A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez

 

5*

Abby Jimenez could write the phone book and I’d read it, so I jumped at the chance to read and review this delightful, humorous, and heartwarming collection of three sweet (and no spice) Christmas romance short stories. Unlike her full-length novels, this one doesn’t have the trauma, angst, and heavy themes. As she states in her author note. “I wanted to veer from my usual deeper themes and keep these short stories fun and light. I figured nobody wants to cry at Christmas.”

Although I was reading a digital ARC, I read the description of what the final print deluxe edition will look like, and I think it will make a wonderful gift for a friend, family member, secret Santa, or even for yourself. It includes a second chance romance, a funny meet cute, and a love at first sight story, and they’re all based in Minnesota, the perfect wintry backdrop for a Christmas collection. I suspect this is a book that will be an annual re-read. Highly 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.

One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker by Timothy Janovsky

4*

This is just the kind of feel-good, cute romance I’ve come to expect with Timothy Janovsky. There’s no angst, and the two male leads are open, honest, and caring. I’m not usually a fan of Instalove, but I totally buy into the fantasy of an opposites attract couple (the heir to a chocolate empire and a poor fledgling tattoo artist from a Pennsylvania blue-collar town) who find love in a week with the backdrop of the gorgeous Italian countryside. There are no villains, no heavy angst, and no poor communication skills. It’s just plain fun. Recommended.

Thanks to Afterglow Books (Harlequin) and Netgalley for the ARC. Opinions expressed are my own.

Once Upon You and Me by Timothy Janovsky

4*

Very sweet, steamy age gap romance set in a fairytale resort in the NY Catskills. I love a story where the main characters open up to each other and build a relationship based on mutual respect and care. Taylor and Ethan are absolutely adorable together. Generally, I’m not a fan of love at first sight, but Janovsky managed to make me forget that their time of forced proximity together was so short. Between story hours gone wrong, archery lessons with sizzling chemistry, and working together to put on a fabulous sweet 16 party for Ethan’s daughter Samara, their connection is obvious to almost everyone around them. Unfortunately, Ethan’s rather shrewish, emotionally distant ex-wife Amy Lu is Taylor’s boss, so they don’t see a future together.

Ethan has ADHD which his ex misunderstood and criticized, whereas Taylor, with his closest sibling also being neurodivergent, is fully accepting and supportive. He also has a wonderful relationship with Samara which is a comfort to Ethan since he doesn’t see her often being 3000 miles away. Although, on the surface, it seems like a case of opposites attract, it’s really the emotional connection between them that makes them so perfect for each other. If you like MM romance that’s relatively low on angst, pretty steamy, and heartwarming, I highly recommend this delightful book.

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

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

 

5*

(Publication date: 4/1/25)

Jimenez has done it again, written a romance that renews our belief in the goodness of humanity in spite of toxic parents, misogynistic exes, and more. The love story between soulmates Samantha and Xavier is one of the most beautiful she’s ever written. When you know, you know, and both of them fell fast and hard, even with Sam moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles the morning after the first best date of their lives. Long distance relationships are hard enough for couples who have a history, but what do you do when you’re just getting started and it’s too good to give up?

There is so much I enjoyed and appreciated about this book. The depiction of Sam’s mother’s early-onset dementia is sensitive and compassionate, portraying how a caring family is willing to make huge sacrifices to fulfill their loved one’s wishes and treat her with dignity. Xavier’s hard-earned success as a veterinarian, in spite of his abusive, narcissistic parents, is a testament to his strength of character and inherent goodness as is his need to take care of the people he loves and the animals he’s sworn to protect and heal to the best of his ability. Samantha’s wit, as evidenced by her sassy and snarky social media posts for the mustard company she works for, and her dedication to her family draw grumpy Xavier out of his shell, making him happier than he’s ever been, especially when her family falls for him, too. There are some LOL moments, especially the dead mouse and swallowing the earbud, that bring levity to some pretty heavy subject matter. Finally, the relationship Sam has with her siblings and parents is a clear example of how, despite their different personalities and irritation towards each other, they can work as a team to take care of their mother.

Fans of ACOTAR will appreciate how Xavier resembles Rhysand (had to look it up since I’m not a romantasy fan, but wowza!) and anyone who craves delicious, slightly steamy romances without the miscommunication and third act breakups that are far too prevalent in the genre will want to read this gorgeous love story. Very highly 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 Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea

 

5*

The Jewel of the Isle, reminiscent of one of my favorite movies, Romancing the Stone, is the third book I’ve read by Rea and all three are deserving of their 5* rating. She does such a fabulous job of crafting characters you can’t help rooting for and creating a plot that is full of surprises.

This friends-to-lovers, opposites attract, Instalove romance is more than you’d expect. Rea starts out introducing Emily and Ryder, who have both recently lost loved ones and who are struggling with misplaced guilt. However, from the moment Ryder makes a daring, yet foolhardy, leap onto a departing ferry bound for Isle Royale National Park, the action never stops. Emily, an ER doctor, is determined to complete her late father’s bucket list, fighting her natural fear of risk and the outdoors and, after her boyfriend dumps her, she hires what she thinks is an experienced tour guide to accompany her. Unfortunately, Ryder was the marketing brains behind the business he ran with his late brother and knows as little as she does about surviving in the wild. I literally laughed so hard that I teared up three times in the beginning chapters with this hapless duo and their hysterical banter, but never expected the thrilling, yet murderous action adventure to come. As they face down a bull moose, a pack of wolves, and an evil professor and his henchmen, they come to realize that the need to protect those they love trumps any fear or perceived incompetence they assumed about themselves.

I highly recommend this spicy, endearing romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat while still providing levity.

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

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

 

3*

This dual romance has vibes similar to the movie, The Holiday, but is about two best friends, not strangers, who swap holiday destinations. Holly, whose fiancé dumps her the night before their wedding, goes to an eco-cabin in upstate NY where Ivy was going to take her annual two-week art retreat while Ivy goes to Holly’s honeymoon resort in Hawaii only to find that the a’hole ex-fiancé is there with his new girlfriend. The hot bartender, Oliver, who resembles Ryan Gosling, finds her a place to stay and there’s an instant attraction. Meanwhile, Holly, who still hasn’t cried after the breakup of her 10-year relationship, meets the cabin’s owner, Aiden, who is, serendipitously, her former high school friendly rival who’s had a major glow-up, now resembling Henry Cavill.

The chapters alternate between Holly and Ivy (this nod to the holiday is mentioned more than once), and describe not only the different ways Christmas is celebrated in a small Hudson Valley town and on a breathtakingly beautiful Hawaiian island, but also how each female lead finds instalove when neither is looking for it. Although there are some mildly steamy scenes, there’s not really much obvious chemistry. It definitely has a Hallmark movie feel to it. In fact, the focus is just as much on the loving friendship between Holly and Ivy than the two romances. If you’re looking for a feel-good, low angst Christmas story, this is a good one to check out.

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 Fake Wedding Project by Pippa Grant

 

2*

This was an okay (not) Christmas story, although the small, fictional town of Tinsel, MI celebrates the holiday year-round. The premise is that Amanda, visiting from NYC, in an effort to avoid having a dreaded conversation with her pushy grandmother, pretends to be engaged to her secret best friend Lorelei’s brother Dane who is visiting from San Francisco. Why a secret BFF? Well, that’s because their families have been feuding for about 150 years and no one remembers why. Unfortunately, the whole town walks on eggshells because their parents’ and grandparents’ primary pastime, when they’re not running rival bakeries (her family’s gingerbread and his family’s fruitcake), is to play a mean game of oneupmanship, not hesitating to use their offsprings’ accomplishments as pawns in their petty war rather than just showing pride. Dane, who hasn’t really seen Amanda since high school (when he harbored a crush on her), readily agrees to fake an engagement with the lie that they’ll elope to Vegas a month later. However, the feud-weary townsfolk decide they should get married within the week. Do they not have enough to keep themselves busy that they can drop everything to throw together a wedding in a matter of days…and not have the courtesy to even ask the couple if they’re okay with it?

I just couldn’t get on board with the idea that they’re both such pushovers and are so easily bulldozed by everyone, that they really think they can use their very brief engagement to end the feud, and that announcing it is fake just before the ceremony won’t have everything blow up in their faces. There’s just so much that’s unrealistic about this story, and I got bored and frustrated with how rude and inconsiderate Dane’s uncle and all their grandparents were to their supposed future spouses. Although there was spice (as in the sexy kind, not the baking type), I didn’t feel any chemistry between them. I also didn’t buy into the instalove trope, even if they were sharing a cabin for a few days. Not a horrible book, but not the least bit memorable either.

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

Once Smitten, Twice Shy (The Wilmot Sisters #3) by Chloe Liese

 

Expected release date: 1/28/25

5*

A beautiful, poignant, friends-to-lovers romance with witty banter full of double entendres, smoking chemistry, and honest vulnerability. In my opinion, this is the most romantic of Liese’s books, and she just keeps getting better at creating characters who are imperfect but perfectly suited for each other.

After escaping from an abusive relationship, Juliet heads to Scotland to heal her psychological wounds. In an adorable meet-cute, she is asked to dance by Will, who she assumes is a ginger-haired giant of a Highlander but turns out to be American. Although there’s an instant spark, she’s not ready for anything romantic. So, after a dance, she says goodbye, never expecting to see him again. Serendipitously, seven months later, she finds him asleep in her mother’s greenhouse, and it turns out he’s Orsino, the best friend of her childhood next-door neighbor and surrogate brother Christopher. Although there’s an obvious attraction and an ease between them, Juliet is fearful of getting involved with another of Christopher’s friends given her disastrous last relationship, and even though she’s ready to start looking for love again, she feels rusty. Will, who is in search of a wife who can be his partner in his family’s distillery and can perhaps come to love him, needs to learn how to flirt and romance a woman. So, the two agree to practice date each other. Over four weekends, what started out as practice begins to feel real, but will they be able to let go of their fears and insecurities?

Juliet, a self-proclaimed romance junkie who loves historical romances and aspires to write them herself, shares with Will that his plan to marry to carry on the family business reminds her of a Duke who doesn’t recognize that his sense of duty shows his capacity for love. As a part of their plan, she urges Will to read some historical romance to get a sense of what women look for in a partner. However, even without benefit of the books, for a shy, autistic guy, he has some really romantic and poetic dialogue with Juliet. When he serenades her underneath his balcony, you can almost hear the collective swoon that’s coming once this book releases in January 2025.

Like all her previous novels, the characters are dealing with disabilities. Juliet has celiac disease and mixed connective tissues disease which causes considerable pain. Will has autism, and struggles with conversation, reading other people’s expressions and meaning, and loud, crowded spaces. Since they both have relatives with similar disabilities, they have a natural empathy and understanding for the difficulties they face. The kindness, caring, and honesty they share is part of what makes this love story so enchanting.

If you’re a fan of the series, you’ll be happy to know that there are many, many scenes with the couples from Books 1 and 2 including Bea and Jamie’s wedding, which is such a treat. So, even though it’s a standalone, I encourage readers to start with Book 1 to get more of Juliet’s backstory. Since it’s not out until January, you have plenty of time. 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.

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.

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.

 

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.

Nice Work, Nora November

 

3*

Although this book ends on a high note, I struggled with it because it was really depressing and not just because Nora herself suffered with mental illness. After reading the synopsis, I’d expected an “uplifting and heartwarming” story, and it wasn’t. I’d describe it as sad and highly dysfunctional with a few pages of hope and renewal at the end. From the moment Nora wakes up from a coma after her near-death experience of drowning, it’s obvious that her family puts the D in dysfunction. Her ethically-challenged father, a personal injury lawyer, is both emotionally and physically abusive, her mother is in major denial and lives to criticize and gaslight her, her younger sister has lost all faith in her after being disappointed too many times when Nora’s depression caused her to break promises, and her cousin Gus is a lonely, sad alcoholic who also doesn’t trust her.

As Nora goes through rehab and therapy, she re-evaluates her life Before (capitalized in the book) the drowning and decides that she needs to make some major changes, including trying to recapture some of what she lost. She creates a reverse bucket list that includes trying to find Jack, the man she met during a robbery hostage situation who she thinks may be The One, and tending to her late grandfather’s community garden plot that she let go wild while her mental health was spiraling. I didn’t understand London’s choice to have Nora fail at everything she tried, unless it was to highlight how easy it is to slip back into depression and self-doubt. One of the only highlights of the story is the group of senior citizen thespians she meets who knew her grandfather. They provide the only bit of comic relief in the book and are instrumental in helping Nora navigate her After life. There are also many deathbed vignettes of Jack’s hospice patients which were really interesting and set the stage for how kind and empathetic he is. I wouldn’t classify this as a romance, although there was an element of it, but women’s fiction instead.

As someone who has suffered from chronic depression and lost my father way too young, it was somewhat triggering to read Nora’s story, especially the joy she felt seeing her late grandfather while in the coma. So, I think it’s important to share trigger warnings. If you don’t want any spoilers, stop reading here.

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Depression, abuse, suicide, death, grief, alcoholism

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

The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck by Kylie Scott

 

5*

After saving Good Witch Willow’s life, Lilah Goodluck (oh, the irony!) is given 5 predictions, whether she wants them or not. Her boyfriend will cheat on her, she’ll be passed over for a promotion at work, she’ll win the lottery (if she can remember the rapid-fire numbers the witch spouts), her soulmate’s name is Alistair George Arthur Lennox, the illegitimate and hot as hell son of the reigning King of England, and she’ll die in 9 days. After the first three come true in a matter of hours, she begins to worry that her days are truly numbered. When a distracted Lilah totals her car to avoid hitting Alistair’s, this serendipitous meet-cute with her own Prince Charming leads to 8 days of checking off items on her bucket list while trying to fight their growing attraction and feelings, lest they discover they’re soulmates and the final prediction of her death becomes inevitable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first-person POV, light-hearted, instalove, grumpy/sunshine romance featuring a curvy librarian in Los Angeles and a prince with some serious trust issues and a need for control. It reads like a modern-day fairytale a la Pretty Woman, including a Rodeo Drive shopping spree, complete with a fake relationship, parental abandonment by the King, and some pretty steamy scenes given the intense chemistry between the two. I love the witty banter, not just between Lilah and Alistair, but also with Alistair’s free-spirited mother Lady Helena and her everyman Dougal. I really hope they make this into a movie with great actors because it would be a hoot and harken back to the golden age of romantic comedies. If you need a mood lifter and like romances with no third quarter break-up where the MCs have open, honest communication and bring out the best in each other, pick this one up. Highly recommended.

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

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.

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.

Almost Like Being in Love by Sariah Wilson

4*

One of my favorite old Hollywood musicals is Brigadoon, so it’s no surprise that I really enjoyed this adaptation set at Christmas. Unlike the film, in which the quaint Scottish village appears out of the mist once every hundred years, this book’s Highglen appears during a week-long snowstorm at infrequent intervals in response to an unsuspecting visitor in need of some Christmas spirit. Four hundred years in the real world is a mere 7 years in Highglen, where it’s still 1647.

Maren and her friend Penny have left America in search of her uncle who disappeared about 30 years prior while on a research trip. She reluctantly leaves behind her mother, who has cancer, to fulfill her dying wish of finding her long lost brother. So imagine Maren’s surprise when, after her rental car breaks down, she’s rescued by a handsome Scottish laird, Duncan Campbell. It’s love at first sight, with a vague sense that they’ve met before, but can they ever have a future if she has to return to be with her mom and he has to remain with his large family and the villagers who depend on him? Is there a chance for a Christmas miracle?

Unlike most time travel books, this one doesn’t worry about changing the future by incorporating modern conveniences into 17th-century Scotland because the Campbells are able to benefit from the knowledge and resources shared by their visitors, whether it’s the culinary skills of a chef who appeared in the 1800s or Maren’s veterinary skills. Duncan has six sisters, and there’s definitely something in the air when it comes to them finding love with hapless visitors, including Maren’s Uncle Bobby. 

If you’re looking for a quick read full of Christmas spirit and a hunky, poetic, Scottish book boyfriend, this one fits the bill. It’s a love at first sight, sweet, clean romance with unchallenging dialogue, low angst, and the perfect chosen family.

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

Knockout by Sarah Maclean

 

5*

Knockout, the 3rd in Maclean’s Hell’s Belles series, is the story of the unlikely, forbidden romance between Lady Imogen Loveless, a possibly autistic-coded, curvy genius with a passion for homegrown explosives, and growly Detective Inspector Tommy Peck, introduced in Book One (Bombshell) when Imogen blew up a jail cell to free Caleb, her colleague Sesily Talbot’s lover. Peck is inadvertently responsible for the name given to this foursome of intrepid social crusaders who are waging war against the British aristocracy and misogynistic patriarchy at the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign with the goal of bringing down the evil men who prey on women, the poor, and other defenseless people.

It's clearly a case of love at first sight (that readers have been witness to since the beginning of the series), but Tommy fights against his attraction and fascination with Imogen, not only because he doesn’t feel worthy of her given he’s from the wrong side of the Thames and she’s Mayfair, but also because he wants to protect her from the same men the Belles are trying to destroy, and he knows any association with her will ruin his chances of begin promoted to Head of the Detective Branch. However, when all signs point to a tie between corruption at Scotland Yard and the criminals the ladies are trying to bring down, he must make a choice about where his loyalties lie.

The romance between Imogen and Tommy is mutually-protective, often chaotic, incendiary, flirtatious and brimming with witty banter, but the friendship between the four Belles is equally as compelling, each drawing on their strengths and loyally supporting and encouraging each other. Maclean is a masterful storyteller who weaves mystery and romance together without watering down either. Each book is billed as a standalone, but I encourage you to read them in order because the series builds the story of the four Belles and the vast network of courageous women who defend and protect the innocent. They’re proof that women should never be underestimated. Can’t wait for Book 4 when The Duchess finally meets her match! Highly recommended!

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