Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

 

5*

Knowing that the TV adaptation of Every Summer After had premiered and that most book readers felt it strayed too far from the original, I decided to read the book instead of watching, and I’m so glad I did. Seeing as Christina Lauren’s Love and Other Words is one of my top five romances, it makes sense that I absolutely adored this book that many reviewers have compared it to. My favorite tropes are childhood friends to lovers and second chance romance, so it’s no surprise that I couldn’t put this one down.

As teens, it’s so easy to misinterpret texts and emails and expect the worst, but in hindsight, as adults, realize that decisions were made with incomplete knowledge due to poor communication skills. There were some doozies in this story that further complicated Sam and Percy’s relationship, but after more than a decade’s separation, these two beautiful people finally reunite for his mother’s funeral. They have a lot of baggage, but the hope is that they can find resolution and forgiveness and work their way back to each other.

Fortune has drawn beautiful, flawed characters and uses the setting of the Canadian lake to full effect. The chemistry is palpable, the dialogue flows, and the dual timeline in Percy’s voice works seamlessly. Now I can’t wait to read her other books. Highly recommended.

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

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.

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood

5*

Gertie always saw herself as half of a whole, not complete without a partner. First, it was her late sister, Josie, and then it was Henry who asked for a “break” from their four-year relationship. Without them, she has ceased to function properly which, as an author, means total writer’s block. When her retired neighbor gets fed up hearing her wailing through the wall, she stages an intervention in the form of a manifestation ceremony. What’s on Gertie’s list? It’s to get past her writer’s block and win Henry back. Who would have guessed that a villainous character from her book series, cowboy River Oakley, would be the answer to her problems?

Is River a hallucination, an actor sent by her agent, a criminal who has broken into her apartment, or a visitor from another dimension or parallel universe? You’ll have to read Romantic Hero to find out, but, regardless of where he comes from, he’s exactly who Gertie needs. She’s quite a doormat who has a problem saying no, who swallows her anger and grief rather than getting emotional, and who bends over backwards to be the person she thinks her “other half” needs. River is just the man to set her straight and build her confidence.

I love a bit of magical realism in my romances, so I was thrilled to learn that Greenwood’s follow-up to her wonderful The Love of My Afterlife also uses the trope. Romantic Hero is a fun story with plenty of steamy scenes and an MMC who defies the stereotypical role Gertie has assigned to him. The neighbor, Mrs. Casablancas, is a hoot, and Henry is a narcissist who gets his comeuppance. Add in an adorable dog and the London setting (my favorite city), and it’s a winning combination. Share this with fans of Sarah Ready and Ashley Poston. Highly recommended.

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.

Big Nick Energy by Kristen Bailey

 

5*

Bailey has become one of my absolute go-to favorites for charming Christmas romances with a bit of spice. Her latest offering, Big Nick Energy, which takes place in and celebrates my favorite city, London, is a combo of love triangle, second chance romance, and grumpy/sunshine with a kind, thoughtful and hot tree farmer (New Nick) and a former college love (Old Nick) who broke Kay’s heart. When she runs into him 10 years later, she wonders if fate has a hand in it. Yet, there’s also this handsome grump who doesn’t get her jokes and seems to be lacking in holiday spirit. However, the more time she spends with him, she realizes that first impressions are misleading. Lucky for her, she has guidance and encouragement from her beloved Nana, who is in the early stages of dementia, her zany friend Lucy, and her colleagues at the library where she works to help her see things clearly.

If you love closed door romances with a load of humor (cue the Christmas tree netting fiasco meet-cute), set in the most magical city during the winter holidays, and you haven’t yet discovered Bailey’s books, now’s your chance. You won’t be disappointed.

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.

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver

 

3*

It takes something special to hold my attention, and although I’m a fan of Silver’s previous books, I struggled to get through this one. Yes, the title is Slow Burn Summer, but it seemed more about lack of forward momentum that would keep me engaged than about the buildup of a tepid romance. The chemistry between Kate and Charlie was the opposite of explosive, so much so that I didn’t remember the one s#x scene between them that came late in the book. I also didn’t care for Silver’s choice of third person narration because it created a sense of unnecessary distance between this reader and the main characters. There are other aspects of the story that disappointed me, but are hard to describe without spoilers. So, I’ll just leave it that it wasn’t the book for me, but I think it’ll find its audience.

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

Beach Read by Emily Henry

5*

I’m so glad I finally got around to reading this, especially since I love all the other books of Henry’s I’ve read. It’s a second chance romance between 2 frenemies who met in college and, apart from one romantic evening at a frat party, spent their time either ignoring each other or arguing over the merits of romance fiction (hers) and serious literature (his). Fast forward eight years, and they’re both successful novelists, their works mirroring their outlooks on life and love. January is still reeling over her beloved father’s sudden passing and subsequent betrayal and Gus is struggling to make sense of his abusive childhood and his mother’s harmful decisions and untimely death. When they make a bet over who can write and publish a book in the other’s genre, agreeing to introduce each other to the process they use to craft their stories, neither expects the strong, steamy bond that forms between them. Can these two damaged souls defy the odds and find their happily ever after?

Beach Read has some of the most beautiful, wildly romantic dialogue I’ve ever read. Despite Gus’s reticence and grumpy exterior, he has a heart of gold, is so emotionally vulnerable and brave, and is a wonderful book boyfriend. Who doesn’t love a guy who holds you tight and kisses away your tears when you’re upset? Although January is the romance writer who believes in happy endings (“I’d started publishing romance because I wanted to dwell in my happiest moments, in the safe place my parents’ love had always been. I’d been so comforted by books with the promise of a happy ending, and I’d wanted to give someone else that same gift.”), it’s Gus (“writing to try to understand something horrible that had happened to him”) who has the best lines. 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.

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.

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.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

 

4*

A grieving husband who is struggling with writer’s block after his wife Abby, an investigative journalist who’s been getting threats, disappeared one year ago on the night he made the New York Times bestseller list, Grady Green jumps at the chance Kitty, his agent and Abby’s godmother, gives him to get out of his pathetic hotel room in London and spend three months on the Isle of Amberly off the Scottish Highlands in the writing shed of a late author who willed it to her. Even before he reaches its shores, he gets his first sighting of who he believes is Abby. Is it a hallucination, a ghost, or a result of his alcoholism? As it turns out, this is just the beginning of the strange happenings on the small island, its only full-time inhabitants about 25 women who are both mysterious and disturbing. There’s plenty of tension as Grady realizes that he’s essentially trapped with no phone service and a ferry that runs at the whim of the captain who seems determined to keep him from leaving.

Through a series of flashbacks in both Grady’s and his wife Abby’s voices, we get a sense of the state of their marriage before she vanished. There was definitely love but, contrary to what Grady professes, his writing had been his primary focus. Like any good psychological thriller, Feeney kept me on the edge of my seat, but I never anticipated the twists near the end. This isn’t my usual genre, but I appreciated the way Feeney set up the story and her eerie depiction of Amberly. Recommended.

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

Unromance by Erin Connor

 

4*

Author Erin Connor has given us a delightful romance where life imitates art…or vice versa. Each chapter begins with the name and description of a romantic trope or element, such as “Meet-Cute,” “Just Once, To Get It Out of Our Systems,” “Miscommunication,” and “The Grand Gesture,” which then plays out on the page. Sawyer is a romance writer with a severe creative block and Mason is an actor who is also a hopeful romantic who falls in love too fast, only to see it fall apart after the wrap party. In a bit of serendipity (which is actually one movie that ISN'T mentioned in this story that borrows from several classic romances), they meet up and agree to help each other. He’ll provide inspiration to help her get over her writer’s block and she’ll “unromance” his notions about love by having a series of stereotypical dates gone wrong. However, in the best romantic traditions, those pesky feelings get in the way.

Although I’m not a fan of third person narration or third act break-ups, I still thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel. Mason is the perfect cinnamon roll boyfriend (in a gorgeous package), Sawyer writes my favorite genre, and there’s loads of laughter, friendship, and steamy scenes. The secondary characters aren’t very fleshed out, but there’s so much to enjoy in the central romance that there’s really no need for a supporting cast. I look forward to reading Connor’s future books. 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 Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

 

4.5*

This is a really solid, character-driven story, reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six, except that the many people who influenced Annie/Cass/Cate’s life tell their own story for a multi-narrated “memoir” rather than being interviewed. In this case, Cate is an author who uses her writing to make amends, process her feelings about the women she’s loved, and finally realize what will ultimately fill the black hole that is her life. In the process, the story serves as an exposé of Hollywood and how both writers’ and actors’ managers hold immense control over the celebrities they handle, sometimes using it for good, but often for self-serving reasons. Cate is a sympathetic character who made a desperately bad decision, but created something memorable from her catharsis. The secondary characters are fully-realized, perhaps because we get to see them from more than one perspective.

My only slight criticism is that the ending seemed abrupt, but that’s more because I like stories tied up in pretty little bows and that’s not how life works. Although there is a sapphic romance element, it’s not the book’s primary focus which is ultimately about ambition, guilt, loneliness, love in various iterations, the power and pitfalls of celebrity, hiding in plain sight, forgiveness, and redemption. A solid work of women’s fiction I highly recommend.

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.

All I Want Is You by Fallon Ballard

 

4*

A few years ago, I read The Roughest Draft, a romance about two authors (and ex-lovers) who are forced together to co-write the final book of their contract. I remember disliking it intensely because of the clear animosity between the two emotionally-repressed protagonists and feeling like I didn’t want them to have a second chance. There was also a slimeball agent vs. the editors and publicity manager in this story who truly seem to have Nick and Jess’s best interests at heart. Although All I Want is You has a similar premise, the sense of hope and holiday spirit in this story is the antithesis of its lesser counterpart. Yes, it’s a second chance, forced proximity romance in which the protagonists are co-writing a holiday romance that somewhat mirrors their own, but it’s also obvious from the start that Nick and Jess still very much care for each other despite a painful breakup five years prior. Although there are lingering heartbreak and questions about what led to the breakup, there’s also respect and admiration for what they’ve each accomplished in their careers, even if Nick’s trajectory has been steep and highly-successful while Jess’s has been slow and steady, but not yet to the point she can quit her day job. I love the way author Ballard manages to weave together a story within a story that loosely follows the rekindling of their romance and seamlessly blends their differing writing styles. The setting, a cozy cabin-style boutique hotel in upstate New York during a blizzard, decked out in its Christmas finery, is delightful and the perfect backdrop for this sweet, but steamy holiday romance. 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.

 

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers

 

2*

Spoilers:




Sometimes a book can be really well-written, but it just doesn’t do it for me. The Book Swap is one such book. I struggled to get through it, hoping for the happily ever after that readers depend on in romances, but the longer I read, the less I liked the female main character, Erin. I thought both Erin and James were immature and so burdened by their traumas that it really stunted their emotional growth. They both dealt with mommy issues and the cancer death of their mutual best friend, but their utter lack of communication (vs. the tired miscommunication trope) and Erin’s selfish unwillingness to let James explain his actions and forgive him just annoyed me.

The premise of a romance building between two strangers who share ever-increasing parts of themselves in the margins of books found in a London little book library should have been a slam dunk for this romance-loving librarian, but the narrative was just too bogged down with grief, job dissatisfaction, James’s mother’s bipolar disorder, and Erin’s mom’s betrayal. As a former educator and parent, I really hated reading about James’s bullying, and couldn’t fathom why no adults in his life put a stop to it. They both should have been in therapy in their adolescence, another failure on the part of their parents. Even when Erin’s (ironically) psychotherapist sister forced her into therapy at age 30, it was clear that it wasn’t doing her any good in terms of her grieving and stubbornness in holding on to others’ past transgressions. Pretty much everyone in the book is either miserable or making others so. Bottom line, I just found this book depressing and, if I’m being honest, somewhat triggering. Speaking of, there should be trigger warnings for death, bullying, mental illness, and abandonment. Not recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Grayson House 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 Villain Edit by Laurie Devore

 

4*

This story wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought it would be a relatively lighthearted, humorous romp through the world of reality dating shows like The Bachelor. Instead, it was a biting, searing indictment of the ugly truth behind the scenes and the traumatic toll production machinations, vicious fans and TV critics, and ironclad contracts and NDAs can take on contestants. In the case of The Villain Edit, romance author Jacqueline (Jac) Matthis received a million-dollar payout for three books, but her first book was mismarketed and sold poorly. The second one fared worse, and the third was cancelled. After five years in NYC, blowing through her cash living what she assumed was her “best life,” she’s forced to move back home to Charleston, SC. With nothing to lose and the hope of reviving her flagging career and book sales, she impulsively becomes a contestant on the 1, never anticipating that her natural honesty, cynicism, skepticism, and intellect (with creative editing) will paint her as the villain of the season. When the bachelor, Marcus, chooses her as an early favorite, the other contestants claws come out.

If that weren’t bad enough, soon after she enters the mansion, she discovers that her hookup from the night before, Henry, is one of the producers. What follows is twelve weeks of forbidden growing attraction between them (despite her questioning how much of his attention is genuine versus manipulative for the sake of the show), concerning revelations about Marcus and other contestants, diminishing physical and mental health thanks to little sleep and missed meals (who knew contestants couldn’t eat while being filmed ), and Jac’s growing concern that it will all blow up in her face, destroying both her reputation and her livelihood. This villainization was well-illustrated by snippets of social media commentary, press releases, author chat groups, and blog articles interspersed throughout the novel.

Author Devore did extensive research on The Bachelor to give authenticity to the story. Jac, Marcus and Henry are all flawed characters, so the pseudo-love triangle is often hard to navigate because you don’t know what is the truth and who actually deserves a happy ending. The rampant misogyny is hard to stomach, especially since much of it is perpetrated by female producers and contestants who are pitted against each other in the name of “great television.” Devore’s compelling descriptions of the harsh reality of regimented schedules, overconsumption of alcohol, the absence of books, devices, and anything else that would draw attention away from Marcus, emotional manipulation, and food deprivation painted a really clear and disturbing picture of the dangers of these shows.

Although this is a romance, it doesn’t follow any formulaic tropes. There are definitely steamy scenes, many stops and starts, and love interests dealing with emotional baggage, and, in Jac’s case, low self-esteem coupled with defensiveness. You still can’t help but root for a happy ending, even if it’s not clear for most of the story which, if either, man she’ll end up with. I recommend this to anyone looking for a smart, complex, love story with several twists.

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 Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood

 

5*

A delightful, heartwarming romance that’s both an homage to the genre featuring plenty of tropes and a ghost story with a liberal serving of magical realism.

After an adolescence full of bullying by her peers (including her former best friend) and neglect and abandonment by both of her parents post-divorce, Delphie (age 27) purposely made her life small, avoiding any relationships (platonic or otherwise) for fear of letting in love which would further harm her. So, when she dies after choking on a hamburger, there’s little she regrets leaving behind. When she is awakened by Merritt, her quirky Afterlife Therapist, she finds herself in a launderette, a version of heaven called Evermore. When a handsome new arrival appears, there’s an instant attraction, but realizing that he’s just sedated not dead, Merritt zaps him back to Earth, leaving Delphie feeling like she’s lost a potential soulmate. Due to a clause in the Evermore Handbook, which hopeless romantic Merritt makes unsanctioned use of to satisfy her craving for a real-time epic love story, she allows Delphine to return home for 10 days to find him and get a kiss so she can stay.

What follows is a series of missed opportunities, zany adventures that pull Delphie far out of her comfort zone, and startling revelations concerning her colleagues and neighbors (especially the grumpy, handsome womanizer Cooper and the elderly, mute Mr. Yoon). Although it’s mostly lighthearted, there are some tearful moments related to grieving the death of a loved one, but it’s ultimately a redemptive story of Delphie’s breaking the chains of the trauma that left her in a joyless, loveless, self-imposed prison. The pacing is perfect, the angst is minimal, the characters are all fully formed, and it’s set in my favorite city, London. I highly recommend this hidden gem, and hope it finds a large readership in the U.S. market. Highly recommend to fans of Ashley Poston, Katherine Center, and Sarah Ready.

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

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.

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.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

3*

I want to preface this review by saying that I don’t usually talk about editing issues in an advanced reader copy, but I truly couldn’t tell if what I perceive as problems are pre-final edit or intentional.

As a fan of Ashley Poston’s adult novels (both 5*) and YA books, I was really disappointed by this one. Despite the title, there isn’t much of a “story” in this novel. We’re introduced to a large number of characters where we’re immediately at a disadvantage since Elsy, the narrator, knows them from her favorite romance series, but we aren’t given enough info to see them fully-formed. So, it’s impossible to get invested in the fictional town of Eloraton, NY and its happily-ever-afters.

Elsy was a bit of a doormat and just boring, in my opinion. She even admitted that, in her last relationship, she adopted all her fiancé’s interests and added nothing of herself to it. When she magically found herself in the setting of her favorite book series, she wanted to stay because it was comfortable and familiar, and she didn’t have to (shouldn’t) insert herself but could just live vicariously through the characters she knew everything about and who would never disappoint her. All she seemed to care about was making sure everyone was happy, even if it meant denying herself that same happiness.

I felt the dialogue was awkward, and I didn’t get a sense of different “voices.” It was mostly in Elsy’s, for lack of a better word, “monotone” delivery.

I didn’t buy into the insta-love, especially since Elsy believed that Anders hated her for the first half of their 6 days together. There was no sexual tension, and when they finally got together, it was fade-to-black.

Here’s where I get into the editing issues that were highly-distracting. Anders’s taste and smell were mentioned 22 times! (Yes, I used the search function on my Kindle to confirm.) The first description was his jacket smelling like “woodsy cedar and chamomile tea and the old, loved pages of a childhood novel,” then just 5 pages later, he “smelled like oak and old books and the slightest hint of black tea.” So, different wood and different tea…and totally irrelevant.

His “minty” eyes are mentioned 19 times (yup, checked this one, too), but when he had strong feelings, they turn emerald or peridot.

Even the first kiss scene didn’t make sense, and I’m not sure if it was intentional or careless. “At first his kiss was timid…even as my hands came up and curled into his hair” and two paragraphs later, “At first, his kiss was wild and desperate…and I found myself melting into him, grabbing hold of his starched shirt.” Then three paragraphs after that, “I pushed my hands into his hair…and yes, it was just as soft as I imagined” although she had touched it five paragraphs prior. Make it stop!

So, at this point, you’re probably wondering why I gave it 3*. It’s because I really like Poston’s The Dead Romantics and The Seven Year Slip, and I’m choosing to believe that many of these problems were fixed during the final edit. I also felt the story had enough potential for me to keep reading. I liked the defense of romance novels, especially by a college English professor, appreciated the way Poston connected Elsy and Benji from The Dead Romantics, and who doesn’t like a Brigadoon-type set-up. However, I was confused by the Groundhog Day scenario and why Elsy’s presence affected the daily thunderstorm.

Despite this faint praise, however, I just can’t recommend this story which is very sad. However, I’ll still look forward to her next novel.

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 Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

 

5*

Katherine Center can always be depended on to give us beautiful, closed-door romances with a bit of angst. The Rom-Commers is no exception. She tackles everything from sacrifice in the name of love, abandonment issues, grief, and misplaced guilt to the worthiness of the romantic comedy genre and the challenges of working in the film industry in Los Angeles.

Emma was a promising screenwriter who sacrificed probable success and ten years of her life to take care of her younger sister and her father who suffered a traumatic brain injury when she was a teen. She’s earned a living writing freelance movie reviews, but her former high school boyfriend-turned-talent manager continues to send her job prospects. When the opportunity to work as a ghostwriter for her favorite screenwriter Charlie Yates is offered, it’s a chance she is loath to pass up. He’s famous for “guy” films but is being forced to write a romantic comedy in order to get the green light for his next gangster film. He, like so many other “serious” writers, disdains the genre and, not surprisingly, is no good at writing them. Lucky for him, Emma’s an expert and she refuses to let him ruin “his career, the romantic comedy genre as a whole, and all our lives with this nuclear-waste-fueled dumpster fire of a screenplay.” If she can just get past his curmudgeonly appearance and grumpy demeanor (that makes him seem 20 years older than he is) and break down the walls he has built after being abandoned by both his mother and ex-wife, then she might be able to teach him a thing or two about what makes for a successful romance, that love is real (and not just in the movies), and that sacrifice and risk are worth it if you find the right person.

There’s so much to love about this story: the witty banter and snark (especially the frozen veggies on the bruised tailbone scene); the way Emma challenges Charlie, first by being brutally honest about how bad his first rom-com screenplay is and then by forcing him into immersion research on romance (something he’s committed to in his previous movies but resists for what he considers not worth the effort); the fact that she has a virtual museum of movies kisses on her laptop for Charlie to view with her, but still thinks real-life experience is better; how Emma and Charlie’s relationship is so obviously classic rom-com material, including everything from line dancing to literally falling into each other (which Emma insisted wasn’t the least bit romantic until it happened to her); and, finally, Emma’s take on happily-ever-after: “We act like ‘and they lived happily ever after’ is trying to con us into thinking that nothing bad ever happened to anyone ever again. But that’s never the way I read those words. I read them as ‘and they built a life together, and looked after each other, and made the absolute best of their lives.’" For fans of Center’s The Bodyguard, there is even a cameo from Jack Stapleton who is slated to star in the film. This is rom-com gold for fans of Christina Lauren and Abby Jimenez. 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.