Tag Archive for: rachel lynn solomon

Romance Reviews: BUSINESS OR PLEASURE & IN THE WEEDS

 

 

Romance Reviews: BUSINESS OR PLEASURE & IN THE WEEDSBusiness 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

 

Romance Reviews: BUSINESS OR PLEASURE & IN THE WEEDSIn 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

 

Reviews: STARRY-EYED LOVE & SEE YOU YESTERDAY

 

Hey everyone! I know today is usually Top Ten Tuesday but I wasn’t feeling this week’s topic and I’m behind on reviews, so I decided to use this slot to play catch up.  Today I’m sharing my thoughts to two new releases that I really enjoyed, one from a new-to-me author, Helena Hunting, and one from an auto-buy author, Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Reviews:  STARRY-EYED LOVE & SEE YOU YESTERDAYStarry-Eyed Love (Spark House, #2) Goodreads

Author: Helena Hunting

Publication Date: May 10, 2022

Publisher:  St. Martin’s Griffin

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

Starry-Eyed Love is the second book in Helena Hunting’s contemporary romance series, Spark House, a series that follows three sisters who run a small boutique hotel together.

London Spark is the focus of this second installment, and I loved her from the opening scene when we encounter her and her two sisters, Avery and Harley at a bar together.  London has just broken up with her boyfriend and the sisters are celebrating her newly single status. London is ready to focus her attention on the family business and has no interest in dating right now, so when a handsome stranger at the bar flirts with her, she tells him she’s not available.  Little does she know at the time, but that man, Jackson Holt, is about to change her life in more ways than one.

I really loved the chemistry between London and Jackson right from that first meeting and was actually disappointed when she blew him off.  Color me tickled then when London is invited to a meeting to discuss bringing Spark House on board as a partner for a huge environmentally friendly initiative.  If you guessed Jackson Holt is the founder of this initiative, you would be correct.  This of course forces London in close proximity to Jackson, whether she likes it or not, and things take off from there.  London and Jackson are a great match on pretty much every level and there are plenty of flirty sexy moments between them, but I’ll say now to prepare yourself for a slow burn since they do have a working relationship and there are some angsty moments as they try to figure out how to navigate the professional and the personal.

As much as I enjoyed London and Jackson’s story, I was also a big fan of the relationship between the sisters.  They are experiencing some growing pains as the hotel expands and so even though they adore each other, there is still the occasional tension.  London, in particular, is in an awkward position.  She has somehow landed in the position of business administrator, so she is responsible for bringing in new clientele and planning events.  This isn’t her wheelhouse at all, as she is more of a creative type, and as much as she wants to help her sisters with the business and doesn’t want to create drama, this particular job and the way Avery is pushing her and refusing to hire outside help, is running her ragged.  I loved how realistically Hunting portrays these relationships, especially the angst and tension, as London comes to terms with the idea that the only way out involves confronting Avery.  Hunting hits that perfect and very relatable balance of “I love you more than anything but something has got to give.”

Starry-Eyed Love was my first time reading something from Helena Hunting but it definitely won’t be my last because this book was just such a delight – equal parts charming, and funny, and with a delicious side of drama and angst to spice things up. 4 STARS

 

 

Reviews:  STARRY-EYED LOVE & SEE YOU YESTERDAYSee You Yesterday Goodreads

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publication Date: May 17, 2022

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing

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

I love Rachel Lynn Solomon’s books and I love stories that feature time traveling or time loops, so you can imagine how excited I was to learn that Solomon’s latest YA novel See You Yesterday features a Groundhog’s Day style romance.  I couldn’t hit that request button on Netgalley fast enough and I’m thrilled to share that this book was everything I hoped it would be and more!

The story follows Barrett Bloom, a college freshman who is really hoping this year will be a fresh start for her after a pretty rough senior year of high school.  Instead of being a fresh start, however, her first day of classes is an absolute nightmare. She learns that she’s stuck rooming with an old friend she had a falling out with in high school.  Then, an obnoxious know-it-all embarrasses her in Physics class, and she goes on to completely blow her interview to be on the school newspaper, and then as if all that isn’t bad enough, she goes to a frat party that night and accidentally sets the place on fire.  All she wants to do is crawl in bed and pretend this day never happened.  Instead, however, she wakes up and it’s the first day of classes all over again. Needless to say, Barrett is perplexed by this, especially when it keeps happening.  After another encounter with Miles, the annoying guy from her Physics class, Barrett soon learns that Miles has also been similarly trapped and has been repeating the same day for over two months now.  The two of them set out on an interesting quest to try to fix their timelines and free themselves from this endless loop.

I loved this story so much! Barrett and Miles are adorable together even when they’re plucking each other’s nerves.  Their relationship also slowly transforms as they explore all avenues to freedom – researching at the library, trying to right wrongs from their pasts, trying to find closure from events where they’ve left loose ends, etc.  While nothing they try works, what does happen is that the two of them get to know each other and grow close, first as friends but then as more than friends.  I loved this so much for them because they’re both so lonely and out of sorts, even before being trapped in the loop.  It was lovely to see them connect with each other and also so much fun to watch some of the antics they would come up with to pass the time while they’re stuck. There’s also tremendous growth for Barrett as she finally conquers some demons from her past and is able to move forward.

There’s also the huge question of what happens to Miles and Barrett if and when they finally come unstuck from time.  Will they still be a couple, will they still know each other?  Or will they go back to being alone?  If you want to know the answer to those questions, you’ll have to check out See You Yesterday.  You won’t regret it! 4.5 STARS

Reviews: WEATHER GIRL & MADE IN MANHATTAN

 

Hey everyone, hope your week is off to a great start.  It snowed 14 inches here last week and since we don’t really do snow well here in central Virginia, the whole area was pretty much shut down all week.  I work from home so it didn’t impact me too much, plus it made for a great excuse to cozy up in front of the fire with some wonderful books, two of which I’m sharing reviews for today.

 

Reviews:  WEATHER GIRL & MADE IN MANHATTANWeather Girl Goodreads

Author:  Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Publisher:  Berkley Books

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

Rachel Lynn Solomon’s latest contemporary romance, Weather Girl, follows Ari Abrams, a young Jewish woman whose lifelong fascination with the weather has landed her a dream job as a TV meteorologist.  Working alongside her longtime idol, legendary Seattle weatherwoman, Torrance Hale, Ari’s job is everything she ever hoped it would be.  That is, with one exception:  the unbearable tension in the workplace between Torrance and Seth, who happens to be the news director at the station as well as Torrance’s ex-husband.  The two of them are constantly at each other’s throats, making everyone around them feel awkward and uncomfortable, including one of Ari’s coworkers, sports reporter Russell Barringer.  Unable to take it anymore, Ari and Russell cook up a scheme to get Torrance and Seth back together.  Adult version of The Parent Trap, anyone?

I had a lot of fun with this story.  Ari and Russell are both such likeable characters and I enjoyed their attempts at nudging Torrance and Seth back together, especially since it became clear that the two of them were also growing closer along the way.

I also just loved how realistic and relatable Ari came across, particularly when it came to her struggles with mental health.  Ari suffers from depression but has also struggled with the fear that no one would like her if they knew of her depression.  Her way of coping with that has been to keep her depression and therapy a secret, put on a happy face and be a walking ray of sunshine to everyone around her.  It was clearly not healthy and in fact, was downright exhausting at times, because all Ari really wanted was to feel like she could be herself.  Could Russell finally be the one who gets her to let her guard down?

Speaking of Russell, I really loved this guy and honestly found him to be more realistic than most of the male leads I’ve read about in romance novels.  He’s a Jewish single dad and he hasn’t been on a date in at least five years.  Russell also struggles with his weight and so doesn’t really think of himself as a “catch” for any woman. I liked that sense of vulnerability about him, and I also liked that the more he and Ari hung out together, the more it was clear what a great match they could be because, even though their matchmaking schemes weren’t exactly professional, they really did bring out the best in each other.

If matchmaking a la The Parent Trap, a realistic exploration of a person coping with depression, excellent Jewish representation, and a friends-to-lovers romance appeal to you, Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon needs to be on your must-read list. It’s the fourth novel I’ve read from Solomon, and it’s definitely another winner for me.  4 STARS.

 

Reviews:  WEATHER GIRL & MADE IN MANHATTANMade in Manhattan Goodreads

Author: Lauren Layne

Publication Date: January 18, 2022

Publisher:  Gallery Books

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

As soon as I saw that Lauren Layne’s new contemporary romance, Made in Manhattan, was being advertised as a modern-day reverse My Fair Lady, I knew I had to read it.  I’m a huge fan of My Fair Lady, the musical and the film, so I’m always up for a fresh take on an old favorite.

Made in Manhattan follows Violet Townsend, a young woman born and raised in the wealthy, privileged Upper East Side of Manhattan.  Violet is an expert when it comes to knowing what to say, how to act, and what to wear in all elite social settings.  Violet also loves to make people happy, especially Edith, who while not a blood relative, has practically raised her since Violet’s parents and grandparents all died when she was much younger.  Edith runs a successful international corporation and has been troubled by the fact that she has no living family to take over the business when she retires, that is until she learns that she has a grandson named Cain Stone she never knew about.  Edith is determined to groom Cain to take over the business, but there’s just one problem: Cain, who hails from New Orleans, is about as rough around the edges as they come.  With his long hair, scuffed boots, faded jeans, and a vocabulary that consists largely of the four-letter ‘f’ word, Cain doesn’t exactly fit in with NYC’s elite. Edith enlists Violet to help give Cain a Manhattan makeover.  Less than thrilled at the prospect, Violet reluctantly agrees because she just can’t say no to Edith. Unfortunately for Violet, Cain is even less thrilled at the prospect.

As with the original My Fair Lady, there are just sparks flying everywhere between Violet and Cain as soon as the makeover commences.  Cain is impossible, fighting Violet every step of the way, and Violet becomes more and more frustrated. She can’t understand why he even bothered to come to New York if he’s not willing to do whatever it takes to become CEO of the company that is pretty much being handed to him.  Cain, on the other hand, can’t understand why Violet, or Duchess as he refers to her, has nothing else better to do with her time than treat him as a human mannequin.  While I found all the awkward, snarky banter at the beginning of their relationship quite entertaining, what I really enjoyed was watching their relationship evolve as they got to know each other better and could look past their initial impressions of one another. It becomes all too clear that the two of them have the hots for each other, whether they want to admit it or not.

The only thing better than watching their relationship evolve was watching Violet herself evolve.  She really does start to question what she is even doing with her life and why she feels the need to be such a people pleaser all the time, even if it makes her miserable in the process. The more time she spends with Cain, the more she finds herself willing to step out of her lifelong comfort zone and try new things.  It’s as if she’s undergoing just as much of a transformation as Cain is, and I loved to see it.

Made in Manhattan was everything I could have wanted from a My Fair Lady-inspired book and then some. I flew through the pages in less than a day and was sad when the story was over, even though the ending was immensely satisfying.  4 STARS.

YA Reviews: WE CAN’T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS & TROUBLE GIRLS

Happy Monday all! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. We had really nice weather here so I spent a lot of my weekend outside reading.  Today I’m sharing my thoughts on two of my weekend reads, We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon and Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin.

 

YA Reviews:  WE CAN’T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS & TROUBLE GIRLSWe Can't Keep Meeting Like This Goodreads

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publication Date: June 8, 2021

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

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

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This is my third time reading Rachel Lynn Solomon and once again she has captured my heart with her relatable storylines and her wonderfully complex characters and their equally complex relationships.

Quinn Berkowitz is headed to college in the fall.  She has gotten into a great school but doesn’t seem all that excited about her future. Why? Well, her parents have basically mapped it out for her, from deciding that she will be a business major, choosing her courses for her, and making the assumption that when she graduates, she will join them in their family wedding planning business.  Quinn hasn’t corrected them in this assumption because she doesn’t want to hurt their feelings, but it has left her feeling trapped and frustrated.  To make matters worse, her longtime crush, Tarek Mansour, is back home after his first year away at college and Quinn doesn’t really want to see him because of an embarrassing confession she made to him when he left for college the previous fall.  Avoiding Tarek is pretty much impossible though as his parents run the catering business that Quinn’s parents frequently partner up with for their weddings.  So basically Quinn has set herself up for a summer of awkwardness.

I think most readers will find Quinn to be a likable relatable character and will sympathize with the situation she finds herself in.  None of us want to disappoint our parents and I know, like Quinn, I would probably put off a difficult and painful conversation like that for as long as I possibly could.    Her situation with Tarek is probably going to be equally relatable because there are plenty of us out there who have done embarrassing things in front of someone we were crushing on.  Quinn’s situation with Tarek made me especially sympathetic toward her because she has major trust issues when it comes to love and putting herself out there because her parents temporarily separated when she was much younger and that separation really messed with Quinn’s head when she was little and continues to do so to this day because her parents have never talked about it.

Speaking of Tarek though, what a sweetheart this boy is.  He’s a hopeless romantic who likes to bake wedding cakes and who loves Sleepless in Seattle.  He is the softest of soft boys and it’s clear that he has feelings for Quinn.  I was hardcore rooting for him to break through the walls Quinn has put up around her own heart and I really enjoyed watching the ups and downs as their relationship evolved.

As much as I enjoyed the romantic storyline between Quinn and Tarek, Quinn’s journey to figure out her place in this world and the future of her relationship with her parents was what really made We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This such a compelling read for me.  4 STARS

 

YA Reviews:  WE CAN’T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS & TROUBLE GIRLSTrouble Girls Goodreads

Author: Julia Lynn Rubin

Publication Date: June 1, 2021

Publisher:  Wednesday Books

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

Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin is a retelling of the popular ’90s film, Thelma and Louise. Rubin puts a fresh and timely spin on this classic film by making it a queer YA retelling that is set in present day during the #MeToo movement.

The story follows Trixie and Lux, two young women who have been best friends forever and who are looking to escape their dead-end little town for a few days.  They pack for a weekend getaway and make a pitstop at a college bar on their way out of town.  The night goes terribly wrong and in one violent moment, Trixie and Lux’s lives are changed forever.

Just as in the original tale, the author does a wonderful job of painting both women as sympathetic characters.  Trixie is an only child who has the huge and often overwhelming responsibility of caring for her mother who is suffering from what appears to be dementia.  It’s a huge weight to carry and Trixie is exhausted.  Lux also has a less than stellar home life.  Her mother is gone, and her overbearing father treats her as if she’s his maid and babysitter.  When their one chance to get away and relax and have fun is torpedoed by a pig who can’t keep it in his pants, it’s hard not to root for them when they fight back.

The story becomes an action-packed thrill ride as Trixie and Lux flee west hoping to escape from both the law and the media. The media attention is unexpected as Trixie and Lux find themselves at the center of the #MeToo movement when protesters become aware that their attacker has a track record of similar incidents in his history.  There are just as many people cheering the girls on as there are people who want them to pay for what they did.

The writing is taut and sharp, making this a real page turner for me even though I was very familiar with the original Thelma and Louise and could somewhat guess where the story was headed.  I do wish it hadn’t followed the original storyline quite so closely, but what did make it a fresh take though was the journey of self-discovery that we get as Trixie and Lux gradually realize they have more than just friendly feelings toward each other.  It’s a beautiful and hopeful journey tucked into what is otherwise a pretty dark tale.

If a fresh take on Thelma and Louise sounds like something you would enjoy, I highly recommend Trouble Girls3.5 STARS

Review: THE EX TALK by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Review:  THE EX TALK by Rachel Lynn SolomonThe Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
four-half-stars
Published by BERKLEY on January 26, 2021
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year I read and fell in love with Rachel Lynn Solomon’s YA contemporary novel Today Tonight Tomorrow.  I was captivated by both her characters and her storytelling and couldn’t wait to get my hands on anything and everything else she’s written.  So when I heard she had a new adult contemporary novel called The Ex Talk coming out, I was quick to rush over to Netgalley and request a review copy.  And I’m thrilled to report that, as soon as I started reading, I fell in love with Solomon’s writing and storytelling all over again.

As with Today Tonight Tomorrow, it’s the incredibly realistic and well drawn characters Solomon creates that really pulled me in.  The Ex Talk follows Shay Goldstein, a radio producer who has been working at a public radio station in Seattle for almost ten years.  Shay loves her job and can’t imagine ever doing anything else.  Her job also makes her feel connected to her Dad, who passed away a while ago, as they both shared a love of public radio.  Shay has also held kind of a Rockstar status at the radio station because she’s young and talented.  That all changes, however, when Dominic Yun starts working at the station. Fresh out of grad school and anxious to prove himself, Dominic quickly threatens to steal the spotlight from Shay.  Needless to say, Shay is not impressed (although she has to admit he’s pretty cute, even though he is absolutely infuriating).

Shay is so likeable from the opening pages that I was immediately rooting for her to put Dominic in his place. That is, until the banter and the sparks started flying!  When the radio station falls on hard times and needs fresh new programming in a hurry, Shay suggests a talk show about relationships that features two exes as cohosts.  The boss loves the idea and says that since there’s no time to look for actual exes, Shay and Dominic will pretend to be exes and host the show together.  Can you say awkward?  I’m a sucker for a good enemies to lovers story anyway so throw in some fake dating on top of it and you’ve got yourself a practically perfect romcom.  As soon as Dominic and Shay started with the verbal sparring, both on and off air, I was completely hooked. And of course, as soon as we start to learn more about Dominic, I fell in love with his character too and just wanted the two of them to get together already, haha!

There’s so much more I could say, but I don’t want to spoil the evolution of their relationship.  I’ll just leave it at this – I loved pretty much everything about The Ex Talk.  I loved the characters, the dialogue, the focus on public radio, the actual scripts from their show, etc.  The Ex Talk is one of those books that was so much fun to read I didn’t want it to end and I’m predicting now that it will make my Best of 2021 list.

four-half-stars

About Rachel Lynn Solomon

Rachel Lynn Solomon writes, tap dances, and collects red lipstick in Seattle, Washington. She is the author of the YA novels Today Tonight Tomorrow, You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone, Our Year of Maybe, and We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This (June 2021). Her debut adult romantic comedy, The Ex Talk, will be published in January 2021.

In high school, Rachel sang and played keyboard in an all-girl band, and she was once part of a group of people who broke a Guinness World Record for the most natural redheads in one place.

She has written for newspapers, produced a radio show that aired in the middle of the night, and worked for NPR. Rachel has been a Pitch Wars mentor since 2014 and currently serves on the Pitch Wars leadership committee.

These days, she writes books about ambitious, messy, sometimes unlikable girls and women who are trying their best and often falling in love along the way. She is represented by Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency.