Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff

4*

In Till There Was You, Lexi and Jake serendipitously meet at a New York City bar when they’re both on the cusp of fulfilling their dreams: Jake as a singer/songwriter and Lexi as a professional chef. After spending a steamy weekend together where they formed a strong emotional bond, he heads to LA to record a demo album and she returns to her culinary school classroom, both hoping to take up where they left off when he returns, but fate has other plans. What are the chances that an overnight sensation and a fledgling chef can carve a path to happily-ever-after, especially when everything from Jake’s self-serving agent to a promise Lexi made to her late mother are pushing them in the wrong direction?

The relationship that Hameroff created for these two is honest, fun, supportive, trusting and heartwarming, so readers will root for them to fall in love, despite circumstances and choices that pull them apart. As Lexi’s insecurities over her mother’s death and her father’s abandonment (when he quickly remarries and moves away) have her convinced that Jake won’t stick around as his star ascends, he sees her as a grounding influence, a muse, and the only person who truly cares about him, not his celebrity. So, when the third act break-up inevitably happens, although it is not what either want, it’s not due to a frustrating lack of communication or wrong assumptions authors often use gratuitously. It’s because these two need time to figure out if they’re pursuing the right dream and if they can prioritize the love that’s been so evident from the beginning. For readers who like insta-love, second chance romances with a bit of spice and a lot of heartfelt emotion, this one hits all the marks.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Switched (Ghosted #2) by Sarah Ready

 

5*

Switched is a standalone sequel to Sarah Ready’s Ghosted, one of my favorite books of 2023, featuring Jillian’s best friend Serena “Ducky” Otaki, a brilliant American physicist working in Geneva. In a hysterical meet-cute at her favorite local pub, she accidentally sits on wet varnish and asks a handsome stranger, Henry Joules, to help her get unstuck. Although there’s an instant attraction and intense feelings, her one true passion is physics and she has no space in her life for a loving relationship, especially if it means merging their lives and giving up her individuality and career. Henry, also a physicist and her new project lead, comes from a big, loving family and thinks he’s found the woman of his dreams until she plays off their night of passion as just a bit of fun.

Fast forward 427 days and during a heavy thunderstorm, particles collide and they wake up in each other’s bodies. As they go from Geneva to his brother’s wedding in England and then on to her childhood home in California, they tap into each other’s memories, hear about their upbringing from family members eager to share stories, and start to strengthen their connection based on a growing mutual respect. The question is, can a coffee-chugging vegetarian who surrounds herself with chaos and a neat freak who loves his full English breakfast and daily mug of tea, and who can barely tolerate each other, figure out how to switch back? And, if they do, will the stars align for a happily-ever-after for these two lonely souls?

Sarah Ready has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Each book she writes has a unique premise, vivid characters, and a relatively low-angst romance. In Switched, she’s gives us the perfect book boyfriend, a free-spirited female in STEM, and a large helping of magical realism. It’s a joy to read. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Swift & Lewis Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook

 

5*

Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook is a murder mystery/thriller that takes place in 1851, alternating between the numbing chill of an Arctic expedition and the "Murder Mania" that's taken hold of England. Pook does a phenomenal job of describing the landscape and tenor of the times, making readers feel as if they're there: the frozen tundra that makes men go insane; the gruesome gallows with massive crowds of people from all walks of life, lured by the spectacle of a murderer being hanged, replete with the sounds and smells of unwashed masses; the docks with the rats, the criminals, and the smell of rot; and the eerie Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. Pook has chosen both a narrative style that reads as if it was written at the time and a diary written by the protagonist's late sister who pretended to be a male cabin boy on a recovery voyage through the Northwest Passage. The identity of her sister's murderer is never in doubt, but the way Maude goes about avenging her death and exacting her revenge is chillingly ingenious. This isn't my normal go-to genre, but I'm so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Take Two, Birdie Maxwell by Allison Winn Scotch

 

4*

Birdie Maxwell was the rom-com queen until a video of her berating the director of her next film for inappropriate behavior goes viral. Overnight, she goes from being America’s sweetheart to teetering on the edge of losing all she’s spent nearly 20 years of hard work building. With nowhere to hide, she runs away to the small California town she escaped at 18. The last thing she expects to find is a love letter in her childhood bedroom. When she shows it to her best friend, Mona, they realize that it might be the key to salvaging her career. What she doesn’t expect is for Elliot O’Brien, Mona’s twin, renowned journalist, and the man she’s loved unrequitedly since age 12, to walk into the bar and for Mona to suggest they work together to hunt down and interview all her past loves. The ensuing road trip in Mona’s rickety old RV is road trip rom-com heaven. 

 

There’s a lot going on in this story: a journey of self-discovery and growth for Birdie, a second-chance romance for Birdie and Elliot if they can learn to be open and honest about their true feelings for each other, a nod to the #MeToo movement and how Hollywood so easily forgives and defends abusive men, the challenges in sibling relationships, the price of fame and putting one’s career above all else, and how two people in a relationship can have vastly different perspectives both during and after it ends. Scotch does a great job of balancing emotional plot points with humorous banter, garnering sympathy for characters who often make choices that hurt those they care about, and building up to a resolution that brings both surprises and satisfaction. Recommended read for rom-com lovers.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Romance through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

 

5*

 

One of the big reasons I enjoy historical fiction is the opportunity it presents to learn something new. In The Spectacular, author Fiona Davis introduced me to “The Big Apple Bomber” who terrorized New York City for 16 years in the 1940s – 50s, setting off bombs in many of its landmarks, including Radio City Music Hall (twice). I also got a backstage pass to the Rockettes in their heyday. In typical stellar fashion, she has managed to merge the two when her female protagonist, 19-year-old Marian Brooks, auditions for the precision dance troupe on a whim and is accepted. Against her overly-protective father’s and soon-to-be fiancé’s wishes, she moves from her comfortable home in Westchester County to New York where she rehearses and performs 4 daily shows for 21 days straight with just a week off before the cycle begins again. 

 

On a surprise double date, she meets a young psychiatrist, Peter Griggs, who surprises her with his incredible insight into her upbringing and personality. At first glance, she isn’t impressed with either his looks or his personality and doesn’t expect to see him again. However, when a bomb goes off during a performance of the Christmas Spectacular (a show I’ve been privileged to see), her connection to the tragedy and the police’s failure to catch the bomber cause her to solicit Peter’s help in finding him before he strikes again. As they and a reluctant police force work together with the clock counting down, a mutual respect and attraction is formed. It will take Marion’s courage to stand out in a performance that demands uniformity to catch a killer.

 

As in all her books, Davis uses a dual timeline to offer perspective. In this case, it’s Marion at age 55 as she prepares to sell her family home and reluctantly agrees to attend a Rockettes reunion. We learn what she’s done in the intervening yearsm and she also uses the opportunity to tell readers about how Peter’s work is the origin of criminal psychological profiling. I couldn’t help but think of the show “Criminal Minds” as I read it. Davis is undoubtedly one of the reigning queens of dual timeline historical fiction and fans of the genre will love this one. Highly recommended.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Dutton in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

 

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At First Spite (Harlot's Bay #1) by Olivia Dade

 

4*

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At First Spite, the first book in Olivia Dade’s new Harlot’s Bay series, is set in a small, coastal Maryland town named for a lesbian couple who fled their oppressive homes and settled there in the 1690s. Over the centuries, it has become a haven for misfits. So, it’s no surprise that Dade features a lesbian couple who are friends and colleagues of the protagonists, a gruff baker with a soft center, an overwhelmed and out of his depth bookshop owner, and two people who, despite their respective traumas, find in each other a kindred spirit.

 

As the story opens, we find Athena Greydon at her engagement party to Johnny Vine who asked her to marry him just two months after their first meeting before they even got to know each other well. He’s promised her that, when she moves to Harlot’s Bay, she won’t have to find a new job because he’ll take care of her (promises that he’ll depend on his older brother Matthew’s generosity to keep). Feeling burned out after four years as a high school social studies teacher, her acceptance of his proposal may be due more to the promise of the comfort and shelter she seeks than any true love she may have for him. This is very evident to his older brother who makes it his mission to end the engagement, viewing Athena as too irresponsible and immature to be someone’s wife. After meeting her face-to-face for the first time at the party and forming an instant attraction before he even knows her name, it’s likely that his resistance to the engagement is no longer purely altruistic.

 

When Johnny heeds Matthew’s advice and calls off the engagement, Athena has already quit her job and sold her condo. So, she has no choice but to move into The Spite House, a 10’ wide townhouse built between the two brothers’ larger homes which she bought as a wedding present for Johnny, using up most of her savings. Little does she know that Matthew will be her next-door neighbor. Despite a series of harmless, petty pranks she plays against him, they slowly get to know each other (while Johnny is away on an extended solo honeymoon) and learn that they both suffered from misconceptions about each other’s lives and intentions. That’s why it was relatively easy for both Matthew and Athena to forgive each other, share their innermost thoughts, and offer emotional (and, in his case, financial) support while navigating their separate traumas. Given what caring and decent people they both are and the fact that she didn’t really know Johnny well, the cringe factor of a guy going after his younger brother’s ex-fiancée is muted.

 

Athena has two Masters’ degrees and dropped out of a PhD program before finishing, yet she finds herself at age 37 with no job, a spotty employment history, and a bad case of burnout and depression, unable to see herself and her career path as anything other than dismal failures. It takes Matthew, the uptight, grumpy pediatrician, to help her see that her depression is painting a false picture. He not only supports her in her darkest moments, but also shows her the way friends and loved ones view her. He offers a different perspective which carries more weight because she thought he hated her. Everyone deserves a Matthew in their life, someone who acknowledges your flaws, but loves you in spite of them. He’s definitely an A+ book boyfriend.

 

Athena’s story will resonate with readers who have suffered from depression and struggled to find a vocation that they are passionate about and can excel in. My one criticism is that she seems neurodivergent-coded (as does Matthew), so although his well-meaning justifications for her spotty job history may be accurate, they’re incomplete without acknowledging how her neurodivergency impacts her relationships and employment.

 

Of course, Matthew is also dealing with the trauma of his baby brother’s death when he was only 8 years old. After the tragedy, his parents’ relationship fell apart, and he was thrust into the paternal role of taking care of Johnny. As a result, he’s always sacrificed his own wants and needs by being caretaker for his brother and others in his life. One of the most beautiful parts of the story is when Athena reciprocates by helping Matthew navigate his own grief and path forward.

 

The only other criticism I have is the bizarre, erotic bestiality books featured throughout that make little sense and prove more of a distraction than a humorous element which, combined with a messy (albeit revelatory) first sex scene between Matthew and Athena, stifle any sense of passion. I just found them both cringey. Book 2 is set to feature Karl, the afore-mentioned angry baker, and the author of these books. Not sure I’m going to want to revisit the trope at any length.

 

Overall, though, this is one of Dade’s best books, so I highly recommend it.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Avon through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

 

The Bookstore at Rivers End by Phillipa Nefri Clark

 

5*

This lovely book set in the beautiful town of Rivers End on the coast of Australia defies definition. It’s women’s fiction with a dual timeline that combines a clean, mature romance with a mystery involving three teenage girls from 1961. It’s the story of a newly-divorced librarian, Harriet, who is struggling with her ex-husband’s decision to “find himself” by traveling the world alone, and her 20-year-old daughter, Olive, who has dropped out of law school after ending an abusive relationship, who decide to start over by opening a bookstore in a building Harriet received as part of her settlement. 

 

While looking for old books to fill a small section of their store, they find the diary of a 14-year-old girl who writes about a birthday treasure hunt she and her friends are designing for one of the girl’s younger sister. Since the owner doesn’t want it back, they make it their mission to figure out who the narrator and her friends are since they’re only mentioned by their first initial. Olive and Harriet, reading just one entry at a time, decide to follow the clues as a way to discover their new home and to learn the identities of the friends from the past. The shifting between the two timelines works well, combining each written passage in the diary with the narrator’s internal monologue that uses full names (that only the reader is privy to). As a result, the reader figures out the mystery well before Harriet and Olive do.

 

They also purchase a number of books from a handsome chef, Brock, which includes an antique Bible and inscribed book of poetry. These become part of the mystery surrounding the treasure hunt. The romance between Harriet and Brock is a slow burn although the attraction is evident from the beginning. However, Harriet is newly-divorced and not even ready to remove her wedding ring, so it takes months of her slowly building a new life with her daughter until she’s ready to let go and let a new love in. 

 

The character development of both the main and secondary characters is well done, the mother-daughter relationship is enviably loving, supportive, and respectful, and the townspeople, especially the elderly ladies trio, are humorous and welcoming. 

 

As a former librarian and lifelong book lover, I was so envious that Harriet was able to fulfill her dream of opening a bookstore. Author Clark paints such a vivid picture of the town with friendly neighbors, gorgeous beaches, and a good collection of businesses that support the community.  This heartwarming, redemptive story is definitely worth a read. Highly recommended.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan by Beth Merlin and Danielle Modafferi

 

5*

The Last Phone Booth in Manhattan is part love story, part magical realism, part platonic friendship and, at its heart, the story of a woman who lost her way but, with the help of a couple of ghosts, a rusty old phone booth, and the immortal words of Charles Dickens, gets a second chance at pursuing her dreams and putting herself first. 

 

Avery Lawrence seemingly has it all: Adam, her gorgeous, generous boyfriend of 6 years who provides her with everything her heart desires including a star-studded wedding proposal under the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree…until it all comes crashing down when he’s arrested for fraud. Finding herself outside the prison with no money, she accepts the help and advice of a security guard who directs her to a phone booth to call the number she’s been given. When the call goes through, she’s given an address that leads her to her former boyfriend Gabe’s front door. Thus begins her do-over, but is it really a restart if she falls right back where she was before becoming a ghost of her former self by sacrificing her own dreams of a life in the theater for a man to take care of her?

 

After what turns out to be a ghostly encounter that guides her from a past she’s eager to put behind her, she begins to audition again while rekindling her relationship with Gabe. However, it’ll take another spectral presence to give her a glimpse of the future she might have if she’s willing to let go of her fears and insecurities, focus on her passions, and not let anything or anyone get in her way. This includes having to decide which path she’ll take so that she has no regrets in the future. A quote from Dickens keeps popping up as a reminder: No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.

 

This isn’t a Christmas story, although it begins and ends on the holiday. However, the themes from Dickens’ A Christmas Carol are featured heavily throughout. It’s all about Avery listening to her heart and the voice inside her head so that she’s finally set on a redemptive path that brings her joy and causes as little emotional hurt as possible to herself and the people she loves. The authors have written a beautiful story that leaves you guessing until the very end about which path Avery will choose. Fans of Broadway musicals will thoroughly enjoy how infused the book is with performances at Mimi’s Shooting Star Diner where Avery and other Broadway hopefuls work between auditions and gigs. Highly recommended.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Montlake through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

4*

What’s a woman to do when her favorite story about how she met her fiancé turns into a tragedy when he dumps her to take up with his “platonic” childhood friend? Well, that’s a funny story.

 

Daphne, a children’s librarian who is so buttoned up and reticent that her colleagues take bets on whether she’s with the FBI or in a witness protection program, uprooted her life to follow her fiancé Peter to the small Michigan town of Waning Bay (his family home), only to have him dump her, leaving her homeless. In desperation, she asks Peter’s new fiancee’s ex-boyfriend if she can rent a room. Miles, a happy-go-lucky pothead who works a string of part-time jobs, readily agrees and, after both receiving invitations to their ex’s wedding and getting drunk together, agree to fake a relationship. In the ensuing months, Miles takes her on weekly adventures they can document on social media. Although her goal is to leave the painful memories behind once she’s finished with the Readathon she’s planning, Miles hopes she’ll come to appreciate her new home as more than just an extension of Peter.

 

As expected, they start catching feelings as they spend more time together and realize that they have a lot more in common than they first thought. Daphne finds that Miles isn’t the slacker her ex painted him to be, but actually works at a winery and only does odd jobs in the off-season. He’s also kind, selfless, charming ,and handsome beneath the scruff, a perfect book boyfriend. It’s so refreshing how mature and honest they are with each other, sharing both frequent laughter and heartfelt emotions. As their relationship grows, they both start to look at the trauma caused by their parents and how it has impacted their thoughts about themselves.

 

Emily Henry writes beautiful, somewhat angsty stories that don’t shy away from hard truths. In this opposites attract, friends-to-lovers romance, she addresses the damage emotionally abusive or neglectful parents do to their children, but still manages to keep it from becoming maudlin. Although this isn’t my favorite book of hers, she has definitely earned her spot as a top author of the romance genre. 

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Romance in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Publication date: April 23, 2024

 

 

Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

 

5*

In the 3^rd book of the Love, Lists and Fancy Ships series, we’re introduced to Jack Dunne, brother of Ollie from book 2, and Raine Hart, a med school dropout and musician who was busking her way around Europe until she had her equipment stolen (including the prized Gibson guitar from her grandfather) right out from under her in colorful, picturesque Cobh, Ireland. Left with only the clothes on her back, her phone and passport, and the spare change in her pockets, she stops into the Local pub for a pint. Shortly after, she meets the charming, handsome Jack and the attraction is instantaneous. After asking her opinion about what the pub needs to draw more traffic and listening to her constructively critical suggestions, he reveals that he’s co-owner and that he wants to offer her a job as their new events coordinator. It’s a temporary arrangement, only until she can earn enough to replace her equipment and revamp the pub. Of course, that’s more than enough time for them to give into their growing feelings for each other. 

 

What elevates this heartwarming romance over other friends-to-lovers offerings are the challenges both main characters face. Jack, after years of physical abuse from his father, suffers from intrusive thoughts due to OCD and that, combined with having to move home to take over the pub following his death, caused him to give up his tattooing career. Raine has ADHD and has always felt she was a disappointment to her doctor parents, especially after she quit medical school to become a full-time itinerant musician. Neither one of them is confident in their talent, but they bond over their mental health issues, see in each other what they fail to see in themselves, and lovingly accept what makes them different. Ruiz has chosen a dual POV which enables her to use her characters’ own voices to describe what goes on in their brains that keeps them from trusting themselves to be in a relationship and sharing their talents. 

 

Although this is only Ruiz’s third book, she has already established herself as a thoughtful writer who tackles everything from grief to mental illness with sensitivity, makes liberal use of humorous banter, and treats her characters with dignity. Fans of Chloe Liese and Talia Hibbert will love her books. Highly recommended.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley Romance in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.