Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews

5*

Road Trip is so much more than I expected, and I loved it. It’s about estranged sisters who fulfill their mother’s dying wish to travel together through Ireland in the hopes they’ll reconcile. It’s also a mystery thriller centered on a painting that has been in the family for generations and determining its provenance. Was it stolen? Is it authentic? The actual story behind it is told in a series of letters between their great-grandmother who fled to America at age 18 and the younger brother she had to leave behind. It’s also a delightful romance between younger sister Maeve and a sexy Irish whiskey distiller named Liam. Who doesn’t dream of discovering love while tracing their roots?

Andrews strikes the perfect balance between the romance, the healing of Therese and Maeve’s relationship, and the sordid and tragic story behind the painting. Her characters are richly-drawn and the various locations perfectly set the stage. This would be a wonderful book to take on your summer vacation. Highly recommended.

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

Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler

 

4*

Sarah Adler’s debut is such a delight. It’s not just a road trip romance between grumpy, handsome writer Hollis and sunshiny former child star Millicent, but also the queer romance (flashing back to 1944) between Millie’s late neighbor Rose Nash and the Army nurse, Elsie, she fell in love with only to lose her, first to Elsie’s urging her to marry the boy back home, and then to Elsie’s supposed death in the Korean War. Millie is on a mission to bring Mrs. Nash’s ashes to Elsie before it’s too late. It’s her way to reunite them in the best way she knows how and prove that love can last a lifetime. Unfortunately, cancelled flights are only the first of many mishaps that she and her nasty ex’s frenemy encounter when they run into each other at the airport and then choose to drive from DC to Florida together.

Along the way, downright rude Hollis shows glimpses of the softie underneath as he responds to Millie’s unique brand of weirdness, charm, and optimism. They both have their share of baggage, but it doesn’t bog the story down thanks to a heaping serving of witty banter and ridiculously silly encounters with everything from suicidal deer to dozens of paint-by-number Jesus’s. If you’re looking for a feel good, steamy romance, I highly recommend checking this one out.

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

PS: I Hate You by Lauren Connolly

 

4*

I love a romance that elicits a range of emotions. PS: I Hate You is a perfect example. I laughed (a lot), I cried, I got angry and frustrated, I swooned, and I felt relief. This beautiful, steamy, multi-trope romance includes enemies to lovers, second chance, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, and road trip. It’s definitely a wild ride and one you’ll probably want to read all in one sitting.

At its core, it’s a hard-fought romance, an exploration of grief, and a range of loving relationships (mf, sibling, and friendship). It begins at the funeral of Maddie’s brother Josh who died of cancer just shy of 30. She hasn’t been home for seven years, since her youthful crush and brother’s best friend Dom broke her heart. So, the last thing that she wants is for him to discover her in a coat closet where’s she’s fallen into a box half-full of toilet paper rolls. Unfortunately, he’s as handsome as ever and her heart clearly hasn’t gotten the message that she hates him. When Dom, as executor, passes out letters from Josh to those closest to him, Maddie is devastated to find that Josh has not only written one letter jointly to Dom and her, but that his dying wish is that they visit eight states together that he, as a world-traveling photographer, never got the chance to see. His instructions are to find the geographical coordinates in a certain order, read a new letter at each location, fulfill location-specific tasks, scatter some of his ashes, and take a joint selfie. It’s pretty obvious that he has ulterior motives, but it’ll take nearly two years, a lot of snarky comments from Maddie, requests from Josh that pull both of them out of their comfort zones, and some forced proximity before the walls Maddie has built start to crumble and they finally begin to discuss the past.

This would have been a 5* read for me, but Maddie’s immaturity and rude behavior were really off-putting. Yes, she has scars from her neglectful, cruel and abusive parents and grandmother and deep-seated abandonment issues, but Dom is so thoughtful and protective, that you can’t help rooting for him (even if you don’t know his reasons for breaking her heart years before). Author Connolly puts some trigger warnings at the beginning, and it’s important to read them because there are some heavy issues. Overall, however, there’s so much to love about this book that I highly 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.

 

Lucy, Uncensored by Mel and Teghan Hammond

4* (minor spoilers)

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At surface level, this is a coming-of-age novel about best friends and self-proclaimed “drama nerds” who have written a queer retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, their senior showcase that will serve as an audition for the university drama program they both hope to get into nearby. Dig deeper and it's an important book that pulls back the curtain to show what transgender and non-binary youth have to endure while trying to live as their authentic selves, battling transphobia, homophobia and gender dysphoria.

Lucy and Callie have planned out their path to success which includes getting into the Hughes drama program at Central University where they’ll be roommates. However, when they make a visit, Lucy runs into classmates who taunt her with transphobic slurs, leaving her uncomfortable with the idea of going to college so close to home. To add to her mounting distress, in a ripped from the headlines scenario, the local school board has banned them from putting on their play, forcing them to either rewrite a “sanitized version” or to give up their chance to attend Hughes. So, Lucy decides to see what other options are out there and finds an all-women’s college 6 hours away. Now all she has to do is visit the campus with Callie and hope it’s everything she’s been led to believe it might be, including meeting face-to-face with a handsome guy she connects with online who she’s been pumping for information about the school.

As Lucy starts to have conversations with queer students who have various gender identities and sexual preferences, readers are given the opportunity to witness the challenges these vulnerable, yet proud young adults face from family, classmates, supposed friends, and strangers. For some readers, this will be a valuable lesson; for those who are navigating their own journey, it will hopefully provide validation, comfort and hope when they see themselves in the characters. This is a worthy addition to any teen collection. Highly recommended.

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




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Tangled Up in You (Meant to Be #4) by Christina Lauren

 

5*
(release date: 6/25/24)

Contemporary, creative retelling of Disney’s Rapunzel movie, Tangled.

In Tangled Up in You, the writing duo Christina Lauren spins a backstory of how Rapunzel (Ren) ended up isolated from society for years until the fateful meeting with Flynn (Fitz). I love Ren’s wide-eyed innocence and inherent goodness and how bad boy Fitz, despite his desperate need to protect himself and trust no one, can’t help but want to be a better man for her. The use of a road trip with forced proximity in a variety of hotel rooms is a great plot device, giving the couple plenty of time to get to know each other through endless days of driving with stops at famous tourist traps along the way. (The biker bar scene is especially endearing.) Yes, Ren is seeing a world she only knew from books after her sheltered childhood, but Fitz is also viewing everything through a new lens, and it is actually Ren who is rescuing him.

I haven’t read any of the other books in the Meant to Be series, but I’m so glad Disney placed this story in Christina Lauren’s very capable hands. They have shown their readers that, although fairy tales are just make-believe, it is possible to have a happily-ever-after following heartbreak. Every great story has its roots in reality, and I love the characters and story they created to bring Rapunzel characters to life. Highly recommended clean romance for both teens and adults who need reminding that happy endings can exist.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Hyperion Avenue 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.

Maybe One Day by Debbie Johnson

5*

Possible spoilers

Wow...what a beautiful book! Reminiscent of The Light We Lost, Adriana Trigiani’s Valentine Trilogy, and even P.S I Love You, Maybe One Day is a story of loss, grief, trauma, hope, acceptance, and enduring love. When Jess’s mother dies, she starts cleaning out her house and comes upon a cache of letters, cards, and notes from the love of her life, Joe Ryan. Following an unspeakable tragedy and the temporary loss of her sanity due to grief and PTSD, Jess is told that Joe has abandoned her. Her snobbish parents, who never approved of him, kept the letters and cards from her, justifying it by assuming that Joe’s presence will prevent her from recovering and living a full, happy life. After she reads them and realizes how badly her parents betrayed her, she begins a multinational quest, with the help of her cousin Michael, a recent law school grad and gay man who’s afraid to come out to his cold, rigid parents, and Belinda, a high school friend of Joe’s, using the postmarks and postcards to guide them. It’s a way for her to learn about Joe’s life in the 17 years since he left and meet all of the people along the way who came to love the kind, compassionate man who briefly passed through their lives. At the times when Jess feels less than brave, sad, lonely, ready to give up, or in need of a laugh, she opens one of the notes Joe left, letting his thoughts and words of support strengthen her.

Written in Jess’s voice, readers become intimately aware of her grief and bravery in pushing past her fears to find the truth about the only man she’s ever loved, causing a visceral reaction to her pain and sharing the tenuous hope that she’ll find Joe alive, happy, and perhaps still unattached. Johnson has written a masterful account of how profoundly grief affects us and how love can make us react in myriad ways, sometimes bringing joy and, other times, despite best intentions, causing irreparable harm and heartbreak. Don’t let the ill-chosen, cartoonish cover fool you. This is not a light-hearted love story, but one that will tangle with your emotions, leaving you guessing until the very last page. Must-read!

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