BLOG TOUR} The Summer Swap by. Sarah Morgan | Book Excerpt

Title: The Summer Swap

Author: Sarah Morgan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

BUY HERE: BookShop.org | Harlequin | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million |

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Publication Date: 5/7/24

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Categories: Adult, Chick Lit, Family, Romance, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary

A recent widow’s plan to spend the summer in Cape Cod hiding from her interfering family is upended when she discovers her beach house has an unexpected guest, and the secret she’s been keeping about her marriage threatens to be exposed. Perfect beach reading for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Emily Henry.

70 year old widow Cecilia Lapthorne can’t bear the prospect of a family party to celebrate her birthday and the memory of her husband, famous artist Cameron Lapthorne. They had a toxic marriage but stayed together for the children, and bound by a big secret. She runs away to the Cape Cod seashore cottage she owned with Cameron–it’s where they first fell in love–but she hasn’t returned since she discovered him cheating on her there (for the first time). No one in her family knows about it, so she will be perfectly, delightfully alone for the summer.

Except struggling artist Lily has been secretly crashing on the sofa of the seashore cottage for the last couple of weeks. Unable to make rent after dropping out of medical school to pursue her dreams of becoming an artist and working as a housekeeper in Cecilia’s Cape Cod enclave, she’s been illicitly camping at the cottage. Which isn’t a problem as it’s been unoccupied for years…until Cecilia unexpectedly shows up.

After the drama of discovering she has an unexpected house-guest has faded, Cecilia decides she’ll get along just fine with Lily for the summer. They form a tentative and powerful bond, based on shared love of art, but also the vulnerabilities they both share with each other. And when Todd, Cecilia’s beloved grandson (and the man who broke Lily’s heart in college) tracks her to the cottage, the three of them settle in for a summer of self-discovery, self-belief and second chances.

Book Excerpt:

Running away from her life wasn’t something she was proud of, but with a view this good it was hard to regret the decision.

Lily tightened her grip on the handlebars and pedaled harder. Here on the northern tip of Cape Cod while the rest of humankind were still sleepy and had barely reached for the coffeepot, the place was hers alone.

All around her were sand dunes and the ocean stretching as far as she could see. She cycled the same route every day, and every day was different. Today the sky was a deep kingfisher blue, but she’d seen burnt orange, flame red and smoky silver.

It was a place favored by migratory birds and tourists, and generally she preferred the first to the second. The day before, she’d seen a blue heron and two snowy egrets. As far as she was concerned the fewer humans the better, but she owed her current job to the influx of summer people, so she wasn’t complaining.

She breathed deeply, letting the salt air fill her lungs and her mind. She felt free here on this windblown, sunbaked strip of seashore. For the first time in months, she felt better. Stronger. As if she might survive after all. The pressure had eased. She no longer woke at two in the morning drenched in sweat and panic, trapped in her life and hating every moment.

She felt something close to happiness, and then her phone buzzed and the feeling left her in a rush.

She pedaled faster, trying to outrun its insistent demand. She didn’t have to look to identify the caller. It was ten in the morning exactly. Only one person called her routinely at that time.

Dammit.

Guilt and an unshakable sense of duty made her squeeze the brakes and she pulled over, breathless, and dug out her phone. If she didn’t take the call now, she’d be taking it later and the thought of it looming in her future would darken the skies of an otherwise cloudless day. This was the price she had to pay for running away. You could run, but with today’s technology you couldn’t really hide.

“Lily, honey? It’s Mom.”

She closed her eyes briefly.

She’d been expecting this call, ever since she’d declined their invitation to come home and “talk things over.” As if talking it over yet again would change the outcome.

Every time she saw her mother’s name pop up on her phone screen her stomach churned. Guilt sank its fangs into all the soft, vulnerable parts of her. Her parents had made huge sacrifices for her, and she’d as good as slapped them in the face. And she hadn’t even given them a reason. At least, not one they could understand.

They deserved better.

“I’m on my way to work, Mom. I can’t be late.” Never had dirty pots and pans and other people’s laundry seemed more appealing. She’d rather deal with that any day than talk to her mother. Every conversation dragged her backward and left her so twisted with guilt she lost all confidence in her chosen path. “Is everything all right?”

“No. We’re worried about you, Lily.” Her mother’s tone was shaky. “We don’t understand what’s going on. Why won’t you tell us?”

Lily tightened her grip on the phone. “Nothing is going on. And you don’t need to worry.” She repeated the same words she’d said hundreds of times, even though they never seemed to settle.

“Can you blame us for worrying? We have a bright, brilliant daughter who has chosen to throw away the life she worked hard for. And with no reason.”

No reason? As if it had been a whim. As if she’d woken up one morning and decided to waste all those years of hard work just for a laugh.

“I’m fine. This is what I want.”

It wasn’t that her parents weren’t wonderful people, but communicating with them was impossible.

“Are you eating? Have you put on some weight? You were skin and bone when you left here.”

“I’m eating. I’m sleeping. I’m good. How are you and Dad?”

“We miss you, obviously. Come home, Lily. We can cook for you, and spoil you and look after you.”

Anxiety settled on her like a cloak, blocking out sunshine and her hopes for the day.

She knew what going home would mean. She loved her parents, but they’d hover over her with frowning concerned faces until she’d end up worrying more about them than herself. And then she’d do things she didn’t want to do, just to please them.

And it wasn’t as if she hadn’t tried staying at home. She’d done that in the beginning (mostly because her options were limited) and the pressure of pretending to be okay had been exhausting.

“I’m happy, Mom. I just need some space. It’s beautiful here. You know I always loved the ocean.”

“I know. I remember when you were six years old, and we couldn’t drag you away from the sandcastle you’d built.” There was a pause. “Honey, Dad made some calls. He thinks it’s not too late for you to go back to medical school if you want to.”

Lily’s heart started to pound. The sweat of anxiety threatened to become a full-blown panic attack. Her chest tightened. Her hands shook so badly the phone almost slipped from her fingers.

Interference, even well-meaning interference, should be designated a crime.

“I don’t want to. I know you and Dad are disappointed—”

“It’s not about us, it’s about you. We tried so hard to give you all the opportunities we didn’t have.”

Lily stared at the ocean and tried to find her inner calm, but it had fled the moment the phone had rung.

They’d made huge sacrifices for her, and she’d thrown it in their faces. She felt terrible. But staying would have made her feel worse.

“This is difficult for me, too, Mom.” The lump in her throat made it difficult to speak. “I know I’m hurting you and I hate it, but this is where I want to be. I can’t be a doctor. I want to be an artist.”

“You say that, but you’re cleaning houses.”

“To earn money while I try to find a way to do something I love.” While she tried to loosen the knots of stress in her body and untangle the mess in her head. “There’s nothing wrong with cleaning houses. I like it. And it’s a respectable way to make a living. You did it.”

“Because I didn’t have the opportunities you had.”

Lily felt guilt overwhelm her.

Her mother sighed. “Do you need money? We still have some savings.”

And she knew just how hard it would have been for her parents to pull that together after everything they’d already spent on her. She’d vowed never to take another cent from them.

“I don’t need money but thank you.” She didn’t want to think about the dire state of her bank account. She was determined to manage on her own now, no matter what.

“Lily—” her mother’s voice was gentle “—your father would kill me for asking because I know I’m not supposed to ask, but did something happen, honey? Did someone hurt you? Your dad and I always thought you’d make a wonderful doctor. You’re such a kind, caring person.”

“Nothing like that.” Lily’s throat burned. She badly wanted this conversation to end. “Could we talk about something else?”

“Of course. Let me think…not much has happened here. Your father has been busy in the garden.” Her mother spoke in a cheery I’m changing the subject to a safe topic voice. “The hydrangeas are beginning to bloom. They’re going to be stunning. I made the most delicious orange cake last week. No wheat. You know your father. Ground almonds instead of flour.”

“Sounds yummy.” She imagined them at home together and felt a pang. Despite everything, she missed them. Part of her just wanted to run home and be looked after but she knew that feeling would dissipate the moment she walked through the door. Within minutes the bands of pressure would tighten, and she’d be gasping for breath.

“I’m sure there was something I wanted to tell you.” Her mother paused. “What was it? Oh, I remember—I bumped into Kristen Buckingham last week. She’s always so charming and friendly. So normal.”

The last person Lily wanted to think about now was anyone with the name Buckingham.

“Why wouldn’t she be friendly and normal, Mom?” Lily knew how self-conscious her mother was around her friends and she hated it. It reminded her of being back at school and feeling like an imposter.

Her parents had scrimped and saved and worked multiple jobs in order to send her to the best school. They’d believed she’d have a great education and make influential friends. She would absorb their greater advantages by osmosis. It would be her ticket to a better life. They imagined her living her life in a bubble of success, mixing with people whose parents owned mansions and yachts and jets. People whose fridges were loaded with food and never had to worry about making it stretch to the end of the week. People who had drivers, and housekeepers, and staff who cleared the snow from their yard.

And she had met people like that, but most of the time Lily had felt like a stray dog that had somehow wriggled its way into a litter of pedigrees. She’d been afraid to reveal anything about her background, because she knew it was different from theirs. She’d masked her true self because she’d known that she didn’t fit. Despite her attempts to blend, she’d been badly bullied. To make things worse she’d also felt crushed by the pressure of work and parental expectation. To fail would have been to let them down, these people she loved so much and who loved her back. They’d half killed themselves to give her the opportunity. She couldn’t let herself fail.

Panic had hovered close to the surface the whole time, threatening to suffocate her. The only thing that had driven her from her bed in the mornings was the knowledge of her parents’ sacrifice and their pride in her. She hadn’t felt able to tell them how unhappy she was, or that locking herself in a cubicle while having a panic attack didn’t feel like success to her.

She’d been thoroughly miserable until the day Hannah Buckingham had rescued her from a bully who was trying to remove her ponytail with a pair of scissors. After that, everything changed.

Hannah was the granddaughter of the famous artist Cameron Lapthorne. She was a champion of the underdog. She had a fierce urge to protect anything threatened. She wanted to save the whales, and Sumatran tigers, and Antarctica. Lily was added to the list, and they’d become best friends from that moment. Hannah had said Lily was the sister she’d never had. Hannah hadn’t cared about the differences between their household incomes. Hannah hadn’t cared that Lily didn’t have her own bathroom, or a housekeeper to keep her room tidy, or tutors to make sure her grades were the best they could possibly be. Hannah had found Lily interesting. Hannah had wanted to know everything about Lily. She’d wanted to access her every thought. For the first time in her life, Lily had been able to be herself.

They’d been inseparable. Protected by Hannah, the bullying had stopped and Lily had flourished. With Hannah as her friend, her confidence had grown. She’d no longer felt like a misfit.

They’d gone to the same college where they’d both studied biological sciences and then they’d applied to the same medical school. When her acceptance letter arrived, Lily’s parents had cried. They’d been so proud and thrilled. It was the happiest day of their lives.

Lily had been happy and relieved that she’d achieved their goals. That she was everything her parents wanted her to be. That she hadn’t let them down. For a brief moment she’d believed that maybe she could do this.

But medical school had turned out to be a thousand times worse than school. She was surrounded by people who were brilliant, ambitious and competitive.

When the pressure started to crush her brain again, she tried to ignore it. She was going to be fine. She’d survived this far. There were many different branches of medicine. She’d find one that suited her.

It didn’t help that Hannah had no doubts at all. She’d known from the start that she wanted to be a surgeon like her father, Theo. Hannah wanted to save lives. She wanted to make a difference.

On the few occasions she’d met him, Lily had found Theo to be terrifying or maybe it was more accurate to say that she found his reputation terrifying.

Hannah’s mother, Kristen, was equally intimidating. She was an art expert, a whirlwind of brisk efficiency with a life so busy it was a wonder she fitted in time to breathe.

And then there was Hannah’s older brother, Todd, who was smart, handsome and kind, and the object of lust among all Hannah’s friends. Lily was no exception. Teenage Lily had fantasized about Todd. Twenty-three-year-old Lily had kissed Todd in a dark corner during a school reunion.

Lily was in love with Todd, but now Todd was dating Amelie.

Lily had trained herself not to think about Todd.

“I just mean that Kristen is very important, Lily, that’s all,” her mother said. “But she always takes the time to talk to me when I see her.”

“She’s just a person, Mom. A person like the rest of us.”

“Well, not really like the rest of us,” her mother said. “Her father was Cameron Lapthorne. I don’t pretend to know anything about art, but even I know his name.”

Hannah had taken her to the Lapthorne Estate once. It had been the best day of Lily’s life. She’d gazed at the paintings hungrily, studying every brushstroke, in awe of the skill and envious of anyone who could build a life as an artist. Hannah had given her a book of her grandfather’s work, and it had become Lily’s most treasured possession. She’d thumbed the pages, studied the pictures and slept with it under her pillow.

Ever since she was old enough to hold a paintbrush, Lily had loved art. She’d painted everything in sight. When she’d run out of paper, she’d painted on the walls. She’d painted her school bag and her running shoes. She’d said to her parents I want to be an artist, and for a while they’d looked worried. They’d told her no one made money that way and that she was smart enough to be a doctor or a lawyer. Lily knew how much they wanted that for her, and she knew how much they’d sacrificed. She couldn’t bring herself to disappoint them. And so she had dutifully gone to medical school, underestimating the toll it would take on her.

“Lily? Are you still there?”

Lily tugged herself back into the present. “Yes. So how was Kristen?”

“Busy as ever. She was in the middle of organizing a big event at the Lapthorne Estate. Celebrating her mother’s birthday and her grandfather, the artist. It’s happening today, I think. Todd will be there with his fiancée—I forget her name. Amelie, that’s right. And Hannah will be there of course. Kristen invited us, and you, which was generous of her.”

Fiancée?

Lily started to shake. “Todd is engaged?”

“Yes. A bit of a whirlwind according to Kristen. They’d only been dating for a few months, and she thought it was casual. Had no idea it was serious and then suddenly they announce that they’re getting married. I’m sure that wedding will be quite an event. Kristen said it was yet another thing for her to organize, although I don’t understand why the responsibility would fall on her. She’s such an impressive woman.”

Lily wasn’t thinking about Kristen. Lily was thinking about Todd.

She imagined Todd in the gardens of Lapthorne Manor with a glass of champagne in his hand, and Amelie gazing up at him with that flirtatious look that fused men’s brains and made them do stupid things, a large diamond glinting on her finger.

Amelie had been the most popular girl in the school. She’d had the highest marks, the fastest time on the running track and the biggest smile. Amelie was the girl most likely to succeed. She was also the girl who had tried to cut off Lily’s ponytail with a pair of scissors. And now she was marrying Todd. Kind, funny, clever Todd.

Todd had broken Lily’s heart, and he didn’t even know it.

Her palms felt sweaty as she tried to focus on the call. “Are you going to the party?”

“No, of course not. Your father wouldn’t know what to say and I wouldn’t know what to wear. They’re your friends really, not ours. Kristen mentioned that Hannah is enjoying her clinical rotation, but you probably know that as she’s your best friend.”

Lily didn’t know that. Lily and Hannah hadn’t spoken since that terrible fight on the night Lily had packed her bags and left medical school for good.

Every time Lily thought of Hannah she wanted to cry. They’d sworn that nothing and no one would ever come between them, and they’d truly believed that.

They’d been wrong.

“I must go, Mom. I’ll be late for work, and I don’t want to let people down.” She winced as she said it, because she was all too aware that she’d let her parents down. “Don’t worry. I’m happy. I like my life.”

“We don’t want you to waste your talents, honey, that’s all. You’re capable of so much. You could be curing cancer—”

Curing cancer? No pressure, then.

“I hated medical school.” The words spilled out of her. “It wasn’t for me.” And the pressure of trying to keep up had almost broken her. She didn’t expect them to understand. They believed that if you were smart enough to be a doctor, why wouldn’t you be one? And she couldn’t figure out how to make her parents proud, but still live the life she wanted to live. “I want to be an artist, Mom. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You know that.”

“I know, but where’s the future in that? Your dad and I just don’t want you to struggle financially as we did. Life can be hard, Lily.”

Lily closed her eyes. She knew that. She knew how hard life could be.

“I’m managing fine. And I’m going to pay you and Dad back.”

“That’s not necessary, honey. We love you and remember there’s a home and a welcome here whenever you need it.”

Lily’s throat felt full. It would be easier to disappoint them if they weren’t so decent. If she didn’t love them so much. “Thanks. Give my love to Dad.”

She ended the call, wondering why big life decisions had to feel so difficult and wondering why, when there were so many people her mother could have bumped into, she’d had to bump into Kristen Buckingham.

Her little bubble of happiness had been punctured.

Todd was engaged. He was going to marry Amelie, and no doubt they’d have two perfect children and a dog and live a long and happy life with not a single bump in the road.

But she wasn’t going to think about that now. And she wasn’t going to think about Hannah. Twice in the last few months she’d almost texted her. Once she’d even typed out a message, but then she’d deleted it. Hannah had been furiously angry with her, and Lily had been angry with Hannah. They’d both been hurt, and Lily had no idea how to move past that hurt. Given that she hadn’t heard from Hannah, presumably she didn’t know, either.

The friendship that they’d believed could never be damaged, had been damaged. Broken. Amelie might as well have taken her scissors to it.

But that was in the past now.

Hannah was living in the city, and Lily was here on the Cape, and even though she’d brought all her emotions with her it was still preferable to being in the smothering atmosphere of her parents’ home. And at least it had been her decision to come here. For the first time ever, she was living the life that was her choice.

She just wished it felt easier.

About the Author:

Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She has sold more than 21 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives with her family near London, England, where the rain frequently keeps her trapped in her office. Visit her at http://www.sarahmorgan.com

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR} Plot Twist by. Erin La Rosa | Book Excerpt

Welcome to the blog tour for Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon!

Title: Plot Twist

Author: Erin La Rosa

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/14/23

Publisher: Canary Street Press

BUY HERE: Harlequin | BookShop.org | Barnes & Noble | Books A Million | Amazon

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

Readers who love books about books will fall for Erin La Rosa’s latest rom com—a friends (with benefits)-to-lovers story about a romance author who’s never been in love, and needs to find out why before her next manuscript is due! For fans of BY THE BOOK and BOOK LOVERS.

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love. Though her debut novel made readers swoon, Sophie’s having trouble getting her new characters to happily-ever-after, and she blames it on her own uninspired love life. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love—and document it all for her millions of new online followers. Which also means facing her ex-girlfriend Carla, the one person Sophie could have loved.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and offers to help. But he doesn’t mention that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol and he intends to keep it that way. His family is Hollywood royalty, so Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

Book Excerpt

Sophie Lyon was not in a good place.

More specifically, she’d had one (or three) too many the night before. So instead of falling asleep on her bed, she was lying on the couch with a paperback book as a makeshift pillow. Her legs were tucked up in the fetal position inside her billowy dress. And as she licked her lips, she tasted vodka and fried chicken, which she didn’t remember drinking or eating.

She attempted to open her eyes, but her lashes stuck together from the makeup she’d forgotten to remove the night before. With the help of her index finger and thumb, she managed to peel one lid open. White-hot summer light poured in through the arched living-room window and her mint green walls, a color she’d specifically chosen for its soothing properties, were mockingly chipper.

But even more unsettling was the book on the coffee table directly in front of her, Whisked Away. Sophie’s first published book. She closed her one good eye and wished she’d never opened it.

Her mom had always dreamed about Sophie filling an entire bookshelf with all her titles, the years of working multiple day jobs while tinkering on romance books finally worth the struggle. But, as it turned out, Whisked Away would be Sophie’s one and only book. Had she known she’d be a one-hit wonder, she wouldn’t have ordered the little placard for her writing desk: Ask Me about My Tropes.

The worst part was that she had sold a follow-up book—or, at least, a pitch plus the first three chapters—but she hadn’t been able to finish The Love Drought (a title so tragically similar to her own personal problems that it made her cringe). She’d been given multiple extensions but missed all of them. And, per her contract, her publisher had the right to terminate their deal if those deadlines weren’t met. But no matter how many drafts she started, Sophie couldn’t find her way to the happily ever after that all romance books promised and that she loved.

The phone call with her agent started with We need to talk… and ended with You have six weeks to finish this book or your contract, plus the advance, will be taken back.

She’d spent most of that advance, though, along with the royalty checks that grew smaller and smaller as interest in her last book waned. She needed money from turning in the next book if she wanted to continue paying for things like food or a place to stay.

She should’ve seen the implosion coming. Her horoscope had warned that the entire month of June would be bad for important communication. But the damage was done: Sophie was a romance author with writer’s block, and in six weeks’ time, she’d lose her publishing deal.

So she’d done the only thing she knew would make her feel better: called Poppy. And her best friend had suggested a night out at their favorite downtown karaoke bar to drown away the loud whir of failure.

She cautiously sat up, then settled her feet into the woven jute rug. Her legs were as firm as Jell-O when she stood. Still, she managed to make it to the hallway mirror, where she saw that her normally side-swept curtain bangs had morphed into Medusa, snakelike tendrils across her forehead, and she had more flakes on her face than her pet goldfish had in his bowl.

She cringed. Rain Boots. Her goldfish was twelve years old and the longest relationship she’d ever had. She planted her hand on the wall for support and shuffled over to her bedroom where a large glass fishbowl sat on her bedside table. Rain Boots swam in the exact middle and blinked at Sophie with large accusatory eyes.

“I’m sorry, honey,” Sophie croaked out. “I know we have our bedtime routine, but Mommy got horribly drunk.”

She tapped the glass with her index finger and waited for a response, but none came. Eventually the silence broke when her doorbell loudly ding-donged and caused her to jump in surprise. The next, and bigger, surprise came when she made her way to the front door and saw her landlord waiting on the porch.

Dash Montrose wasn’t a tall man, but he had presence. Part of that was because he always seemed to be fidgeting—tapping his fingers, shifting his feet, or pacing slightly—but also, he had thick arms with swirling, inky-black tattoos.

It’s not that Sophie had stared at those arms in prior instances but…well, yeah, she probably had.

Still, her first instinct was to hide behind the couch because what the hell was Dash doing there? She and Dash lived next door to each other, but they were not close. In fact, Dash hardly ever acknowledged her existence. He lived in the large house tucked behind her bungalow, but he was always walking away in some kind of a hurry. If she waved, he only ever nodded back. She didn’t think he was intentionally being a jerk, but he clearly had no interest in interacting with her. They hadn’t spoken actual words to each other in at least a few months. She Venmoed him the rent, and sometimes he left a thumbs-up in response. That was the extent of it.

But there he was, in jeans and a T-shirt. What could he want? Did he somehow know her funds were about to run out and he was preemptively evicting her? Sophie avoided confrontation at all costs, but she couldn’t run away from him, not when his face was pressed against the window of her door and he was peering directly at her. She clutched her arms across her chest, extremely aware that she was still dressed in her clothes from the night before, as she made her way to him.

When she opened the door, she was hit not only with the heat from the high sun above but by the sight of Dash’s wet hair slicked around his face. Water trickled down his neck and splotched his faded shirt, like he’d come straight over from a shower. Which meant a few minutes prior he’d been totally naked, covered in soap and water and…

“Hey, uh, whoa.” His voice cut through Sophie’s thoughts. When she glanced up, Dash gave her an uneasy expression, then gestured down the length of her. “What happened…”

She never left the house without a minimum of tinted moisturizer, but of course Dash came on the one day where she closely resembled a Madame Tussauds wax statue melting in the sun. Sophie gently swiped her index finger under her eye, and it came back coated in black liner. Excellent.

“Vodka happened,” she muttered.

She rubbed the liner between her fingers. Something was wrong. Mercury must’ve been in retrograde. If thirteen-year old Sophie had known that she would be renting a place from Dash Montrose—former teen heartthrob movie star turned still hunky landlord—and he was seeing her hungover…she’d be even more embarrassed than she already was. And she’d probably also be delighted. Because Sophie had maaaybe had a photo of him from a magazine cover on her wall when she was growing up. His film Happy Now? was her all-time favorite movie.

She absolutely did not have a crush on adult Dash, though. Well, he was undeniably hot. No point in glossing over that thick, dirty-blond hair, the dimple in his chin, or any of the other tatted-up details. But he was Poppy’s brother and so off-limits that Sophie had built a wall around Dash in her mind. Though bits of the wall appeared to crumble at the sight of his strong jaw and the dark circles under his eyes that made him all the more mysterious to her.

“Poppy asked me to come check on you. She said you weren’t answering your phone.” He glanced behind her, as if searching for a potential thief holding her cell hostage.

“My Poppy?” Sophie had worked at Poppy’s spa, Glow, for years—one of the many day jobs she’d had before quitting to write full-time. Though, now that she had endless writer’s block, she might have to beg for her old job back.

“She’s my sister, so she’s technically our Poppy.” His hands landed in the pockets of his jeans.

Sophie looked behind her to where the phone usually was, and blessedly, while she’d been drunk enough to use a book as a pillow, she’d been just sober enough to plug in her phone. She rubbed at one of her throbbing temples and walked over to her desk, grabbed her phone, then held down the power button and watched the white icon flash back.

As she waited for the phone to boot up, she walked back toward Dash.

“Okay, she wants me to tell you that there’s a video of you going viral?” Dash gestured to his phone, which made his forearm flex and Sophie’s eyes widen in response.

She tried to process what he’d said. She needed an intense boost of caffeine—maybe a matcha—to be able to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. “A video?”

“I don’t know, she said you needed to see it. And that I needed to make sure you saw it.” He shrugged, but the small motion lifted the edge of his shirt up just enough for Sophie to catch a glimpse of his boxers.

Sophie didn’t want to be impolite—Dash was Poppy’s older brother, after all—but what was she supposed to do? She couldn’t so much as look at a candle shop without rushing in to buy one. Dash was the male equivalent of fresh beeswax. She was definitely staring.

Just then, her phone erupted in a series of pings, vibrations, and what sounded like one deafening goose honk. If she owned pearls, she’d be clutching the hell out of them. The screen filled with notifications—emails, texts, missed calls, and push notifications from Instagram—but she pulled up Poppy’s text conversation first.

Soph, are you up?

It’s 10. You never sleep this late.

I’m at work, ARE YOU OK

I’m sending Dash over.

YOU’RE NOT DEAD! YIPPEE!

OK, here’s the vid. Don’t freak out!

Dash’s phone pinged too, he looked down, then sighed. “Did you get it?” He sounded a little irritated.

Sophie frowned at the blurry thumbnail of a woman, but clicked the link, which sent her to the TikTok app. Then, almost immediately, she saw herself reflected on the screen. The video was taken at the karaoke bar, and Sophie was the main event. She stood onstage as the undeniable background music to Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” played. She had requested that song, hadn’t she? The small pieces of her lost-memory puzzle began to click into place.

Only, in the video, she was sobbing, with tears running down her cheeks, as she gazed wild-eyed into the crowd. Poppy ran onto the stage and attempted to coax Sophie off, but Sophie grabbed the mic and shouted, “I’ve never been in love, okay?!” Her voice so angry and vehement that she appeared to be deranged. The person holding the phone zoomed in at that exact moment to capture Sophie’s grimace as she shrieked out, “Love isn’t real!” Then Poppy yanked the mic out of Sophie’s hand and dropped it for her. End of video.

“Stop, stop, stop!” The words screeched out of her as she furiously poked the screen to try and delete the video. Then she remembered this was not her video—someone else had uploaded it. Eventually, her eyes drifted down to the caption, which read Relatable! The video had over two hundred thousand views and thirty thousand likes.

“Oh my holy hot hell.” She was a writer but could not think of any other words in that moment. Her mind raced at the thought of hundreds of thousands of people watching her have a public meltdown and liking it.

Normally, Sophie was an optimist, but after the last twenty-four hours, she was beginning to understand the appeal of pessimism. Her hand instinctively went to her chest and her fingers tap-tap-tapped at her pacemaker—something she always did to steady herself—as she scrolled through the comments and saw that not one but multiple people had recognized her.

Sophie Lyon is FUN

Sophie Lyon is secretly unhinged and it’s sending me

I hated her book, but I like this?

“Just breathe.” Then Dash’s hand was on her back, steady and warm, which momentarily distracted her, but not for long.

The heat outside had intensified to Palm Springs–level boiling and caused Sophie to break out in either hives or a rash. She furiously clawed at her throat with her free hand. She walked away from Dash and down the porch steps. Her bare feet hit the cool blades of grass in her yard, and when she looked up, the iconic Hollywood sign perched in the Santa Monica Mountains shined pearly white in the distance. Seeing those letters from her yard every morning used to make her feel closer to the success she so deeply craved, but now she felt buried under the weight of its implied expectations.

She stumbled, and Dash was next to her within seconds, holding her steady. He grabbed her elbow with one hand, and the other wrapped around her waist to cup her hip. His skin was warm against her, even through her dress. Her stomach flipped, probably from the lingering alcohol. “Sophie, you really need to sit. You look like you’re about to faint—”

The sound of her phone pinging cut him off. And when she looked down, a familiar name flashed across the screen. Carla. Sophie stopped scratching her throat. Her ex. The woman who had single-handedly led her on for close to a year. A year in which Sophie could feel herself beginning to fall head over heels, and then… Carla had ended it and dragged their relationship to the trash. Sophie stared at Carla’s name, and the text underneath, which read Saw the video… As in her ex had seen the video of Sophie having a full-on meltdown.

It was at this moment that she tilted her head back, let the punishing sun burn her eyes, and shouted as loudly as she physically could. When she eventually stopped screaming, her head felt light. The edges of her vision blurred with the realization that she had nothing left, her life was over, and she was completely mortified.

“Seriously, Sophie? My ears are ringing.”

Sophie was so focused on her own humiliation that she must’ve forgotten that Dash was right there.

“Are you on something?” Dash asked.

Sophie frowned. No, she was not on something. She may have been braless, hungover, and hanging by a thread emotionally, but what kind of an accusation was that?

And even if she were on ayahuasca and beginning to see rainbow caticorns encircling her feet—which sounded great, actually—what she did with her body was absolutely none of his business. She paid her rent on time. This was her place. He was the one who’d come bounding over, all wet and wearing a too-tight shirt, and now he had the nerve to suggest she was the one out of line?

She would tell Dash that he needed to leave. But when she opened her mouth to say as much, she felt the bile rise in her throat. Her eyes bulged wide as she closed her mouth and held back something akin to a burp. Dash clocked her panic, and his eyes narrowed. She shook her head, but there was no use. She was definitely going to hurl all over her high-school celebrity crush. And without even being able to call out a warning, she projectile-vomited all over Dash.

About the Author:

Author Bio: ERIN LA ROSA is a writer living in Los Angeles. As a writer for BuzzFeed, she frequently writes about the perils and triumphs of being a redhead. Before BuzzFeed, Erin worked for the comedy websites Funny or Die and MadAtoms, as well as E!s Fashion Police, Wetpaint, and Ecorazzi. Erin has appeared on CNN, Headline News, Jimmy Kimmel, and The Today Show on behalf of BuzzFeed. She is the author of Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book.

Author Website: https://www.erinlarosacreative.com/

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Forget Me Not by. Julie Soto | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Forget Me Not

Author: Julie Soto

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 7/11/23

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-Lit, Romance, Second Chance Romance

An ambitious wedding planner must work with her grumpy florist ex, whose heart she broke, on the most high-profile wedding of her career, in this spicy and emotional romance from popular fanfic author Julie Soto.

He loves me; he loves me not…

Ama Torres loves being a wedding planner. But with a mother who has been married more times than you can count on your fingers, Ama has decided that marriage is not the route for her. But weddings? Weddings are amazing. As a small business owner, she knows how to match her clients with the perfect vendor to give them the wedding of their dreams. Well, almost perfect…

Elliot hates being a florist, most of the time. When his father left him the flower shop, he considered it a burden, but he’s stuck with it. Just like how he’s stuck with the way he proposed to Ama, his main collaborator and girlfriend (or was she?) two years ago. But flowers have grown on him, just like Ama did. And flowers can’t run off and never speak to him again, like Ama did.

When Ama is hired to plan a celebrity wedding that will bring her business national exposure, there’s a catch: Elliot is already contracted to design the flowers. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. Add in a meddling ex-boss, and a reality TV film crew documenting every step of the wedding prep, and Ama and Elliot’s hearts are not only in jeopardy again, but this time, their livelihoods are too.

Content Warning: fear of commitment

I was so excited to read Forget Me Not because I was seeing it every on blogs and I was seeing good things about it! Now that I’ve read it I can see why people loved it so much.

This one is a second chance romance and I love how we are introduced to Ama and Elliot then get peeks into their past. I like how the past scenes built with the tension going on between them in the present day. Also, I love a wedding planner kind of story because it reminds me so much of the movie, The Wedding Planner, which was such a cute rom-com! This story is obviously different from that, but I love the whole wedding planner thing.

And I really love Elliot as a florist! I don’t blame Ama for falling for this guy who is so knowledgeable about flowers and so talented with installations. Yes, he is Mr. Grumpy and she’s Miss Sunshine and I love how she got past his defenses. Their past story is so cute and the heartbreak was sad but I could totally understand both their point of views. I think it makes their second chance romance story even more sweeter! The sparks are there between them and never really went away. They do have some spicy scenes which just adds to their chemistry – but I love the little awkward scenes between them too – I had some laugh out loud moments.

There are a bunch of fun side characters too – the couple who is getting married, Hazel and Jackie area cute couple. And I love how yes, Ama’s mother has had 14 marriages so she’s had a multitude of ex step-siblings, some that she employs! I especially love Mar.

Tropes: second chance romance, grumpy/sunshine

My Final Thoughts:

I love Ama and Elliott’s second chance romance. He’s grumpy, she’s sunshine and the sparks fly between them. I thought their love story was sweet and I love that there was a big wedding to plan while they tried to not bring up their past with one another. If you like wedding planner type of romance stories, you will definitely enjoy this one. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Unfortunately Yours by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Unfortunately Yours (A Vine Mess, #2)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 6/6/23

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-Lit, Romance

A down-on-her-luck Napa heiress suggests a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can’t stand… only to discover there’s a fine line between love and hate.

After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she’s sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she’s ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember? But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him–and kiss him, in equal measure.

August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn’t know jack about making wine. He’s determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy’s legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around… and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door. Natalie has haunted his dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults.

Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways–assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be? There’s just one thing they didn’t account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.

Content Warning: PTSD, grief

If you read Secretly Yours, then you will have met these two characters, Natalie (Julian’s sister) and August, in that story. So this story starts off right away with Natalie and August already going at it with the sexual innuendos, but it’s an enemies to lovers romance so Natalie is always trying to take him down a notch and August likes the torture and tries to match her tit for tat (literally lol). He is obsessed with her breasts – and tells her every chance he gets.

I thought the two of them were so funny because both of them are hot-heads and want to get their way. August is an ex-Navy SEAL so he is a bit intense but funny too. Natalie was intense too when it came to finance – the two of them was chaos at times but fun chaos. And when they finally relieve the sexual tension between its explosive, dirty, loud, and intense as they both are. I thought it was cute how they finally admitted to feelings for one another though.

I think this was the perfect sequel to Secretly Yours and very different from Julian and Hallie. It has the same spice, and more laughs in this one. I do think if you didn’t read the first book, you’d be shocked at how Natalie and August are already off to the races with hating and wanting one another. So just be aware of that if you didn’t read the first book.

Tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience

My Final Thoughts:

I think Natalie and August make a great couple because of how they can set each other down but not be too offended. It’s a turn on for them actually! This story has enough spice to keep things juicy and enough laughs to make you root for the both of them.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Secretly Yours by. Tessa Bailey | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hook, Line and Sinker by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It Happened One Summer by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Place by. Emily Henry | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Happy Place

Author: Emily Henry

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 4/25/23

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-Lit, Romance

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Content Warning: grief, depression

I usually love Emily Henry books and I was excited for this one but maybe I should have read more reviews about it? I didn’t feel this one at all – and I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t in the mood or I just didn’t love the second-chance romance that this story is centered on. Or I wasn’t connecting to the characters? Maybe it was a combination of all of it.

Harriet and Wyn have broken up but they didn’t tell their best friends and they all meet up at their “happy place” at a cottage in Maine for one last hurrah before the cottage gets sold.

I did like Harriet talking about “happy places” in the past – the past chapters start with the place description. I will say sometimes I was confused if I was reading past or present at first. I can relate to the good ‘ol days with my college friends. It’s such a special time when you make new friendships in college that continue after you graduate. And I did love seeing how tight everyone was, even Kimmy who is Cleo’s girlfriend and kind of the newish one to the group – but she fits in. They have lots of memories and you can feel the closeness between all of them.

I also did like how reality sets in for the friends and they acknowledge how maybe they haven’t done a good job at keeping up with one another (because of time differences, space, etc…) since they all live apart now. But this mostly happens at the end of the book. For the most part it’s about Harriet and Wyn. They were together for 8 years and something or lots of things broke them…but we only get all the information later in the book, and that frustrated me. I struggled to read this one.

Harriet and Wyn being together “one last time” maybe felt like this book was about closure, possibly? And I appreciated their truths when it was revealed but why did it take so long to actually say what they wanted or talk about the break-up and how it happened. The communication between these two was driving me crazy but I get it shows how sometimes or LOTS of times, communication is one of the hardest parts of being in a committed relationship. I also didn’t connect to Harriet and Wyn or any of the characters – maybe Chloe is who I liked the most but everyone else? Not really.

A lot of the problems between the couples and friendships were so real in this book which is great but I was maybe hoping for a more lighthearted story because it was called Happy Place! Spoiler, there is a “happy” ending but I wasn’t feeling happy by the end of this lol…just tired.

Tropes: one bed, second chance romance

My Final Thoughts:

There were some things in this book I liked: the college best friends, the realness about friendships that maybe fall apart a little after moving away from one another, and the importance of communication in any worthwhile relationships. Because we see what happens when the communication is stunted – relationships can strain, they can break. But miscommunication in a story can be so frustrating sometimes, and that’s what this book mostly made me feel. I was going to rate it a 2.5 but then bumped it to a three because there were a lot of real issues she brought up in the book that I like, but it just made me feel sad. This one is my least favorite Emily Henry book, but hopefully the next one is better for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Lovers by. Emily Henry | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

People We Meet on Vacation by. Emily Henry | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beach Read by. Emily Henry| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

BLOG TOUR} Main Character Energy by. Jamie Varon | ARC Review

Welcome to the blog tour for Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Main Character Energy

Author: Jamie Varon

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 9/5/23

Publisher: Park Row

BUY HERE: Harpercollins.com | Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

“This book absolutely dazzled me from the opening scene until the very last page. Highly recommend!”
—Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading

“a sparkling debut” -PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Poppy Banks would rather be writing mysteries than writing listicles for her dead-end job at Thought Buzz. But after a series of rejections, she’s ready to accept life on the sidelines as a plus-size woman. Her aunt Margot is the one person unwilling to give up on her niece’s dreams and tells her so at their secret yearly lunches.

But all of Poppy’s beliefs about herself are challenged when her beloved aunt dies and leaves her niece a grand surprise—a trip to her villa in the French Riviera. There, she learns her aunt intends to leave her stunning villa and secretive writer’s residency to Poppy—if she can finish her novel in six months.

When the writing countdown begins, Poppy realizes she has more to confront than her writer’s block. Family drama, complicated romances and self-doubt all threaten to throw her off course. In this fun and heartwarming debut, Poppy must decide if she can live up to her aunt’s—and her own—desire to be the main character in her own life.

Content Warning: Grief

The thing that drew me to this book was the title, Main Character Energy. I knew it was going to be a woman on a self-journey and when I saw that the synopsis mentions the French Riviera, I had to request it.

Poppy feels like she is at a dead-end in life. Her dreams of being a writer is stalled, she doesn’t get support from her family – especially from her mom and Poppy can’t believe this is her life. It is her life, until an opportunity arises after the death of her estranged aunt Margot who passes away. Margot leaves her a chance to be the “main character” in her life and what a chance it is.

The story is set on the French Riviera and I’ve only been to Nice, France once but it is a beautiful place so I could picture Poppy in France and really blossoming and working on her writing and herself really. There is even some romance in the air for her with Oliver, the man who was practically raised by her aunt. I loved the romance, the sense of community at the writing retreat Poppy lives at, and the magical setting of the French Riviera.

I enjoyed Poppy’s self-journey because she has a lot of things to fix. She’s afraid and this opportunity makes her face some fears and push through them. There are a lot of issues she has with her family and it does get resolved. I will say Poppy is forgiving towards her mom, because a relationship like that could have really ended in a “no contact” situation and I wouldn’t blame Poppy at all!

I did feel like some parts of the book felt rushed. Maybe because Poppy goes weeks without talking to Oliver because she’s busy writing but those are time jumps that I felt like rushed the story. Also I did wish for more “main character energy” but I get that Poppy was really new to this and she’s her own person. She made herself the main character in her way, even if it’s not as bold as I was expecting. Other than that though I think this is a great summer read.

About the Author:

Jamie Varon is an author, branding expert, course creator, and graphic designer living in Calabasas, California. Her nonfiction book Radically Content was published in 2022 with Quarto and is currently being adapted into a feature film with Camilu Productions LTD. Main Character Energy is her debut novel.

Author Website: https://www.jamievaron.com/

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Beach Read by. Emily Henry| Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Beach Read

Author: Emily Henry

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 386

Publication Date: 5/19/20

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Adult Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They’re polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no-one will fall in love. Really.

Content Warning: grief, cheating

I’ve read two Emily Henry books and this one is my third and maybe my favorite of the three! It’s summer and I wanted a summer time book and what better book than one named Beach Read and it’s set in summer? This is the perfect summertime beach read and aptly titled.

Gus and January are both authors and in the middle of writing their next books. They both have houses next to one another, but January is there only to pack up and sell the house while trying to get some reading done. She’s dealing with a lot of emotional baggage concerning the passing of her dad and the secret life she never knew he led. She is trying her hardest to figure who her dad was and dealing with his betrayal but also missing him and loving him just the same. Gus has his own issues he’s dealing with too. He didn’t grow up in a happy, stable home like January and that makes him see life differently than January. They are opposites that attract and spending the whole summer together makes them break down boundaries, build trust and love and so much more.

I loved the characters in this book, even Gus who is so tortured. January really is miss sunshine despite everything she is going through and her best friend Shadi is already a true love story. I love their friendship. Gus’ aunt Pete was also a fun side character.

I didn’t feel like this was a rom-com. There were funny moments yes, especially with the way Gus and January interacted but there are heavy issues taking place in this story like grief and parental abuse. This is definitely more women’s fiction than a rom-com. But I loved it. I love that January and Gus both grow from being with one another and letting down their guards. I could relate to her heartbreak and search for the truth about the person she loved.

Quotes from the book:

“…when the world felt dark and scary, love could which you off to go dancing; laughter could take some of the pain away; beauty could punch holes in your fear.”

“He fit so perfectly into the love story I’d imagined for myself that I mistook him for the love of my life.”

“I wanted to know whether you could ever fully know someone.”

“Happy endings don’t happen to everyone. There’s nothing you can do to make someone keep loving you.”

“No matter how much shit, there will always be wildflowers.”

“Unless the world freezes over in a second ice age. And in that case, there will at least be snowflakes, until th ebitter end.”

“The beautiful lies were all gone. Destroyed. And I was still upright.”

Tropes: opposites attract, writer romance

Why you should read it:

characters are complex and there is lots of growth
Gus and January’s relationship, they have fun together and them both being authors challenged the other which was great
themes about marriage, love, friendship, life

Why you might not want to read it:

not a typical rom-com, it deals with some tough topics like grief and infidelity

My Thoughts:

I’m so happy I got to read this one! It was exactly the kind of romance I was in the mood for, something with depth that challenged the characters to grow while they fell in love. January’s journey to making sense of her father’s life also made me tear up. It’s the kind of summer read I was looking for and I’m glad to knock this one off my TBR list. Great book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

People We Meet on Vacation by. Emily Henry | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Lovers by. Emily Henry | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by. Heather Fawcett | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries (#1)

Author: Heather Fawcett

Narrators: Ell Potter, Michael Dodds

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 1/10/23

Categories: Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Romance, Fae

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love, in this heartwarming and enchanting fantasy.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party–or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones–the most elusive of all faeries–lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all–her own heart.

Content Warning: violence

I finally got to finish this book by listening to it as an audiobook. I actually enjoyed reading it but I felt like it was going slowly and not in a bad way. I think because it’s such a cozy, slow moving story which I don’t usually like and I was getting bored reading, but not bored with the story. I just felt like if someone read it to me, it would hold my attention more and it sure did. The narrators are fantastic in this audiobook and definitely sounds like how I imagined Emily Wilde to sound like.

I found her interactions with Wendell so funny because they are such opposites. She’s driven, stubborn, headstrong and ambitious to complete this Encyclopedia of Fairies and Wendell is not. But Emily gets into some situations that become dangerous and she realizes she needs help.

The romance between Emily and Wendell is a slow burn and I thought it was cute when they both finally acknowledge their feelings for one another.

I do feel like there was more action in the end of the book so I enjoyed the second half much more than the first.

Tropes: slow burn

Why you should read it:

great narration
Emily’s investigations and researching of the Faerie world
Emily and Wendell’s slow burn

Why you might not want to read it:

might be too slow and boring for people not into cozy reads

My Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this one more as it was read to be through an audiobook. I actually got 20% into the ebook before I put it down because it was too slow, even though I enjoyed Emily and her adventures learning about the fae. I had a feeling it would work out better for me as an audiobook and I was right. The narrators did a fantastic job and I was much more engaged in the story and even finished it. I adored Emily and Wendell together. I’m not sure if I’ll be reading the sequel but if I am in the mood for a cozy read, then I’ll pick it up.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review: Even The Darkest Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review: All The Wandering Light (Even The Darkest Stars Book 2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Carrie Soto is Back by. Taylor Jenkins Reid | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Carrie Soto is Back

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Narrators: Stacey Gonzalez

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 8/30/2022

Categories: Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction, Sports, Tennis

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.

By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the ‘Battle-Axe’ anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells a story about the cost of greatness and a legendary athlete attempting a comeback.

Content Warning:

This book is about Carrie Soto’s life and how she becomes a tennis star, to lose her top spot and come back and take it again. The audiobook narrator did an amazing job capturing the passion of pro tennis and Carrie strong voice.

I found Carrie fascinating when she was briefly introduced in Malibu Rising. But you don’t need to read that book to read this one. And I’m glad she got her own story. This one is all about Carrie though and her determination, struggles, wins, losses and the part that really touched me – the relationship she has with her father.

I’m not the biggest tennis fan but I’ve had my share of watching it back in the 90’s when I was young. It’s got an appeal to it especially because it’s a battle against one person, but the biggest opponent at times is yourself. There is a little bit of romance, but it isn’t the focus of the book, which was nice. This book is very entertaining as we follow Carrie’s highs and lows and the lessons she learns through it all.

Why you should read it:

well written story – the audiobook is very good
the exciting world of Tennis championships, a come back story
a story about overcoming challenges, a father/daughter story, and the glory of winning

Why you might not want to read it:

not into tennis

My Thoughts:

I didn’t love Malibu Rising because there were too many characters coming and going. But I love that Carrie Soto got her own book because she was one of the characters in Malibu Rising that was intriguing. I’m glad I listened to this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Malibu Rising by. Taylor Jenkins Reid | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hello Stranger by. Katherine Center | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Hello Stranger

Author: Katherine Center

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 7/11/23

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Categories: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary

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!

Sadie Montogmery has had good breaks and bad breaks in her life, but as a struggling artist, all she needs is one lucky break. Things seem to be going her way when she lands one of the coveted finalist spots in a portrait competition. It happens to coincide with a surgery she needs to have. Minor, they say. Less than a week in the hospital they say. Nothing about you will change, they say. Upon recovery, it begins to dawn on Sadie that she can see everything around her, but she can no longer see faces.

Temporary, they say. Lots of people deal with this, they say. As she struggles to cope―and hang onto her artistic dreams―she finds solace in her fourteen-year-old dog, Peanut. Thankfully, she can still see animal faces. When Peanut gets sick, she rushes him to the emergency vet nearby. That’s when she meets veterinarian Dr. Addison. And she’s pleasantly surprised when he asks her on a date. But she doesn’t want anyone to know about her face blindness. Least of all Joe, her obnoxious neighbor who always wears a bowling jacket and seems to know everyone in the building. He’s always there at the most embarrassing but convenient times, and soon, they develop a sort of friendship. But could it be something more?

As Sadie tries to save her career, confront her haunting past, and handle falling in love with two different guys she realizes that happiness can be found in the places―and people― you least expect.

Content Warning: mention of death of a parent, grief, bullying

This book was such a nice surprise especially because the main character is dealing with face blindness and she’s an artist who paints self-portraits!

The romance for the most part worked for me. I thought her romance with Joe was nice as they started as stranger and into friends and then something more. I wasn’t sure how everything would resolve itself in the end but it did – with a lot of explanations.

Aside from the romance, Sadie is also dealing with a lot of things with her family. Her mom passed away, her dad remarried and her step-sister is horrible. She doesn’t have a great relationship with her dad, or any of them. I’m glad Sadie had her best friend and her family to support her though. There was a moment where the family drama came to a head but there wasn’t a happily ever after for that part of Sadie’s life. And what was up with her step-sister Piper? I felt like Piper and Sadie acted like teenagers at times – which at times I thought was weird since they are adults.

I think I had some pacing issues with this one but I think because it wasn’t centered fully on the romance, I wondered why it was taking so long for the romance to get going. In the beginning of the story it’s mostly about Sadie, her accident, and how she was going to compete in the art self-portrait competition. I was wondering where the romance was – but it was there…just not on full display.

I really enjoyed the messages in this story though. I like that Sadie had to see things in a different way, and like her best friend Sue told her, maybe winning the art competition wasn’t the ultimate goal. Sadie was lost without her brain working as it did before, but she also found her way through every challenge which makes for a heart-warming story about growth.

Why you should read it:

Sadie has face blindness and we get to see her navigate her new normal
The romance between Sadie and Joe is sweet

Why you might not want to read it:

Sadie’s family drama – Piper, her stepsister is a bit much

My Thoughts:

It took me awhile to get settled in this one but once I did, I finished it quick. I found it to be a such a cute and unique romance because Sadie’s condition. And how can I not love Joe, who’s someone who loves to help others and he loves animals. He’s a winner and I’m glad he and Sadie get their happily ever after.