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SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews

May 10, 2024

From the publisher:

Book your summer escape with a “mesmerizing mix of mystery and romance” (Publishers Weekly, starred) from the New York Times bestselling author of The Homewreckers and The Newcomer.

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help―including the daughter of her estranged best friend―Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

“Andrews perfectly balances the second chance-romance with the twisty mystery against a beachy backdrop that will please any armchair traveler.” —Publishers Weekly

“A fun, heart-warming, and intriguing summer read. For readers who’d enjoy a blend of friendships (old and new), budding romance, and secrets held within the walls of a hotel that needs rescuing, as in Elin Hilderbrand’s The Hotel Nantucket.” –Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3QxLAHI

I have been starting my beach reading with Mary Kay Andrews for more years than I care to think about, and I must admit I was surprised by this book – I think it may be her best yet. And that is really saying something!

The Saint is a luxury resort with some full time members who live in beautiful homes on the grounds, other members who live nearby but have full use of the facilities, and the guests, visitors who come for a week or two or the summer. This is a family run business, with Traci running the hotel and resort, and her brother-in-law running the real estate side of things. Her sister-in-law is the design specialist, in charge of redecorating as needed, the floral arrangements throughout the resort, and so forth. Traci’s husband, Hoke, has passed away a few years before the book begins, and she misses him. The people who live over the causeway, many of whom work at the Saint, are called the “aint’s,” as in not rich enough to be Saints.

Things haven’t been going all that well at the Saint. It’s difficult to find help because they can’t afford to live in the community, and her chef and guest relations manager, a married couple, are lured away by another resort with “stupid money” and Traci can’t compete with that. In desperation, she turns an old, falling-apart building into a dorm for a handful of staff. She talks her niece, Parrish, into taking the guest relations job, and hires a new waitress, Olivia, away from a neighboring resort. Livvy, as she prefers to be called, is actually the daughter of Traci’s best friend, Shannon, but they’ve been estranged Livvy’s whole life.

Traci and Shannon were definitely “ain’t” and worked as lifeguards at the pool. One summer when they were about 16 years old, a young boy, Hudson, drowned in the pool. Shannon and Traci did everything they could, but Shannon was blamed and fired. There wasn’t much of an investigation as the owners of the property wanted it kept quiet.

Everything is coming together for a successful summer season at the Saint. There are a lot of characters here, but they are well developed, even the secondary characters. I thought the mystery here was going to be an investigation of Hudson’s drowning. His much older half brother has blown into town, gotten a job on the gardening staff, and is asking a lot of questions. But then Parrish is found dead in the party area of the property that the staff has been using since Traci was a teen. The suspense really gets upped after Parrish’s death, and all sorts of people are coming under suspicion.

There is also a romance brewing here that comes to fruition eventually, but it’s the people at the Saint that make this book so compelling. I was so caught up in their lives that I really hated to turn the last page. There are some unexpected twists, lots of red herrings, and Kathy Trochek’s mystery roots* are on full display here. This was a weekend read for me, fast-paced and totally irresistible. I loved it!

*Mary Kay Andrews is actually a pseudonym for Kathy Hogan Trochek. In the 1990s, Trochek wrote a terrific cozy mystery series featuring Callahan Garrity, a cleaning business owner, set in Atlanta, before she morphed into a chick lit, romance, romantic suspense author as MKA. I highly recommend all of her books!

5/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews. St. Martin’s Press (May 7, 2024). ISBN: 978-1250278388. 448p.

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THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT by Carley Fortune

May 10, 2024

From the publisher:

A glorious and tantalizing new escape from #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune.

This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.

Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.

If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.

“The leads have undeniable magnetism, and Fortune avoids the pitfalls of a typical Hallmark ending, instead delivering a truly satisfying happily ever after. Romance fans will devour this.” —Publisher’s Weekly, starred review
https://amzn.to/3wnl8cI

This was a good romance if you can deal with jumping back and forth to different years, which, to be honest, I found a bit confusing at times. But I liked these characters so much that I put that very minor annoyance aside, not to mention I loved the setting – mostly Prince Edward Island, the setting of Anne of Green Gables (and on my bucket list to visit,) with brief forays to Toronto.

Bridget and Lucy are best friends since they met several years earlier. Bridget’s family has a home on Prince Edward Island, and she can’t wait to show Lucy her favorite place, but it comes with a warning – do not fall in love with Bridget’s younger brother, Wolf.

Their first trip there has a bumpy start when Bridget has to leave a day later. She sends Lucy to the island, tells her where to find the hidden key, and plans on meeting her the next morning. Except when Lucy gets to the island, she stops off for a drink and something to eat. There is a gorgeous man shucking oysters at the bar, and their chemistry is off the charts. Lucy ends up going home with Felix and has the best sex of her life. But when she gets up in the morning, she quickly realizes that she is in Bridget’s family home and yep, Felix may be his real name, but everyone calls him Wolf. Lucy is upset and swears Felix to keep it to himself, and he understands.

Felix lives on the island all year round, but his parents have retired and are traveling for most of the time. Eventually, he builds his own home and along with his best friend, builds several cabins to rent out for the summer to the tourists that flock to the island. Meanwhile, Lucy and Bridget come back to the island fairly regularly, and even though Lucy tries to keep her distance from Felix, they inevitably fall back into bed again and again and again. Lucy feels guilty keeping it from Bridget, but she and Felix have an understanding. They both see other people when Lucy is in Toronto, but after a while it just isn’t working for her.

Things come to a head a week before Bridget’s wedding when she runs away to the island. Lucy is a florist whose business is doing her best friend’s wedding, but when Bridget calls, Lucy goes. Hoping she can spend the weekend and then go home to Toronto and get back to work, those plans quickly fall by the wayside. Something is going on with Bridget, but she’s not talking and it’s driving both her brother and her best friend crazy.

Lucy and Felix end up spending quite a bit of time together, and Lucy realizes that she is in love – the one promise she made to Bridget has gone up in flames. But Bridget is so deep into her own issues, she barely notices. With Lucy’s business in Toronto, and Felix’s in PEI, there doesn’t seem to be a way for them to find a future together.

I don’t want to give away any more than to say everyone finds their happy ending here, and it wasn’t altogether unexpected. I really enjoyed this story, and I highly recommend it!

5/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT by Carley Fortune. Berkley (May 7, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593638880. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: THE HUSBANDS by Holly Gramazio

May 7, 2024

From the publisher:

The Husbands delights in asking: how do we navigate life, love, and choice in a world of never-ending options?

When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.

As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA’S APRIL BOOK CLUB PICK • NAMED A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR FROM THE WASHINGTON POST AND THE STAR TRIBUNE

“Delightfully addictive. . . a bottomless champagne flute of a novel” —The Washington Post

“A charming speculative novel about a woman’s difficulty settling on a mate. . . there’s plenty of intelligence and candor in the author’s creative spin on the conundrum of commitment.” —Publishers Weekly

“The plot allows the author to explore current attitudes and approaches to dating and mating from a fresh perspective… A fun take on a big question.” —Kirkus
https://amzn.to/44s8rdu

Cue the Twilight Zone music…

Lauren meets her husband Michael for the first time when she gets home late one night. He’s there, in her apartment. Except she’s not married. Never been married. And not surprisingly, she freaks out a bit.

Luckily, we all have records of our lives that we hold in our hands – our phones. Sure enough, there are lots of pictures with Michael and their wedding and their friends. Her apartment looks better, too. But still, Lauren just doesn’t know what to think about this. Or how to get out of it.

Then she figures out that there is something going on in her attic. When Michael goes up to the attic, a different husband comes down. She tries it again and again and again – one husband goes up, and a new husband comes down. And different aspects of her life also change. She’s usually in the same apartment, but the decor and level of tidiness changes from husband to husband. Once she marries rich and finds out her apartment is now an Airbnb and she lives in an enormous mansion in the English countryside. Her jobs also change – she works for the town council, but sometimes she has other occupations. Once she’s been promoted at her original job. Sometimes there’s more money and sometimes there’s less. Some husbands are better looking, some are kinder or more interesting. She keeps some for only a minute or two, some for a day or two, and a few make it for a few weeks here and there.

Lauren experiences a couple of hundred husbands before the realization hits that she needs to end this endless parade somehow. The ending was unexpected yet not, but this book is really about the journey. It was an interesting read but not really a quick read for me. It took me a few days to get through it, but interestingly, I found myself telling my husband and daughter about it every night at dinner. I don’t usually talk about the books I’m reading unless I either think one or both of them would find it interesting or I just need to bounce my thoughts off someone. They were interested enough to ask questions and engage in conversation, even though neither had read it. This is a book that begs discussion for a lot of reasons, so if your book group is in need of something different, something hopeful instead of depressing (as I find most discussion books,) this is a great option. This compelling read had the most unusual premise and was completely thought provoking, and it topped the Library Reads April book list. Highly recommend!

5/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE HUSBANDS by Holly Gramazio. Doubleday (April 2, 2024). ISBN: 978-0385550611. 352p.

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THE SUMMER WE STARTED OVER by Nancy Thayer

May 3, 2024

From the publisher:

Two sisters reconnect and pursue their dreams on the beautiful island of Nantucket, overcoming life’s challenges and finding new love, in this heartwarming and hopeful novel by New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer.

Eddie Grant is happy with her life and her work as a personal assistant to Dinah Lavender, one of the most famous and renowned romance authors in the business. But being a spectator to notoriety and glamour isn’t as fulfilling as she once thought. Thankfully, Eddie has the perfect excuse for a vacation: Her hardworking younger sister, Barrett, is opening her gift shop on Memorial Day weekend, and could use all the help she can get.

But going home to the beautiful island of Nantucket means facing the family’s difficult past. Shortly after the death of Eddie and Barrett’s brother, their mother left them and their father made the spontaneous decision to buy a small farm. Eddie stayed there for only a year before her family’s grief threatened to consume her as well, and had been living in Manhattan ever since. Now that she is back, Eddie must face all she left behind: her father’s increased eccentricities, which has led to a house bursting at the seams with books; her sister’s resentment over Eddie’s escape; and a past love connection, one that is still undeniable and complicated, all these years later. But the Grant sisters are nothing if not resilient and capable, opening a used bookstore in their father’s abandoned barn to manage his hoarding, and navigating the discovery of a long-buried family secret that will change all of them forever.

In The Summer We Started Over, beloved storyteller Nancy Thayer transports readers with a moving story about family, courage, and the resiliency of young women.

“Thayer, known for her best-selling Nantucket-set novels, offers a heartwarming story timed to kick off the season of beach reads. This newest keeps to Thayer’s key themes, following a family as they reunite and confront the past, along with long-held secrets.”–Library Journal
https://amzn.to/4a0NCHa

Reading a Nancy Thayer book is like hanging out with friends. The characters may be new, but the island of Nantucket is never changing, and the relationships are always heartwarming.

Eddie loves books (anyone relate to that?!) She has landed an awesome job as the personal assistant to a Nora Roberts type romance author, Dinah Lavender, who has written over a hundred books, has a legion of fans, and more money than she knows what to do with. Lucky for Eddie, she is the recipient of some of that spending; first-class vacations (albeit working vacations) around the world, designer clothes and shoes and bags, and the best Manhattan has to offer in fine dining. It’s not a bad life, and Eddie is pretty happy.

Eddie has not had the easiest life; her mom took off, and her brother died in an accident. Her father coped with it all by buying an old farmhouse on Nantucket. Her sister, Barrett, also lives there and has been working and saving her money for years to open her dream business, a high-end shop she calls Nantucket Blues. As opening weekend approaches, Barrett is a nervous wreck, but her sister Eddie is on the way. Eddie convinces Dinah that she is entitled to her own non-working vacation, but she is more than happy to help her sister with the new store. Dinah reluctantly agrees, and Eddie returns to Nantucket.

Shortly thereafter, Dinah becomes obsessed with the idea that she is being stalked until Eddie finally agrees that Dinah can come and stay on Nantucket. Dinah is a big flirt, loves men but hasn’t settled down with anyone. She loves her life and her flings, but meeting Eddie’s father may change that. He is a retired professor trying to write a book and has become something of a hoarder of books in doing his research. A nice touch was Eddie turning their barn into a used bookstore to relieve the clutter in the house.

Eddie runs into her first big flame and is surprised to find those feelings are still there – for both of them. Barrett also has an admirer, actually two, and spends the summer trying them both out. The romances here are sweet and take a back seat to the story of the sisters and their relationship, making this much more women’s fiction than romance.

As with most of Thayer’s books, not a whole lot happens beyond living day to day in a beautiful location with everyone eventually finding their happily ever after. Nantucket is pretty much the star of all of her books, and she writes about it with such love and detail that it makes me feel like I’m there. Maybe someday I’ll get to Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, but until then, at least I have Elin Hilderbrand, Kristan Higgins, and Thayer’s books to transport me. If you enjoy Debbie Macomber or Brenda Novak, Thayer fits in well in their company.

5/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SUMMER WE STARTED OVER by Nancy Thayer. Ballantine Books (April 23, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593724002. 320p.

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TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY by Alexandria Bellefleur

May 3, 2024

From the publisher:

Sparks fly when a lovelorn romance novelist and a divorce lawyer who has sworn off relationships agree to cohost a podcast series offering dating advice to viewers, in Truly, Madly, Deeply, the next steamy queer rom-com from Lambda Literary Award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur.

As a bestselling romance novelist, everyone thinks Truly Livingston is an expert on happily-ever-afters. She’s even signed on to record a podcast sharing relationship advice. Little do they know she feels like an imposter—her parents just announced they’re separating, she caught her fiancé cheating, and her entire view on love has been shaken to the core. Truly hopes the podcast will distract her… until she meets her cohost.

Her first impression of Colin McCory is…hot. But then he opens his extremely kissable mouth. Colin’s view on love just pisses Truly off, even if he does have an annoyingly attractive face. Bickering with a cynical divorce lawyer is the last thing she needs—so she walks out, with no plans to return.

A few days later, Truly is surprised when Colin tracks her down, asking for a fresh start. Truly can’t deny the little thrill she gets from Colin begging, so she reluctantly agrees. As they go from enemies to friends to something else entirely, Truly discovers they have more in common than she ever imagined, including their shared queerness. He’s a genuinely good guy—charming, sweet, and equally as unlucky in love as herself—and there’s something about Colin that drives Truly a little wild. When their attraction reaches a fever pitch, Truly is happy for the first time in years. Yet she can’t help but wonder… is Colin truly, madly, deeply in love with her? Or is it all too good to be true?

“Bellefleur leans gently into the opposites attract trope in this playful contemporary romance. . . The romance itself is swoon-worthy and Bellefleur sensitively handles both protagonists’ bisexuality. The results are both incendiary and super sweet.” — Publishers Weekly

“Bellefleur’s knack for snappy dialogue and engaging character dynamics is on display. . . An irresistible, banter-filled romance.” — Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/3wk2Lpe

Truly Livingston is a bestselling author of a very specific subgenre of romance – queer, historical romance, to be exact. Truly considers herself bisexual, so when she meets Colin, who is also bisexual, they have that in common. Or do they?

It’s probably safe to say that all romance authors love romance themselves, but Truly isn’t in the best place. She was engaged but found out her fiance was cheating, so she ended that relationship. She admires her parents marriage, considers it perfect and something to aspire to, but I had my first inkling that maybe her parents weren’t living in paradise when she mentioned that they never fight. Never. Sure enough, she is heartbroken to learn that they are separating

Truly was invited to be on a hugely successful podcast hosted by Caitlin, a young woman who was really making a name for herself. Caitlin’s brother Colin was also on the podcast with her. Colin is a divorce lawyer, or as he calls himself, a family lawyer. Their banter is off the charts engaging, and Caitlin begs them both to come back on a regular basis to give relationship advice; their differing viewpoints are interesting, and their flirting is next level fun to listen to. Truly is still reeling from her broken engagement and her parents separation, so she doesn’t entirely trust her feelings for Colin, who she thinks is too good looking, if that’s a thing. Nonetheless, they start dating in addition to doing the podcast, and feelings are soon emerging.

Truly comes up with a cute Parent Trap plan to get her parents back together, which added a bit of fun to this romance. I really liked how Truly and Colin were introspective enough to examine their feelings, and watching them grow together into something that feels like it could be forever brings us to the happy ending. This is a steamy romance and a fun one with real emotional depth; another excellent romance from this very popular author.

5/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY by Alexandria Bellefleur. Avon (April 30, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063258532. 336p.

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BookBitch Diary: May 1, 2024

May 1, 2024

As we head into summer – yes, spring is almost over already, at least in Florida – my thoughts turn to beach reads. To some people, that means romances set at the beach, the most literal definition, I guess. To others, it means gripping, compulsively readable thrillers. My personal reading habits have changed over the years.

I started reading thrillers when they first became an alternative to the more traditional mysteries, back in the 1970’s; books like The Boys from Brazil, The Day of the Jackal, The Bourne Identity, The Matarese Circle, and so many more. I loved those books and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The genre kept growing; John Grisham became the king of the legal thriller, and Patricia Highsmith proved women could write thrillers, too. Now it feels like there are more women writing thrillers than men.

Then America changed, became a divided nation, and starting in 2016, every day was a shit show. I needed to escape, escape from the world I was living in, escape into books that guaranteed me a happy ending. I turned to romance.

I had a brief fling with romances when I was in college, but every time I finished a book, I’d want to throw it at my boyfriend. He was a great guy – hell, I married him – but he was only a romantic hero on occasion, otherwise known as real life. For the sake of my relationship, I stopped reading romance and turned back to thrillers.

Now I read mostly romance – I still need those happy endings – but I also read thrillers. I’d rather read the book than see the movie, and many of them are made into movies. I don’t read them every day like I used to, maybe more like one or two a month? And I read women’s fiction/domestic fiction, and historical fiction. An occasional – very occasional – fantasy or the newest genre, romantasy, and even more rarely, sci-fi. Once in a while, I’ll pick up some nonfiction besides cookbooks, which I still like to read (and cook from!)

I’ve had some serious eye issues over the years, and I rarely read a book a day anymore. The eye issues have slowed me down some. But I do read several books a week, and that makes me happy – and I’m looking forward to all the great new beach reads that are heading our way in the next couple of months, starting with my favorite, the absolute Queen of the Beach Read, Mary Kay Andrews. Her newest, Summers at the Saint, comes out May 7, and you can preorder it now. I hope you do – she is the best way to start summer!

Book News

How to shop in used bookstores: 14 tips from a bibliophile

Bring a flashlight and expect to get dirty. Michael Dirda, a used-bookstore connoisseur, shares his shopping tricks.

Google Books Is Indexing AI-Generated Garbage

Google Books is indexing low quality, AI-generated books that will turn up in search results, and could possibly impact Google Ngram viewer, an important tool used by researchers to track language use throughout history.

The moon’s forever library and its landing site. Credit: NASA / Goddard / Arizona State University

There’s a library on the moon now. It might last billions of years.

From ‘Dune’ to Dogecoin, the first true backup of human civilization contains a few surprises.

Food News

We Need to Talk About Trader Joe’s

Behind the bubbly cashiers in Hawaiian shirts, craveable snacks, and bargain-basement prices are questionable business practices that have many food brands crying foul at the company’s blatant and aggressive copycat culture.

I’m not sure what to think about this. I love Trader Joe’s, and I’m sorry they are doing this sort of corporate espionage to create store-branded products. On the other hand, some of these small businesses couldn’t possibly scale up to be a viable vendor for a nationwide chain of grocery stores. Maybe they should just pay some of these artisans an hourly rate for consulting instead of what they are accused of doing here. I’d love to know your thoughts about this – please leave a comment!

Red velvet cake is ‘the color of joy.’ Here’s how it rose into America’s dessert canon.

Other News

It’s a girl!

My son and daughter-in-law were expecting next week, but the little rascal fooled them by making an early appearance. Her big brother is over the moon, as are we! We are thrilled to welcome Sylvie Maya to the family. I can’t wait to meet her in person!

As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.

Thanks to The New York Times and The Washington Post for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers.

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Spotlight Review: EFFIE OLSEN’S SUMMER SPECIAL by Rochelle Bilow

April 30, 2024

From the publisher:

These childhood best friends swore they’d never speak again. But a surprise summer reunion changes everything when it gives them the chance to turn up the heat.

Effie Olsen thought she’d never live on the tiny Maine island where she grew up, but she’s returning from sixteen years as a professional chef in far-flung countries for one summer and one summer only. Her hometown boasts one of the best restaurants in the US, and lucky for her, Brown Butter needs a sous chef. Effie’s eager for a chance at redemption after her last job went up in flames, but reluctant to set down roots in a place that reminds her of the ghosts of her past.

Until, that is, she runs into Ernie Callahan, her onetime best friend who now works in the very same restaurant. Early morning swims and late-night games of truth or dare with Ernie remind her of what she’s been missing while traveling the world. He knows her better than anyone, and it doesn’t hurt that his smile lights her up brighter than the lighthouses dotting the craggy coastline.

But their restaurant has a secret that’s bursting at the seams, and if Effie doesn’t keep it, her job will vanish into the foggy Maine air. As summer draws to a close, her dream job and the perfect guy are both within reach. Her salty seaside hometown might be the key to Effie’s sweet ending…if she can learn to let her heart lead the way in time.

“A much less intense version of The Bear, but with all the same familial bonds and restaurant drama. Bilow, a classically trained chef and food writer, serves up a full dish of romance, humor, and meaty plot, with a perfect portion of sexiness on the side.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Bilow’s sweet and summery sophomore outing delivers a tender second-chance romance…Bilow slowly turns up the heat on the central romance as the protagonists try and fail to stifle their feelings. Readers will have no trouble seeing that these two belong together.”—Publisher’s Weekly
https://amzn.to/3UrJj1U

The Brown Butter restaurant on a tiny island off the Maine Coast has earned one Michelin star. It’s a completely local, farm to table type restaurant, with all the ingredients sourced from the island and Maine itself. Or is it?

Effie left the tiny island as soon as she graduated high school, then went to culinary school and traveled the world, working in a variety of restaurants. She finally landed her dream job as head chef at a fine dining restaurant in San Francisco, but she is completely overwhelmed by all her new responsibilities. Six months in, she gets fired. Completely broke, her father buys her a ticket home, and she moves back into her childhood bedroom. She gets a lucky break when the Brown Butter is in need of a sous chef. She applies and gets the job. After the interview, she goes drinking with Jarrod, the head chef who hired her, and wakes up the next morning half-naked with no memory of the previous night. Jarrod reassures her that nothing happened. Wandering his apartment above the restaurant, she is surprised to see he has a deep freezer. When she opens it, it is full of monkfish. That was my first inkling that trouble was afoot.

Turns out that Jarrod is a nightmare of a boss. He is rude, condescending, and misogynistic, and those are his better qualities. Screaming at the staff is his favorite pastime, or maybe it’s hitting on the wait staff. Effie had only planned to stay for the summer and get back on her feet, so she tries not to get involved. But she can’t help herself. She then gains more insight into what is really happening in the restaurant when Jarrod shows off some Italian truffles. When she questions how they are going to serve a product from Italy in their 100% locally sourced restaurant, he bites her head off and she backs down. That is just the beginning of that issue, however.

One of her co-workers is Ernie, whom she grew up with. They were best friends for most of her life, but as high school graduation approaches, Ernie tells Effie that he loves her, and she freaks out. The friendship is ruined, and they don’t speak for the next sixteen years until Effie moves back. To her surprise, Ernie is as kind to her as he ever was, and he’s grown up to be a really good-looking man. Her attraction surprises her, but as they learn to be friends again, she keeps that in check. They decide to spend their Mondays off together, revisiting many of the places they loved in their youth. Things start getting a bit flirtatious, but Ernie knows she is leaving at the end of the summer. It took him years to get over her when she left the first time, and he has no desire to revisit that kind of pain again.

This is a second chance, small-town, friends-to-lovers romance, and the restaurant setting was just a bonus for me. Apparently, the author is a trained chef and food writer, so the kitchen stuff really rings true. Fans of the TV series, The Bear, will love that aspect; I know I did. This was a compelling romance with great characters I couldn’t help but root for. I missed this author’s first couple of books, but I will be hunting them down. Don’t miss this one!

4/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

EFFIE OLSEN’S SUMMER SPECIAL by Rochelle Bilow. Berkley (April 30, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593547908. 384p.

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JUST FOR SUMMER by Abby Jimenez

April 26, 2024

From the publisher:

Instant #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club Pick!

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

“An emotional tour de force.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“With a perfect sense of literary aplomb and an abundance of deliciously sharp wit, Jimenez continues on an extraordinary upward trajectory with another gorgeously crafted contemporary romance. From moments of irresistible comic charm (a date with rescue kittens from the Bitty Kitty Brigade) to a compelling and compassionate story line that deftly and delicately deals with the impact of trauma on a person’s emotional and physical well-being, Jimenez expertly balances humor and heart in this sublimely satisfying love story.”―Booklist, starred review

This witty, emotion-filled novel from Jimenez isn’t one to just read, it’s one to sink into.―Library Journal, starred review
https://amzn.to/3UdDmFu

Jimenez’s latest may be her best yet, and that’s really saying something. Our main character, Emma, has dealt with so much trauma in her life, mostly from her mother abandoning her over and over again. Eventually, she ends up in foster care and lucks out. Her foster sister, Maddy, becomes her best friend and while Maddy’s moms want to adopt Emma, she is holding out in hopes of her mother coming back.

Over the years, her mother reappears in her life when she needs money, than vanishes again. Emma has no one to rely on besides herself and Maddy. They both become nurses, and they work as traveling nurses. They take short contracts, 6-8 weeks or so, and travel the country that way. Everything Emma owns fits into two suitcases and that’s just how she likes it.

Then, in a weird coincidence, she reads about a man whose ex-girlfriends always find the love of their lives after they break up. He becomes an internet meme and it turns out that Emma has had the same experiences. She messages him, and they start talking and find they really enjoy each other. Emma persuades Maddy to switch their next trip to Hawaii for Minneapolis, so she can meet Justin. They decide to date four times and break up, thereby forcing fate to lead them to their perfect partners. Except, of course, they are perfect for one another. But they both have a lot of baggage to sort through.

Justin lost his father several years earlier, and his mother has recently been convicted of embezzlement and will be leaving for prison shortly. He has three much younger siblings and has taken on guardianship while his mother is away. On the other hand, Emma never dates men with children, it is one of her firm and fast rules. But all the rules seem to fly out the window with this man.

In a horrible turn of events, it turns out their landlord is Neil, the head of surgery at the hospital where they will be working. The women are told he is really awful to the nursing staff. And to complicate things further, Emma’s mom, Amber, shows up and, in the blink of an eye, has moved in with Neil and is back to ignoring Emma. Maddy knows just how bad Emma’s mom can be, and they try to warn Neil but he his happy with her. For now.

Eventually, everything converges into one big dramatic mess, and it seems impossible for anyone to get out unscathed. But just when it seemed like an impossibility for anyone to get a happy ending, Justin and Emma find theirs.

This was such an emotional read. I loved these characters and the way they fit together was just inspiring. There is an author’s note at the end about writing a character with mental illness, and personally, I think she really nailed it here. I loved this book.

4/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JUST FOR SUMMER by Abby Jimenez. Forever (April 2, 2024). ISBN: 978-1538704431. 432p.

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PART OF YOUR WORLD by Abby Jimenez

April 26, 2024

From the publisher:

A refreshingly modern fairy tale and instant New York Times bestseller that Love Hypothesis author Ali Hazelwood hails as “an uplifting, feel-good, romantic read.”

After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.

While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

“The perfect embodiment of romantic joy… This book is an emotional experience that will tick all the boxes for passionate romance fans. A must-read.”―Kirkus, Starred Review

A “layered, soul-stirring romance… Jimenez dexterously tackles class difference and shades her endearing side characters with as much care as her lovable leads. The result is an emotional roller coaster centered on love as a source of empowerment.”―Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

This “flawlessly written contemporary romance is another perfectly calibrated synthesis of richly nuanced characters, blazing sexual chemistry, and sizzling wit deftly infused into an empowering story line …while also offering a subtle wink and nod to the enduring charm of Disney fairy tales.”―Booklist, Starred Review

Book of the Month Club Best Book of the Year finalist

Goodreads Choice Awards finalist

BookPage Magazine Best Books of the Year

Booklist Best Romances of the Year

SheReads Romance Book of the Year Award nomination

https://amzn.to/4dckAag

I cannot believe I missed this book! I’ve read all of her books, including the second book in this series, Yours Truly, and loved it so I’m not sure why I didn’t go back and find this one. It was on my Kindle – I wouldn’t have had to look too hard. The third book in the series, Just for the Summer, just came out (review to follow) and that was the impetus that led me here, to Part of Your World. Better late than never – this is one terrific read.

Alexis is on her way home from a funeral when she swerves to miss a raccoon and ends up in a ditch. She is in the middle of nowhere, a small, rural town two hours from her home in Minneapolis. Luckily, a guy in a truck stops to help, and he tows her out of the ditch. She decides to stop and get something to eat, but this is a seasonal town, and season is over. Nothing is open except a bar featuring lots of golden brown fried food, which she is not in the mood for. Her hero, Daniel, offers to make her something to eat, so she follows him home, where he has a rescue dog in desperate need of training and a baby goat wearing pajamas. Alexis is charmed, and his grilled cheese is delicious.

Alexis is not the type to have a one night stand, as in she’s never had one. But she is coming out of a bad breakup; Daniel is sweet and kind and so good-looking and the complete opposite of her ex. They end up in bed, and she finds out why people do crazy things for great sex, but panics and takes off in the middle of the night.

Daniel is a carpenter and an innkeeper. Alexis is the progeny of Minneapolis’s power couple – both her parents are world-renowned surgeons, as is her twin brother. While Alexis graduated top of her class from Stanford, she is merely an ER doctor, which makes her a failure in her parents’ eyes. The only thing that redeems her is her chief of surgery boyfriend, Neil. Turns out he has been emotionally abusive for most of the seven years they’ve been together, and when he cheats on her, that is the final straw, and she breaks up with him. Her father is incensed and insists they go to couples therapy, but Alexis is done. Her twin will take up the mantle of the latest generation of world-class doctors, and she will do what she loves – help people.

But then her brother informs the family that he has married a pop star and they are living in Cambodia and creating a nonprofit there. That leaves Alexis in charge of the family legacy at the hospital, and her parents think she is failing. Meanwhile, she can’t stop thinking about Daniel.

Alexis escapes her life and goes back to visit Daniel. One thing leads to another and they are seeing each other regularly, talking on the phone daily, and really enjoying one another. Except she always goes to see him, he never gets to visit her world. Alexis decides this is a fling – if her parents wouldn’t accept a rock star daughter-in-law, they certainly will never accept a carpenter. Not to mention that he is ten years younger than she is. But every time she tried to end it, she can’t help but go back to him. They are in love, and she is fighting it every step of the way.

It all comes to a head when she is named chief of the ER, slightly redeeming her to her parents. Daniel shows up with flowers to congratulate her, and her family is aghast by this young, tattooed man in a t-shirt. He leaves, and that is the end. Or is it?

This was a one day read for me, I really loved it. Can’t wait to start Just for the Summer!

On a more personal note, I really related to this relationship. My father was a very wealthy businessman, and he and his wife were snobs of the worst kind. They never approved of my husband, the son of a police officer and a housewife, who came from a different religion, and a very middle-class existence. Except that I did as well; for all his money, I grew up with my single mom who got $100 a month in child support, while my stepbrother and stepsisters reaped the benefits and the money. I cut ties with them more than thirty years ago, and I’ve been very happy and secure in the knowledge that I did what was best for me. Plus I got my happily ever after!

4/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PART OF YOUR WORLD by Abby Jimenez. Forever (April 19, 2022). ISBN: 978-0593723678. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry

April 23, 2024

From the publisher:

Named a Most Anticipated book of 2024 by TIME ∙ The New York Times ∙ Goodreads ∙ Entertainment Weekly ∙ Today.com ∙ Paste ∙ SheReads ∙ BookPage ∙ Woman’s World ∙ The Nerd Daily and more!

A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads —Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

https://amzn.to/4b3yREp

I’ve been a fan of Henry’s since her first book, and she never disappoints. This book takes a crazy situation, makes it crazier, and then somehow it’s all normal after all. This writer has mad skills!

Daphne and Peter are engaged, but when his “best friend” Petra shows up after the bachelor party, Peter doesn’t hesitate for a second. He dumps Daphne and takes off with Petra, his best friend who now decides she wants to be his girlfriend. Except Daphne moved to this small Michigan town for Peter, and she has a great job that she loves as a children’s librarian and Peter gives her a week to move out. She ends up asking Petra’s ex, Miles, if he has room for her, and he does. They are both heartbroken and quickly become friends.

When Daphne and Miles are invited to Petra and Peter’s wedding, they decide to go together. One thing leads to another and Daphne ends up telling Peter that she and Miles are dating. The next thing you know, they really are dating. Everyone gets their happily ever after, but it’s the journey that makes this read so memorable.

Fans of romance subgenres like fake dating, forced proximity, small town romances, and steamy romances have all that to look forward to! Once again Henry gives us a romance with a surprising amount of heart and depth before we get to the happy ending. Highly recommend!

Enjoy this short interview, courtesy of the New York Times —

4/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FUNNY STORY by Emily Henry. Berkley (April 23, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593441282. 400p.