Beside Herself by Elizabeth LaBan

4*

Hannah is shocked and angered to learn that her loving husband Joel had a brief affair while away on business. Despite marriage counseling, advice from a well-meaning friend to fight for her marriage, and Joel’s own sincere remorse and declarations of love, she doesn’t know if she can get beyond her rage and hurt. Rather than rushing a decision, she flippantly tells Joel that she might have an affair to even the stakes. When he agrees, she’s reluctantly thrown into the murky and unsatisfying dating pool. As she tries to find a willing partner, she is still visiting Joel’s famous news anchor father in the nursing home, trying to keep the news from her young children, and evaluating her relationship with Joel through the lens of their history and the love that persists. Will she be able to forgive and move on or will an affair lead to a different future?

Both Hannah and Joel are complex, caring individuals which makes it hard to take sides. Given the depths of Joel’s guilt and heartache, it’s difficult to do anything but root for them to reconcile, but Hannah’s sense of betrayal and hurt are a strong counterbalance. Ultimately, this heartfelt story deftly handles the evolution of a marriage and the wide range of emotions felt by the couple. Highly recommended.

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

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

4*

This is a sweet and very steamy enemies-to-lovers romance with only a little angst. Chloe is a very curvy black woman suffering with debilitating and painful fibromyalgia (contracted after a bout of pneumonia years prior). As a result of her pain, she was abandoned by her fiancé and chose to shut out all of her friends. She couldn’t handle both emotional and physical pain, so decided to avoid anything and anyone that might cause it. As the story begins, she is almost hit by a car which makes her realize that she hasn’t really been living, so she makes a list of ways to “get a life.” First step was moving out of her parents’ house and into her own apartment. There, she begins a testy relationship with her gorgeous super, Red. Despite their initial negative reaction to each other, Chloe checks off #7 on her list, “Do something bad,” when she spies on Red painting shirtless. She doesn’t know if he’s seen her, but eventually asks him to help her check off additional items on her list (for example, go camping, ride a motorbike). What ensues is a transformation from sarcastic, witty banter to passionate love. Red is one of the most caring and genuine heroes you’ll ever meet as well as a gifted painter, and, despite a painful past thanks to an abusive ex-girlfriend, he still cares deeply about people. Chloe, despite her fear of exposing herself to pain through relationships, is confident with her body (no awkwardness about getting naked) and acknowledges that she’s “gorgeous.” It is such a treat to read about a hunky hero who lusts after a woman’s “thick thighs” and “rounded belly.” We all need more of this celebration of diversity and body-positivity. Although cartoonish covers are all the rage right now, this one seems so misrepresentative of Chloe’s beauty. They could do much better. Fun, satisfying chick lit!

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 Word by Samantha Hastings

3*

This YA version of a Victorian romance features a progressive young woman, Lucinda, who refuses to be constrained by society’s limitations on women (in both her work and personal life). She has to also fight against the classism that prevents her from being accepted by the aristocracy because her parents were lowborn, even if her father did rise from street sweeper to wealthy financier. David, the son of her father’s business partner, took his father’s place after his death. As he and Lucinda become reacquainted after she leaves finishing school, their mutual respect and affection grow, and he gives her the opportunity to be part of the company without her father’s knowledge (since he holds traditional views of young women). The strengths and weaknesses in this book balance each other out, leaving us with a just so-so read. Given the interests of today’s teens, I think this would struggle to find an audience.

Pros: feminism; Lucinda’s friendship with the American Persephone Merritt; the equal partnership (both personal and professional) with David; Lucinda’s refusal to be metaphorically caged by society and the literal burns inflicted on her by the crinoline case, a fashion she later discards in favor of bloomers. “You think I should wear bloomers?” “I thought you no longer wished to be caged.” “I don’t.” “Then stop caring what other people think. That’s the greatest cage of all,” Persephone said.”

Cons: surface treatment of classism that seems almost disingenuous; Persephone’s ignorance of the peerage (which would have been drilled into her before arriving in London); comment about David regretting risking his life to rescue the papers from the fire when it was that action that saved Lucinda and her father (“he felt bitter regret that he had nearly risked his life for a few signatures that had not even been at his countinghouse to begin with”); repetitive mention of Mrs. Patton’s narcolepsy; misuse of me, myself, and I at least twice (may be corrected in final publication); historical inaccuracy about a dinner party (there is a strict order of entry based on rank and choosing your dinner companion wasn’t done).

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

A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

3.5*

You get three romances for the price of one in this latest offering from Sarah Morgan. Rosie is getting married…to a man she’s only known for about 12 weeks. Her mother Maggie, home in England, is upset to learn that the wedding will be in Colorado at Dan’s family lodge and that his mother Catherine is handing all of the arrangements, including dress shopping. When older sister Maggie, a workaholic ER doctor, hears that her impulsive baby sister (who she’s mothered her entire life thanks to Rosie’s asthma) is getting married to someone she’s never even met, she makes it her mission to stop the wedding. Unbeknownst to both girls, their parents have separated and are heading for divorce, and they’re going to pretend they’re still a perfect, loving couple until after the ceremony. As they all converge on the resort in Aspen, sparks start to fly…both angry and passionate ones! Thanks to Katie’s warnings, Rosie’s starting to doubt her relationship, Katie is sparring with Dan’s best friend Jordan, and Maggie and Nick are discovering that the passion they used to share may just be dormant, not dead. Will Katie succeed or will distracting Jordan teach her a thing or two about love?

There is much to be frustrated about in this story: Katie’s smothering interference, Rosie’s disregard for her mother’s feelings by allowing Catherine to take over, and the pacing of Katie and Jordan’s relationship. The highlight is the romance between the middle-aged parents. It’s so refreshing to feature a mature relationship imbued with passion, and Morgan gets to the heart of what it takes to save a marriage. Fans of Morgan and light-hearted romance will enjoy this one.


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

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

4*

Contrary to what the publisher’s blurb and cartoonish cover lead you to believe, this is not a light-hearted piece of chick lit. Yes, there are many humorous moments and the wonderful banter between the main couple, but there’s also heartbreak and baggage galore. Kristen and Josh meet when he rear-ends her car. She’s snarky from the start and he loves it. He has 6 older sisters, so he’s well-trained in how to deal with women’s moods. When they meet up at the fire station where Josh has just begun working (after a break-up and subsequent move from S. Dakota to LA), they realize that they’re best man and maid of honor at their best friends’ upcoming wedding. Although there’s an immediate attraction, Kristen is awaiting the arrival of her long-distance Marine boyfriend Tyler who is leaving the military and moving in with her. When she hires Josh to build doggy steps for her (working out of her garage), the close proximity makes her begin to wonder why she’s settling for Tyler. However, she’s aware that Josh wants a baseball team worth of kids and, due to uterine fibroid tumors, she’s scheduled a hysterectomy for just after the wedding. So, she friend zones him (with benefits) but refuses to tell him why, even as their feelings for each other intensify. Is there any chance for a happily-ever-after if she’s not willing to share her secret believing that he’ll resent her for giving up his dreams?

There’s so much more to this story than just a run-of-the-mill romance with conflict and misunderstandings. Yes, there are LOL moments, but there are tear-inducing plot twists as well. The issue of infertility is handled well, although the ending is a bit of a cop-out, and the anguish the couple feels is visceral. Jimenez’s writing is compelling, and she does a wonderful job of balancing all of the emotional elements, even if Kristen’s stubbornness gets frustrating at times. If you’re a fan of Christina Lauren, pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed.

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

Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne

4*

On the day of Brayden Hayes’ funeral, three women who knew him intimately meet in Central Park: the wife, the mistress, and the girlfriend. They didn’t know of each other before his death, but form a strong bond post-mortem. The result? A pact that they will protect each other from any more womanizers. In Book Two of the Central Park Pact series, we get to know Claire Hayes, the widow. A year after her husband’s death, she takes a hard look at her life and realizes that it’s boring vanilla. So, the first step towards adding color and vitality is to renovate her dated brownstone and purge it of every reminder of her late husband. Scott Turner, a sexy, gruff, ill-mannered contractor, is doing his friend a favor, agreeing to meet with Claire. When he sees the challenge in front of him and a woman who intrigues him, he takes the job. It’s a refreshing change from his typical corporate and high-end hotels jobs, even if he has to tolerate a spoiled, damaged debutante. As he transforms the house and she makes over herself, their skittishness and sniping morph into respect and then undeniable chemistry laced with a healthy dose of witty, snarky banter. Layne is a queen of contemporary, sexy, steamy romances set in New York City. She injects just enough conflict and tension to keep us guessing, but the bumpy road to HEA is so worth the trip. Stay tuned for Book Three in which Audrey, “the girlfriend”, may finally realize that her Prince Charming is right under her nose.



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.

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

5*

When 18-year-old Tate and 21-year-old Sam meet while on vacation in London, it’s love at first sight. Not only is there physical attraction, but there is a soul-bearing closeness between them that allows Tate to let her guard down, sharing that she is the long-lost daughter of famous actor Ian Butler. So, when the paparazzi descend on her hotel, making it clear that Sam has sold her story, the heartbreak is devastating. Rather than disappear again, she dives head-first into an acting career, as a way to get to know her father, to escape from the pain of Sam’s betrayal, and to haunt him whenever he sees her on-screen.

Fast forward 14 years, and Tate is set to star in her 7th feature film, working with her father for the first time. It’s the kind of film that has award-winner all over it, and it’s a part that speaks to her heart. So, when she walks on set and sees Sam after all those years, it messes with both her heart and head. Unbeknownst to her, he is the screenwriter and the love story is between his grandmother Roberta and step-grandfather Luther, the same man who accompanied Sam to London. She has trouble reconciling the boy who sold her out with the man who could write such a sensitive story, but, as they are forced to work together, she softens enough to allow him to tell her why he did it.

“Can you believe me, though?” he asks quiets. “That the worst thing I ever did was for the best reason I ever had?”
She’s never again opened herself up to love, but will his explanation be enough for her to forgive him and to take a second chance with him?

Christina Lauren have, once again, written a romance that makes you fall in love with the well-drawn characters. The emotions are palpable, the storyline complex and rich, and the resolution heart-warming. This one is another winner!

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.

Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

3*

Although billed as a rom-com, this story belongs in the women’s lit genre, being more a journey of self-discovery than a second-chance romance. Georgina Horspool is having a bad day. First, she’s fired from her waitressing job at a crappy trattoria after taking the fall for her boss’s lousy food, then she walks in on her boyfriend having sex with his assistant. In desperation, she accepts a job at a newly-opened pub only to find that the co-owner is Lucas McCarthy, her first love from high school who she hasn’t seen in 12 years. For a girl who was voted “Most Likely to Go Far” in high school, it’s a mystery why, at 30, she is so underachieving. Her family sees her as a failure and Lucas doesn’t even remember her. The ex-boyfriend, a self-absorbed prick who fancies himself a great stand-up comic, gaslights and harasses her by using their relationship to promote his career. The one positive in her life is her group of friends, reminiscent of the dynamic in “Bridget Jones’ Diary.”

When Georgina hears about a writing competition taking place at the pub with the theme of “Sharing Your Shame,” she decides to enter as a way of kickstarting her writing career. In the final week, after confronting her ex and quitting her job when Lucas rejects her, admitting that he remembered her all along, she shares her “Worst Day at School”: the night of the prom when she made the mistake of going off with the Golden Boy and losing not only her innocence but also the boy she loves. It’s only when she’s finally able to share her story with her friends and family for the first time that she’s recognizes how that night derailed her life.

Aside from the lack of romance up until the final pages, the other major problem is the plethora of British references and slang that make it hard to understand much of Georgie’s internal monologue (ex., “…after my quitting the Kilner jar hipster hellmouth” and “Oh, I’m psychically disintegrating like wet bog roll draped around a tree for a student prank, I should see a counselor.”) Although sprinkled with humor, the story covers some heavy topics (sexual assault, emotional abuse, etc.) and disappoints with its lack of backstory details concerning Luke and Georgina’s relationship. If you go into it with eyes wide open, it’s a decent story, but still lacks the humor of Sophie Kinsella’s books to which it’s been compared.

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.

All the Flowers in Paris by Sarah Jio

5*

Like one of its final lines, Sarah Jio’s beautiful and haunting time-slip novel is “tragic and heart-breaking but also redemptive and triumphant.” Caroline Williams is an American woman in modern-day Paris who suffers from amnesia due to an accident. After she is released from the hospital, she meets Victor, the chef at Bistro Jeanty, and begins to fall in love with him as he helps guide her through her slowly-emerging, painful memories. She has random glimpses of a past that includes a child. This is also the story of Céline, a young widow during the Nazi occupation who works in her family’s florist shop and cares for her young daughter Cosi. She’s in love with her childhood friend, Luc Jeanty, but when he leaves for a few weeks, the Nazis take her half-Jewish father and daughter away and she is forced to live with a cruel and sadistic Nazi officer who continually rapes her. (Both her neighbors and Luc’s mother turned them in.) Her daughter escapes from the truck carrying her away, and is hidden under the floorboards for almost a year before Paris is liberated.

Caroline, who is living in the same apartment where Céline was imprisoned, finds a box containing letters written by Celine to Luc. With the help of a graduate student who is doing research on Celine and a Bistro Jeanty patron and the building’s doorman (both of whom suffered losses in the war), Celine’s full story emerges. Like all great time-slip novels, there are distinct parallels between the dual storylines. In this case, it’s about two ferocious moms who will do anything to protect their daughters. Both female protagonists suffer devastating losses, and it’s an artifact from Celine’s time during the war that enables Caroline to emerge from her amnesia and grief to rejoin the living and accept love. In the words of Celine’s daughter Cosi, written in her childhood journal, “I think that the most important things in life are thankfulness, forgiveness, and love.” Very 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 Downstairs Girls by Stacey Lee

4.5*

Jo never knew her parents, but her adopted father Old Gin raised her from infancy in a subterranean room used by the Underground Railroad (since Chinese weren’t allowed to own or rent property). She uses the lessons Old Gin taught (academics, strength, patience, etc.) to find her place in a society that, at best, shuns her and, at worst, threatens her. Despite this, she perseveres and stands up for herself, first by going back to work for a spoiled, nasty society debutante, then by writing an anonymous column for a progressive paper. As she works to uncover the mysteries of a letter and clothing left behind by someone named Shang as well as why Old Gin involves himself with a notorious criminal named Billy Riggs, she discovers the truth about her parents and information about her employer and others that she uses to her advantage.

This stunning historical YA novel touches on a number of social issues including feminism (suffragettes), racism, and the plight of Chinese in late 19th-century Atlanta at the start of Jim Crow. These are all witnessed and narrated by Jo, a strong, intelligent, charming, and quick-witted Asian teen who is trying to navigate her way in a society that is determined to keep her down in a time period not often featured in teen fiction. There is also the beginnings of an interracial relationship which was illegal at the time.

The one concern is that her outspoken manner and the way she challenges people in power (whether rich or dangerous) would probably not have gone unchallenged at the time, and would have put her and those who cared about her in danger. It’s also questionable whether there would have been so many people willing to risk their livelihoods or reputations to protect and defend her. Despite this, it’s still an extraordinary piece of historical fiction. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.