I love this book! The unique premise, a one-night stand that turns into a harrowing, yet somehow romantic, 12-day adventure at sea, is riveting. However, it’s the love story between Lexi and Zeke that is really captivating. On the surface, they’re polar opposites: a 31-year-old plain Jane (only in her own eyes) trying to figure out her future while still dealing with the grief of losing her mother, and a handsome, edgy 23-year-old who works as a junior chef but feels like a failure. They are both dealing with family dysfunction baggage, but when fighting together for their lives, they form an unbreakable bond and help each other see that the low opinion they have of themselves is based on external influences, not reality.
The forced proximity trope is there, but not in the formulaic way it’s used in most romances. Yes, there is a strong attraction, but it takes a backseat to the struggle to survive against nearly insurmountable odds. There are many lighthearted moments, so it’s not all doom and gloom, but when O’Leary adds a twist you don’t see coming, the tension continues to grip you until the end. 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.
This is a beautiful sequel to one of my favorite love stories, The Light We Lost. The Love We Found starts ten years after Gabe’s death, and Santopolo’s decision to use Lucy’s voice narrating the story to Gabe is an especially poignant one. I teared up at times, but not to the devastating degree I did with Gabe and Lucy’s story. This is a story of hope, navigating motherhood, blended families, and the fear and exhilaration of finding love again after loss. Dax is a worthy successor to Gabe, but as Dax said, it’s not a competition, just a comparison. If you’re looking for a mature romance between two wonderful people who, despite suffering shattering loss, take a chance on love, read this. Although it can be read as a standalone, I encourage you to read The Light We Lost first. 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.
I’m not usually an audiobook reader, but I chose that format for this book to fulfill a prompt in a reading challenge. I didn’t love the male narrator Zachary Webber’s voice (and liked it even less when I saw a hateful TikTok video he posted last fall). This is definitely better than Mr. Wrong Number, which featured MMC Jack Marshall’s younger sister Olivia and best friend Colin. I found Olivia very immature and whiney, and she was just as bad in this book. FMC Hallie and Jack meet at Olivia and Colin’s wedding in a meet (not so) cute when Jack’s girlfriend gets jealous thinking Jack is flirting with bartender Hallie and tosses a glass of chardonnay at her. Jack goes from almost proposing to dumping her, then ends up sleeping with Hallie. They don’t exchange contact information, but then discover each other on a dating app and decide they’ll be each other’s wingman while navigating the minefield that is online dating. To make it more interesting, they make a wager over who will find love first. However, when Hallie’s fledgling boyfriend breaks up with her just before her sister’s wedding, Jack offers to be her date and fake a relationship. Given the close friendship they’ve formed and the intense chemistry they have, it’s no surprise that things get complicated with just one bed.
There’s nothing unique about this romance, but it’s a fun read with witty banter and both friends-to-lovers and fake dating tropes. 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.
This is the second book I’ve read by Bastone (the first being Ready or Not), and I can’t wait to read more. This friends-to-lovers romance between Lenny and Miles is a touching and heartbreaking exploration of grief and the process of working through it to be able to live and love again. I absolutely love how Miles is so committed to helping Lenny navigate her grief journey (following the death of her best friend), using his own experiences to inform the way he both supports her and gently and patiently guides her through her depression.
“You are not betraying her [her friend Lou] by healing,” he whispers directly into my ear. “You are honoring her. You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn’t here anymore … That’s who she is now. And this journey through grief … It’s what we do for the great loves of our lives.” In return, Lenny helps Miles build a relationship with his half-sister and niece, the only family he has left.
Lenny has what Miles refers to as “love-at-first-sight fantasies” which are really just her first reactions to men she sees, and hers toward Miles is initially positive, but quickly dashed when he opens his mouth. Yet, she soon realizes that he’s just socially awkward (perhaps autistic-coded) and his gruff exterior masks a kind, empathic man. He turns out to be the perfect book boyfriend, sensitive to her needs and totally supportive and protective.
Bastone is wonderful at building tension. This is a VERY slow burn, but the wait is worth it with a hilarious, but spicy love scene towards the end. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Dial Press and Random House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
With a nod to both Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Groundhog Day, Jio has spun a delightful, emotional, illuminating timeslip novel about a woman who, in the process of living a day with each of the choices she could have made with various men from her past, is also given the opportunity to reflect on her dissatisfaction with her current life. The day after her latest relationship ends with Coldplay tickets instead of a proposal, Lena runs to the comfort of her Aunt Rosie’s arms, the woman who raised her after her mentally ill mother died when she was just 12, following a life of instability, lack of plans, and occasional abandonment. Before falling asleep, she comes to the realization that, due to her chaotic childhood, she fears the unknown and clings to her rigid life and career plans as a result.
The following morning, she wakes up in Paris, married to a sophisticated Frenchman she’d met years before at a mutual friend's wedding. Over the next nine days, she finds herself waking to 9 other ghosts from her past (including a farmer, past boyfriends and crushes, near-strangers, etc.). In the process, she is forced to reevaluate her views on motherhood, infidelity, desirable qualities in a romantic partner and more. When she finally breaks free from this time loop, will she have discovered enough about herself to be open to a true love relationship? You’ll have to read it and see. Highly recommended.
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.
