Wished (Ghosted #4) by Sarah Ready

 

5*

I’m guessing this is the final book in Ready’s Ghosted series, and it is such a heartwarming, truly romantic read. Ready has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary romance writers with her well-written, heartfelt, and engaging stories.

After poor Max was rejected by Fiona in Fated, I was hoping he’d find a woman who inspired passion and made him trust that love didn’t have to be destructive. Anna is the perfect love interest for him, but it takes an impulsive wish on her part using an antique necklace as a talisman for Max to even notice her. For her, it was love at first sight when, as his housecleaner, she accidentally interrupted him working from home. However, because she was so good at hiding herself with baggy clothes and oversized glasses, he never would have noticed her if it weren’t for the wish fulfillment: she wakes up the next day learning that’s they’ve been married for seven years and everyone but Max believes it. She knows it isn’t real, but Max has memories that he can’t explain. As they embark on a trip to Paris and St. Tropez with a plan to reverse the wish, they begin to realize that a housecleaner and a wealthy jeweler might have more in common than they’d ever imagined, but is it real, is it magic, or is it just a dream?

As with the other books in the series, Ready beautifully blends magical realism, romance and a bit of mystery to create unforgettable love stories that transcend space and time. Anna and Max are fully realized and the chemistry between them is off the charts. One of the most endearing elements of the book is how they see the best in each other which gives them the space and security they need to let go of the past and allow room for happiness, love, and laughter. Although this can be read as a standalone, I encourage readers to start with Ghosted and go from there. Highly recommended.

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

Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

 

3*

Slow Dance is a childhood friends-to-lovers, second chance love story, which is usually my vibe, but I just couldn’t get into it as I had hoped. There were several issues I had with the book. Part of the problem was that Rowell chose to constantly switch timelines, in no particular chronological order, which was made worse by the fact that she didn’t date the chapters, but rather used the word “before” for anytime prior to the present (which was randomly set in 2006). So, it could be when Shiloh and Cary were pre-teens or high schoolers or young adults or even just a month or so earlier than the previous chapter. Another problem was when they’d email each other, there was no clear indication (using different fonts or their names) whose words were whose. There were also a number of short, random chapters that gave some insight into their childhoods or the lives during the fourteen years they were apart, but they disrupted the flow of the narrative. I also didn’t feel there was much chemistry between Shiloh and Cary. I got the sense she is demisexual, and never had an interest in the act with her ex-husband but did with Cary. Even so, the intimate scenes were awkward to read.

On the plus side, I did enjoy their friendship and Shiloh’s precocious children. It was also interesting to read a romance where the main characters weren’t gorgeous human specimens. Shiloh is a hirsute Amazon and Cary, although he grew into his looks, is covered in moles and suffers with eczema. Overall, this is a romance that’s very realistic and not the kind that sweeps you away with swoon-worthy characters, steamy scenes, and grand gestures. It was enough to keep my attention but not a book I’d read again.

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

Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent

 

3.5*

I’d give this 4*, but it didn’t capture my attention at first and I didn’t agree with Olive’s decision to sell her late father Nicky’s London restaurant or the abrupt way she shared it with Leo, the sous chef who was like a son to Nicky. As I read further, Olive’s thoughts about the restaurant, which she inherited when he died suddenly, began to shift, and I started warming up to the story. Amidst the stunning regions of Italy that Olive and Leo visited as inspiration to finish her father’s cookbook (Catania, Tuscany, and Liguria), the feelings between them began to grow. It was refreshing to read a love story between two kind and caring people that didn’t come with a heaping pile of angst or a mess due to miscommunication. Leo definitely had ideas about how to fix the dated restaurant and tired menu, and when Olive was receptive to hearing them, he shared, but he never put any pressure on her to decide to keep the restaurant if it wasn’t what was best for her. As his aunt said, he takes care of the people he loves and, unlike her father who put the restaurant before his family, Olive began to trust that Leo wouldn’t repeat her father’s mistakes.

 

In summary, this slow burn romance is a foodie’s dream and a love letter to the sights, tastes and smells of Italy. It might not be a book that keeps you up all night reading, but like a leisurely meal under the Tuscan sun, it’ll leave you feeling satiated and satisfied that all is right in Olive and Leo’s world. Recommended.

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

 

 

 

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce

5*

Possible spoilers ahead.

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I’m a sucker for second chance romances and childhood friends to lovers, so I wasn’t surprised that, when I finished this beautiful romance, my first thought was “Such a beautiful love story!” Having said that, after finishing the book, I decided to read some reviews and was very surprised to see how polarized they were. The vast majority of readers loved it, but those that awarded it either 1* or DNFed it made some valid points. I just don’t agree with them. I do get the comparisons to Henry’s Happy Place and People We Meet on Vacation and Lauren’s Love and Other Words, but I don’t see that as a detriment.

Harriet and Eli met at age 15 and the attraction was instantaneous although they didn’t act on it until their junior year in college when Eli transferred to Cal Poly and they shared their first kiss on her 21st birthday. After graduation, Eli convinced her to join him in New York when, fast forwarding two years, they broke up because he was a workaholic and, in her loneliness, she felt her only option was to move back home to San Francisco where her friends lived, especially their mutual best friend Adam. The story opens five years later when Adam, a hyper Type A worrier, is freaking out, convinced that his and Grace’s wedding is cursed, with the DJ out of commission, the wedding venue burnt to the ground, and more. As his best man and best woman, Eli and Harriet, who have barely spoken since their breakup (by mutual agreement, they’ve hidden their emotional distance from Adam), are pressed into service to work miracles in just over a week by finding alternative arrangements. So, against their better judgment, they drive up to Napa to Adam’s family’s vineyard and use the time they’re forced together to finally talk about what went wrong, why they didn’t fight for each other, and perhaps find a way forward.

Let me tell you, this dispassionate summary doesn’t begin to do this amazing love story justice. Author Joyce’s storytelling is beautifully poetic, complete with necessary angst when needed and a depth of emotion that made me alternate between laughter and tears more than once. In my opinion, Eli and Harriet were just too young and emotionally vulnerable to navigate a relationship when they both had quite a bit of baggage and lacked the proper communication skills needed to express their feelings. Yes, five years is a lot of time to let pass without having had proper closure, but it doesn’t take too long for readers to realize that they never stopped loving each other, even if they couldn’t see or admit it. The question is, will the combination of much-needed and long overdue therapy for Eli and the willingness on Harriet’s part to let go of the lists she lives by and to finally communicate her needs be enough for them to risk another try?

I’m not a fan of a single POV from the female MC but, for some reason, it wasn’t as noticeable in this story, perhaps because Joyce allowed Eli to express himself in the dialogue. As the story nears its end, there’s also an unveiling of sorts that is one of the most romantic things I’ve ever read. Yes, I cried! So, if you’re a fan of second chances and soulmates, you won’t want to miss this one. Highly recommended.

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

 

Business Casual (Lovelight #4) by B.K. Borison

 

4*

Minor spoilers

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I’ve enjoyed reading all the books in the Lovelight series, but this is definitely my favorite of the four. I’m a huge fan of the frenemies-to-lovers trope, and the relationship between Stella’s (Book 1) half-brother Charlie and Beckett’s (Book 2) youngest sister Nova is wonderful. Charlie is such a sweet cinnamon roll of a boyfriend, and his insecurities make him even more endearing. On the surface, it seems like opposites attract, but there’s just something about these two together that defies the stereotype. I really appreciate the dual POV because it gives readers the opportunity to really see into Charlie’s huge heart, very much in evidence with the relationships he builds with people like Caleb (Book 3) and Alex’s abuela, assorted townspeople, the owners of the farm ad and their significant others, and, most importantly, Nova’s family. He is so starved for affection, acceptance, and the embrace of a family he never had that it just really warmed my heart to see it come to fruition, providing a balance to his narcissist, hypocritical, and cruel father.

The couples from the first three books are very much present in this one, and the opening scene is of Luka and Stella’s (Book 1) wedding on the farm. It’s also where Charlie lures Nova to the dance floor where the spark between them catches fire. What starts as a one-night-stand ends up becoming a friends with benefits arrangement that they dub “business casual,” both of them knowing that New York-based Charlie, a frequent visitor to the small town of Inglewood, MD who is helping out at the farm while the newlyweds are on their honeymoon, will be returning home after a month.

It's very obvious, even before Charlie confirms it, that he has ADHD and that his father’s disdain during his childhood helped foster the low opinion he has of himself and drives his need to be the positive person who just wants to make everyone happy. However, Nova, who may also be autistic like Beckett and can be prickly, provides a figurative soft place for Charlie to land, so that he can be vulnerable and honest about his feelings. It’s not all heaviness between them, though, because Borison does a great job of balancing strong emotions with snarky banter and very sexy scenes.

Nova has her own insecurities as well. In previous books, we learned how protective and supportive Beckett is of his sister, but it’s very interesting to see how much his belief in her drives her need for perfection. The difficult but illuminating conversation the two eventually have is heart-wrenching but cathartic.

Although this can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the other books in the series so that you have the back stories of the couples who feature so prominently in this one. Recommended.

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

Under Your Spell by Laura Wood

 

5*

Delightful friends to lovers, forced proximity romance between two thirty-somethings, one a famous musician and the other a recently furloughed college professor and daughter of a rock legend suffering from Peter Pan Syndrome. Set in the England countryside, it’s all about the downside of fame and the loved ones who get figuratively trampled in the frenzy of paparazzi and rabid fans.

Thirty-three years ago, rockstar Ripp Harris managed to impregnate three women (only one of whom, Dee, the narrator’s mother, was his wife). When the truth came out, Dee bought a farm with the divorce proceedings and invited the other two soon-to-be moms to live with her, where they raised three beautiful daughters together. As the girls grew, they dubbed themselves The Weird Sisters and fancied themselves witches. When Clementine (Clemmie) experienced a devastating heartbreak at age 17, the breakup spell came to be. Fast forward fifteen years, and Clemmie, after losing her latest adjunct faculty post, has just been dumped by her long-time, live-in boyfriend who took all the furniture, stole her cat, and moved in with his pregnant girlfriend. What better excuse to cast another spell, cursing the ex, and then making three wishes to heal Clemmie’s broken heart: Serena, the record producer, wishes for hot sex, Clemmie wishes for a job doing what she loves, and Lil, the folk singer, wishes for a big, soulmate kind of love.

Within days, at the funeral of a close family friend, Clemmie can’t help but notice the handsome pallbearer, and is thrilled to fulfill Serena’s wish for her with the gorgeous man, Edward/Teddy. So, imagine her surprise when Serena convinces her to “babysit” megastar and rumored womanizer Theo Elliott (long overdue with his next album) for six weeks in a secluded home far from London, and she discovers he’s the same man she snuck out on but can’t get out of her mind. But after being rejected by her father and her teen love (also a musician), the last thing she’s going to do is make the mistake of loving a musician a third time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful, steamy romance set in England and the honesty, care, and vulnerability that Clemmie and Theo share. Author Wood does a fantastic job of fleshing out her characters and giving readers a solid depiction of female support and empowerment between the three “sisters” and their mothers. I am thankful that Theo isn’t the stereotypical musician (as is Clemmie, as it turns out), and really enjoy his snarky, Type A assistant David who reminds me of Joel Kim Booster’s character in the show Loot. I’m not usually a fan of a single female character POV, but, in this case, readers get a good sense of who Theo is and how a highly-successful music career, that began as a boy band member in his teens, has negatively impacted his life.

The only minor issue I had was that her sisters, who obviously knew who Theo was, never clued her in. In her total rejection of all things musical, she avoided social media and current music, so being ignorant of who he was made sense, but Serena should have made the connection before offering her the job. Of course, there would have been no story in that case, so I let it slide. If you’re a fan of Christina Lauren, Emily Henry, and Abby Jimenez, you’ll love this book. Highly recommended!

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

What's In a Kiss? by Lauren Kate

 

4*

Alternate reality romance with a “what if “scenario which poses the question of whether or not true love transcends space and time.

Can a moment in time (or a missed opportunity) profoundly change your life’s trajectory? If you had the chance to live your life in two different dimensions but had to sacrifice one or more loving relationships, which life would you choose? Equipped with this knowledge, would you be able to make the necessary changes and take the risk of rejection to have an epic love in either dimension? These are the questions Olivia Dusk faces when she suddenly finds herself in an alternate reality. In her Real Life, she’s a recently furloughed middle school drama teacher in Los Angeles, busy planning her best friend Masha’s wedding, hosting a fledging podcast with her mother, and dreading the arrival of best man Jake Glasswell, former high school crush and nemesis who wouldn’t kiss her at prom, but went on to New York City for college and a very successful career as a talk show host. In high school, they competed in sports, on stage, and in the classroom, both being voted Most Likely to Succeed, However, when Olivia’s father died right after prom, she gave up her dreams of attending Juilliard and becoming a successful actress to support her grieving mother. When Jake arrives for the wedding, their sniping picks up right where they left off 10 years before, but there’s a fine line between love and hate. When Olivia finds herself in the other dimension (her High Life), she experiences the life she would have had if the prom kiss had actually happened. With no memory of the intervening years, however, she can’t live genuinely and honestly, nor can she repair the relationships she damaged along the way.

This is the first book I’ve read of Lauren Kate’s, but it definitely won’t be the last. I really enjoyed this fantastical romance reminiscent of the movie 13 Going on 30. Whatever dimension, the chemistry between Jake and Olivia is palpable and the love they have for each other in the High Life is relationship goals! The friendship between Liv and Masha and her relationship with her mother in her Real Life are a wonderful depiction of female empowerment. Living in LA, it was also fun for me to read about places I enjoy just like the characters. If you’re looking for a fun summer read, check this one out. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Next Best Fling (Librarians in Love #1) by Gabriella Gamez

 

2*

I found this book really tedious and repetitive and was tempted to not finish it several times. I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and with all of the main characters lying through most of the story, I was bombarded with it. Overall, I felt that they were all immature, especially with the excessive drinking, and I just couldn’t buy into the premise of pining for 8+ years with unrequited love. Marcela’s love interest and Theo’s younger brother Ben is a manipulative, narcissistic jerk whose actions traumatized Theo and whose controlling interference in Marcela’s love life (which she, sadly, allowed) kept her emotionally tethered to him. His fiancé Alice wasn’t much better, in my opinion, although her actions were just selfish. The fake relationship between Marcela and Theo made sense, in theory, but they were lacking the chemistry to take it to the next level and spent too long clinging to their crushes, especially Marcela when this blinders for Ben were coming off. They also didn’t really seem to have anything in common, her a librarian who doesn’t care for football and him an ex-NFL player who doesn’t read. Overall, just a miss for me. Not recommended.

 

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

 

 

 

The Villain Edit by Laurie Devore

 

4*

This story wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought it would be a relatively lighthearted, humorous romp through the world of reality dating shows like The Bachelor. Instead, it was a biting, searing indictment of the ugly truth behind the scenes and the traumatic toll production machinations, vicious fans and TV critics, and ironclad contracts and NDAs can take on contestants. In the case of The Villain Edit, romance author Jacqueline (Jac) Matthis received a million-dollar payout for three books, but her first book was mismarketed and sold poorly. The second one fared worse, and the third was cancelled. After five years in NYC, blowing through her cash living what she assumed was her “best life,” she’s forced to move back home to Charleston, SC. With nothing to lose and the hope of reviving her flagging career and book sales, she impulsively becomes a contestant on the 1, never anticipating that her natural honesty, cynicism, skepticism, and intellect (with creative editing) will paint her as the villain of the season. When the bachelor, Marcus, chooses her as an early favorite, the other contestants claws come out.

If that weren’t bad enough, soon after she enters the mansion, she discovers that her hookup from the night before, Henry, is one of the producers. What follows is twelve weeks of forbidden growing attraction between them (despite her questioning how much of his attention is genuine versus manipulative for the sake of the show), concerning revelations about Marcus and other contestants, diminishing physical and mental health thanks to little sleep and missed meals (who knew contestants couldn’t eat while being filmed ), and Jac’s growing concern that it will all blow up in her face, destroying both her reputation and her livelihood. This villainization was well-illustrated by snippets of social media commentary, press releases, author chat groups, and blog articles interspersed throughout the novel.

Author Devore did extensive research on The Bachelor to give authenticity to the story. Jac, Marcus and Henry are all flawed characters, so the pseudo-love triangle is often hard to navigate because you don’t know what is the truth and who actually deserves a happy ending. The rampant misogyny is hard to stomach, especially since much of it is perpetrated by female producers and contestants who are pitted against each other in the name of “great television.” Devore’s compelling descriptions of the harsh reality of regimented schedules, overconsumption of alcohol, the absence of books, devices, and anything else that would draw attention away from Marcus, emotional manipulation, and food deprivation painted a really clear and disturbing picture of the dangers of these shows.

Although this is a romance, it doesn’t follow any formulaic tropes. There are definitely steamy scenes, many stops and starts, and love interests dealing with emotional baggage, and, in Jac’s case, low self-esteem coupled with defensiveness. You still can’t help but root for a happy ending, even if it’s not clear for most of the story which, if either, man she’ll end up with. I recommend this to anyone looking for a smart, complex, love story with several twists.

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