Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan

 

5*

Every year, I eagerly anticipate Monaghan’s next romance because she has such a way of featuring mature main characters who approach love with open hearts and a degree of trepidation. (Who over the age of 30 isn’t carrying some baggage?) In Dolly All the Time, Dolly Brick and Stewart Whitfield don’t seem like the most likely couple. She’s a single mom who grew up as a townie and he’s the golden child of the wealthy family for whom the town is named. Dolly, who had to grow up too fast after her mother’s abandonment, has always put herself last, focusing her attention on her teenage son and her disabled brother, as well as helping out in the family fish market and doing necessary house repairs. Although her primary job is a kindergarten teacher, she holds down other odd jobs to ensure her son has a good life. Stewart is a workaholic who has a compulsive need to continue his family’s legacy, sacrificing a social life and any chance at love. After an adorable meet cute, he asks Dolly to fake a relationship with him to prove to his family that he is responsible and settled enough to run the company after his father’s retirement. What could possibly go wrong?

Stewart, despite his questionable choices in the third act, is the perfect book boyfriend. I love the way Monaghan built their relationship and gave Dolly such strength of character, even as she doubted she would ever fit into his world. Secondary characters like their family and Dolly’s friend Naomi are well-drawn and are an integral part of the romance-building. As someone who “summered” in Rhode Island, I appreciate the seaside setting as well. If you like mature romances with a hint of fairy tale, I highly recommend this delightful book.

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 Secret Life of Beatrice Alright by Brooke Harris

 

5*

My first 5* rating of 2025 goes to this beautifully written story of a young single mother who, despite the toxic men in her life, will do anything to protect her young daughter, even temporarily living in the storage closet in the hospital where she works as one of the cleaning crew. Beatrice (Bea) grew up in foster care after losing her parents at age 11. It wasn’t until she made friends in college that she had a semblance of family again, that is until she met much older Declan and got pregnant at 25. Giving up everything to move in with him and raise their daughter, she’s blindsided when he not only leaves her but also forces her out of her home just before Christmas. Little does she know that, when she meets octogenarian Malcolm, her life will grow in ways she never anticipated.

Set during the Christmas season, this is a heartwarming story of chosen family, the resilience and fierce protectiveness of mothers, the plight of homelessness with inadequate safety nets, the power of friendship, and the kindness of strangers. There is a romantic element, but it is not the focus of the book. Bea’s daughter Ellie is absolutely precious, her lovely nature in stark contrast to her father and Finton, Bea’s best friend Cora’s live-in boyfriend. Highly recommended.

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

Get Lost With You (Rock Bottom Love #2) by Sophie Sullivan

 

3*

Although I enjoyed this sweet, romantic story, it didn’t capture my attention. I’m a fan of the second chance, friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, and small town romance tropes, but I prefer a slower build-up of a relationship. This was almost Instalove, Levi and Jilly quickly realizing that the feelings they both secretly harbored for each other in their teens were all the more potent as adults. There was very little angst, tons of kissing with some very mild, totally non-descriptive steamy scenes, and a ridiculous 3rd act breakup that was quickly resolved. Levi is a wonderful book boyfriend, and Jilly’s 9-year-old daughter is a delightfully precocious character. Overall, though, there just wasn’t much happening in the book, so predictable but ultimately forgettable.

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.

Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens

5*

I am so thankful for the day I discovered Sophie Cousens. Her romances are unique, sometimes unconventional, but always heartwarming and full of optimism. Her newest book Is She Really Going Out with Him? is no exception.

Anna Appleby is a newly divorced journalist, nearing 40 and with two young children. She’s convinced herself that she’s no longer interested in love or marriage, but when her job at a floundering magazine is suddenly on the line and Will, age 30 and her workplace nemesis, seems to be gunning for her job and impressing both the previous and new owners, she realizes she needs to step up her game and find a way to make her column more enticing to younger readers. Yet, she never expects that she will be forced into a competition where she agrees to ten dates suggested by her children and Will arranges similar dates using an online app, both sharing back page column space. In the process, Anna not only rediscovers her vitality and self-worth but also learns that her misconceptions about Will are unfounded.  

The setting for this novel is Bath, UK, and Cousens highlights many of the places and events that make this gorgeous city so memorable, including Bath Abbey, the Roman baths, and the Jane Austen Centre and annual ball. I appreciate her depiction of divorce and how it doesn’t have to be a romance death sentence for middle-aged women, and that everyone, no matter their interests, appearance, idiosyncrasies, or stage in life, can find a love match. I also liked how she juxtaposed Anna’s ex with his much younger girlfriend against Will and his defiance of the sexist stereotypes that seem to define modern dating. Cousens has such a talent for bringing her characters to life, including secondary ones like Anna’s children, many of her unconventional dates, and the colorful character of Loretta.

Fans of Jill Mansell, Debbie Johnson, Abby Jimenez, Katherine Center, and Emily Henry will adore this novel. 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.

 

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

5*

Possible spoilers

In this mature romance set in the fictional coastal town of Beechwood, NY, Monaghan has crafted a beautiful story about a 38-year-old, soon-to-be divorced mother’s reawakening and the surprising man from her past who is the impetus for it. I couldn’t help but recognize the use of the changing tides as a metaphor for washing away the detritus of life. leaving a clean slate on which to forge a new path and rediscover parts of herself that were carried away by grief and loss.

On the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death, Ali Morris’s husband Pete asks for a divorce. On the two-year anniversary, she wakes up drowning in grief and decides to take her dog, Ferris, to the dog park to help clear her head. In a unique “meet-cute,” he pees on a charming, handsome stranger’s foot, and despite Ali’s embarrassment, Ethan doesn’t seem bothered by it at all. In fact, he looks at Ali as if he’s seeing the vibrant, attractive version of herself that she thought she’d lost years ago, before grief, a failed marriage, and three kids left her a shell of her former self. Even before she realizes that Ethan is her best friend Frannie’s younger brother Scooter, he’s already awakened feelings that she thought were long gone.

Since Ethan lives four hours away and is just visiting his parents, she knows the best they can expect is a summer romance with sex off the table (since, in her opinion, it can lead to complications and possible heartbreak). Having had a crush on her since high school, Ethan is happy to spend whatever time he can with Ali. So, when his parents announce that they’re retiring to Florida and leaving their home to him, he and Ali negotiate a deal that will benefit them both and allow them to have some alone time. As a part-time professional organizer (who can’t seem to keep her own house in order), Ali will help him clear the house out prior to listing it and Ethan, a lawyer who can’t seem to shake the reputation he earned as a trouble-making teen, will help Ali get the best deal in her divorce settlement. Is it any surprise that these two kind, supportive, and protective people, who feel truly seen and accepted by each other, find themselves falling?

There is so much to love about this slow burn, closed-door romance that really evokes emotional responses ranging from laughter to sadness. Ali’s “conversations” with her enthusiastic and eccentric mom provide guidance beyond the grave and her care for and friendship with her elderly neighbor Phyllis is poignant. Witnessing Ali’s casting off the cloak of grief (or, in her case, stained sweatpants and t-shirts) and reclaiming her self-reliance after a loveless marriage to a selfish man (especially while realizing that her feelings for Ethan are what she deserved all along) is really life-affirming. Her relationships with her three children are touching, especially with her pre-teen Greer who is navigating the horrors of middle school mean girl machinations. Ethan’s devotion to the skateboarding kids in his hometown and his selfless acts of kindness with his neighbors are endearing and provide a window into the wonderful man that he’s become, despite his family’s inability to see how he’s changed. It’s also worth noting that, despite there being no graphic sex scenes, Monaghan has managed to establish such tension and intimacy between Ali and Ethan that the fade-to-black scenes are not a disappointment (for those who crave them). If you’re looking for the perfect beach read, you’ll find it here. 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.

Mom Com by Adriana Mather

4.5* 

 

Despite the ill-chosen title, this is NOT a romantic comedy. There is no humor to be found in this painful second-chance romance. In fact, reading about the teenage friends-to-lovers relationship between Maddi and Wilder and the lengths his mother went to separate them is incredibly triggering and anxiety-inducing for anyone who has had a toxic relationship with a parent. It’s a tribute to author Mather’s skill that she is able to elicit such a reaction from readers.

 

Set in a small town in MA at Christmastime, the misnamed Mom Com opens with Maddi and her 9-year-old son Spence traveling cross country after she humiliated herself on TV upon losing a baking competition and then was summoned by her estranged mother to discuss an issue with her late father’s will. In a surprising twist one year after his death, she learns that he actually left his bakery to her and Wilder with no explanation and with stipulations that will require her to run it with him for a year or lose her share. Given how devastated she was by Wilder’s rejection of her at age 17, she feels betrayed by her father’s decision. How can she possibly give up Spence’s and her life in LA (one she struggled to build on her own as a teenage single mother) to live with her cold, judgmental mother and work side-by-side with a man who she can’t trust but is still drawn to? 

 

Over the course of two weeks, poor Maddi not only has to deal with the grief over her dad and the stress of being with her mother and Wilder, but she also has to face the judgment of the town’s citizens, the unwelcome attention and jealousy of her sperm donor Jake, and the viciousness of Wilder’s mother and on-again, off-again girlfriend. The bright spots are her precocious son Spence and her renewed friendship with Wilder’s older sister Liv, both of whom provide much-needed levity to this oft-times heavy narrative.

 

This is a worthwhile read, but don’t let the extremely poorly-illustrated, off-putting cover and title fool you into thinking that this is a fluffy holiday offering. It’s not tragic, but this clean, slow burn romance isn’t the least bit lighthearted. 

 

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

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

5*


Whenever you’re in the mood for an intelligent, somewhat steamy, addictive romance, look no further than the writing duo Christina Lauren. In Soulmate Equation, their latest swoonworthy treat, single mom Jess, a freelance statistician, is intrigued by the gorgeous but arrogant man who has stopped into her local coffee shop every morning for the past two years. She and her best friend Fizzy, a bestselling romance author, have dubbed him Americano, but when the barista tells them this stuffy guy (real name, Dr. River Pena) is starting a matchmaker service, skeptical Jess can’t help but ask him for details. Turns out he’s a geneticist who has developed a dating app that matches people based on their DNA. When she and Fizzy visit his office to provide a spit sample, little does she suspect that she and River will be almost a perfect match.

This is marketing gold for a company about to go public. So when they offer to pay Jess to spend time with River for investors & the press to get a birds-eye view of the successful technology and for him to prove that his program works, she can’t afford to refuse. However, neither of these practical, data-driven doubters believes that a high score will automatically translate into happily ever after, especially since their initial impressions of each other are so negative. It’s no surprise that, as they spend more time together, the attraction grows and they both begin to realize that the numbers don’t lie...or do they?

There’s so much to love about this book: Jess’s precocious 7-year-old daughter Juno who instantly warms to River, her loving grandparents who raised her after her drug-addicted mother lost custody; River’s meddling sisters; the friendship between Jess and Fizzy; and the wonder of two people who’ve put their search for love on hold (he by focusing on his company & her by devoting herself to motherhood), only to realize that life is more than just statistics. As with any successful romance, the road to happiness is bumpy and littered with baggage, but this one is well worth the trip. Highly recommend.

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

Tangled Up In You by Samantha Chase

4*

Fans of Chase’s Shaughnessy Brothers have waited a long time for Bobby Hannigan’s story and won’t be disappointed with this 7th (and probable last) book in the series. Bobby, a cop in the process of slowly recovering from a gunshot wound, has moved back home to heal with hopes of rejoining the force. Single mom Teagan Shaughnessy, cousin to the large brood immortalized in previous books, has also moved to the Carolina coast with her parents and young son, Lucas and runs into Bobby at a family gathering. Although both have plans for the future that don’t include romantic entanglements and Teagan wants to protect Lucas from growing too attached, the attraction can’t be denied and the bond between them grows. However, Teagan worries about getting involved with another man who puts himself in front of the line of fire after losing her fiancé in Afghanistan. Can these two people help each other through their grief and build a life together?

Chase excels at writing heart-warming, honest stories with complicated family dynamics, sexy scenes that aren’t too graphic, and the struggles romantic partners must overcome to be together. Many of the characters in previous books that readers came to love are featured in this book, especially Quinn and his wife Anna, Bobby’s sister. Although Bobby and Quinn have had a contentious relationship in the past, it’s Quinn who talks with Bobby about the extent of his injuries and the probability that his career is over. It’s very satisfying to see past hurts and animosities ease as the extended Shaughnessy clan celebrate family and protect and defend those they love.

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