Book Reviews – June 2024

Book reviews coming in hot! I think this is going to be a part one of two, hopefully. I finished two books right after I posted my May reviews, and I have been devouring some other books…so I already have a long post and we are only 10 days into the month. LOL. Since a few of these are new releases, I wanted to go ahead and share about them.

Perfect Fit by Clare Gilmore

This is my second book from Clare Gilmore, and she is going on my list of must reads when something new comes out. I devoured this book in a day. Josie is such a millennial girl, working too hard and trying to please everyone. I definitely think that most people can relate to her. And Will. Oh, Will. The most patient book boyfriend there ever was. I laughed. I cried. The friendship theme in this book hits hard. Especially reconnecting with an old best friend after years apart.

This book comes out in October and I simply say you must read it!

Annnnnd omg can we please talk about the last sentence of the book when you do?!?!? I need your thoughts.

Bottom Line: Read it!

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

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

This is an older Mary Kay Andrews book that I had sitting on my shelf. The plot was interesting enough, two cooking stars compete for a spot on a major network. Where this book goes a little wrong for me, is that I don’t know if it was intended to be a romcom or not? But it majorly missed the mark in chemistry. I never felt any between Gina and Tate. They bickered back and forth and then BOOM love. I need more of a build up. I also felt like the book wasn’t really going anywhere. Like it was just interesting enough to keep me reading, but overall it was very forgettable. And usually MKA books are 4 or 5 stars for me. This one just wasn’t a hit.

Bottom Line: This passed the time ok, but it is probably one of my least favorite I have ready from MKA.

Enemies to Lovers by Laura Jane Williams

I will be honest and say that I wasn’t real sure how I felt about our lead male in this book for most of it. He comes across as a cold and immature. But I stayed for Flo’s family, I just really loved them. The slow burn and angst in the build up was fun, and by the end I was happy for all. I don’t want to say too much more and give anything away. that is half the fun of this book that is set in a wonderful vacation town.

This book releases on August 1st.

Bottom Line: Would make the perfect beach read.

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

The Idea of You by Robin Lee

A few of my friends read this book years ago when it came out, and based on what they said about it….I decided it probably wasn’t for me. But then I keep hearing everyone talk about it and hyping it up and figured, why not read it with the new breath of air it has been given recently.

I have to be honest, the thing that kept me from reading this…and loving anything about it….is the plot line. I just cant see a world where it is ok for a 40 year old mother to go after a 20 year old teen heart throb. Especially one whose daughter was obsessed with the band. Like how messed up is that? Soooooo selfish. Honestly, what did she think was going to happen? There is no way this relationship was ever going to sustain. While I found the book interesting to listen to (I did this on audio) and the narrator was the author, it had a good delivery. I also think that it is such crap that Daniel can move on, date someone 10 years younger and everyone thinks that is great. The societal views on the difference for men and women isn’t fair. But Daniel also wasn’t trying to date a teen heart throb his daughter was obsessed with. His relationship didn’t effect Isabell in a negative way. All that to say, I still just don’t think it is for me. And I read some raunchy stuff sometimes.

Bottom Line: Read at your own risk.

Bridesmaid to Bride my Terra Weiss

I have only read one Terra Weiss book so far, Buried Roots. I loved it! So I did not realize that this was like book 3 in a series when I requested it. That is on me. However, I don’t think you have to read the first two to get into this one. This was a fun, silly ride of a book! While I feel like many of the shenanigans that took place were unrealistic, it sure was fun to think about and laugh at in the moment. I enjoyed the banter between West and Eva. And all the other crazy characters we meet in Eva’s family. Her ex-stepmother was a hoot. I liked that there was a bit of a mystery thrown into this book, trying to figure out who was the saboteur of the wedding. It wasn’t who I thought! What a twist!

Bottom Line: Overall, I enjoyed this one…even if it was a bit silly.

**I received a copy of Bridesmaid to Bride from Book Siren in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Savor It by Tarah Dewitt

I absolute loved this one! This is my first from this author, and I can promise it wont be my last. Sage lives in small town Spunes, Oregon on the outskirts with a collection of unwanted animals and a beautiful garden. Fisher, a Michelin starred NYC chef moves in next door with his niece for the summer. A friendship begins to forge, and a deal is struck up. You see where this is going? Except, there is so much more to this novel. The way the characters overcome grief and hardships in their lives and focus on small joys. The way the town rallies around their people. Just everything about this book I absolutely loved. I am here for the slow burn, small town romance. Can we get a series where the brothers all find their happiness? Maybe an Ellis and Wren second chance?

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received an ARC from Netgalley for free and am leaving my review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

Listen, I tried to get through this. I really did. But I had to stop. I tend to throw out a bad work now and again, more than I would like. But the amount of times F*&K was used in this book is obnoxious. What even is the point?? And the inner monologue is straight up exhausting. I couldn’t stand to read through a basic conversation of because there is just so much. I also don’t like the 3rd person POV. Overall, I think that this author’s writing style just isn’t for me, I doubt I would pick anything else up by her. Life is too short to read a book you aren’t jiving with. Sorry, not sorry.

Bottom Line: Pass

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon

I stayed up way too late finishing this book, so know that I eventually got into it. But man, did I want to quit at the beginning. Ellie Gregor, who inherited her family’s deli to run after her father passed away…has a problem with Theo Taylor….the popular guy from school who has a wealthy family. She rants on and on about how big of an asshole he must be because his family has money. I am so tired of judgement on people just based on the economic status. And hello, Ellie. YOU RUN A FAMILY DELI. So while maybe they don’t make as much money as the Taylor family, you can’t be mad at someone for staying in the family business. Lord it took everything in me to keep going, but I was determined. I don’t have a problem quitting books, but for some reason, The While You Were Sleeping style trope kept me engaged in the beginning.

And then the book got good. Theo gets his memory back, and then enters a fake dating trope. The banter was fun back and forth, and there was enough going on with both their families and the deli and everything that it remained interesting the whole time. Then we get another complicated entry of Theo’s ex, Sam. Who honestly, is quite lovely. I went back and forth on if I wanted Sam and Theo to get back together, seeing as how Ellie was so negative and self-sabotaging for most of the book.

And that is another thing, sometimes I felt like the book lacked some chemistry. Maybe it would have helped to have had a few chapters from Theo’s POV. The pacing in the book was a little off. I felt like they hooked up fast, everything came to a halt, then the ending was sort of abrupt. And as many times as Sam asked Ellie if she was sure, I felt like maybe Ellie should have been the bigger person and came clean with either Sam or Theo…but she didn’t. That was very disappointing. Made it harder to root for her in the end.

Bottom Line: Whether you think Theo should have ended up with Ellie or Sam, this book was a fun ride getting to the end.

**I received an ARC copy of Love You, Mean It from Netgalley and am leaving my review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**