Tag Archive for: sara desai

Reviews: TO HAVE AND TO HEIST, THE CHEAT SHEET, & THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATE

 

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Today I’m back to share my thoughts on some fun romance novels I read this past week.  One is a brand new release from Sara Desai, while the other two are books I purchased when they came but hadn’t gotten around to yet.  I’m still actively working on the goal to read more books from my own shelves so I was excited to actually read two of them back to back.  Anyway on to the reviews!

 

Reviews: TO HAVE AND TO HEIST, THE CHEAT SHEET, & THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATETo Have and to Heist Goodreads

Author: Sara Desai

Publication Date: July 18, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

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

 

Sara Desai is one of my favorite rom com authors.  I always know I’m going to be in for a good time and lots of laughs when I pick up one of her novels and her latest release To Have and To Heist is no exception.  I love a good heist story and this one is just full of shenanigans and such a fun time.  Imagine a mashup between the Ocean’s 11 movies and the Finlay Donovan series and that’s the vibe of this book.

When we first meet the protagonist, Simi Chopra, her life is a mess. She has just been fired, is drowning in student loan debt, and has been forced to move back in with her parents because her apartment flooded. Worse than all of that combined though, her best friend Chloe has just been accused of stealing a multimillion dollar diamond necklace.  I adored Simi. She’s smart and resourceful, and her messy life is all too relatable.

I also loved how much of a loyal friend she is. It’s her sense of loyalty that really drives the plot of this story, because as soon as Chloe calls Simi and tells her she’s trapped in a museum that someone else has broken into, Simi’s first instinct is to drop everything and try to rescue Chloe all by herself. When her attempts fail and she hears the police sirens, Simi refuses to give up and even tries to scale the outside of the museum with nothing but her bare hands.  Who wouldn’t want a friend like that? Simi then makes it her mission in life to exonerate Chloe and with the guidance of Jack, the mysterious man who grabbed Simi before the police could spot her, Simi orchestrates a jewelry heist of her own to steal the necklace back from the thieves, all while serving as the wedding planner for the biggest wedding in town. What could possibly go wrong?

My absolute favorite part of the novel is the motley crew that Simi assembles for this heist.  Aside from her bestie Chloe, Simi’s team consists of Rose, her octogenarian landlord; Jack the mystery man; Cristian, who works with her dad at his tailor shop but also has a side hustle as a male escort; Emma, the aggressive Uber driver who drove Simi to the museum to try to save Chloe; Anil, a tech nerd who still lives with her meddlesome matchmaker parents; and lastly, gun-toting, broody Gage, who Jack has brought in as the muscle.  It was hilarious to watch this crew in action as they fumbled and bumbled their way through every aspect of the heist, and I just adored them all!

There’s a bit of a slow burn romance as well, and while I definitely enjoyed that aspect, it took a backseat in comparison to all of the action and comedy of the heist plot.  I was fine with that though since the book was just such a fun time!  If you’ve enjoyed books like the Finlay Donovan series, you’ll definitely want to check out To Have and To Heist4 STARS

 

Reviews: TO HAVE AND TO HEIST, THE CHEAT SHEET, & THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATEThe Cheat Sheet Goodreads

Author: Sarah Adams

Publication Date: August 17, 2021

Publisher:  Originally self-published, later re-released by Dell

 

I’ve really enjoyed Sarah Adam’s most recent romances, When in Rome and Practice Makes Perfect, so I decided it was time to go back and read one of her earlier novels, The Cheat Sheet, which apparently was a huge hit on BookTok. As soon as I started reading it, I was hooked and wanted to kick myself for not picking it up sooner.

The Cheat Sheet features two of my favorite tropes, friends to lovers and fake dating, as well as two of the most adorable protagonists.  Bree Camden has been in love with her best friend Nathan for as long as she can remember.  Bree is sure that Nathan doesn’t feel the same way though so she keeps her feelings a secret so as not to make things awkward between them.  Nathan also happens to be a huge NFL star so the paparazzi is always in his business. When a bitter ex girlfriend tries to embarrass Nathan by criticizing his skills in the bedroom, Bree defends his honor, albeit unwittingly to a tabloid reporter.  When her video goes viral and the internet decides Bree and Nathan are perfect together (even though they aren’t actually together), Nathan’s publicist cooks up a fake dating scheme to capitalize on all of the media attention. Although reluctant, both Bree and Nathan agree to go along with it, mainly because they both know how much the money would help Bree who is struggling to keep her dance studio open.

I’m probably the last person on the planet to have read this book, so I’m sure I don’t have anything left to say about it that hasn’t already been said.  Bottom line, I just loved both Bree and Nathan. They were so sweet together, even if I did occasionally want to knock their heads together for not realizing how they really felt about one another sooner.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching the show they put on for the media give rise to the real feelings that had been hidden right in front of them for so long. If like me, you started your Sarah Adams journey with When in Rome and Practice Makes Perfect, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of The Cheat Sheet.  You won’t regret it! 4 STARS

 

Reviews: TO HAVE AND TO HEIST, THE CHEAT SHEET, & THE BOYFRIEND CANDIDATEThe Boyfriend Candidate Goodreads

Author: Ashley Winstead

Publication Date: May 9, 2023

Publisher:  Graydon House

 

I’m a big fan of Ashley Winstead’s thrillers, but somehow had yet to read one of her romance novels.  When I saw that both Lynn Painter and Abby Jimenez, two of my favorite romance authors had praised The Boyfriend Candidate, I knew I had to read it.   I’m so glad I did too because it was an absolute delight!

I’m a sucker for a book that features bookish characters and the main character Alexis is a school librarian.  When we meet Alexis, she is reeling from an embarrassing breakup where her ex has just dumped her for being too meek in the bedroom.  She takes this as a sign that she needs to change and decides that her first step in that direction will be her very first one-night stand. She heads to a hotel bar and meets Logan, a handsome outspoken stranger who says whatever he’s thinking, without regard for who he might offend.  Alexis is shy and retreating, the total opposite of Logan, but there is definitely some serious chemistry between them.  Their imminent hookup is disrupted by an unexpected fire at the hotel, and Logan is caught on camera carrying Alexis out of the building.  As soon as Logan sees the cameras, he abruptly abandons Alexis and flees the scene.  Alexis is shocked until she gets home and sees herself on the news. Logan is apparently none other than up and coming politician, Logan Arthur, who is running to be the governor of Texas.  When the rival campaign tries to seize on this opportunity to make Logan look like a womanizer, Logan’s campaign decides that Alexis and Logan should pretend to be a couple until after the election to save his image.  The campaign promises Alexis anything she wants in exchange for her help on the campaign and to everyone’s surprise, even her own, Alexis declares that she wants her own political platform to push for more funding for education and specifically for her beloved libraries.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes so I was of course fully invested in their journey to discover that they have feelings for one another. I also just really loved both characters.  Even though Logan is a politician, he’s the real deal in the sense that, just as in the bar when he and Alexis first meet, he says what he means and he means what he says.  He is passionate about the issues that are important to him and he doesn’t just make promises that he has no intention of keeping.  I admired that about him and I also loved that he was so obviously in love with Alexis from the beginning even though he was afraid to admit it.  It added a layer of vulnerability to this otherwise bold and brash man that I really liked.  As much as I loved Logan though, it was Alexis and her journey that made this such a special read for me.  The way she grows as she starts to push her education platform is fantastic. I loved seeing her passionate side and it was truly wonderful to watch her shine on stage.  I’m also not normally a fan of having any kind of politics in my romance reads, but I didn’t mind it here since the focus mostly stayed on the issue of education and library funding rather than something more divisive.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Boyfriend Candidate and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys bookish main characters and romances that features the opposites attract and fake dating tropes.  4.5 STARS

Romance Reviews: THE SINGLES TABLE & LOVE AND LET BARK

 

Is it me or are the weeks just flying by?  It feels like I’m going to blink and it will be 2022. Thankfully my last work deadlines of the year are fast approaching and then I’ll be able to enjoy some downtime over the holidays.  Today I’m reviewing two more fabulous romance novels, both from Berkley.  I’ve had such wonderful luck with Berkley’s romances this year (I think almost my entire Best of 2021 list is from them)  and today’s books continue that trend.

 

Romance Reviews:  THE SINGLES TABLE & LOVE AND LET BARKThe Singles Table Goodreads

Author:  Sara Desai

Publication Date: November 16, 2021

Publisher:  Berkley Books

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

I don’t know if a free-spirited lawyer shooting an obnoxious former military security specialist in the rear end with a paintball technically counts as a meet cute, but it was definitely enough to have me fully entertained and invested in seeing what happens between the protagonists of Sara Desai’s latest romance, The Singles Table.

After a bad break up, attorney Zara Patel has decided she’s done with trying to find love for herself. Instead, she’s going to focus on her career and on what she believes is her special gift, matchmaking. She plans to help her friends find romance during the wedding season and prides herself on her success record when it comes to matching guests at the singles table.  That is, until she meets sexy but surly Jay Donovan, a security specialist with no time or interest in finding romance.  Jay, a former military guy, is all about order, staying focused and working hard on his business.  He has no idea that a paintball to his rear end during a pre-wedding paintball match is about to turn his world upside down.  When Zara and Jay keep finding themselves at the singles table at wedding after wedding and Zara brags to Jay about her matchmaking prowess and confesses that she’s a little obsessed with celebrities, they end up making a little wager.  If Zara can find Jay a match, he’ll introduce her to some of his celebrity clients.

Zara has this vibrant, larger than life personality that Jay can’t help but be captivated by, no matter how much he tries to tell himself she’s just annoying and too chaotic for him.  And even though Jay comes across as rigid and gruff when she first meets him, Zara finds herself seeking him out at every wedding.  I’m a sucker for a grumpy/sunshine romance so Jay and Zara’s often hilarious interactions were like catnip for me and I loved watching their relationship evolve, especially since they have such amazing chemistry and the more Zara interacts with Jay, the more she starts thinking maybe she doesn’t want to match him up with someone else.

Sara Desai’s The Singles Table was such a fun read. Jay and Zara’s journey, the festive wedding celebrations, and the meddling aunties who hound Zara throughout the wedding season, all made for such a delightfully entertaining and heartwarming read.  If you’re in the mood for a grumpy/sunshine romance, The Singles Table is the perfect match for you.  4 STARS

 

Romance Reviews:  THE SINGLES TABLE & LOVE AND LET BARKLove and Let Bark (Hearts of Alaska #3) Goodreads

Author: Alanna Martin

Publication Date: November 30, 2021

Publisher:  Berkley Books

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

Love and Let Bark by Alanna Martin is the third book in her contemporary romance series, Hearts of Alaska.  I’m freely going to admit that I was drawn to this book by the adorable husky puppies on the cover and the promise of a snowy Alaskan setting.  I didn’t even realize it was part of a series, but thankfully not having read the first two books in the series didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this latest installment at all.

When they were younger, Lydia Lipin and Nate Porter were secretly friends in spite of their families’ century-long feud. They soon developed more than friendly feelings for one another, but frustrated that he would never be able to have Lydia openly in his life because of their families’ dislike for one another, Nate decides he needs to leave town.  Years later, Nate comes back to his hometown, and as soon as he sees Lydia again, he realizes that time apart has done nothing to dull his feelings for her.

Lydia has always played the role of the responsible and reliable daughter.  She dutifully takes over the family business when it’s time, and she always puts the needs of others above herself, including her sister, who decides she’s in love with and wants to marry a Porter and doesn’t care about the feud.  Even though it’s incredibly stressful, Lydia spends much of her time running interference between the two families so as to spare her sister the stress.  When she sees Nate again, however, Lydia realizes she still has feelings for him and becomes frustrated with the state of their families and the peacemaking role she has been forced into.

Lydia and Nate were both such sweet, likeable and sympathetic characters.  It was so obvious how much they love each other and that they were both heartbroken when it didn’t work out the first time.  They were stuck in such a horrible and awkward situation that wasn’t even of their making.  I loved that they have the opportunity for a second chance at love and was really rooting for them to just tell off their families and run away together.

The husky puppies were of course adorable little scene stealers and the snowy Alaska setting was the picture perfect background for this delightful, feel-good story.  If you’re a fan of second chance romances, I highly recommend Love and Let Bark. 4 STARS.

 

Rom-Com Reviews: THE DATING PLAN & ACT YOUR AGE, EVE BROWN

 

Beware the Ides of March!  More like, beware the day after Daylight Savings Time kicks back in.  I feel like I have been dragging ever since we turned our clocks ahead.  Oh well, hopefully sharing my thoughts on these two fabulous rom-coms will liven things up a bit.

 

Rom-Com Reviews:  THE DATING PLAN & ACT YOUR AGE, EVE BROWNThe Dating Plan Goodreads

Author: Sara Desai

Publication Date: March 16, 2021

Publisher:  Berkley Books

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

Sara Desai’s new novel The Dating Plan is a heartwarming rom-com filled with quirky characters and laugh out loud moments.  That’s not all though.  It’s also a heartfelt story about two people who are perfect for each other, if they can only overcome painful events from the past that have shaped how they see themselves and how they see each other.

Daisy Patel is a software engineer who loves statistics, spreadsheets, and all things Marvel.  Daisy, however, does not love Liam Murphy.  In fact, she actually hates him.  Why?  Because ten years ago, Liam was supposed to be Daisy’s date to her senior prom and he stood her up.  Not only did he stand her up, but he abruptly packed up and left town without a word.  She hasn’t heard from him since that night, so when Liam shows up at a conference Daisy is attending, sparks fly…and not in a good way.

Liam is in a bind though and thinks Daisy might actually be the perfect person to help him get what he wants.  Liam’s grandfather, who recently passed away, has left him the family business in his will, but there’s a catch. In order to secure his inheritance, Liam must marry before his next birthday and then stay married for at least one year.  Otherwise, the business goes to Liam’s brother, who just wants to dismantle it and use it to infuse cash into his own struggling business.  Liam is desperate to keep that from happening and when he witnesses Daisy being hounded by her matchmaking Aunties, he approaches Daisy with what he thinks is a win-win deal for them both.  If Daisy will agree to marry him and stay married for a year, he can secure the family business for himself while Daisy is freed from the incessant matchmaking and arranged marriage frenzy.  Daisy agrees reluctantly but says she cannot wing it when it comes to faking a whole relationship.  She needs a plan, complete with a slate of dates, that will provide her with a realistic backstory.

The plan they come up with is what really drives the bulk of the action in the book and it’s so much fun to follow Liam and Daisy as they seek to fool people into thinking they’re a couple.  There are so many hilarious moments, particularly involving Daisy’s aunties as well as some of the fun dates they decide to go on.  Daisy and Liam are adorable together and it becomes clear the more time Daisy and Liam spend together that they really are perfect for each other.  If only they could resolve and move past what happened ten years ago.  I was really rooting for them every step of the way.

I don’t want to give away anything, but I found the progression of their relationship very satisfying overall, and I also appreciate the blend of rom-com and heavier topics as we learn more about why Liam so abruptly disappeared from Daisy’s life.  The Dating Plan is a gem of a story for anyone who enjoys a light-hearted romance balanced with a healthy dose of family drama.  4 STARS. 

 

Rom-Com Reviews:  THE DATING PLAN & ACT YOUR AGE, EVE BROWNAct Your Age, Eve Brown (The Brown Sisters, #3) Goodreads

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publication Date: March 9, 2021

Publisher:  Avon

I’m so bummed that Act Your Age, Eve Brown marks the end of Talia Hibbert’s popular romance series, The Brown Sisters, but I’m thrilled to report that the final book in the series has quickly become my favorite.  I devoured this book in just a few hours because I just couldn’t get enough of Eve and her new boss, Jacob.  Their chemistry is off the charts so the sexy factor is high, but Eve is kind of a hot mess so the laugh factor is equally high.

As much as I adored Chloe and Dani from the first two books, I have to say that Eve just stole my heart from the very first page. With her purple hair, orange lip gloss, her kickass music playlist, and her overall sunny disposition, Eve is just a delight in every way.  Eve does have one little problem though and that’s sticking with plans she has made, especially those plans that relate to a career.  Eve has no idea what she really wants to do with her life and so she basically flits from one career to another, all the while living off of her trust fund.  Until her parents decide to cut her off, that is.  They’re both worried that she’s never going to get her life together so they kick her out of the nest and force her to get a job and fend for herself.  Eve goes out for a drive to clear her head and comes across a charming bed and breakfast that has an opening for a chef. On a whim, she decides to interview for the position and immediately butts heads with Jacob Wayne, the sexy B&B owner. Jacob likes to be in control and wants everything just so.  He can tell from the moment he meets Eve that there’s no way he could deal with having her in his kitchen. She’s just way too flighty for him to deal with.  When an unforeseen accident forces Jacob to step back and let Eve work for him, he finds out there’s a lot more to Eve than meets the eye and he may have severely underestimated her.

As I’ve already mentioned, the chemistry between Eve and Jacob is fantastic.  I was rooting for them to get together from their first snarky conversation during the job interview and cheering for them every step of the way as they got to know each other better.  I love how Eve’s sunny disposition basically wears down Jacob’s inner grump in one hilarious scene after another.

I don’t want to give away anything else about the plot but if you’ve been enjoying this series so far, you are absolutely going to fall in love with Eve.  And if you’re unfamiliar with the series but are looking for a delightful and sexy romance, Act Your Age, Eve Brown is just the read you’re looking for.  My only disappointment was that another Brown sister didn’t turn up out of the blue so that the series could continue.  Otherwise, the series has ended on a perfect note with me.  5 STARS.