with for weeks! What’s he supposed to do now?!

I don’t want to give anything away but what a ride! The shenanigans, the miscommunication, it’s the perfect blend of high drama and humor as we journey to the end to see if there’s the possibility of a happy ending for Mr. Wrong Number and Miss Misdial. I loved every page of this book and devoured it in a day. I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed out loud so many times while reading a book – Mr. Wrong Number was pure joy for me and left me all the more eager to read more from Lynn Painter. 5 STARS

Blog Tour Review: Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson

February 4, 2022/14 Comments/by Suzanne

Ramón and Julieta by Alana Albertson, Alana Quintana Albertson

Published by Berkley Books on February 1, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Retelling
Pages: 304
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Goodreads

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

As you can probably tell from its name, Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson is a retelling of the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Julieta Campos is a gifted chef who specializes in seafood based Mexican dishes. She and her mother own a restaurant in Barrios Logan. They have both sacrificed a lot to keep their restaurant open, but when Ramón Montez and his father, who own the Taco King fast food chain, buys up the entire street their restaurant is located on, they know their days as restaurant owners are numbered. It stings all the more because the fish taco recipe Ramón’s father used to build his Taco King empire is one he stole from Julieta’s mother years ago. Needless to say, the Campos hate the Montez.

Ramón and Julieta have no idea their families hate each other when they first meet at the local Dia de los Muertos celebration. Ramón helps Julieta properly honor her recently deceased father after she misses the official procession to the cemetery. Then he proceeds to serenade Julieta with romantic Mexican ballads. The chemistry between them is undeniable and they can’t wait to see each other again. That is, until Julieta realizes who Ramón is. Even though she has very strong feelings for Ramón and he feels the same attraction, how can they possibly be together when his father betrayed her mother? Not to mention the fact that he’s now her landlord and wants to turn her beautiful little restaurant and the other Mexican-American owned businesses on the block into Taco Kings and Starbucks.

I really loved Albertson’s contemporary romantic spin on the original Romeo and Juliet. The obstacles that threaten to tear Ramón and Julieta apart, while modern in nature, are still essentially the same obstacles Romeo and Juliet faced. If Ramón wants to be with Julieta, he cannot strip her beloved community of its culture, which means he must stand up to his father. If Julieta wants to be with Ramón, she has to convince her mother that Ramón is not like his father, but she also has to face the fact that she may lose her business because of his family, as well as the love of her community since they will brand her a traitor if she chooses him. They both have very tough decisions to make. Do they choose each other or do they remain loyal to their families?

What I also loved about this take on Romeo and Juliet was that aside from the drama surrounding the star-crossed lovers, there’s also a much lighter element to the story and that involves the Mexican food and the infusion of Mexican culture. I loved the author’s vivid descriptions of both the incredible sounding fish tacos Julieta was known for, and of the Dia de los Muertos festivities and costumes. She brought it to life in such a way that I felt like I was there and a part of the wonderful community vibe. She also had me seriously craving beer battered fish tacos, haha!

The big question though is that even though Ramón and Julieta is technically a contemporary romance, can a contemporary romance that is inspired by a Shakespearean tragedy have a happily ever after? You’ll have to pick up a copy of Ramón and Julieta if you want to find out!

About Alana Quintana Albertson

Alana Albertson is a multi-award winning author, current President of Romance Writers of America’s Contemporary Romance Chapter and the former President of both Romance Writers of America’s Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance, new adult and young adult fiction. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time playing with her sons, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes Homeland, Devious Maids, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Reviews: FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD & GOOD GIRL COMPLEX

January 31, 2022/24 Comments/by Suzanne

I’m back today with some of my final January reads. I don’t know about you all, but my 2022 reading year is off to a great start. So far I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read and have no DNFs. Today’s review post is unofficially the “Elle” edition since both author’s first names are Elle (I didn’t even notice that until I started putting this together, lol).

Reviews: FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD & GOOD GIRL COMPLEX

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan, #2) Goodreads

Author: Elle Cosimano

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books

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

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is the second book in Elle Cosimano’s new series “Finlay Donovan” which follows the misadventures of author and divorced single mother, Finlay Donovan. For those who haven’t read the first book yet, Finlay finds herself accidentally hired as an assassin when a woman overhears her and her agent discussing the plot of the thriller she is writing. The woman thinks Finlay is the perfect person to “off” her husband and practically starts throwing money at her. Finlay could really use the cash, and thus begins a surprisingly hilarious journey into murder-for-hire, organized crime, and all the while, Finlay is still trying to write her book.

This latest book opens with Finlay learning that someone out there actually wants to murder her ex-husband. As much as she hates Stephen, she doesn’t want her kids to lose their Dad and so she makes it her mission to find out who is responsible and convince them to call off the hit. This sends her on a dangerous yet surprisingly comical adventure, full of twists and turns, that takes her, amongst other places, way closer to the Russian mob than she would ever wish to be.

It’s hard to talk about details from the story without spoilers and I definitely don’t want to spoil the plot as it pertains to her ex-husband. I’ll just say that I adore Finlay. She’s sarcastic and funny, quirky as heck and very resourceful, and she has clearly learned a lot from writing her crime thrillers. It impresses me how she and her roommate/nanny, Vero, constantly get themselves into dangerous and often ridiculous predicaments, but somehow always manage to get themselves right back out of trouble. I’m also a big fan of Vero and was pleased that we got to learn a bit more about her in this book.

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead is well-plotted and fast-paced, so much so that I flew through the book in just a couple of sittings. The Finlay Donovan series may involve serious topics like murder-for-hire and organized crime, but it’s truly one of the funniest and most entertaining series I’ve ever read. I really hope there will be more books in this series because I need more of Finlay and Vero. What a team they are! 4.5 STARS

Good Girl Complex Goodreads

Author: Elle Kennedy

Publication Date: February 1, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin

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

Good Girl Complex is the first installment in a new contemporary romance series by Elle Kennedy. I tend to gravitate to books with small town and/or university settings and this book has both. I also typically enjoy romances that feature the good girl/bad boy dynamic so Good Girl Complex just seemed like it would be a great fit for me.

Local bad boy Cooper Hartley is tired of the rich “clones” who invade Avalon Bay to attend college every year and act like they own the community and everyone in it. One night, at the bar where he works, he witnesses one of them forcing himself on a waitress. When the clone won’t take no for an answer, Cooper intervenes and ends up punching the guy. Rich boy whines to the owner and gets Cooper fired, which only fuels Cooper’s hatred of this guy and everyone like him. Cooper learns the guy has a girlfriend and decides he’s going to steal her right out from under the guy’s nose. Cooper’s quest for revenge doesn’t go exactly as planned, however, because when he meets the girlfriend, whose name is Mackenzie (Mac), he realizes that she’s not at all like her boyfriend and his kind, and Cooper wants to be friends, maybe even more than friends, with her. But can any kind of relationship survive between them if the truth about his revenge plot comes out?

I loved both Mac and Cooper right away so it was very easy to become invested in their journey. Both characters are flawed and come across as very realistic and relatable because of those flaws. Yes, Mac comes from money, but she is also an entrepreneur and a self-made millionaire. It’s an impressive accomplishment, particularly for someone her age, so it shocked me to learn that neither her parents nor her boyfriend Preston support her in this endeavor. They have her life mapped out for her and there’s no room on that map for anything that doesn’t revolve around her mother’s charity work and becoming Preston’s wife. Mac has always just gone along with what they’ve dictated, not wanting to upset anyone. But when she meets Cooper and they start talking, Mac suddenly realizes there’s more to life than pleasing everyone else. It’s a true awakening for her.

I also loved that as much as Cooper teaches Mac about being her own person and not letting anyone hold her back, Cooper also learns a lot along the way, particularly about passing judgment on an entire group of people just because he has had a few bad experiences. I also love that there’s so much more to him than his bad boy reputation and that he and Mac aren’t very different from one another, despite their different backgrounds. I enjoyed watching them interact – whether they’re being sassy, supportive, or sexy, their chemistry was off the charts. They made such a great couple that I was truly on the edge of my seat waiting for the truth about the revenge plot to smack them both in the face and hoping that they could survive it when it did.

Good Girl Complex is a great start to Elle Kennedy’s new series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys watching characters figure out who they’re meant to be as well as who they’re meant to be with. 4 STARS

Reviews: SOMETHING FABULOUS & GETTING HIS GAME BACK

January 28, 2022/12 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy Friday all! I’m so ready for the weekend but first I want to share reviews for a couple of romances that come out this week that you’re going to want to add to your TBR. One is from a recent favorite author of mine, while this other is a wonderful debut.

Reviews: SOMETHING FABULOUS & GETTING HIS GAME BACK

Something Fabulous Goodreads

Author: Alexis Hall

Publication Date: January 25, 2022

Publisher: Montlake

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

I’m a relatively new fan of Alexis Hall’s, having read and loved two of his most recent novels, Boyfriend Material and Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake. He has such a knack for creating lovable characters and putting them in hilarious predicaments that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on his latest book, Something Fabulous. Something Fabulous is a Regency romance but it’s not like any Regency romance I’ve ever read. I honestly don’t know that I’ve ever laughed so hard while reading a book. On Goodreads, Hall describes the book as such: “It’s a big gay regency romp about an overly dramatic beautiful rainbow sunshine unicorn and an overly dramatic demisexual grumpy duke, going on a cross-country chase.” That description is spot-on and I can’t improve upon it.

I’m all about a good grumpy-sunshine romance so I was enamored with the two main characters as soon as they were introduced. Valentine Layton is an ultra-reserved Duke who is intent on doing his duty at all costs, even if it means marrying Arabella Tarleton, a woman he really has no romantic interest in, just to carry out his father’s wishes. Valentine comes across as a stuffed shirt who could really use a good roll in the hay, and it becomes obvious early on that it’s not Arabella who gets under Valentine’s skin, it’s her twin brother, Bonaventure or “Bonny,” who is just as much of a ray of sunshine as his nickname makes him sound and who pretty obviously has a massive crush on Valentine. Valentine initially thinks Bonny is a pain in the rear but the two of them are forced to work together to find Arabella, who is so repulsed by the idea of a marriage of convenience with a man she doesn’t love, she runs away in the middle of the night.

I don’t want to spoil what happens when Bonny and Valentine embark on this cross-country chase, but let me just tell you, hilarity ensues. Basically, they’re one step behind Arabella throughout the chase and she plants outrageous lies about Valentine everywhere she has been, so that trouble is waiting for him every time he stops somewhere she stopped and inquires about her. There were a couple of times I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes.

There are also some tender moments and some super steamy ones as Bonny and Valentine finally start to acknowledge their feelings for one another. I loved watching the two of them grow closer. The banter is still there so most of these scenes are still quite funny, but they’re also pretty touching as well. There are also a few more serious moments as Valentine reflects on his own sexuality, what is socially expected of a man in his position versus what he realizes he actually wants for his life.

Something Fabulous is not exactly what I was expecting going in, but I still thought it was a very entertaining read. The humor is silly and over the top at times, think Monty Python or The Princess Bride when you start reading and you’ll have a pretty good feel for the overall tone of the book. If you’re looking for a read that is pure escapism in its silliest form, grab yourself a copy of Something Fabulous. 4 STARS

Getting His Game Back Goodreads

Author: Gia de Cadenet

Publication Date: January 25, 2022

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

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

Getting His Game Back is a contemporary romance and it’s also Gia de Cadenet’s debut novel. Based on the cover, I was expecting a rom-com, but while it does have some humorous moments, this is a more serious love story that tackles some pretty big topics, like mental health, the challenges interracial couples can face, and even gender stereotypes.

It follows Khalil Sarda, a young man who has been dealing with depression and seeing a therapist. He’s feeling much better than he did a year ago and is hoping to leave his depression in the past as he focuses on his chain of barbershops and thinks about dating again. A self-professed ladies’ man, Khalil thinks the dating will be the easiest part of his recovery, that is, until Vanessa Noble walks into his shop and sets his heart aflutter. Vanessa is a career-driven Black woman working in the male-dominated tech industry. She has no time for romance because she’s too busy stomping on every stereotype that gets thrown at her. That is, until fate and a fire at her favorite hair salon, sends her running to Khalil’s shop because she desperately needs her hair done prior to a huge presentation. Vanessa has no interest in dating anyone who isn’t Black because of some bad past experiences, but after chatting with Khalil, she has to admit the temptation is there.

I really enjoyed watching Khalil and Vanessa get to know one another. Both characters are so likeable and they’ve both been burned by past relationships, so I liked that hint of vulnerability we see as they consider the possibility of romance with one another. I especially liked the frank discussions they have with one another about interracial couples. Even though he looks white, Khalil is actually French-Algerian and the product of an interracial relationship himself so he knows firsthand the challenges Vanessa speaks of and the microaggressions that have been directed toward her. I also thought the author did a wonderful job exploring Khalil’s depression and the impact depression can have on a person and on all their relationships. I loved the respect and support Vanessa and Khalil showed one another, and I especially loved that Vanessa doesn’t let Khalil push her away when his depression resurfaces and threatens their relationship. They’re a team in every sense of the word, and I was 100% invested in their relationship and hoping they would find their way to a happy ending together.

While not the rom-com I was expecting, Getting His Game Back is still a satisfying read and a wonderful love story that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys romances that explore weightier topics. 4 STARS.

Review: THE ROUGHEST DRAFT by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

January 24, 2022/20 Comments/by Suzanne

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Also by this author: The Breakup Tour

Published by Berkley Books on January 25, 2022
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Pages: 336
Source: Netgalley
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Goodreads

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

The Roughest Draft is a slow-burn contemporary romance from co-authors Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka. It follows another pair of cowriters, Katrina and Nathan, who, after penning a best-selling novel together, had a major falling out and haven’t spoken to each other in three years.

Neither Katrina nor Nathan have any desire to work together again, but unfortunately for them, their book deal was for two books so unless they want to pay back the advance, they need to make peace and write together one more time. Reluctantly, the pair agrees to move in together for a few months and get this second book written. They actually move into the same house they used the last time they wrote together so they are both surrounded by memories, both good and bad, and it’s all fireworks from there!

I will say up front that it does take a few chapters to really get a feel for just how much bad blood and hurt feelings there are between Katrina and Nathan. At first I was just sitting there like “OMG, why are they feeling so hostile toward one another? What could have possibly been so bad?” As the story begins to unfold, I became completely engrossed in learning the details about what happened and in seeing if they would be able to move forward and write together again without killing one another. Both characters are immensely likeable and their chemistry is undeniable, even when they’re sniping at one another. Think Emily Henry’s Beach Read but way angstier and that should give you a pretty good feel for this book.

The Roughest Draft was such a wonderful read for me. It just checked so many boxes. It’s filled with romance tropes I love like enemies to lovers (actually more like friends to enemies to lovers), second chance romance, and forced proximity. The story is presented to us from both Nathan and Katrina’s perspectives and through the use of dual timelines, which I always love when they’re used well. In this case, they are used to perfection: the present-day cowriting experience is presented parallel to the cowriting journey that went so wrong. I loved watching Nathan and Katrina trying to navigate in the present while simultaneously learning what happened in their past to create the present-day angst and awkwardness.

I also tend to really enjoy books that give us an inside look at writers and their process, and The Roughest Draft gives us that sneak peek at Nathan and Katrina’s cowriting process because while the two of them are unable to really talk about what happened between them, everything they’re feeling comes pouring out onto the pages as they write together. There’s so much passion and emotion flying between them I’m surprised they didn’t melt their keyboards!

If you’re in the mood for a slow-burn, angsty contemporary romance, you’re definitely going to want to add The Roughest Draft to your must-read list.

About Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka met and fell in love in high school. Austin went on to graduate magna cum laude from Harvard, while Emily graduated magna cum laude from Princeton. Together, they are the authors of Always Never Yours, If I’m Being Honest, Time of Our Lives, What’s Not to Love, The Roughest Draft, and Do I Know You? Now married, they live in Los Angeles, where they continue to take daily inspiration from their own love story.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Reviews: WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE & 30 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MYSELF

January 3, 2022/16 Comments/by Suzanne

Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s hoping that 2022 is good to all of us, both in terms of our lives in general and of course in terms of our reads for the upcoming year. Today I’m sharing my first reviews of 2022, a fun read from an author I enjoy, Emma Lord, and a thought-provoking read by a new-to-me author, Radhika Sanghani.

Reviews: WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE & 30 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MYSELF

When You Get the Chance Goodreads

Author: Emma Lord

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Publisher: Wednesday Books

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

If, like me, you’re a huge fan of the musical Mamma Mia, you’re going to just fall in love with Emma Lord’s latest contemporary romance, When You Get the Chance. It follows Millie Price, a talented teen who has dreamed of becoming a Broadway star from the moment she saw her first musical. She’s determined to get there and nothing and no one will stand in her way – not her overprotective father, not her drama club rival Oliver, not even her own intensely emotional moments of self-doubt. When Millie secretly applies to an elite high school drama school and gets accepted, her dad says no way.

Millie decides she needs someone on her side and thus embarks on a search to find the mother she has never known. She thinks she has hit the jackpot when she stumbles across her dad’s LiveJournal from 2003. After reading post after cringy embarrassing post, Millie has come up with a list of three possible women who might be her mother. First there’s Steph, an aspiring actress who works as a receptionist at a local talent agency. Then there’s Farrah, a dance teacher in the area. And finally, there’s Beth, a fellow musical theater enthusiast who also happens to have a daughter just a couple years younger than Millie. Millie sets out on a mission to get to know all three of these women in hopes that it will become obvious who her mom is, and thus begins her “Millie Mia” journey, which is the focus of this book.

I had so much fun reading this book! I adored Millie and was fully invested in both her dream of being on Broadway and her search for her birth mom. I loved her spirit and her sense of determination. I also fell in love with basically all the other characters in the book too. Millie’s nerdy dad and cool aunt are both so fantastic and so supportive of her, even if they don’t necessarily agree with her choice of schools. Millie’s best friend and neighbor, Teddy, is a sweetheart and I loved the closeness of their friendship. Steph, Farrah, and Beth were all so delightful that I couldn’t even decide which one I hoped would turn out to be Millie’s mom. Millie’s nemesis, Oliver, is also fabulous. I loved watching the two of them interact when they both end up working as interns at the same talent agency. Their escalating rivalry is hilarious, especially since it’s pretty clear they’re both just hiding their true feelings for one another.

If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming story about family, friendship, and following your heart that also features an utterly delightful cast of characters, I highly recommend Emma Lord’s When You Get the Chance. 4.5 STARS

30 Things I Love about Myself Goodreads

Author: Radhika Sanghani

Publication Date: January 4, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Books

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

Life is not going well for Nina Mistry. Her career is going nowhere, she has just broken up with her fiancé and moved back home with her overbearing mother, and as if that isn’t enough, she finds herself locked up in jail on her 30^th birthday wearing only her pajamas. While sitting in her cell contemplating the sad state of her life, Nina finds herself in possession of a self-help book called “How to Fix Your Shitty Life by Loving Yourself,” Nina decides to embrace the philosophy of this book and it turns out to be a life changing experience for her. 30 Things I Love About Myself by Radhika Sanghani follows Nina on her journey of self-discovery and self-love.

Nina’s journey to find 30 things she loves about herself is compelling and it’s one that had me wondering if I could find anywhere near 30 things I loved about myself. I found myself very interested in what kind of wisdom Nina’s self-help book would dole out and even though some of Nina’s experiences as she follows the book’s instructions might be a little over the top for dramatic purposes, I think the essence of the story is one that many readers, especially those right around Nina’s age, will relate to. Nina makes plenty of mistakes along the way as she pushes herself out of her comfort zone, but overall, the book’s advice to embrace bold actions and try new things, whether it’s yoga, meditation, or even tantric sex is truly the game changer Nina needs.

While I enjoyed following Nina on her journey, I do have to confess that I found my attention wandering a little by about the halfway point. I think part of that was that her story is so sad in the early stages that I found it somewhat draining, especially since I was grieving the loss of two loved ones around the time I read this book. I probably wasn’t in the best headspace to read a book about someone hitting rock bottom. Plus, her brother, who is also living with their mom, is suffering from depression and can barely function, which was also just so heartbreaking to watch. Thankfully though, the more Nina learns about herself and continues to build her list of 30 things, the more upbeat and hopeful the story got.

Even though the emotional weight of the book made me struggle with it a bit, I still think 30 Things I Love About Myself is a very worthwhile read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about self-love or who may be looking for inspiration to embark on a similar journey. 3.5 STARS

Can’t Wait Wednesday – WEATHER GIRL by Rachel Lynn Solomon

August 25, 2021/30 Comments/by Suzanne

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about. It is a meme that I have loved participating in since I first started blogging, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

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My selection for this week is WEATHER GIRL by Rachel Lynn Solomon. If you have followed my blog for a while, you know how much I have adored every book of Solomon’s that I’ve read so far. I didn’t even realize she had another new book coming out so soon and happened across the news a couple of days ago. Totally made my week and it sounds like another great great read too so I’m super excited. 🙂

WEATHER GIRL by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publication Date: January 18, 2022 by Berkley

From Goodreads:

A TV meteorologist and a sports reporter scheme to reunite their divorced bosses with unforecasted results in this charming romantic comedy from the author of The Ex Talk.

Ari Abrams has always been fascinated by the weather, and she loves almost everything about her job as a TV meteorologist. Her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torrance Hale, is too distracted by her tempestuous relationship with her ex-husband, the station’s news director, to give Ari the mentorship she wants. Ari, who runs on sunshine and optimism, is at her wits’ end. The only person who seems to understand how she feels is sweet but reserved sports reporter Russell Barringer.

In the aftermath of a disastrous holiday party, Ari and Russell decide to team up to solve their bosses’ relationship issues. Between secret gifts and double dates, they start nudging their bosses back together. But their well-meaning meddling backfires when the real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell.

Working closely with Russell means allowing him to get to know parts of herself that Ari keeps hidden from everyone. Will he be able to embrace her dark clouds as well as her clear skies?

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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂