NEW REVIEW: The Woman by the Lake by Kristen Ashley

OUR REVIEW:

Everyone knows that when Kristen Ashley comes out with a new novel, we read it. No questions asked, we grab it and start because we know, with rare exception, that we will pick it up and love it. In the Misted Pines series, we cannot seem to escape the psychopaths and The Woman by the Lake definitely shows us that. In this novel we have a new transplant, Nadia, living next door to the only other person who lives on the lake, Doc Riggs. Their first two meetings don't go very well, and honestly, he kinda came off as a douchebag. But as we all know KA will do, she shows us that even someone who comes off like that can be so much more than that. In the case of Doc Riggs, as soon as he finds out who Nadia is (member of an uber wealthy family) and why she's there (to recover from the vicious murder of her mother), he quickly gets his shit together and becomes the good guy he had the potential to be. Now could we blame Nadia for not really caring for him at first? After his initial smug/annoying behavior? No. But, as he steps up to take care of her and she learns more about why the cute cabin she's renting is really never rented, she relents and becomes fast friends with him. And of course, that friendship quickly becomes more, just as the weirdness on the island amps up.

The Woman by the Lake may be the eeriest yet of this series. Some of the things that happened while she was staying there were truly creepy and amped up the suspense of who was behind all of the things happening. As you should expect, I enjoyed this new novel by KA and am once again looking forward to what she releases next.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4bhD9rg

SYNOPSIS:

Nadia Williams needs somewhere peaceful to sort through her grief after her mother is brutally murdered. She finds a cozy cabin at the side of a tranquil lake in the quaint town of Misted Pines in the Pacific Northwest.

The minute she arrives, she knows it’s perfect.

The very night of her arrival, however, someone—or something—is scratching at her window.

The next morning, she meets her one and only neighbor, Doc Riggs. He’s a rough, good-time guy who rubs Nadia wrong immediately. They clash, and neither of them are happy to be sharing their lake.

But soon, Nadia learns the lore around her cabin, and how the townsfolk are certain it’s haunted by the ghost of the man who was murdered there fifteen years before.

Riggs and Nadia are suddenly thrown into a tangled web of history, betrayal, grief, secrets, with only one thing certain.

Someone—or something—wants them off that lake.

 

NEW REVIEW: Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

OUR REVIEW:

Once again, Julie Soto knocked it out of the park. In Not Another Love Song, we get to meet two talented musicians: Gwen and Xander (Alex). She's a talented violinist who plays with the Pops Orchestra and he's a talented cellist who also plays in the Pops but is also uber famous for the band he's in. She knows who he is because she's crushed on him for a while....he has no clue who she is until they meet at a wedding. He quickly becomes enamored with her, while she's nothing but flustered, and bam! one brief post-wedding meeting where he insults her and she gets her feelings hurt and we're off to the land of romance. 

Over the course of months we get to see him fall for her, see her try to reject him, see him continually put his foot in his mouth, see her mistrust and doubt throw them curveballs, and see his mistrust do the same. We get to see him realize how truly talented she is, to see her get to shake him up out of his protective bubble, and see them merge into what could be a musical super couple. Of course nothing is ever that easy. There are bad guys, past histories that mess with their heads, and yet....and yet they have people hoping and rooting for them to figure it out.

I enjoyed Not Another Love Song so much. I loved being in the world of orchestral music and all of the intrigue there could be there. I'm so glad I found Julie Soto and I just am so very eager to see who/what she writes next. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3xvmKlh

SYNOPSIS:

Two string players fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage in this spicy and emotional romance.

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but each has had very different paths to success. Xander was born into classical music royalty, while Gwen had a natural ear for music that was nurtured by a kind shop owner.

After Gwen performs at his friend’s wedding, she’s mortified when she realizes Xander has no clue who she is—despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra. But she’s more furious that he arrogantly critiques her performance.

When Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of the orchestra, something Xander had secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. But their respect for each other's music is undeniable, and their onstage chemistry off the scale. As they begin to explore their feelings for one another, suddenly they're box office dynamite and the fragile romance that's growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt...

 

REVIEW: The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

 

OUR REVIEW:

It's been a while since I've read a Christina Lauren novel and this one just struck me as a little different than what I've read from them in the past so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. Anna and West (aka Liam) were interesting characters to read. They were the epitome of opposites attract: she was a starving artist, he came from money. She was had a loving relationship with her father, he was avoiding his family at all costs. Despite all of that, when he needed her to fulfill an obligation as his "wife"...an agreement they entered into years ago as college students who needed to be married in order to get into cheaper housing...she agreed, for a price. He'd pay her for playing his wife and he'd get his family off of his back. 

From the moment they boarded the plane, I knew they'd be fun. He was so anxious and she was so free-spirited that the mixture of two was fun to read. As they got to know each other on the plane, and then on the days following, you could see that there was no way they weren't going to end up together because while she may have needed his monetary donation, he needed her far more than either of them could know. I loved that she supported him and took his back, and suffered the uncomfortable situations that she was thrown in so that he could get through a tough ten days. I loved that he was not an elitist jerk, that he recognized his role in the drama of his family, and that he also had her back. And when all hell broke loose and the truth of everything was revealed, I loved the resolution of it all, especially the very end. 

Easy, cute read that will leave you feeling good. A definite great summer read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4c0DYp7

SYNOPSIS:
Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

REVIEW: Game Changer by Lana Ferguson

 

OUR REVIEW:

Lana Ferguson, I love you. Your novels always entertain me, making anything but reading impossible. I find that when I'm reading your characters I'm Lol-ing, cheering them on, or fanning myself from the heat level. Game Changer continues that trend. 

In this novel we have Lila and Ian--two people who've known each other since their childhood--thrown together by their PR people to try to improve his image and her show ratings. No biggie, right? Wellllll, for Lila, she's had a massive crush on Ian for forever and for Ian, he's her brother's best friend....and the Lila he knew when she was much younger has grown into an attractive, funny, and smart woman. So while both of them agree to do this faux dating thing, they both figure out really quickly how hard it's going to be. Neither of them can seem to stop obsessively thinking about the other and are worried about ruining things, but once they figure that out, it's game on. They flirt and make out and fall hard for each other, with the only obstacle being Lila's brother Jack. Fortunately, Lana Ferguson takes it easy on us and doesn't make us die before we get to their HEA. Like my reading of The Nanny, I'd love to return to this world and get to know more of the other characters, but I don't think that will happen, so I'll just happily wait for the next thing that Lana Ferguson gives us.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4b0Tdyk

SYNOPSIS:

A hockey player and a baker shoot their shot in this steamy new romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Nanny.

When a very public breakup becomes a PR nightmare for Ian Chase's team, he hopes to focus on his game, but that suddenly seem less likely than a hat trick. With his career and the team’s image in jeopardy, Ian is surprised to find a solution through none other than Delilah Baker, his best friend and teammate's little sister…who isn’t so little anymore.

Delilah Baker is known as “the darling of baking” on her local cable show, and being in the public eye is her bread and butter. But with her numbers dwindling and her producers turning up the heat, Delilah offers up the half-baked idea to collaborate with her brother’s team to entice the hockey fans of Boston to tune in to her show. Delilah thinks it will be a piece of cake—until the team sends Ian Chase, her brother’s best friend and the object of a decade-long crush that she’s never quite gotten over. 

REVIEW: Dishonestly Yours by Krista and Becca Ritchie

 OUR REVIEW:

It's been a while since I've read a Ritchie sisters' novel, but I remembered enjoying their writing and thought I'd try out Dishonestly Yours when it popped up in my NetGalley feed. I went into the novel totally blind and, honestly, it took me a few chapters to settle in and feel like I understood my surroundings. Another bit of honesty? I found this cast of characters to be pretty unlikeable at first...but I think that's what they wanted us to feel...like who the heck are these people and why are they so scammy? If you're feeling like that, I would suggest that you keep reading. Phoebe and Rocky and their gang of misfits (aka, their siblings) start to become people you like, as you get to know and understand how and why they are the way they are. As a matter of fact, I became so absorbed in their story that the ending (that ending!) snuck up on me and I felt really very disappointed that I'd have to wait to get more of their story. I felt like I was just getting to know them and like them and then BAM! the last word is there and I'm just like dammit! I need more! 

I love it when that happens; when a novel that I feel a little uncertain about turns into a page turner that I can't put down. I need more Phoebe, Rocky, their siblings, and this dysfunctional town ASAP, Ritchie sisters!

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4cNmM84

SYNOPSIS:

Starting fresh is the only way Phoebe can escape a life of crime, but her best friend's older brother complicates honest dreams in this gripping new series from the authors of the Addicted series.

Phoebe Graves grew up in a family where deception and seduction are as commonplace as breathing. The Graves and her best friend Hailey’s family have been on the run their whole lives, but after a high-stakes con job goes south, Phoebe and Hailey decide to run away and start over. The small Connecticut town they settle in seems too good to be true.

The biggest flaw in their plan is Hailey’s frustratingly handsome brother, Rocky, who insists on coming with them. Living honestly isn’t in his DNA, and his past with Phoebe is downright messy. He’s everything she wants, but nothing she can have.

Phoebe worries that Rocky will tempt them back into their old ways, where lying is second nature. She doesn’t want Rocky to mess up the new life she’s begun for herself. The longer she stays in town, the more she realizes what it means to have a reputation—and what a normal life with the man she loves could look like.

REVIEW: I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

OUR REVIEW:

I Have Some Questions For You was recommended to me be a few people and seeing some compare it to The Secret History intrigued me. It blends podcasting with true crime with social commentary with some introspection and carried over teen angst. 

Most of this novel is set at a boarding school and centers around Bodie Kane's suspicion that the person in prison for the murder of her high school roommate was wrongly accused. Decades after she's graduated, she's back to teach a two week session and while there delves into various aspects of the murder and the case that followed. The vast majority of the novel takes place in those two weeks and it's a little arduous. I think that made it a little bit of a slog was that she was so hung up on who she was back then that she can't always see that she's not that person anymore...or at least she's progressed past her adolescence. So while I was hoping for more revelations about the crime, the vast majority of the time I was reading about her struggle to marry who she was to who she is. But it wasn't all a slog and the last fourth of the novel really picked up steam and delved into who might have committed the crime and how and why. 

All in all a 3.5-4 star read for me. Interesting but a little *too* plagued with the angst of the ghosts of high school, for me at times. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4apLuZF

SYNOPSIS:

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 

Named a Best Book of 2023 by The Washington Post, People, USA Today, NPR, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, The Boston Globe, CrimeReads and more

“A twisty, immersive whodunit perfect for fans of Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.” —People 

"Spellbinding." —The New York Times Book Review

"[An] irresistible literary page-turner." —The Boston Globe

The riveting new novel — "part true-crime page-turner, part campus coming-of-age" (San Francisco Chronicle) — from the author of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist The Great Believers

A successful film professor and podcaster, Bodie Kane is content to forget her past—the family tragedy that marred her adolescence, her four largely miserable years at a New Hampshire boarding school, and the murder of her former roommate, Thalia Keith, in the spring of their senior year. Though the circumstances surrounding Thalia’s death and the conviction of the school’s athletic trainer, Omar Evans, are hotly debated online, Bodie prefers—needs—to let sleeping dogs lie.
 

REVIEW: Honey Cut by Sierra Simone

OUR REVIEW:

OHMYGOD. I loved this book even when I wanted to throttle Sierra Simone for torturing her characters and her readers in the way that she did. It hurt so good. And now?!Now we wait for the final novel to be released months from now and try not to die from curiosity about how she's going to get us to that HEA. I suspect it'll be the most beautiful torture ever ...and I cannot wait. 

But I digress, you should know a little, but not too much, about Honey Cut. 

The thing about a middle book in a series of 3 books is that it's really hard to write a review that doesn't spoil things too much. So of course, I'll remind you that you absolutely need to read the novella and the first book, Salt Kiss, to understand everything in Honey Cut. In this novel, we pick up right where we left off; Isolde and Tristan have finished their yacht trip and Mark is there waiting. They must somehow pretend that they mean nothing to each other while being in the presence of each other and Mark, a man they both want (and don't want) to love and want him to love each of them. It's a mess. It's torture. It's lovely and painful and angsty and messssssy. I loved it. And I loved all the things that happened with all of them after the wedding. MESSSSSSY. So messy. So tortured and loving and sweet and terrible. It's like the latest Taylor Swift album. Angst filled, hope filled, loved filled, hurt filled. And all alone that would have me hooked, but then Sierra Simone had to go and throw in the whole subplot of intrigue with Isolde's work for her uncle and Mark's mysteriousness too. 

Sierra Simone is just too good, y'all. She absolutely ruins me for weeks. Every novel that comes after hers are never as good and always leave me unsatisfied because all I want is her next thing and it's never ready right then. It's the problem with reading her novels as soon as they're released, rather than waiting until the full series is out; you are DYING for your next fix. You want to be fully immersed in the worlds she's built and all of the emotion and angst that fills you as you're reading. I never ever finish her novels slowly; I devour them and then just suffer until I get a little time and space and distraction. Kudos to Sierra Simone for all that she does, and especially for writing the middle book of a series so well. I know it must be hard to write just enough and give us just enough to keep us hungry without giving it all away, and she did it. That ending. All I can do is shake my head and try not to wish my life away waiting for the final book. 

The end. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4aq6782

SYNOPSIS:

I have one job in this arranged marriage, and that’sto seduce my husband.

It should be easy; I’m the heiress to a transatlantic fortune, bred and raised to make a good match. I’ve spent a lifetime building up my endurance, my discipline, my dedication to my god and my church. The danger lies in falling for the devil who put his ring on my finger—a mistake I made years ago, and can’t afford to make again.

There is one more danger: handsome and green-eyed, emotionally wounded. Tristan Thomas, former soldier and my new husband’s bodyguard. A hero who stole my heart with salt-soaked kisses on the sea.

But Lyonesse is not like other places, and this isn’t like other marriages. Soon Tristan, Mark, and I are tangled in a knot of vicious jealousy and gorgeous wickedness, where suspicion is an aphrodisiac and secrets and vows are one and the same.

And there is something far darker at play than my real purpose, than the machinations of the Church I serve. Darker even than the twisted longings of my own heart. Because my husband has secrets of his own, and the reason he’ll stop at nothing to possess me could slice my soul deeper than the honeysuckle-hilted knife he gave me once upon a time.

Because when it comes to Mark Trevena and his games, the first cut is more than the deepest—it’s the sweetest.

And he always leaves you begging for more…

Honey Cut is the second book in the Lyonesse Trilogy.

 

REVIEW: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

 

OUR REVIEW:

I *think* this may be my favorite Carley Fortune novel to date. 

As you can see from the synopsis Lucy and Felix's love story wasn't ever really meant to be. He's her best friend's brother and off limits. She's his sister's best friend...and off limits. So after their first night together they decide to proceed as friends only. Except that they clearly have chemistry and long for each other and despite what they think, they aren't really good at hiding these things. But they try. For five years, they try really hard to obey the rules. They fail, but vow to try again. 

We learn all of this through the drama of the day with Bridget alternating with the flashbacks of those previous five years and how Lucy and Felix become who they are to each other. I loved reading about their fleeting meet ups as much as I enjoyed reading about who they were and who they were becoming. As unlikely as it seemed-that these two could fall for each other over a series of sporadic meetings-I actually believed that it could happen. 

Carley Fortune created these two characters that I really adored. I loved Lucy's dream for herself and I loved Felix's ambition and drive. I loved Bridget's part to play in it too. And, I loved that as much as this was a story about Lucy and Felix, it was just as much a love note to Prince Edward Island ...a place I'd never really thought about much and now feel like I should go visit. 

I'm all over the place in this review and I really don't care to or want to fix it, so I'll just end with this: This Summer Will Be Different was hard to put down because I cared about the characters and wanted them all to be happy by the end. I loved that it was sweet and kind and romantic and it hurt so good. It's one of those novels I could definitely read again and not feel bored. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4dHMjzL

SYNOPSIS:

This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.

Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.

If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.

The story of Lucy and Felix had the perfect amount of tension and conflict and romance. 

REVIEW: Lips Like Sugar by Jess K Hardy

 

OUR REVIEW:

I found Jess K Hardy when I read Come As You Are and as soon as I saw Lips Like Sugar I grabbed it like it was my job. I love everything about this series, but I especially love that our couples appear to be older adults. These aren't characters just starting out in life, in their early 20s trying to figure things out; no, these are people in their 40s or older and have *some* things figured out and are still figuring out other things...just like actual people. 

In this novel, we have Mira, a single mom + caretake to her mom + owner of a bakery, and Cole, dad to an adult daughter + famous drummer + owner of a music studio. Their meet cute is adorable but it's the relationship that follows that makes this novel impossible to put down. They get to know each other through in person dates and texting and phone calls so that when they go to their friends' wedding, them dating will seem believable. Their chemistry is palpable and the way they interact at the wedding, and other dates, just screams that they should be together in real life. 

Both Mira and Cole bring some issues to this potential relationship, which seems natural, considering their age and experiences. Mira has some serious abandonment issues, as does Cole--though they impact them in different ways. And while those issues could definitely ruin things between them, thankfully they have people in their lives that make them see how foolish it would be to let this happen. 

I hope there are more books in this series because it's quickly becoming one of my favorites; if you haven't tried it, pick it up today.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3QySOee

SYNOPSIS:

Fake Date. Real Feels.

Mira Harlow has finally lost it. Between running her bakery, parenting her 14-year-old son, and taking care of her mom, she’s a stretched-thin mess. But kissing a total—and totally gorgeous—stranger before begging him to be her date to the biggest wedding her small town has ever seen so her ex won’t think she doesn’t have one? That’s a whole new level of chaos, even for her.

The last thing Cole Sanderson expects when he drives into the ski town of Red Falls, Montana is to score a date to his best friend’s wedding. But since his ex-rocker life in Seattle is stagnating, when the gorgeous, green-eyed bakery owner propositions him to play the role of her long-distance boyfriend, stirring his punk-shenanigans roots to their core, he doesn’t hesitate to say, “Hell yes!”

Mira hopes for a fun night with her fake date, but when their wedding weekend turns into a genuine connection, when Cole returns to Seattle and she tries to go back to her normal life, she wonders if she missed out on something real. But Cole isn’t done with her yet, and when he finds his way back to Red Falls, she’ll have to decide what’s more important: clinging to the neat and tidy life she’s struggled to maintain, or taking a risk, embracing the chaos, and maybe even falling in love.

Lips Like Sugar is book 2 in the Bluebird Basin Romance series but can absolutely be read as a standalone. This story features two main characters in their fifties, lots of laughs, plenty of open-door steam, and so many butterflies.

REVIEW: The Fury by Alex Michaelides

 

OUR REVIEW:

This is the second book I've read by Alex Michaelides and I'm going to be honest and say that while the writing can be engaging, at times, I was never surprised by the twist. I predicted the ending in both the novels I read and that, my friends, was just ugh. That coupled with the annoying characters made this read a mildly entertaining slog. A solid three stars but I feel like the only thing I'll remember about this one is that I, once again, predicted the ending! Gah. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3J5Uqbt

SYNOPSIS:

This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.

I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

REVIEW: The Women by Kristin Hanna

 

OUR REVIEW:

The minute I saw the title and cover of The Women, I scanned the synopsis and knew I'd have to read it. I've been craving a novel about a woman's experience in Vietnam ever since I read Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried and was hoping to find a novel to be its counterpart in my classes. While The Women most likely won't be paired with The Things They Carried, I do foresee myself recommending it to many.

The Women follows the story of Frankie, a young, naive woman who signs up to be a nurse in Vietnam after her brother volunteers to go. Her hope is to not only join her brother, but to follow in the family tradition of serving in the military, with her ultimate hope that she'll make her family proud. Much to her chagrin, her parents are mildly horrified but she's still hoping to make them proud when she leaves to serve. 

Her first days in Vietnam are foreshadowing her tour there--filled with chaos, nightmarish conditions, horrific injuries, a dawning realization that maybe we shouldn't be there, and the making of lifelong friendships that will help her through the next decades. 

Frankie not only learns that she's made of tougher stuff--through the trials, terror, and harrowing conditions she has to work in--she also learns about love and disappointment and friendship and loss. And with all of those lessons to carry her home, she arrives to the worst thing--U.S. citizens being horrible to her when she arrives on foreign soil, along with her parents being complete assholes. She tries to reacclimate and tries to do all of the right things to help heal her trauma from the last years she's experienced, but she cannot catch a break and it seems that with every good thing that occurs, she has a devastating event to wipe out all positive steps forward. It takes years and years, and truly hitting the very bottom for her to finally find a life that allows her some peace and fulfillment. 

I don't have many complaints about this novel, but if I did, I suppose one of them would be that just when we see her connect with someone very special, it fades to black. It made the ending bittersweet because I think we all want that extra zing of happiness for her after all she's been through. I suppose that's the beauty of this novel--these characters begin to feel like real people and you want so much for them to be happy and healthy and you hate that the novel ever has to end.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4amVcwa

SYNOPSIS:

From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah's The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

REVIEW: You or Someone Like You by Winter Renshaw

 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/49y069T

OUR REVIEW:

The story of Roman and Sloane in You or Someone Like You kept in an anxious state for the vast majority of it. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed their getting to know each other --how they initially didn't think there was anything there but took a chance. Or how their initial non-date dates were definitely dates and they were definitely interested in the other. I also enjoyed the back story of each of them and getting to know what made each of them who they were. But honestly, the wait for the deception to be revealed kept my anxiety high and the longer it took for it to happen, the more I could think of how Sloane would get caught. So good but so anxiety producing. Gah. 

Quick, fun read, with an author's note that will hit you in the heart. Grab it and enjoy. 

SYNOPSIS:

From Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author Winter Renshaw comes a fast-paced, emotional romance about what happens when the wrong twin falls for the right man.

Being an identical twin has its perks, but when my sister asked me to sub in for a date with Roman Bellisario, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Sure, he’s sinfully handsome and successful, but he also got me fired from my dream job three years ago.

This time, my sister’s promotion is riding on this date, so I have to say yes. And as it turns out, we’re strangely perfect for each other. I sell art. He collects it. We’re both obsessed with the same obscure, mysterious artist that most people don’t even know exists.

Roman is guarded, though, and I can understand why. He’s a widowed single dad. But as one date leads to another, he starts to let me in, and I can’t help but fall for him.

The problem is Roman still thinks I’m my sister. Is our twin swap going to be the best thing that ever happened to me and Roman—or the lie that tears us apart?

REVIEW: Girls with Bad Reputations by Xio Axelrod

OUR REVIEW:

I read the first book in this series, The Lillys, and I super enjoyed it so when I saw book two on NetGalley, I requested it. In this second book about the members of the badass girl band, The Lillys, we get to know the drummer, Kayla, and the man who ends up being their tour bus driver, Ty. While they come from seemingly different backgrounds, they bond over their favorite books and music. Their love story takes place over the course of two festival touring circuits, with family drama and former bandmate drama weaving in and out of their narratives. Kayla has been hiding what she's doing from her family because she fears their reaction and is trying to avoid a fight. Ty, meanwhile, is doing his best to take care of and support his only real family member, his grandpa, while grappling with the guilt and horror and anger he has after he was falsely accused of plagiarism and assault. Needless to say, both Kayla and Ty are working through some things and it's interesting to see how they begin to lean on each other and the band as they figure things out. Their love story is sweet and gentle and fun.

In addition to their story, the story of the band is equally engaging. I am very curious about Tiff and Lilly, as well as what's going to happen with Candi and their record label. Their band seems like they're on the cusp of mega stardom while their label seems intent on making every step of their rise to fame incredibly difficult, which makes zero sense....something I'm sure will be addressed in later novels.

All in all a great read that has me eager for the rest of the series. 

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SYNOPSIS:

"Hot chemistry, fantastic writing, realistic character flaws, triumphs, and family drama—Xio Axelrod never misses a beat! GIRLS WITH BAD REPUTATIONS is one you don't want to miss!" —Rebecca Yarros, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

All her life, Kayla heard the same refrain: Don't be so loud. Don't act so wild. Don't take up so much space. Now she's the beating heart of an up-and-coming rock band…and the whole world is going to know her name.

Once upon a time, the pressure to be the perfect daughter nearly broke Kayla Whitman. Desperate to find an outlet away from her controlling mother, she picked up a pair of drumsticks, forever altering the rhythm of her life. Since then, she's been determined to make her own way, finding her home with her bandmates even as she fights to keep her past and her present firmly separate.

Things were simple enough when the Lillys were playing local gigs at dive bars, but now they're on their first official tour—and all Kayla can see are warning signs. Desperate to escape the worry churning inside her, Kayla finds solace in quiet tour bus driver Ty Baldwin…and discovers in him a kindred spirit like no one she's ever met before.

Their connection is immediate and intense, but when increasing scrutiny from the press threatens to destroy Ty's newfound peace and Kayla's carefully guarded secrets, Kayla's forced to make an impossible choice: pursue her dream and risk destroying everyone around her? Or give in and lose the chance of ever becoming the person she's always known she could be.

REVIEW: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

OUR REVIEW:

Just like all of the other Abby Jimenez novels I've read, I zoomed through this one; she has a knack for creating characters and scenarios that pull you in and make you care about their plights. In the case of Just for the Summer, Justin and Emma find each other via a funny story on Reddit and end up connecting through their similar dating stories. What starts out as a one off DM turns into several DMs that then turn into conversations and a suggestion that they try to break the dating curse they both seem to be under. Without a doubt, it's obvious that they're meant to be together and while I think Justin realizes that from the beginning, it takes Emma quite a bit of time to work through her denial. To say she has trust issues is probably the biggest understatement anyone could make, but it's accurate and understandable, as you get to know her story. 

Justin is created to be adored, in my opinion. He's considerate and fun and loving and attentive and really all the things anyone could ask for in a boyfriend. And while Emma is empathetic and caring and up for anything, her inability to let anyone in makes her mildly infuriating. Don't get me wrong, I understand why she does what she does but it's hard to see her denying what's right in front of her. 

These two characters have it anything but easy and yet they persevere and persist and you can't help but root for them the entire time. You know, absolutely know, that their love story is going to hurt before it's all said and done and yet you can't look away from it. You have to know how it's going to implode and how they'll make it back together. 

I really enjoyed their story, and all of the baggage and weight that they carry (Abby Jimenez is nothing if not consistent when it comes to giving her characters something to grapple with), their ability to work through it, and of course the connections that Justin and Emma have with all of the previous books. Funny and sad and infuriating and loveable--you're going to enjoy these two and their HEA.

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SYNOPSIS:

A sharp and scintillating summer novel that will make readers laugh out loud and cry happy tears from the New York Times bestselling author of Yours Truly.

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work. 

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

 

REVIEW: The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score

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OUR REVIEW:

By the time this review posts, it'll be wayyyyy beyond the Christmas season; the beauty of this novel, however, is that it doesn't need to be Christmas for you to enjoy it. The story of Cat and Noah is a tale as old as time--mortal enemies (because they don't really know anything about each other) who will eventually find out that they're both as good as people think they are. They'll begrudgingly give the other the trust and accolades that they deserve and as they get to know each other, love will soon follow. 

The Christmas Fix was a fun one. Cat is the hot, hardworking renovation reality tv star with a heart of gold (hiding behind her snark) and Noah is the hot, hardworking city manager also with a heart of gold (hiding behind his trust and control issues). Together they'll make you laugh and feel good at their happily ever after.

Fun, quick read. 

SYNOPIS:

She’ll save Christmas just to spite him…

There’s only one thing standing in the way of Cat King saving a small town’s Christmas festival: Grumpy town manager Noah Yates.

Single dad Noah takes his responsibilities seriously. When a late season hurricane turns Merry, Connecticut, into a disaster, he’s left scrambling to pick up the pieces of the town he loves.

At least, until home renovation expert and smoking hot reality TV star Catalina King arrives with a camera crew and a budget big enough to put the town back together again. But Noah doesn’t want a celebrity diva capitalizing on their tragedy or filling his daughter’s head with visions of glitz and glam.

Blonde bombshell Cat is used to being underestimated, but Noah has an uncanny knack for getting under her skin. They can’t be in a room together without rubbing each other the wrong way…except that time in the dark alley where the rubbing was just right. Can these enemies work together to pull off a Christmas miracle or will their fighting leave them both on the naughty list?

Author’s Note: These enemies-to-lovers deliver the holiday feels with a dirty-talking hero, ballsy blonde who never backs down, steamy hot break-the-dining-room-table sexy times, and a small town that still believes in the magic of Christmas.
 

The Worst Best Man by Lucy Score

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OUR REVIEW:

The reason why some reviewers didn't always love The Worst Best Man is exactly why I enjoyed it so much. It's way over the top, shallow fun. It features a poor-ish college student, Frankie, and a kazillionaire, Aiden, who are instantly attracted to each other but want nothing to do with the other. Their best friends' wedding is what throws them together and the shenanigans began. They snark and snipe and poke at each other, as well as laugh and enjoy the other's company. Of course they shouldn't work, and of course, they do. I love how they fall for each other, they support and protect each other, and how the overcome things to end up together.

All in all, a light, fun read. 

SYNOPSIS:

The bride is a doll. The groom is the perfect gentleman. But the rest of the wedding party? They're the stuff of nightmares. Rich? Check. Vapid? Double Check. Entitled? Not enough checks in the world. And the Best Man? More like the Worst Man.

But Maid of Honor Franchesca takes her duties seriously. Kidnapped groom? She's got this. Rude attendees? You just watch her handle them. So a Best Man with a big attitude and an even bigger...checkbook? Yeah, there's no way she's going to let that pretentious, judgmental jackhole ruin her best friend's wedding. No matter how sexy he is. (Well, that's the plan anyway...)

Aiden Kilbourn doesn't do long-term relationships. He's busy ruling the business world, and has yet to find a woman he can tolerate for longer than a month, two at the outside, anyway. Conquering the unconquerable is basically his bread and butter. And he hasn't met a challenge that he can't win. But Franchesca Baranski? This smart-mouthed girl from Brooklyn may just be his downfall.

 

REVIEW: The Social Graces by Renee Rosen

OUR REVIEW:

The Social Graces has been sitting on my kindle for a while and I'm glad I finally picked it up. This novel takes the real lives of the Vanderbilts and the Astors and fictionalizes aspects of their lives, while staying fairly true to many of the facts. I found myself stopping to google images and places because the way Rosen wrote their stories made me completely fascinated and dying to know more. 

I really appreciated how she made Alva and Caroline interesting and flawed and lovable--you couldn't help but root for both of them, even as you questioned some of their choices. I also enjoyed that she wrote about a large span of their lives, which made the novel feel very satisfying when you got to the end--it felt complete.

Interesting, historical read. 

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SYNOPSIS:

Named one of 2021’s Most Anticipated Historical Novels by Oprah Daily ∙ SheReads ∙ Frolic ∙ BookReporter ∙ and more...

The author of Park Avenue Summer throws back the curtain on one of the most remarkable feuds in history: Alva Vanderbilt and the Mrs. Astor's notorious battle for control of New York society during the Gilded Age.

1876. In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, women are valued by their pedigree, dowry, and, most importantly, connections. They have few rights and even less independence—what they do have is society. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor—the Mrs. Astor.

But times are changing.

Alva Vanderbilt has recently married into one of America's richest families. But what good is dizzying wealth when society refuses to acknowledge you? Alva, who knows what it is to have nothing, will do whatever it takes to have everything.

Sweeping three decades and based on true events, this is the mesmerizing story of two fascinating, complicated women going head to head, behaving badly, and discovering what’s truly at stake.