Tropesick by Lauren Okie

3*

I don’t know what to think about this story, especially since I’m not a fan of heavy topics in my romances. It’s a dark romance with an MMC, Tyler, who has major baggage and the girl next door/best friend’s sister, Katie, who, despite her own grief and estrangement from her parents, still manages to be positive and bright. Initially, I thought this would be like a few other popular books on the market that feature dueling ghostwriters, but the depth of grief and guilt in Tropesick tended to overshadow the romance. I was surprised by the plot twist at the end, and couldn’t figure out what the point of it was. There are no trigger warnings, but I think there should be for addiction and accidental death. If you like romances in which a main character has a huge redemption arc, you’ll probably enjoy this story, but if you prefer less angst and a faster pace, this may not be the right choice for you.

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 Last Page by Katie Holt

 

5*

Although it touches on grief, guilt and depression, The Last Page is mostly a humorous story with a steamy workplace romance and one of the most eccentric and endearing cast of characters (The Last Page bookstore’s staff) I’ve ever read. The theme of chosen family is central to the story, and I couldn’t help reflecting on the idea of New York, with its huge population, being one of the loneliest places on earth. Ella and Henry, through the power of reading and shared love of books, managed to foster a sense of belonging and family for a hefty slice of the city’s denizens, including Henry himself. One of my favorite elements of the book are the “Staff Picks” at the start of each chapter. (My overwhelming TBR list has grown.)

As I read the passages where Ella shares her favorite parts of her city as only a native can, I couldn’t help thinking of Kate Clayborn’s wonderful book, Love Lettering, which I called “a love letter to NYC” when I reviewed it several years ago, as well as Cole and Layla Are Just Friends by Bethany Turner. All three have their protagonists fall in love while exploring the city. If you know readers who love NYC and/or bookstores, please share this delightful enemies-to-lovers romance. Highly recommended!

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

Your Soulmail is Attached by Joan F. Smith

 

4*

I requested this title because of its unique premise: every legal adult in the world simultaneously received an untraceable, undeletable email telling them the name and date of birth of their soulmate. So, what happens when your soulmate isn’t your current partner or they’re not alive or they’re not a romantic partner but a close friend or family member? In a world where technology has, in many respects, replaced real humans, is it any surprise that the vast majority of the world’s population believes that the information they’ve been given is absolute truth?

Smith spends most of the book focusing on the soulmate phenomenon, Olivia’s job in broadcast news, and her interactions with both her cheating ex Wells and her childhood friend Caleb, who came back into her life shortly after the emails were received. What she doesn’t do, much to my disappointment, is give readers a well-developed romance between Olivia and Caleb. Yes, they spend time together and the attraction that they had in their teens is still alive, but there’s very little chemistry and it’s one of the slowest burns I’ve read. If you like a little spice in your romances, this may not appeal to you.

Overall, however, it’s an engaging read that would be fun for book club discussions about the ethics of technology (especially AI), the impact of being stripped of free will, and the origins of the emails.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from MIRA through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
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The Starter Ex by Mia Sosa

4*

This is such a cute premise that Sosa has served to us with a liberal dash of the Puerto Rican diaspora Vanessa and Jason are part of. With the culturally diverse NYC as the backdrop, these gorgeous kids navigate the beginnings of a friendship based on a lie. Vanessa is carrying a heavy secret, one that has kept her away from her loving family for years. As a way to make amends, she agrees to revive her college side gig, the starter ex, for her sister who has crushed on Jason, her best friend’s older brother, for years. When he and Vanessa start catching feelings, however, things are bound to get messy.

Sosa does a wonderful job creating a cast of characters who help drive the narrative, from Jason’s acerbic lesbian sister Denise to both of their bilingual, food-loving parents. Although both main characters carry some baggage, they also handle conflict with compassion and eventual maturity. If you’re looking for a steamy but sweet urban romance, you’ll love this book. 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.

No Matter What by Cara Bastone

5*

I read Bastone’s last 2 books and gave them both 5*. As I read this one and kept putting it down, I struggled to figure out what was so off-putting about this story that I couldn;t become fully-immersed. Then I realized it's because my least favorite romance trope is miscommunication, and No Matter What drowns in it. It’s a huge plot point, and I’m just not comfortable with men who can’t seem to get their thoughts out of their mouths.

If I take the failure to communicate out of the equation, I can appreciate that Bastone beautifully describes the work a solid marriage takes to survive and that a life-changing accident and its aftermath can truly test the strength of love. The pressure of surviving, taking care of a brother whose injuries are complex and slow to heal, and navigating a new normal all put a strain on Roz and Vin’s relationship. It took me awhile, but I finally figured out how her pursuit of art was her way of healing and he had his own way.

This would be an easy 5* read for someone who has no problem with poor communication, but I just couldn’t get past it enough to enjoy the story without that limitation.

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

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord

 

4*

I’ve enjoyed Emma Lord’s young adult romances, so I was excited to read her first adult novel. I’m happy to report that it’s just as swoonworthy, sweet and emotionally complex but with an added element of spice. In The Break-Up Pact, she strikes the perfect balance between a second chance at love between soulmates and the profound effect grief has on the family and friends of the lost loved one. Although it’s written from the FMC June’s viewpoint, readers get a very good sense of MMC Levi’s thoughts and feelings, not just through the dialogue but also Lord’s thorough descriptions of facial expressions and physical movements, whether it’s dancing together, competitive foot races, the emotional reaction to hand-holding, or the variety of kisses they share.

As a tea and beach enthusiast, I really love that one of the primary settings is June’s small-town tea and scone cafe. It’s almost a character in itself, especially as it relates to June’s grief over losing her sister and her struggle to keep it open while trying to honor her sister’s legacy. I also enjoyed reading about Levi’s fledging writing career. One main thread that runs throughout is toxic exes and how the awful combination of gaslighting, social media, and internet trolls can take its toll on its victims. It’s not heavy but is a timely way to set up their love story. Share this with fans of Abby Jimenez, Katherine Center, and Christina Lauren. Highly recommended.

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.

The Love We Found (The Light We Lost #2) by Jill Santopolo

5*

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.

 

Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone

5*

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.

 

The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn

 

5*

I’ve read other fictionalized accounts of Titanic survivors, but this one is the first where there’s a focus on the PTSD and survivor guilt they endured following the unspeakable tragedy.

Elinor Coombes, believer in true love and happily-ever-afters thanks to the books of Austen and Brontë, was tricked into a loveless marriage with an heir to an earldom so they could get a huge dowry from her industrialist father. Shortly after giving birth to a son and heir, she learns that aristocratic women don’t raise their sons, whose upbringing is left to a nanny and then boarding school by age 7. When she finds out that, in the event of her husband Frederick’s death, her disapproving and hard-hearted in-laws would gain custody, it is an abstract worry since he’s young and healthy; that is, until the Titanic sinks and the worst comes to pass. Desperate to save her son from the cold, callous path set out for him, she assumes a deceased woman’s identity to start a new life, but will she always be looking over her shoulder?

Quinn paints a clear picture of life in the Lower East Side tenements of NYC, putting a human and compassionate face on the squalor and seeming chaos of the poor neighborhood. Her story is a testament to the immigrants who came from Europe for a better life and the hard work they put in to make their dreams a reality and to the human spirit and the strength and courage of women who are underestimated by both men and other women who see them as weak. Finally, it’s a beautiful portrayal of chosen family and the capacity for forgiveness. Fans of Susan Meissner, Fiona Davis, and Beatriz Williams will love this. Highly recommended.

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

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

 

5*

This is Poston’s sophomore adult novel and, like The Dead Romantics, she has crafted a beautiful love story that defies convention, time and space. She breathes life into her characters with lyrical dialogue, a vulnerability and honesty between them, and a willingness to suspend disbelief in order to get to the right time and place to be together. It has a similar premise as the movie, The Lake House, but is not quite so intense.

Although it is a romance, there is magical realism in the form of an apartment that has infrequent and unpredictable time slips, one in which Clementine’s Aunt Analea meets Vera, the love of her life, and another when Clementine first meets Iwan, the talented chef visiting NYC in the hopes of landing a dishwashing job in the restaurant his grandfather, an amateur chef, brought him to as a child and where he hopes to climb the ranks to top chef, making his grandfather proud. Little does she realize that he is seven years behind her in time.

The central theme is about following your passion, whether it’s in a vocation or in a person, and being open to change, because life isn’t stagnant, and love means embracing and supporting your partner’s growth and loving yourself enough to walk away from the life you thought you should want to discover new things about yourself and the passions that drive you. I enjoyed all of the lyrical prose, especially when Iwan was romanticizing food and his idea of “the perfect meal” and how serendipitous the path to romance is. 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.

By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate

 

4*

Spoilers:

This love story within a love story is an absolute delight! It is the second contemporary romance I’ve read by Lauren Kate, and i hope she continues to write these sorts of love stories since I’m not a fan of the romantasy genre she’s better known for.

After reading Noa Callaway’s first book in college, Lanie Bloom was so inspired by her brilliant take on love that she gave up on the idea of following her parents’ footsteps into medicine and decided to pursue a career in publishing instead, becoming assistant to Peony Publishing’s editorial director Alix. After seven years of emails between Lanie and Peony Publishing’s top author Callaway (who has never been seen by anyone but Alix), in which she plays good cop to Alix’s bad cop when trying to get Noa to accept editorial changes to her manuscript, Alix decides to quit after having a baby. Lanie is “provisionally” promoted to editorial director so long as she can get Noa, who is four months past her deadline for her next book, to deliver a manuscript within 3 months. When they finally meet, Lanie is shocked to find that the real Noa(h) is a man, making her question everything she thought she knew about what constitutes “real love.”

As a way to break Noah out of his writer’s block and find inspiration for what he hopes will be a book that covers the entire spectrum of love, not just the beginning, Lanie proposes a series of encounters of lesser-known New York City landmarks like The Cloisters, Pomander Walk, and Gapstow Bridge in Central Park. It's pretty obvious from the first meeting at the Chess House in Central Park that, despite Noah’s true identity, they’ve become friends of sorts over the past seven years, playing virtual chess, sharing bits of their lives, and Noa even sending tulips to Lanie after each new book is published. So, it’s fun to see how Noah incorporates parts of their story and his feelings into the new book he’s writing.

In an author’s note, Kate says “I wanted to explore how Lanie and Noa(h) can have a stimulating intellectual argument one moment, burst out laughing the next, and share each other’s grief in the third.” I’d say that she achieved this beautifully as Lanie and Noah’s relationship segues from emails to impromptu meals where they challenge each other to train trips down to D.C. where Noah opens up about his mother’s worsening Alzheimer’s and Lanie talks about losing her mother at age 10 whose last bit of advice to her was to hold out for someone she’d “really, really love.” Noah learned about love from his romance-loving single Mom and his two “aunts” and, from that first book he wrote at age 20, Lanie discovered someone who outlined the elements that make up real love.

In addition to the central slow burn, clean romance written from Lanie’s POV, this is also a love letter to New York City, and I never tire of learning more of those out-of-the-way places that make the City so fascinating. I also really enjoyed Lanie’s grandmother, BD, a holocaust survivor and sex-positive septuagenarian who provided the maternal guidance Lanie so sorely needed. My only slight criticism is that I felt it ended a bit abruptly. I would have liked to have seen what the reaction was when Noah finally shared his true identity with his readership and what came after their kiss that we waited until the last page to get. Still a lovely romance, though, so I recommend it.

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 Space Between by Sarah Ready

 

5*

Oh, my goodness! Sarah Ready really knows how to pluck at your heartstrings, a fitting metaphor for this gorgeous romance that pairs music and love. Every once in a while, I read a love story that is so incredibly well-written and an embodiment of the human spirit and condition that I know I’ll never forget it. The Space Between is one of them.

I envy Ready’s talent for crafting stories that mine the depths of human emotion, creating multi-faceted characters who aren’t stereotypes, and writing multi-genre romances (from epistolary to magical realism and more) that draw readers in. In The Space Between, she has written about soulmates who meet as teens, recognizing that the love they share is timeless, even if their timing is all wrong. On the surface, they’re polar opposites, inhabiting two very different realities (Andi, the daughter of two Uber-wealthy Manhattanites, and Jace, the orphaned son of loving parents living in a roach-infested Bronx tenement and playing music with his brothers as a way to love and honor their memories). However, it’s what’s in their hearts and souls that draws them together, forming an instant bond that others try to break for their own selfish reasons. For me, it’s the inherent goodness in them that touched me the most. I loved the thread running throughout of the two writing and sharing lyrics with each other as a way of expressing their love.

If you haven’t yet discovered Ready’s books, please don’t wait another minute. She deserves a wide readership, and if you’re a fan of Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, Katherine Center or Kate Clayborn, you’ll love her books as well. Highly recommended!

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

Learning Curve (Dickson U #1) by Max Monroe

 

4*

Since I expected this first book in the Billionaire Bad Boys next generation series to be as funny, irreverent and sexy as the original, I was surprised at how emotionally heavy it got. This isn’t a criticism, but more of a heads up that the writing duo Max Monroe seems to have taken a turn away from their lighthearted fare (which started with their last book, What I Should’ve Said). Yes, we still get the hijinx from Thatch and Cassie’s older son Ace and frequent appearances from all the billionaires and the Winslow brothers, but there are also some pretty serious topics including physical abuse, alcoholism, sexual harassment, and more.

Finn (much younger half-brother to the Winslow’s) is Ace Kelly’s freshman year roommate. With the same captivating personality, loyalty, and mischievousness as his dad Thatcher, it’s no surprise that they become fast friends. We also get to know Ace’s best friend Julia who is Kline and Georgia Brooks’ daughter (and, with all the hints dropped, probably the FMC in a future friends-to-lovers entry in the series), see Winnie Winslow and Wes Lancaster’s autistic daughter Lexi not give the Dickson U star quarterback, Blake Boden, the time of day (theirs is the next book in the series), and learn more about what became of the Winslow’s deadbeat dad who abandoned them all when they were kids.

Despite a curveball or two, I really enjoyed seeing all of the older generation as parents. Although they’re only 18 when the story opens, both Scottie and Finn had troubling childhoods that forced them to grow up too quickly. This hard fought maturity made it easy to believe that they could have a happily ever after. Highly recommended.

One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin

 

3*

Natalie, a struggling author, pens a loosely autobiographical book in which she heavily criticizes her best friend Gabby’s husband, Angus, and is devastated when she gets a 1* review. It causes her to doubt herself, until she realizes that it was posted by Angus’s best friend, Rob. She already knows, from their first meeting, that he’s an academic and literary snob, and when she learns that his 1* review is based on his anger over her skewering his best friend rather than the literary merit of the book, it leads to a multi-year love/hate relationship as they reconnect for major milestones in Gabby and Angus’s lives over an eight-year period.

Like Natalie, Rob, a linguistics professor, also cares too much about the opinions of others. In his case, he pursued academia in the hopes of getting the approval of his arrogant, carelessly cruel father. It isn’t until late in the story that he finally gains some perspective and realizes that he can use his education and experience in a field that he finds compelling and is passionate about rather than following in his father’s footsteps.

I was exhausted by the time I finished reading this second (third, fourth…) chance romance, partially because I found Natalie annoyingly immature but also because the pacing was too slow for me. Honestly, I’m tired of books with female protagonists who don’t reach their full potential and are discouraged or depressed by it, often wanting to blame others for their failures. Although I gave this 3*, I found it very forgettable and wouldn’t recommend it.

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

Cole and Laila Are Just Friends by Bethany Turner

 

4*

This beautiful story about lifelong soulmates Cole and Laila takes slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance to a whole new level. I have never read a love story where two people are more open and honest with each other as well as being protective and, to their possible detriment, self-sacrificing.

When Cole’s curmudgeonly, stoic grandfather dies and he learns that the family restaurant he poured his heart into has been sold out from under him, it brings all of his fears of being unloved and undeserving to the surface. After all, he’s the adopted son of the man’s stepdaughter, so what is he owed? Laila, who has worked side-by-side with him for over a decade and has been his friend for nearly 40 years, knows the old man loved him but can’t explain how she knows. Yet, when Cole impulsively considers a job offer in New York City because he can’t handle the memories all around him, Laila agrees to accompany him on a visit, hoping to support him in making a decision but also selfishly hoping he’ll decide to remain in their small Colorado mountain town. While staying in their mutual friends’ Tribeca penthouse apartment, they’re finally forced to confront whether their feelings for each other are more than platonic and if they can have any future together if they’re thousands of miles apart. After they share a surprisingly passionate kiss (the description of which is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever read), they decide to spend her birthday acting as if they’re on a blind date and just getting to know each other, almost a test run of what could be if they’re brave enough to go there. The planning Cole puts into the long day, where he brings her to numerous locations featured in some of her favorite rom-com movies, is a testament to the deep love and affection he has for Laila and evidence of just how well they know each other.

Turner’s wise choice of a dual POV enables readers to see how deeply these two care about each other. It’s a totally clean romance with main characters just shy of forty, so a perfect choice for those looking for mature romances. .

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

Summer Fridays by Suzanne Rindell

5*

After graduation and an unexpected and somewhat rushed engagement to her college boyfriend, Sawyer and Charles moved to New York City where he landed a job at a high-powered law firm and she began as an editorial assistant at a publishing house while also pursuing her dream of becoming a writer. Soon after, they attend a stuffy company dinner where Charles virtually ignores her in favor of his gorgeous colleague, Kendra. When Sawyer tries to converse with Kendra’s boyfriend Nick, he is rude and disdainful. So, imagine her surprise when he follows up with an email apology and a texting conversation via AOL Instant Messenger (when online communication was in its infancy, 1999) where he shares his belief that their significant others are having an affair. Since Charles is spending more and more time with Kendra at work and the gym, Sawyer quickly agrees to meet Nick on a Friday afternoon, since most of the city empties out at lunchtime during the heat of the summer. That first non-date leads to a weekly adventure, taking them on a ferry ride to The Statue of Liberty, a visit to the Lower East Side Tenement Building, the beach and amusement park at Coney Island, a secluded swimming hole north of the city, and other hidden gems throughout the city. While the physical and emotional distance between Sawyer and Charles widens, despite their impending October wedding, her friendship with Nick blossoms into something she might not be ready for, until tragedy strikes, making the decision for her.

If there’s one clear message in this love story, it’s to recognize when you’ve found the person who accepts you for who you truly are and brings out the best in you, doesn’t play games, and will do everything in their power to support you and make the time to be with you. Rindell keeps readers in the dark until the very last page about whether Sawyer and Nick will have a chance at a happily-ever-after, but you can’t help rooting for them. This is a beautiful story and a love letter to NYC pre-9/11. It’s also a reminder of how different, and perhaps simpler, life was when we weren’t glued to our cellphones and social media, and actually made the time to engage face-to-face. Perfect for fans of Kate Clayborn, Katherine Center, Emily Henry, and Sarah Ready. Highly recommended.

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

Ghosted by Sarah Ready

 

5*

If you’re a fan of the movie Just Like Heaven, you’ll love this ghostly love story.

Jillian Nijat can’t talk with men, so it’s the height of irony that she’s a love and relationship columnist for The Daily Exposé. However, minutes after she moves into her new NYC apartment, she’s startled by the appearance of a shirtless, gorgeous man named Daniel who insists that they know each other and that he isn’t dead. After the initial shock wears off, she suddenly realizes that she can speak with him. Although neither knows why he’s literally ghosting her, it’s clear that they can help each other out. He'll coach her on her dates (in a twisted Cyrano way) and with relationship advice that will help her keep her job, and she’ll figure out how to help him move on. What neither expects is that they’ll fall in love.

Like all Sarah Ready books, this romance is far from the norm. The dialogue is often poetic, the heartbreak is real, the narrative is full of twists you don’t see coming, and the message is that love transcends space and time. The main characters are fully fleshed-out (no pun intended), the secondary characters, including unsuccessful but heartfelt matchmaker Fran and Jillian’s co-workers at the paper, are perfect foils, and Daniel is a swoonworthy book boyfriend (except, you know, he’s dead). This one will keep you guessing right to the end, but it’s a journey you’ll want to take. The biggest bonus? Book 2, Switched, featuring Jillian’s best friend Serena, is available now, and Book 3, Fated, featuring Daniel’s half-sister Fiona, will be out in July. Highly recommended.

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

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone

 

4*

Shep’s the perfect book boyfriend in this friends-to-lovers, best friend’s older brother romance with an accidental pregnancy set in New York City.

Eve floats through life, never really knowing what she wants. When she accidentally gets pregnant after a one-night-stand with Ethan, she struggles with acknowledging that her life is going to profoundly change once she has a child. When she tells her best friend Willa the news, her response is angry instead of congratulatory, since Willa and her husband has been trying to get pregnant while Eve never even talked about wanting children. Shep is the only one who’s happy for her and is there for her every step of the way.

Eventually, Willa accuses Eve, in the gentlest of ways, of never knowing what she wants, whether it’s having a baby, starting a romantic relationship with Shep, or even getting promoted at work where her dream has always been to be a policy analyst in wildlife conservation (if she’s willing to get her Masters to earn the promotion). As her pregnancy advances and her crush on Shep grows, she has to do a lot of soul-searching and growing up.

This is a charming, sexy romance with really likable characters. The chemistry between Eve and Shep is hot, as evidenced by how even a seemingly innocent hand massage is titillating. The lifelong friendship between Eve and Willa is tested, but their bond is so strong that it withstands Willa’s distancing herself and the natural displacement of being number one in each other’s lives when they each find their life partners. I really appreciated how Ethan wants to be involved in his baby’s life and that Eve helps him clear a path to make that happen. Shep is loving, kind, supportive and so tuned into her needs, instinctively knowing that he must play nice with Ethan because anything less will hurt Eve and the baby. If you’re looking for a feel-good, low angst, somewhat steamy, slow burn romance, here it is. Recommended.

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

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester

5*

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard exemplifies the best of historical fiction, seamlessly blending real events and people with fictional characters whose lives intersect. It combines a family saga, the mystery surrounding both Astrid’s disappearance and the identity of her father, and an exposé on the misogynistic toxicity of the fashion industry.

In the author’s note, Lester mentions that Mizza Bricard, Astrid’s biological mother, was a real person, knowledge which led me down a Google rabbit hole. Fictional Mizza was the first generation of Bricard women who gave birth out of wedlock (what an archaic term), thus passing on the common surname, but that’s not where the commonalities end. Beautiful MIzza, who began her fashion career almost by accident, grew up fast in the salons of Paris on the eve of World War I, rubbing elbows with everyone from Coco Chanel to Pablo Picasso. Despite her incredible design talent, she was relegated to being a “muse” to Christian Dior with a sordid reputation thanks to the misogynists with fragile egos who rule the world of haute couture, both then and now. As Lester mentions, “I believe the truth is more likely to be found in the accounts of those who knew her, rather than men reporting on her thirty or forty years after her death who’ve decided that the racier the anecdote, the more chance they have of being published.” If you’d like to read more about Mizza, I’ve included a link at the bottom of this review to an article written by Lester for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Mizza’s fictional daughter Astrid, who was raised by her adoptive parents, enrolled in Parsons School of Design in NYC in 1970 at age 24, and, despite not being raised by Mizza, she suffered a similar fate by virtue of association. Hawk Jones was a wunderkind who started his own design house right out of school. From the moment they met in the Parsons Archives, the pull between them was undeniable and unavoidable. Although Astrid’s designs inspired Hawk and he was adamant about giving her credit, the toxic and petty fashion patriarchy persisted in undermining her talent and painting her as a muse as well. Like her mother, whose famous, somewhat scandalous photograph sealed her fate, Astrid was captured wearing a silver lamé dress and nothing else while dancing at a disco. As months passed, she and Hawk pumped out hot-selling pieces while rubbing elbows with the likes of Mick Jagger, and ultimately fell in love. When it all came to a head at the Battle of Versailles in 1973 (an actual event that had the established and favored French designers competing against the upstart, risk-taking American designers), Astrid disappeared, and no one knew if she was dead or in hiding for the next 40 years.

Mizza Bricard at age 55, photographed by Louise Dahl-Wolfe

Blythe Bricard, daughter of Astrid and Hawk and divorced from fashion mogul Jake Black, is at the tipping point of her fashion career. Like her parents, she and Jake met in design school and vowed to support each other’s dreams. However, the pressure and fickle nature of the industry has led her to the point that she must decide if she will continue designing costumes for film (which would mean giving up her dream) or revive her mother’s fashion brand, Mizza, either with Jake’s competitor, with Jake’s company if they can first overcome their personal differences, or by taking the reins herself with investments from other women. In a world heavily populated by female customers, workers, and talent but still run mostly by men, it’s a point of pride and ownership she craves. And, of course, she wants to be the first in her family’s line to get credit for her work and shed the heavy mantle of “muse.”

Although this isn’t a romance, the relationships each woman had are intrinsic to the plot and it’s impossible not to root for both Astrid and Blythe to find some happiness. However, the over-reaching theme is the damage caused by generational trauma and parental neglect and abandonment as well as the repeated messaging that talented women in fashion, especially ones who are trying to be innovative (like Astrid with her mix-and-match separates for ‘working women’, modeled after Anne Klein, the actual female designer at Versailles) will be suppressed, rejected and ridiculed by both petty journalists (like real-life Women’s Wear Daily’s John Fairchild) and most male designers.

“Dior didn’t know Mizza would be reduced in later years. And she was his muse. But she was a designer too. History forgot the second half because it’s a man’s name on the awning. History kept the first half because that’s the way stories of male creators working with women are written.” (Blythe's niece Coco in response to her question about why Dior allowed the press to slander Mizza)

Lester has written characters so compelling and well-rounded and settings so alive with imagery that you can’t help but put yourself in their place. As the mother of a fashion model, I was also affected by the knowledge of how men treated female designers because they were threatened by their talent. I really appreciate Lester’s extended author note, showing readers the depth of her research and findings.

The only slight criticism I have is that the multiple timelines got a bit confusing at times, and I personally would have preferred a first-person point of view from each of the Bricard women. It’s a minor quibble that doesn’t negate the power and appeal of this story. Highly recommended.

For more information on Mizza Bricard, read

She was known as Christian Dior’s muse, but Mizza Bricard was so much more than that.

https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/she-was-known-as-christian-dior-s-muse-but-mizza-bricard-was-so-much-more-than-that-20230914-p5e4ro.html

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.

 

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.