Coming in with some reviews. Lots of them! I have gotten so behind.

Worth the Try by Valerie Pepper

Valerie Pepper is one of my favorite smalValerie Pepper is one of my favorites and here we are with a new Rugby Series?!?! Yes, please!!!! Elodie loses her job and starts nannying during the summer for Ansel Miles, a single dad and star player of the Atlanta Granites. Ansel’s daughter is adorable and of course everyone starts to become attached to each other. Elodie quickly becomes friends with a few of the Rugby ladies, which adds depth and other relationship developments in the mix. Throw in someone from the past who threatens this new bond, and you are in for a fun treat! We of course have Valerie’s signature spice that always hits. This was just such a fun read, charming characters, all around awesome. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series!

Bottom Line: Read it!!!

**I received a copy of Worth the Try from Book Funnel and am leaving my review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Summer on Lilac Island by Lindsay MacMillan

This reminded me a little of an Elin Hilderbrand book, with lots of characters on a small town island where everyone knows each other. The chapters altered POV from different characters, mainly Gigi, her mother Eloise, her grandmother Alice, her sister Rebekah and then there were a few weird chapters from the POV from the island itself. I must say, Gigi wasn’t a very likeable character. She grated on my nerves often, but she did show growth. Overall, I found the book passed the time well enough that I stuck with it and enjoyed it for the most time. I liked the town feel, sounds like a lovely place to visit.

Bottom Line: Read if you enjoy contemporary fiction.

**I received a copy of Summer on Lilac Island from Netgalley and am leaving my honest review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

I am a huge Golden Girls fan. I watched the show so much growing up and as an adult. So I was really excited to read this one, requested without even reading what it was going to be about. I have to be honest, this is a miss for me. It felt so silly and trying to hard to copy the characters from the show in a book. The writing style wasn’t my favorite, it almost felt like someone asked AI to write a book based off the show and gave weird descriptions from the characters and other things that were just off putting to me. I have to be honest and say I wasn’t that far in when I really just started skimming. I got bored and was ready to move to other books.

Bottom Line: Pass, this just didn’t work for me.

**I received a copy from Netgalley and am leaving my review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Hard to Get by Laura Moher

Andi Salazar is a strong, independent woman who has the voice of her grandmother to not trust men engraved in her mind. Kevin Mahoney is new to town, and determined to show he isn’t so vanilla after a bad breakup with his ex. These two meet one night and hook up and Andi is determined to never see him again, except they get paired together shortly after for work. They form a friendship and help each other work through their trauma. I saw all the twists coming, but enjoyed the ride to get there. There is lots of talk of domestic abuse and red flags, and it is all handled well. The timing/pace of the romance works really well here.

I listened to this on audio book, narration switched between a male and female and it was done well.

Bottom Line: Read it

**I received an audio copy of Hard to Get from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Leave Before I Love You by Max Monroe

Ok, when I read the description of this book, there wasn’t much to go by. But I do love a brother’s best friend trope so I figured why not?! I didn’t expect this to start with such a….BANG?! Henry and Avery are the only two that can go on a new years trip, after everyone else backs out. There is a plane crash and a remote island situation happening in the first like 5% of the book. It really hooks you in. Obviously, as Henry and Avery try to survive on the island they grow close. But Avery is a rich party girl that doesn’t have much responsibility of her own, and Henry is an experienced man with his own company and this is his best friend’s little sister. This book was quite the interesting ride, I enjoyed it.

Bottom Line: Read it.

**I received a copy of Leave Before I Love You from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Fake Off by Terra Weiss

I love a hockey romance. This one was a good one! Sydney is trying to land the sports reporter job at her news station and get away from the weather. She is up against a real jerk. Brooks is home nursing a hockey injury and trying to take care of his Meema. Who might I add is just the most adorable Meema ever! Brooks and Sydney find themselves in a fake relationship to save her job and help his Meema’s health. The banter in this one is so good! The book flashes back several times throughout to give you a picture of their history. I just all around really enjoyed this and had a hard time putting it down.

❄️ Fake Dating
❄️ Forced Proximity (One Bed!)
❄️ Brother’s Best Friend
❄️ Mental Health Rep
❄️ Grumpy/Sunshine
❄️ Childhood Enemies to Lovers
❄️ Small Town Return
❄️ Ice King Melts for Just Her
❄️ Found Family, Grief & Guilt
❄️ Laugh Out Loud
❄️ Scorching Chemistry

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of Fake Off from Book Sirens and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay

I really enjoyed this one! Alex Finlay has a way of pulling you in immediately. I will say, there are many characters and side plots going on throughout the book, you really have to pay attention to keep up. But the way they weave in and out and all the twists and turns was done so well. This was written in short chapters from several of the different characters POV, my favorite way to read a thriller like this. I loved getting more of FBI Agent Keller, she is definitely always one of my favorite characters in any book she is in!

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens

I am not sure what I want to say about this one! Sophie always leaves me thinking because her plots usually have something unique thrown in. This time we get an AI robot boyfriend. It took me quite awhile to get used to him? Like a curveball in reading. Because I am sitting here thinking this is totally nuts, but I suppose this could be our future too. But then enter a love triangle of sorts. Chloe shows a lot of growth and development throughout the book as she spends time at her reunion. The true story of this book is one of self discovery as you attend your college reunion.

Bottom Line: Read it! I am not sure that this was my favorite Sophie Cousens book, but it sure did make me think and definitely held my attention, as I wanted to see how this was all going to play out.

**I received a copy from Netgalley and am leaving my review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Wrecked by You by Kate Sweden

I am in the minority so far with reviews for this book, but I didn’t love it. While we get some back story on Max, I feel like I really knew nothing about Rayann. There is very little about her sisters/family in the book as well…so she is just a woman with a chaotic stream of inner monologue with a cool job to me. And the inner monologue? It is too much. I think it was supposed to be funny…but it missed the mark more often than not for me. I had a hard time getting into the book because it starts off with her sister telling her that she is going to do this wedding and their security guy is going with her. Then we are thrown into the chaos leading up to the wedding. I never really felt settled in the story. Now the spicy parts, wow they are spicy! I do like spicy in a book, and here I felt like the author did a good job and it was drawn out and not rushed. Though, I wouldn’t call the book a slow burn. Now the thing that bothered me most about the book? The language. Ya’ll, I have a sailors mouth more than not. I really should be better. But one thing I don’t say? GD. And my goodness was that term used in this book A LOT. A well timed one here and there doesn’t bother me or make me rate a book any lower. But this book is full of them and other holy, Jesus, just lots of religious terms used in a distasteful way. And why? There is really no point. And it became distracting in the book because they are used SO MUCH. In fact, I ended up quitting at about 61%. Deciding that between the GD this and GD that and the lack of development for our main lady and not feeling connected….I had other books to read and decided to abandon ship. And this is why only a 2 star rating from me. The author didn’t have my attention enough to even finish and see where it all went.

Bottom Line: Pass

**I received a copy of Wrecked by you from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score

This was a cute read. Maggie moves around renovating houses, never staying anywhere for long. She meets landscaper Silas and his dog Kevin. They work together on a house, and usually Maggie is off to the next project…but she catches feelings for Silas. Will she stay?! That is a good question, since Maggie is so afraid of commitment after her failed marriage to her gay best friend…what?! Girl, you should have seen that fail coming! That we really don’t know what she is going to do until the end of the book. But it was a fun ride getting there, if you can get past Maggie’s need to control everything and everyone along the way. But there are a lot of side plots that just made this a good read.

Bottom Line: Read it.

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon

Now hear me out, I am usually not the fantasy genre type. I am not quite sure how I landed on this book? I think someone recommended it on Instagram that I trust and so I requested it? Guinevere and Oskar’s story was so interesting to me. Guinevere is traveling with a trunk to meet her family and runs into trouble, Oskar helps her and they travel together. Feelings start to develop, but Guinevere is to marry someone else. She is also carrying family secrets that keep them in constant danger.

I did this on audio and the narration really helped me stay connected to a genre that I wasn’t so sure about when I started.

Bottom Line: This was such a fun jump into Romantasy for me. I wouldn’t mind picking up something else by this author. I really did enjoy.

Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus

As with all memoirs, I did this on audio with Mark reading and it was perfection! Blink is one of my all time favorite bands, and it was so cool getting to know Mark better and hearing stories of their time as a band and just all things from his life.

Bottom Line: Highly recommend if you are a Blink 182 fan!

Offside and Off-Limits by Kate O’Keeffe

I really enjoyed Clara and Cade’s story. This is part of a Maple Falls series, but I haven’t read the others…so you can totally do this as a stand alone. But I loved the town and the hockey team, so I will totally check out more from this series now! Clara is a single mom, who was diagnosed with CFS and has a horrible ex. Cade is a former womanizer who has moved across country to start over and shake his old reputation. This was told in dual POV, thank goodness, because we really got to see how serious Cade was about wanting to settle down. I really enjoyed this one!

Bottom Line: Read it

**I received a copy from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

The Cinnamon Spice Inn by Harper Graham

This one had all the small town fall vibes that I want right now, loved that! There is nothing quite like a small town romance, is there? When Madison comes home to help save her family’s inn, she runs into her ex Zach. There was a huge miscommunication between them years ago. So this is a second chance/enemies to lovers romance. However, the miscommunication was cleared up in like one sentence and they were pining for each other the entire time…so that was a little bit of a let down. I still enjoyed the story and all the fall vibes though. I just wished the enemies part of the trope was done a little better.

I listened to this book on audio and quite enjoyed the narration.

Bottom Line: Read if you are wanting some cozy small town fall vibes.

**I received an audio copy of this book from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Let’s Give ‘Em Pumpkin to Talk About by Isabelle Popp

Sadie goes home to take care of her dad’s pumpkin patch while he is gone to help her uncle. Only when she gets there, she learns the patch was destroyed. Enter cutie neighbor Josh to the rescue. Except Sadie isn’t so sure about him. But as they work together, feelings start to build. Sadie needs to decide if she wants to live the small town life, or go back to the big city. Sadie wasn’t entirely likeable for me, she has a dirty mouth and is quite….crass? I am not sure what word I am looking for. Some of the spice was a little much and cringe. And like many books I read, I feel like we had to cover the checklist of making sure we have certain representations in the book without any real reason in the main plot. Not to mention there was this whole abortion talk towards the end that had it been at the beginning, I would have quit the book. The characters showed growth, but the plot was thin. This ended up being a spicy book in a pumpkin patch…and not the other way around.

I listened to this on audio, and the narrator was fine, but maybe a little too monotoned?

Bottom Line: I could go either way. The cute part of the story where two unlikely people have feelings in the fall at a pumpkin patch was fun…but overall I think there are better seasonal reads

**I received a copy from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan

Why yes, I am jumping in to holiday reading! This novel was a delightful dive into what I am sure will be a long list of holiday reads for me! The book flows through the POV of Becky who is single, and runs into her brothers best friend Will at the airport and ends up traveling with him when flights are grounded, her sister Rosie who is married to Declan and having some issues in their first year of marriage, Hayley who is dating brother Jamie and has a big secret they are about to reveal to the family, and mother Jenny who just wants to impress Jamie’s new girlfriend and hopes that both her daughters are ok. There is lots of family drama throughout, as they are all worried about how their family will react to the issues they are each battling. Plus, their father has just retired from his constant on the go life as a very busy doctor and is struggling with retirement. I do enjoy a family drama, and surrounded by all the wonderful hallmark Christmasy vibes…just bring it!

I listened to this mostly on audio because the narration was done so well and added to the enjoyment of the story for me!

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received an ebook as well as audio book from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

I thought I posted these reviews on August 1st, but here we are with it sitting in drafts. Ooops!!

Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey

I have to be honest and say that this book is cringe and I can’t count how many times I rolled my eyes. I feel like Tessa’s recent books haven’t been near as good as her older ones. Or maybe I am just getting too old for them and not the right audience. But the insta-love doesn’t feel genuine and Chloe started out quite honestly…..ridiculous. She is supposed to be 25 but is so sheltered that she asks in a tour of an apartment who does the laundry in the basement once her clothes land in the laundry shoot. Hello girl, you! You do the laundry! I cannot with this. I am not sure I will be picking up anymore books by Tessa, I am sorry to say 🙁 Eventually I just gave up and didn’t read all the way to the end. I have too much on my TBR to waste my time with this.

Bottom Line: pass

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

I have to be honest, I didn’t love the twist in Every Summer After. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely loved the book though!! So when I realized this book was about Sam’s brother, Charlie, I was a little worried I would have a hard time rooting for him. But Charlie has a way of sneaking into your heart! I absolutely devoured this one. I loved Alice and Nan and their adventure at the lake, as Alice tries to cheer her up after surgery. I loved the reconnection with John, and getting to see glimpses of Percy and Sam who we all loved from Every Summer After. This is such the perfect summer read!

Bottom Line: Read it!

Kitty St Clair’s Last Dance by Kate Robb

*This one comes out October 7, 2025*

I loved this one! The book is told in present time, and through dreams that Jules has after reading Kitty’s diary. I loved the magic realism aspect, it was done so well here. I really enjoyed watching Jules and Reeves build something after a misunderstanding when they first met. I loved Jules best friend and all the people we meet at the retirement home. I haven’t picked up anything from this author before, but I am for sure going to check her out now!

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of Kitty St Clair’s Last Dance from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Engaging the Office Enemy by Kristin Canary

So this book has some tropes I usually enjoy…fake dating, close proximity, office romance and enemies to lovers. But I have to be honest and say that I never really liked the main female lead, Alexis. She is very immature and tiring. She thinks that her dying her hair childish colors and saying she doesn’t like men makes her edgy, but it just makes her sort of sad. We didn’t need the constant reminder that she doesn’t like Dax. And she is constantly complaining that Dax gets all the good accounts, but she can’t be adult enough to treat people professionally at her job and give solid ideas to deserve those big accounts. Dressing frumpy and having crazy hair colors doesn’t exactly portray professional who can handle big responsibilities if you ask me. She is just so judgmental and tries to hard to be different. I am coming in to this not having read other books in the series, and I am not sure that I would pick up anymore. I just didn’t love this.

Mistakes We Never Made by Hannah Brown

I thought the premise of the story was cute, trying to save a friend’s wedding. I like a good second chance romance and forced proximity trope as well. I will say, Emma kind of got on my nerves more than she didn’t. She is so controlling and tries to meddle in all her friends lives because she thinks she knows best. She has a weird idolization of her friend Sybil too. And Sybil….like what in the world was going on with her?? I feel like I got more questions than answers. I feel like there are a lot of toxic people/relationships in this book. I am not quite sure what to rate it, as I read it because I was interested to see where it was all going to go. But I also am disappointed in it a little. Like I wanted more from the end? Maybe more character growth too. I never really connected with any of them.

Bottom Line: It passed the time fine.

You Never Know by Tom Selleck

I have always liked Tom Selleck, and I was excited to read his memoir. I enjoyed all the stories he shared over his years as an actor. He has always seemed like a decent guy. I will say, I am extremely disappointed that about 70% of the book was dedicated to Magnum PI. There was zero mention of his time as Richard on Friends, very little about Three Men and a Baby and Blue Bloods was only discussed at the very end. I am hoping that maybe he will have a second book for life after Magnum? He is a great story teller and he narrates his audiobook. LOVE when they do that! If I didn’t listen to this via audio, I may have been bored and skipped around. I will say, I definitely feel like I got to know him a little better, I just wish there was more from the 90s forward.

Bottom Line: If you were a Magnum PI watcher, this is for you!

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

This book is so different than others that I have read lately, in the best way. I just loved this book. Lenny and Miles have both suffered unimaginable loss. Miles wants to help Lenny deal with her grief, and needs her help connecting with his niece and Reese. This book is so emotional, but full of healing and hope. I loved all the characters. I dont even want to say anymore other than just read it!

Bottom Line: Read it!

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean

I do love a family drama, and goodness this one delivers. There is so much drama between the death of the father, the mother’s behavior, the sibling rivalries, the guy who is running the game, love interests, just all of it! All of the characters are ones you aren’t sure if you are rooting for them or not, because they are all pretty terrible in their own ways. But that is what makes this such an interesting read. I was totally invested in the family drama and couldn’t wait to see how it all turned out. I was a little unsure how I felt about the ending? But I loved getting there. I would definitely read something else from this author.

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of These Summer Storms from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Now and Forever by N.C. Barton

Ok, first off, how swoony is this cover? Love. This is supposed to have some 1990’s nostalgia to it, but I have to admit, I didn’t really feel it? This is a second chance romance with some forced proximity. I may be giving a way a tiny bit of a spoiler here so skip down to the bottom line for my thoughts without any of the details. This was the typical issue of miscommunication. But really, all that time Hattie blamed Ed for not contacting her or remembering her….when in reality…she never gave him her number and wasn’t on social media to find. And she acted like she didn’t share that first night with him either when she sees him at the house. She spends a lot of the book making poor decisions when it comes to their relationship because she has trust issues or issues with not wanting to go all the way in, fear of getting hurt. When in reality all she is doing is hurting herself. The way a few of the issues played out was cringy on Hattie’s part. Like the way she used Kyle!! She knew what she was doing and how it would look if she went and met him that night. Throughout the book, I never really felt that pull or chemistry with Hattie and Ed. Sure, they had this wonderful night together one time many years ago. But the connection just wasn’t there for me. It was missing something.

Bottom Line: It passed the time ok, it wasn’t my favorite read of the month and I didn’t find the MC all that likeable. I think maybe it could be for someone else…but wasn’t it for me.

**I received an ARC copy of The Now and Forever from Happily Booked an am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

A few more reviews for June! It has been a busy reading month for me and wanted to share these last few as one of them is a new release, and another is one to look out for this fall!

Late Match by DW Brooks

This is a second chance romance that mostly happens during a week where the main characters run into each other at a swim camp for their kids. They are there with their exes and the whole situation with the exes trying to set them back up was…odd? It is highly unlikely that two exes are going to form a bond and be ok with setting up their former spouse with the “love of their life that got away.” I also felt like Grace and David were more like high school kids medaling in others lives…but then again… Mac and Evan were very immature and almost like puppets to their medaling. There is no way they kept falling asleep or not hearing what Grace and David were talking about right in front of them?! But the thing is, the story kept me reading to see what was going to happen…so that was definitely something! Grace and David were excellent co-parents and show was a healthy situation for that can look like. And it was fun to visit Florida since it is summer, so it has that beach vibe going for it.

Bottom Line: I was a little disappointed how immature all the characters felt for being adults that have teenage children. There was a lot of drama for “older” characters. But the story was entertaining enough to keep me reading and passed the time just fine.

**I received a copy of Late Match from Happily Booked and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Mrs Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler

The premise of this one is fun. It is supposed to be a modern day retelling of the 1934 film What Happened One Night. Millicent Watts-Cohen and Hollis Hollenbeck were just fun names to start with. As we get to learn Millicent’s back story and her sweet relationship to Mrs Nash, you can’t help but root for her. Hollis’s grump to Millie’s sunshine made for some great banter. This book goes back and forth between present day and Mrs Nash’s past. I found it very heartwarming and such a fun ride as they race to Florida together, not without some trouble along the way. I will definitely pick up something else by this author.

Bottom Line: Read it.

It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard

**comes out September 30, 2025**

First of all, this place takes place in a NYC brown stone in the fall and I just loved the setting. Chapters alternate between present and past, as we gather Adam and June’s backstory and their current situation with the house they once rented together. We have another second chance romance, but this one is done right. The characters are so well fleshed out, and the timing of the story went along well. To be honest, I was surprised this was a debut book from this author, I will definitely be looking out for future reads from her! June and Adam go from being strangers to friends to something to strangers and then reuniting and figuring out what they want. There is so much longing and you just cant help but root for them and be like HELLO!!! RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!! but in the best way. This one was hard to put down, I really enjoyed it!

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of It’s Different This Time from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Growing Strong by Cambria Joy

I really enjoyed this devotional. I follow Cambria on Instagram and watch many of her YouTube videos. You can tell she is genuine and truly cares about the wellness of herself and others. This was a great devotional if you are trying to live your healthiest, best lifestyle and need some reminders of truth along the way. I feel like it suits a wide range of readers, as this would be great for someone younger in their 20s but I enjoyed it as someone in my 40s. She also has a few recipes and workouts sprinkled in that are great.

So many books to catch up on! I had started a few that I couldn’t get into, and I may mention them in this post. Sometimes I am open to reading anything, and other times only specific genres will do. I can pretty much always read a romcom, but I have to be in the right mood for a thriller, women’s fiction or nonfiction. Do you get like that?

If All Else Sails by Emma St Clair

Josie’s brother always comes up with a sibling trip and they can get wild, so when Josie shows up to a murder cabin and finds her brother’s friend/client grumpy Wyatt, she isn’t sure what to think. He talks her into staying to help Wyatt recover from an injury, and she agrees. Enemies to lovers/forced proximity lets go! I love both tropes, and they are done here together fabulously. Though, it is really only enemies on Josie’s side, as we know Wyatt has adored her from the start. We learn about Josie’s past, as well as why Wyatt owns the “murder cabin.” They embark on a journey together and I am here for it all. This one is a super slow burn, and I wish we would have gotten a little more of them as a couple. It is a clean romance, many I read include the spice…so it was nice for the pacing on it. I really enjoyed this one, it was such a fun ride!

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of If All Else Sails from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Loved jumping back into the Harkness friend circle for Conner and Maya’s story. It is centered around Eli and Rue’s wedding, which is super fun…like a continuation of the previous book! Plus….it takes place in Italy!!!! I absolutely fell in love with the setting. Could not be more perfect, even if a volcano erupts and wedding chaos ensues. There is broody tension and so much pining in this one, love. But. Most all the entire book spends so much time fixating on the “problematic” aspect of Maya and Conor…..their age difference. We get it. They are 15 years apart. It became exhausting how many times it was mentioned. Also, can we state that Maya seemed more mature than Conor about it? I love how Ali writes smart girls who are strong in the own personality and identity…but it also felt a little too much like Conor was Maya’s entire identity throughout the book. I loved the witty and banter that she brings with all her characters though. I just wish the age gap thing was handled better.

Bottom Line: Read if you are a Hazelwood fan….or want to take a trip to Italy!

Rental House by Weike Wang

I think a friend shared they enjoyed this book so I was surprised when I had a hard time caring about any of these characters. The main couple is so flat and boring. When we get their meet-cute, it just made me sad. Keru is insufferable, zero emotion or personality. And what was up with throwing stuff? It was a huge red flag for mental health issues that never get addressed. Nate also didn’t have much of a personality and needed to grow a pair. There was zero chemistry in their relationship, they basically spent the entire book making each other do things the other didn’t want to do. Then we get to the end of the book, and I am sitting here wondering why this was even written?? Like nothing really happened. I don’t understand the point other than the author getting some of their political views out that were annoying. The only reason I did not DNF this book was that I listened on audio and it was only 6 hours long. Had I had a physical copy, I probably would have trashed it after the first chapter. Sorry, cant recommend.

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver

I love Josie Silver’s Christmas/Winter books so I was excited to dive into something different from her. The premise was interesting, an actress hired to represent a book and pretend to be it’s author. A step further than just a ghost writer. I will say, what I thought was going to be a slow burn romcom….was more of a women’s fiction book with some romance thrown in. If that make sense? Like I was underwhelmed by the romance part of the book…but still enjoyed the story for what it was. Kate is a divorced mom, and has lost herself over the years and takes this job to find her way back. That part was so very relatable to me. And can we talk about Kate’s sister for a moment? What a strong, supportive woman! Loved how fiercely she loves her family. There was some hilarious moments, like a T Rex costume that you will just have to read to enjoy. But Charlie and Kate’s story gets lost in all the other moments of the book. Maybe it was never the focus at all and I was trying to make it be? It just didn’t hit like I wanted to. But I dont want that to take away from my feelings for the story, because it was a good one.

Bottom Line: Read it as women’s fiction and not romcom.

**I received a copy of Slow Burn Summer from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

An Irish Summer by Alexandra Paige

Chelsea is being let go at her current job, but is offered to help out at the sister property in Ireland for the summer. Not knowing what else to do, she takes it and most of the book takes place in Galway, Ireland. I loved getting to travel through the area with Chelsea and Collin. But I have to admit, I was annoyed with Chelsea for most of the book. She didn’t really want to give the area a chance, nor the people she met. And while she does eventually open up to everything, it seemed like such a waste of time there. She didn’t have much of a life outside her work and one friend back home, so why was she trying to get back to that so hard? I wished we had a few chapters from Collin to maybe see what light he saw her in that he kept trying to get her to stay and enjoy Ireland? Because I couldn’t see it. I enjoyed the story, but just wish Chelsea was a little more fun or the book spent less time telling in inner monologue and more time showing with the story.

Bottom Line: Could be a fun summer read to visit somewhere new.

**I received a copy of Irish Summer from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Ok, I usually LOVE Emily Henry. Like she could do no wrong. But this book felt….different? Before you write the rest of my review off thinking I am going to trash the book, I am not. I still enjoyed the story. It just wasn’t what I was expecting, and not in the best way…if that makes sense. This very much reminded me of Evelyn Hugo by TJR….and truth be told…I didn’t love that either. Emily’s writing is beautiful, as always. The premise of 2 authors competing to write a book was interesting and unique. You have the grumpy sunshine thing happened between Alice and Hayden. But I feel like the love story took a backseat to Margaret Ives life and at times I just didn’t care about her lineage. Then there is this whole side plot with Alice’s mom. It felt weird at times, like I appreciated her back story and writing about her dad and stuff but it was sort of oddly timed and thrown in towards the end. Like there were three separate books all mixed into one. Too much was happening to unpack, and then there are some twists thrown in and I just didn’t get the real feel I got in some other of Emily’s novels. Like I liked the characters but the banter and sizzle was missing some.

I listened to this on audio, and Julia Whalen was the narrator, and I love her as a narrator. She makes any book more interesting.

Bottom Line: I enjoyed the book, it just wont be in my list of top favorites from Emily Henry.

Here Be Dragons by Melanie Shankle

This hits generational trauma, mean girls, toxic relationships, etc. It is perfect for girl moms out there. Melanie shares stories about raising her own daughter, and the mean girls issues that went along with it…but also about her own childhood and her toxic relationship with her mom. I enjoyed the whole book and the biblical perspective that she shares throughout. I consumed via audiobook and the narration was great.

Bottom Line: Great for girl moms.

Summer in the City by Alex Aster

I was so excited to hop in this because it looks like the perfect summer read, right?! This was supposed to be enemies to lovers, but like, it was only such because Elle misread a situation and then hates Parker for years. She also got on my nerves because she had so many opinions and beliefs built on nothing, and she didn’t really have any growth the entire book. This was also another example of a woman hating on a man simply because he had money. Some people work and succeed in life, that isn’t a reason to hate. I can appreciate that Elle was trying to make it on her own and the things that blowup with her are understandable. I just wish she was more likeable throughout the whole book. The setting in NYC and some of the things they do together were fun and I consumed this via audiobook so that always helps me stay on a book.

Bottom Line: Overall it passed the time, I was just a little let down with the main female lead.

Broken Country

I am trying to decide how I want to talk about this book. Mainly the issue for me is that the premise surrounds an affair between Beth and Gabriel. I do not like cheating in life or in books. Just not a fan. Also, Frank is a fantastic man, or so I feel like he is, we don’t really get much about him besides the fact that he has loved Beth since they were kids, and he doesn’t deserve the shit storm drama that Beth brings to their marriage. He was way too calm about it all to be honest. It was an interesting read, spanning between past and present and the history with Gabriel and Beth, the tragedy that happened to Frank and Beth and some family drama. But Beth is just so dang selfish, and the ending is maddening. I don’t really understand all the hype about this book?

Bottom Line: There are a ton of reviews out there saying this was amazing, and while I found it an interesting read….it really frustrated me. I didn’t love the family drama that boils down to someone being a selfish cheater and all the fall out of the after.

Back After This by Linda Holmes

This was a fun little read about a podcast producer who works with a social media influencer that specializes in self-help that choses dates for Cecily to go on…and she reports back on them during the podcast episodes. Listeners get involved in her life and have opinions about people she dates and doesn’t date. Meanwhile, Will, a guy that she meets organically, also snags Cecily’s attention. I wont say much more than this, it was just enjoyable from start to finish!

Bottom Line: Fun, cozy read!

**I received a copy of Back After This from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Late to Love by Valerie Pepper

Valerie Pepper is the queen of small town romance, so I was excited to dive in to this next installment from the Lucky In Love series.) First, I love that other characters from the previous books are in this one, and we are enjoying the same small town with the cast full of lovable characters.

There is an obvious age gap/grumpy sunshine thing going on here, and I love that. So much good banter and spice. Though, I must say, I am soooo not into the daddy thing. It makes me cringe. But that may just be me, and I ignored it and didn’t let it take away from the story. Funny enough, I think Darcy may have been more mature than Anthony! But it is a fun dynamic, you have some family drama on both sides. Just overall a good read.

Bottom Line: Read it

**I received a copy of Late to Love from Happily Booked and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Eat to Beat Disease by William Li, MD

I first heard William Li on a podcast episode from someone I regularly listen to. I was intrigued by some of the things he said, so I decided to check his book out of the library. Like many health and wellness books, I tend to take and leave the information. I felt like some of the research and studies he shares are very interesting and I learned a few things…but then he has beer and wine on the list of things that keep us healthy and it seems to me that most studies that suggest such are paid for by alcohol companies, and really looses credibility. Many studies actually show that alcohol has negative effects on our body and can mess with our hormones. He also suggests soy but then other studies say soy is bad. It gets so confusing as an every day person to know what to follow as solid advice. I feel like we all need a medical degree and nutrition classes to figure it out!

Bottom Line: This book is very well cited and there are lots of studies shared which are fascinating. I truly believe that food can heal us or make us sick. It just seems like some of his findings are contradictory to other things I have read. But not everything. So you have to read these books and filter as you see fit.

Book reviews from April, better late than never! I will have a May/June post up soon! I really enjoyed a few of these and highly recommend. Let’s get into it.

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

There isn’t an Abby Jimenez book that I don’t love. And this one hits all the feels. Samantha and Xavier meet and things don’t start off well. But then they get a second chance…at the worst time. Taking the journey with them and all the hits that came after them was quite the ride. There is so much more going on here than a love story. Xavier’s parents are total shit. He has commitments at the clinic he owns and runs. Samantha’s mom has dementia. Taking care of her and everything that entails is hard. There is family drama with her siblings and her dad. There is a lot of depth here to unpack. I flew through this one, it was very engaging the entire time. I consumed via audiobook and the narrators were fantastic.

Bottom Line: Read it.

The Menopause Brain by Lisa Mosconi

I have made it my mission to be educated on all things perimenopause and menopause. I feel like I hit my 40’s and been slapped with symptoms and feelings I was never warned about. Why did our mothers and grandmothers not talk more about this phase of life?? Why are so many doctors completely uneducated on this topic and have little to nothing to offer in terms of help. I appreciate Dr Mosconi’s research and sharing her knowledge in this book. There were many great chapters on the science and health of our bodies and what is going on, suggestions to make it more tolerable, etc. But I will say, the social mess that is written in the text is eye roll inducing. And an entire chapter written on gender-affirming care in a menopause book for WOMEN is beyond ridiculous. I just skipped right on over that.

Bottom Line: While I found lots of useful information in this book…I feel like The New Menopause was better if you only have time for one. As I state, I skipped over an entire chapter in this book, and also rolled my eyes several time at the buzzwords used. I prefer a book stick to facts.

Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain

ARC – Book comes out September 2, 2025

I enjoyed the first part of this book, but I will say, when it started getting steamy…it started getting cringy for me. I also felt like the book dragged some. There was a lot of over explaining inner monologue happening for both characters. And some stretched believability with some of the things that happen throughout the book, I wont detail as to not spoil if you plan to read. Overall it passed the time fine, but I can promise I will forget this book in a month or so and have a hard time recalling anything about it.

Bottom Line: Passes the time fine, fun London setting, forgettable overall.

**I received a copy from Netgalley and am writing this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own. **

Not Up for Debate by Emma Norman

Jane and Noah met during a debate in high school, and they somehow end up working for the same company, for the same client, and end up on the same island. But Jane has never gotten over this thing that Noah did to her. Which we dont find out right away. And when we do find out, I really have to be honest and say, it was a bit underwhelming and dramatic. Basically a misunderstanding. That caused a grudge for all these years. But the banter and chemistry between these two was fun, and it made for an enjoyable read.

Bottom Line: Read it.

I received a copy of Not Up for Debate from Book Funnel and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

Another must read author for me. I loved the setting of this one, as Katie fumbles her way around paradise, pretending to know how to swim so she can follow around Hutch the rescue swimmer. I can appreciate that the author gave us a character with body image issues, but I am not sure I love how it was handled in the book? It wasn’t in a bad way, just maybe sort of weird and surface level? I absolutely loved Rue and the gals, but I hated Cole and the boss. I hated the whole Cole situation so much once he arrived on the island. The big lie/conflict of the book was not my jam. What did work for me was the dog.

Bottom Line: Overall, it wasn’t my favorite from the author, but still an interesting read and I had a hard time putting it down…wanting to see what would happen next.

**I received a copy of The Love Haters from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter

Abi is a maid for Declan, and when she has to find temporary housing for a little while, she decides to move into one of her clients apartments who is always out of town. Except, he comes back and somehow they immediately enter into a fake dating scenario for convenience on both ends. This is a pretty predictable read, but it was still a fun way to pass the time. I felt like maybe it wasn’t as deep as a few others of Lynn Painter though. I was a little annoyed by the constant bashing of Declan by Abi. Just because he has money, doesn’t mean he is a shitty person and to assume such constantly was exhausting.

Bottom Line: This was a fun read, a lighthearted romance and decent beach read material.

**I received a copy of Maid for Each Other from Netgalley and leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes

I absolutely loved this one. It was so refreshing to read about a woman in her 40’s, as I felt I could relate to the judgy school moms, aging parents, and that weird balance of being very much an adult but also feeling young and unsure inside. I also really liked that we got Lila’s daughter Celie’s perspective throughout the book, and a small peppering of her deceased mothers. I wish we could have heard Gene and Bills perspectives as well, as they were both intriguing characters in the book. All characters were developed so well. I really hated Lila’s ex-husband for awhile, but even that storyline with his wife was interesting and compelling. Overall a great read.

Bottom Line: Read it!