The Tea Room Inheritance by Hannah Langdon

 

4 *

I was saddened to hear that Hannah Langdon died unexpectedly last September. I so enjoyed reading her Christmas romances and looked forward to many more.

This book is such a delight…for foodies, Anglophiles, and anyone else who loves a small town, friends to lovers sweet romance that is low on the angst. Yes, there is some grief and heartache, but there are also many happy moments that balance it out. Reading this makes me want to hop the next plane across the pond to share a cuppa and some biscuits with all of the charming and unique characters! Fans of Debbie Johnson and Jill Mansell will eat this one up. 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.

 

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 Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan

4*

Sarah Morgan has written another heartwarming Christmas story. Set in both London and the Cotswolds, The Holiday Cottage is about finding family, forgiveness, a true home, and unconditional love and finally discovering the joy that is Christmas. I am a true Anglophile, so I appreciate how beautifully Morgan describes the charm of the fictional Winterbury including the sparkle of lights against the yellow stone shops and cottages, the Christmas market, and the wintry walks through the fields. The sweet friends-to-lovers romance between Imogen and Miles isn’t the central focus but adds another touching plot line to a story that’s full of emotion and second chances. I highly recommend adding The Holiday Cottage to your Christmas story collection.

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

15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne

 

5*

Spoiler warning

 

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I’ve read many of RaeAnne Thayne’s books, and this is the best one yet due to its emotional complexity and harrowing tale of survival. Ava and Madi are sisters who, as teens, lost their mother in a car accident and, subsequently, their father to obsession and conspiracy theories. After he moved them to a prepper, survivalist compound in Idaho, their lives took a terrorizing turn, eventually forcing them to flee for their lives. Fast forward fifteen years, and Ava has written a best-selling memoir that throws both their lives into turmoil. Can Madi ever forgive Ava for exposing their startling history to public scrutiny, which forces her to revisit the horror daily, or will Ava lose both the sister and husband she loves?

 

Although the sister’s story is the central focus, the beautiful friends-to-lovers romance between Madi and Luke and the enduring, but fractured love between Ava and her husband Cullen are beautifully written as integral examples of how these two sisters lived through the worst experience and became strong, successful (on their own terms), kind and loving young women. Animal lovers will enjoy the frequent scenes involving Madi’s rescue animal sanctuary. If you’re looking for a heartwarming, clean romance with complex family relationships and survival against all odds, I highly recommend 15 Summers Later.

Trigger warnings: death, miscarriage, rape (off page), abuse, traumatic brain injury

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Canary Street Press 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.