Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies by. Breanne Randall | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies (Sisters of Light and Shadow, #2)

Author: Breanne Randall

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 5/26/26

Publisher: Dell

Categories: Contemporary Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Series

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Dell for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Dark secrets. Deadly choices. A destiny that can’t be outrun. Welcome to Shadowcraft Academy.

Eléa Deniz has dreamed of her home in the French countryside for the last four years after nearly dying in the Forgotten Forest. But when she finally returns, she finds the estate has become host to the Shadowcraft Academy, an elite graduate school where a world of mysteries and power plays await. It’s there she discovers a secret about her magic that’s not just a threat to the established order, but a prophecy that could change everything. What’s worse, her father is the school’s enigmatic and ruthless headmaster with an agenda of his own—one that could tear their world apart if she can’t find a way to stop him.

As alliances shift and her power is tested, Eléa becomes torn between Alex, her stoic first love whose loyalties are as murky as his past, and the brash, irreverent Logan, who challenges her to see herself in new ways. Faced with her father’s schemes, a secret society, and the weight of her own magic, Eléa must decide: Will she embrace her fate, or fight to reclaim her power and forge her own path? Destiny is calling… and it demands a price.

Content Warning: violence

+ This is book two in the Sisters of Light and Shadow series, book one being Spells, Things and Forgotten Things, which I enjoyed. I didn’t expect book two to go in the direction it went, but I did find it an interesting read.

+ Eléa is back home, after being with her brother Lucien in book one, where he falls for a Lightcrafter. Now with Eléa home in France, she finds that her father has created a Shadowcraft Academy and that she is in enrolled. I was surprised with this direction of the story but I went with it. She takes classes learning how to control her magic and makes lots of new friends. I liked the diversity of the characters.

+~ There is a romance between Eléa and Logan, an American student. But there is a big twist in the romance storyline that I was not expecting at all and didn’t totally love. It’s interesting, for sure, but I thought it was strange why it had to happen that way. But Eléa and Logan do have some fun chemistry and flirting, plus a few steamy scenes.

+ Eléa and her friends are trying to find ways to take down Wraiths and she learns something is different about her magic. There are some secrets about her family and betrayal, with some action here and there.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I didn’t expect that book two would be an academia storyline and it did help me explore Shadowcraft but I think I still liked book one more than this one. I did like the diversity in the cast, and the flirtation in the romance, but overall I think this one fell a little bit short for me.

Read if you like:

magic
found family
interesting twist in romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Spells, Strings and Forgotten Things by. Breanne Randall | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Soon By You by. Dahlia Adler | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Soon By You

Author: Dahlia Adler

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/19/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Jewish

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

27 Dresses meets The Intimacy Experiment in this sexy, emotional, opposites-attract rom-com set in New York City’s Modern Orthodox community.

If Arielle Becker has to serve as a bridesmaid one more time, she’s going to scream. Between the expense, the collection of dresses she’ll never wear again, the shower planning, the Spanx, the bridezillas, the family time, the heels, and a certain judgmental wedding singer she can’t stop bumping into, she is exhausted, burned out, and seriously beginning to hate romance and all its celebrations. Besides, it’s not like any of these girls are ever gonna turn around and do the same for her; Ari is not the kind of girl a good Jewish boy is looking to marry.

Judah Klein may be the tri-state area’s most in-demand Modern Orthodox wedding singer and eligible bachelor, but after years of uninspiring setups, he’s just about to give up on looking for his own Happily Ever After. Then a fiery, infuriating bridesmaid steps on his foot at a wedding, and before long, trading heated barbs turns into trading hotter kisses…and a realization that maybe he’s been looking for the wrong life all along.

For the first time, Judah can finally get on board with a romance, and of course it’s thanks to the one woman who has no interest in settling down – especially not with a guy who lives in the spotlight and has a professional reputation to uphold. But when neither one seems able to move on from a relationship that wasn’t meant to go anywhere, they’ll have to figure out whether there’s a possible future for two people who’ve already given up on love.

Content Warning:

+~ I think one think that made it a challenging read at first is all the Modern Orthodox customs I didn’t know or the words and how to say them. And I am not someone totally clueless – I am Catholic and my hubby follows Reform Judaism so we married under a chuppah and all that but wow, I definitely didn’t know anything about Modern Orthodox customs which made it fun to learn in this book. I didn’t realize there was a glossary until I finished the book because it was in the back, so…that would have helped me a lot when I started reading it!

+ Arielle has a bad girl reputation, she’s hooked up with a few guys and Judah has the golden good boy reputation – so you would think they wouldn’t make a good match but I liked seeing the both of them get together, and have a little spicy fun (but going all the way). I do think what came between them at times was the religion, which sucks, but also, people are people and have their beliefs – so I found that relatable and realistic. Of course I wanted Judah to immediately change some of his rigorous beliefs in order to accept Arielle in his life but that’s not realistic and his journey to figuring out what he wanted in his life was something good to witness. Oh also, Judah is asexual which I thought was even more fascinating because he was so crazy sexually about Arielle. As for Arielle, I like a girl who is confident about herself and needs – even though some of it was armor. I thought she was fun character and I like that she was aware of all this customs but was loose about some things and firm on others. I also loved some of the secondary characters like Judah’s brother Akiva, and Ari’s best-friend Liana.

+~ There is a back and forth between Arielle and Judah that did get a little frustrating but they had things to work out individually so I understand why they couldn’t get together right away even though the chemistry is off the charts. They needed space, or Judah did, to determine if this attraction was all physical or more. He is the “good boy” and he is asexual so it was a learning experience for him to want Arielle and it is easy to assume physical desire is something more when it’s all consuming, so he needed to process.

+ As I got immersed into the story, I found myself loving the humor throughout the story.

Final Thoughts:

Though it took me awhile to understand some of the words and customs in this story, I thought this romance was funny, surprisingly spicy and I got to learn a lot about something I barely knew anything about. Overall, this was a fun read!

Read if you like:

weddings
faith-based, steamy romance
humor

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Cool for the Summer by. Dahlia Adler | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Double Happiness by. Heather Eng | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Double Happiness

Author: Heather Eng

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 5/19/26

Publisher: Tiny Reparations Books

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Tiny Reparations Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Caught between a relentless tech job, her adoring fiancé, and an unexpected new flame, Mei must learn what it means to choose herself

When Mei Li runs into Alexandre Brodeur at a family function, there’s no denying their chemistry. It turns out Alexandre, whose brother is married to Mei’s younger sister, is back in town rebuilding his life after two decades toiling away in academic research. Somehow, Alexandre’s different from the young scientist Mei met years ago. His intelligent eyes and quiet air of mystery have a magnetic effect, drawing her in like never before.

But Mei’s carefully constructed life has no room for Alexandre. She’s engaged to Joey, a fellow Queens native who keeps her grounded as she pulls eighty-hour weeks at Livin, the tech world’s hottest startup. After a childhood marked by financial and emotional turmoil, Mei finally has the stability she’s always craved.

In Mei’s brief moments away from her crushing workload, Alexandre is an uncomfortably enticing presence. It doesn’t take long for their thoughtful conversations and his electric gaze to get under her skin, leaving Mei to wonder what she really wants in work, life, and love.

With her wedding date fast approaching, Mei has to make an impossible choice between two very different men. And after she does, she still must figure out what it truly means to have it all.

Content Warning: cheating, mention of alcoholic father, racism

Mei is a start-up corporate lady boss trying her best to give everything of herself so that she can be VP. She’s also about to get married to Joey, who she has fun with but she’s noticing things about him that makes her think he isn’t the right one for her. Then there is her sister’s husband’s brother, Alexandre, who is back in town after pivoting in his academia career – and something seems to be brewing between them. Throughout the romance taking place in this story, Mei and Alexandre are trying to figure out how to achieve work/life balance and figure out what is really important to them in their lives.

I didn’t love the attraction growing between Mei and Alexandre while she was about to get married to Joey. I kind of didn’t buy it because it happens quick. I thought she and Joey had fun together, even though he had certain annoying quirks, but I can see why things ended – I just didn’t like the situation because Alexandre didn’t seem like a total prize either. It’s nice that she’s strong, independent, and driven, but she wasn’t truthful about her feelings in her relationships. Alexandre was more mature, but there were times he was bitter at times about Mei’s successful job, so I guess in a way they were relatable because even with their success, they were all so flawed. But I didn’t really connect to them.

It was interesting to see the romance between Mei and Alexandre progress and how it ties into their career paths and their choices. The story touches a lot on toxic work environments too – another very relatable thing. I did enjoy Mei’s family, who was supportive of her.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a quick read, and I did like the topic of toxic work environments, especially with Mei being Chinese American, plus trying to attain a good work/life balance. I didn’t love the way the romance happened but in the end things work out for Mei. Overall, I think it was an okay read for me.

Read if you like:

flawed characters

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Summer of Lost Things by. Jenn Bennett | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: The Summer of Lost Things

Author: Jenn Bennett

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 5/26/26

Publisher: Avon a

Categories: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Avon a for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sexy new adult romance meets swashbuckling adventure when ex childhood friends Paige and Seb reconnect to finally track down the treasure that has been a legend in their small Michigan beach town for decades. Perfect for fans of The Goonies and Netflix’s Outer Banks who are craving more romance!

Star pupil Paige Malone just finished her first year at Harvard. Dropout Seb Jansen spent that time pumping gas for wealthy yacht owners at a Lake Michigan marina. They haven’t seen each other since high school. A shame, considering that they were once inseparable childhood friends who combed their coastal hometown’s sun-kissed beaches along with a couple of other middle-school pals—hunting the Golden Venus, a legendary local treasure that’s distantly connected to Paige’s family.

A treasure rumored to be worth millions of dollars. If it even exists.

These days, however, the former BFFs have traded adventure for reality. Paige is home for the summer and is spiraling after losing her college financial aid. While across town, Seb fell in with a bad crowd and now regrets his life choices, big time. Both feel colossally stuck. And alone.

But when Paige stumbles upon a hidden secret in her grandmother’s beach cottage, she must get their old treasure-hunting gang back together to finally unravel the mystery that has eluded her family for generations. Who the thrill of the hunt might help Paige and Seb find a path back to their lost friendship…or something more.

The Summer of Lost Things brings the summer heat with its combination of a high stakes treasure hunt and a swoony love story.

Tropes

Childhood friends to lovers Second-chance romance Treasure hunt Family secrets Partners in crime Summer love Small beach town setting Overachiever x bad boy Loveable rogues

Content Warning: grief, violence, mentions of drug trafficking, drug use (weed), vaping, strained parental relationships

+ I haven’t read a Jenn Bennett book in so long and it was so nice to get a chance to read her newest book coming out. I read a lot of her young adult books but this one is new adult, which I appreciated since now I’m an older fan of hers. In this book Paige is back in her hometown, a small beach town with lots of memories, some painful with the lost of her Nana. I love how right away we get to know Paige, her struggles, her grief, and her memories – she’s a very fleshed out character. Her memories and feelings about the town really sets the tone for the story.

+ Set in a small beach town in Michigan, Paige and her best friends, Jazmine, Seb and Benny were known as the WAGS. A group of kids on the hunt for treasure, and it helped that Paige’s ancestor was a man with renowned legend in town. There is talk about gold bars being hidden and so the WAGS go on a final mission to find these gold bars but they aren’t the only ones who want them. A family in town who is known her crime and drug trafficking, also wants to find this treasure so there are moments of tension when the treasure hunt gets dangerous. For the most part though, I thought it was so fun following the WAGS on their treasure hunt adventure, they are a close group, no matter what they’ve been through – I love their friendship! It’s very realistic and I love that they are flawed.

+ There is a childhood friends to romance between Paige and Seb. She’s the one who went to Harvard, overachiever and he’s the bay boy who got in lots of trouble, and now trying to get on the right track. Now back together again, Paige realizes her feelings about him have changed from friendship to lust and maybe something more. I loved Paige and Seb! I love how the interacted, you can feel the deep friendship and I even loved the way they fought because you could tell they were close. They are really partners in crime, and in life. There was one moment though that Paige was frustrating, because she clearly wants him, then put boundaries between them and got mad when he wouldn’t cross the boundary. Also there is a spicy scene and more of it but off the page.

+~ This isn’t a clean adventure treasure hunt story about a group of teens or young kids (though there are memories), these are young adults out of high school and they curse, and smoke weed, drink, they do crazy things and maybe even get into troubling relationships but I felt like all of that was realistic to the characters ages. I like that they are all trying to figure life out.

~ There is one supportive parent group in this story, which is Jazmine’s, thank goodness because Paige and Seb did not luck out with having good parents! Very strained and even messed up relationships. So thank goodness for the Neelys.

Final Thoughts:

This is going to be the perfect summer read if you are looking for action, treasure hunting, tension, childhood friends to lovers romance, trying to figure out life and friendship. I enjoyed this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Always Jane by. Jenn Bennett | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Chasing Lucky by. Jenn Bennett | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review: The Lady Rogue ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review: Serious Moonlight ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Starry Eyes by. Jenn Bennett ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alex, Approximately by. Jenn Bennett ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hart’s Landing by. Melanie Harlow | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Hart’s Landing

Author: Melanie Harlow

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 5/12/26

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Categories: Contemporary, Small Town Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Entangled: Amara for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Four friends made a promise to live one night like it was their last.
That night changed everything.

Ten years ago, Mila Ferguson fled Hart’s Landing with a devastating fire, a stolen kiss, and a shattered circle of friends in her wake. But when a crisis brings her home, Mila just wants to get in and get out, unscathed by her mother’s constant criticism and unseen by her former crush, Everett McKean.

Only…Everett is everywhere. The boy Mila once loved is now the town’s scorching hot, beloved mayor. And when he’s not serving his constituents or running the family farm, Everett is taking advantage of his second chance with Mila―the one who got away.

As Mila reconnects to her roots and opens her heart, she discovers that coming home again isn’t about where you’ve been―it’s about who you’re brave enough to become. But when old wounds threaten to open after questions emerge about what really happened the night Mila left, it’s that bravery that will finally set her free.

Sexy, heartfelt, and steeped in small-town charm, Hart’s Landing is a story of forgiveness, friendship, and finding the family who loves you no matter how far you wander.

Content Warning: narcissistic mother, abusive parent

+ Set in the small town of Hart’s Landing this is a cozy, sweet, romance that I can see being a Hallmark movie! Mila left the small town 10 years ago after a devastating accident that tore her friendships apart, but now she’s back to take care of her narcissistic mother who is getting hip surgery. While home, she runs into her old crush and some old friends, while getting used to the quirks of small town living again. Also there is a mini mystery about who might have started the fire years ago.

+ Loved Mila as the FMC, she’s sweet, and she knows she has issues mostly stemming from the horrible way her mother treats her, not having a father figure and being blamed for a fire that happened 10 years ago. She’s brave though and someone who falls hard for someone. Now Everett her crush and now the mayor of the town, is flirtatious, funny, strong, and head over heels for Mila and he lets her know it every chance he gets. I feel like both main characters had a lot of depth even though both of them were sweet and funny people. We do meet Everett’s friends and Mila also makes new connections with the old best friends she had in high school before everything went wrong.

+ The romance is a slow burn but I loved all the teasing, banter, flirtation, and them having a second chance at figuring out the attraction between them. There are spicy scenes, and overall, I loved their romance.

+~ Mila’s mom is awful, she’s a narcissist and what can she really do about that but learn to stand up for herself, which she does eventually. But there is a lot of guilt and heavy emotions Mila has to work through to get to that point and it was frustrating to see – but it showed a lot of of growth.

+~ The story starts off with Mila and her best friends in high school and then jumps forward to present day. So there is a lot we are missing, since we only get to meet 2 of the friends in this book. I feel like each girl will be getting their own book?

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a sweet romance but with depth, especially when it came to friendship and family matters. I adore Mila and Everett’s romance and was rooting for them from the beginning – I’m kind of glad the conflict between them was resolved quick. And if this is going to be a series, where we get a story for each of Mila’s friends, I’ll definitely be reading more from this author!

Read if you like:

small town romance
friendship and family
a little bit of mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This Book Made Me Think of You by. Libby Page | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: This Book Made Me Think of You

Author: Libby Page

Narrator(s): Zadeiah Campbell-Davies

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 320 Listening Time: approximately 10 hours 10 min

Publication Date: 2/3/26

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Categories: Contemporary, Grief, Romance, Bookstore

A woman receives an unexpected gift from the man she loved and lost—a year of books, one for every month—launching a reading-inspired journey to live, dream, and love again in this glimmering and heart-stopping novel.

Twelve books. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. But mainly because Joe died five months ago….

When she goes to pick up the present, Alfie, the bookshop owner with kind eyes, explains the gift—twelve carefully chosen books with handwritten letters from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

At first Tilly can’t imagine sinking into a fictional world, but Joe’s tender words convince her to try, and something remarkable happens—Tilly becomes immersed in the pages, and a new chapter begins to unfold in her own life. Monthly trips to the bookstore—and heartfelt conversations with Alfie—give Tilly the comfort she craves and the courage to set out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to share her journey with others, her story—like a book—becomes more than her own.

Content Warning: grief, illness, death

World Building: Set around an indie bookstore where Tilly’s late husband has left her a book a month to get through the year after his death. This book is heartwarming, heartbreaking and cozy! The indie bookstore has a book owner Alfie who also knows his share of grief when losing his father. The store also has a cat. This story is definitely for the book lovers and indie bookstore lovers.

Characters: Tilly is lost without her husband Joe, but this is the year she gets out and takes a chance on life because of the books he has left her. It was nice seeing her grow and I related to her grief. Alfie is the shop owner who Tilly befriends but feelings grow between them slowly. I did like the storyline between Tilly and her sister, who meant well even though Tilly was afraid to try new things – I like how they eventually work things out.

Romance: We get a peek at Tilly’s romance with her late-husband Joe and then her trying to maybe make room for more love with Alfie. It’s sweet, heart-warming and I was rooting for both of them.

Story: The narrator did a fantastic job, loved her accent, her voice was soothing. This story was reminding me a little bit of the movie, P.S. I Love You, which I loved. This story really takes us on Tilly’s journey through grief and finding her way with her family, her career and new love. She goes on trips, does a half marathon and works things out with her sister. And then she also starts to fall in love again. It’s a beautiful story! It is a bit of a cozy read, so sometimes in the middle, I found it a little slow, but that’s an issue for me.

Vibes/Tropes: P.S. I Love You, book lover romance

Final Thoughts:

This one was a little triggering for me but I was invested in Tilly’s journey through her grief and watching her grow so much! It is so heartwarming seeing Tilly learn to live and love again. This story is definitely for the book lovers!

Read if you like:

bookstore and book lover romance
life journey
grief

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Last Page by. Katie Holt | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Last Page

Author: Katie Holt

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/12/26

Publisher: Alcove Press

Categories: Contemporary, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Alcove Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ella has grown up at The Last Page, a charming local bookstore in New York City where she now works. Her first kiss was in the women’s health section. A boyfriend dumped her in comedy. The owner is like a second father to her and has begun training her to take over the store. So when he unexpectedly dies and his estranged grandson is left everything in the will, Ella is devastated.

Henry doesn’t know the first thing about running a bookstore. With his aging mom back in Tennessee, he plans to stay in New York just long enough to ensure things are running smoothly and then head back home. What he never could have counted on was the beautiful, funny bookseller who loves The Last Page more than any place in the world—and who sees him as the villain who’s come to ruin her life.

But when it becomes evident that the store is in deep financial trouble and Henry and Ella are both at risk of losing everything, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and team up—despite the inconvenient chemistry blossoming between them.

Content Warning: grief

Ella is a Peruvian American girl from New York City who loves her family, the book store she works at, her employees and her city. Henry is the estranged grandson of the book store, from Tennessee who is there as the new owner of the book store. The two are opposites, Ella is social and out-going, whereas Henry suffers from depression, some anxiety and likes order. The two of them together, made for a very cute rom-com.

I felt like this story was an ode to New York City and all it’s flaws, quirks, and uniqueness. The story captures the energy of the city, the people, and the way of life. It’s also a love story about indie book stores – which I adore. Henry is the new owner of his late grandfather’s book store, The Last Page, but it’s about to close if they don’t do something drastic to raise money. And Ella would be devastated if it closed because she’s spent half of her life in that store – it’s her second home. Both Henry and Ella are dealing with the grief of losing Leo (Henry’s grandfather), Henry with some regrets and remorse, Ella with just a heartbreak from losing a mentor and good friend. The employees at The Last Page were so funny, and quirky – I love how they become a found family for Henry.

Final Thoughts:

This one left me with feel good vibes! I love the New York City, indie book store setting. I love Ella and her love of family, the Peruvian culture rep, and how she’s so opposite of Henry’s more introverted nature. Watching them get to know each other after a rough start, but a cute meet-cute, just made me feel happy. It’s got books, quirky secondary characters, spice and found family.

Read if you like:

indie bookstores
opposites attract
quirky characters

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Not in My Book by. Katie Holt | Book Review 🌶️🌶️

The Shippers by. Katherine Center | ALC and ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: The Shippers

Author: Katherine Center

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/19/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Categories: Contemporary, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.

After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.

Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.

No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.

Content Warning: harassment

+ I had an immersive with this book because I had the ALC and ebook ARC. The narration of the audiobook was done very well and there are a lot of funny moments in this book that really came to life because of the narrator. I did ending up reading it by ebook to finish it though.

+~ Jojo got cold feet at her own wedding but now her sister is getting married, on a cruise ship. So I loved the wacky family moments, the wedding games on the ship and just all the antics. Her family is close but they also have some issues with her dad, but things work out in the end. Jojo at first started off like a fun character but the more I read, she kind of got on my nerves because of silly things – like major miscommunication.

+~ The romance is childhood friends to lovers. I love Cooper he takes care of Jojo when she’s in need of help! As for Jojo…she has misinterpreted some moments of her past, which now affects here in the present – and honestly some things could have been hashed out with her just listening to Cooper or just talking to him. She’s quirky, and just all over the place – whereas Cooper is the one who steadies her. But yeah, Jojo was not my favorite in this situation.

~ Jojo not only misinterprets things with Cooper, but with her dad also. They (Jojo, her sister and mom), have been holding a grudge about their dad for decades because of one moment in her childhood. A moment that could have been talked about it when the incident happened? But they didn’t talk and let it fester for years? Yet…it was a misunderstanding basically? So all these problems she’s blamed on other people for years….could have been solved or acknowledged in the past, but wasn’t.

Final Thoughts:

I thought the wedding cruise ship antics were fun and there were many funny moments in this story because of it and Jojo’s family. So I really enjoyed that part. I also love Cooper, but I didn’t quite love how this romance is based on miscommunication, it’s my least favorite romance trope. Overall though, this makes for a good beach read as long as you don’t mind Jojo’s antics.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Love Haters by. Katherine Center | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hello Stranger by. Katherine Center | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Bodyguard by. Katherine Center | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Beckett Effect by. Nashae Jones | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Beckett Effect

Author: Nashae Jones

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/5/26

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Simon Pulse for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

There’s no one teenage filmmaker Wren hates more than notorious playboy Beckett Lane. Girls love him because of his famous dad, and Beckett revels in the unearned attention. It seems like everyone is under his spell but Wren—including Wren’s sweet, naive sister Kennedy, who has a huge crush on him.

When Beckett humiliates Kennedy in front of the entire school, Wren swears to bring him down once and for all by teaming up with her BFF Chelsie to make a documentary showing everybody exactly who he really is. They launch an investigation meant to expose him, which includes Wren cozying up to Beckett to get inside information—because she’s the only one in school not susceptible to the Beckett Effect.

Only, as she gets closer to Beckett, Wren wonders if the line between love and hate is as obvious as she thought it was. Could there be more to the school’s biggest playboy than she realized?

Content Warning: divorce

+~ Wren wants to make movies, so she’s always thinking of life in scenes, which made this an interesting but fun story to read. She’s also over protective over her sister Kennedy and despises school heartthrob Beckett Lane (who her sister has a crush on). I loved Wren, but yes there were times she did a little too much when it came to her sister or Beckett and it leads her to some disastrous situations. I think some readers will not Wren as much as I did, she is so stubborn.

+ This story reminded me of my favorite teen rom-coms that dominated the early 2000’s. II kept thinking they should make this into a movie on Netflix because I’d totally watch it for all the shenanigans Wren and her bestie was up to while doing this school project that revolved around Beckett Lane. You already know it’s a bad a idea but Wren was on a revenge kick. And though things blow up in Wren’s face, I loved seeing her trying to fix everything and acknowledge that she was in the wrong. I loved the humor throughout the story and it made for such a quick read.

+ The romance is so cute – Wren hates Beckett, but Becket is a heartthrob for a reason – he’s gorgeous but such a charmer too! I can see why he was so hard to resist. So as much as Wren is using Beckett, he eventually gets under his skin when she learns the real him.

Final Thoughts:

I had a fun time reading this one because it reminded me of early 2000’s teenage rom-coms, and would love to see this made into a movie. Wren is a stubborn FMC who has a lot to learn but the main thing is she does learn in the end. I thought the romance was super cute because Beckett is such a charmer – how could Wren resist? Overall, I enjoyed this one.

Read if you like:

high school drama
humor, banter
sweet dislike to like romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Summer of Second Chances by. K.L. Walther | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: The Summer of Second Chances

Author: K.L. Walther

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 5/5/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Coming of Age

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules comes another incredible summer romance about holding onto memories, making new ones, learning to let go, and unexpectedly falling in love.

Olivia Lupo feels stuck. All her friends have gone on to their first year of college while she’s still at home with her family. There’s a good reason though, her beloved grandmother, Annie, has dementia, and Olivia can’t bear the thought of being so far from home when Annie needs her the most.

So when her stepmother asks the family to spend three weeks of the summer on Martha’s Vineyard, Olivia plans to say no…until she discovers an old box Annie filled with photos and memories from her own time there. Olivia decides to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps and spend some time on the island that Annie describes as magical.

When she arrives, she meets Connor, a boy from her past who really wants to be a part of her present… and future. Olivia’s never thought about forever with someone until meeting Connor…and it scares her. How can she make plans when all she wants to do is keep close to her grandmother before she’s gone forever? As she recreates the memories Annie made a lifetime ago, she has to decide if she’s finally willing to give someone her heart, just when she needs it the most.

Content Warning: complicated families, grief, dementia

This is my third book from this author and I thought this was a really sweet young adult romance. Olivia Lupo is going through some things – she doesn’t know what to do now that high school is over, she’s on a gap year, spending time with her grandmother Annie who has dementia, and going on vacation with her family to her step-mom’s home.

Vacation in Martha’s Vineyard helps Olivia meet a lot of people, especially in her step-family’s side. There are some fun characters in this story, but there are a lot of them. So sometimes I didn’t know who was who – there are step family and neighbors but the whole community is quaint and wholesome. There are a lot of family themes in these book because Olivia feels out of place, but she also wants to belong. So she has some conflicting feelings about her step-mom. As for her grandma with dementia, she’s afraid to lose her because she’s already lost her mom, and grandpa. This fear of losing people makes her push people away. Also while at Martha’s Vineyard she does some digging into Annie’s past and finds out a few things.

The romance is really sweet because Connor is a good guy and a golden retriever energy kind of guy. He is a manny to the kids for this vacation, and he is so into Olivia. They met long ago at camp but she doesn’t remember him until he jogs her memory a little bit. But their summer vacation forces them to spend some time together and their romance was just right. She has to work with her commitment issues but I like that she’s given time to think about things.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I thought this was a cute romance that has summer vacation vibes, a mystery, and family themes. I think if you like this author’s other books, you will enjoy this one.

Read if you like: