She wants to make him Mr. Holiday. He wants to stay a certified Grinch. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a small-town spicy holiday romance about a guarded cowboy veterinarian and a Christmas-loving optimist who team up for a town holiday competition.
Dr. Noah Lennox lives by three holiday rules—avoid his hometown, cheerful people, and Christmas itself.
But when his beloved grandfather announces he’s retiring and handing the cherished sleigh-ride farm to either Noah or his slick cousin Stephen, the first rule goes out the window. Back home in Evergreen Falls, the veterinarian vows to fight for the farm that means everything to him. The problem is, the town doesn’t exactly welcome its resident Scrooge with open arms.
Except for one very charming holiday enthusiast. Eloise Langston, a sunny tourism bureau hopeful, needs a win to land her dream job—and to pay the rent. Her holly jolly plan? Turn the broody, broad-shouldered grump into a festive front-runner to help the town’s Mr. Holiday Competition draw record crowds.
Transforming a camera-shy cowboy vet into a small-town sweetheart isn’t exactly in her job description—but neither is falling for him.
Soon, Noah and Eloise find themselves tangled in twinkle lights, fake kisses, and one very real attraction. But with the farm’s future at stake, Stephen’s scheming, and Eloise’s career on the line, there’s a blizzard of reasons to put their feelings on ice.
Or will they fight to turn their holiday fling into forever under the mistletoe?
Order the deluxe limited edition of Mistletoe All the Way now—a stunning, collectible paperback edition featuring stenciled edges, only available on the first printing while supplies last!
The prolific Blakely (It Seemed Like a Good Idea) offers a fun, cozy holiday read. Noah is the ultimate Christmas grinch, a veterinarian who has seen the darker side of the season. Eloise has started her own PR business, and is lovably chaotic yet a total powerhouse. She loves everything Christmas and proudly embraces being a “jolly.”
Their goals seem incompatible at first: she is looking to build her business, and he needs to keep his family’s Christmas farm out of his scheming cousin’s hands. Then she delivers the perfect solution: enter Noah in the town’s first-ever Mr. Holiday competition and let Eloise work her magic.
Blake delivers romcom perfection: sharp banter, undeniable chemistry, and a fake relationship that slowly turns genuine and emotional, while providing twin-swap shenanigans, scene-stealing animals, slow-burn tension, and festive spice, all wrapped up in cozy small-town charm. But beneath the holiday fun, there’s real emotional depth; Noah’s grief and Eloise’s desire to be taken seriously make their connection feel authentic and heartfelt.
VERDICT A charming contemporary romcom with strong Hallmark-movie energy in the best possible way. Warm, witty, and impossible to put down.
This first-of-its-kind 15-acre “nature library” near Denver lets you borrow more than 650 outdoors-related items for free and features hands-on play spaces designed to combat screen fatigue.
Spoiler alert! We’re discussing details about Prime Video’s “The Love Hypothesis” (streaming now).Turn away if you haven’t seen it yet and don’t want to know.
A TV host and food writer complained on social media about the prices at a new eatery in Dallas, but chose not to name the place. Then, the restaurant showed up in her comments section.
When roads were impassable and guests couldn’t make it, more than 500 locals showed up with flowers, food, cake and music.
Just FYI, I have a few reviews in the hopper so they will show up as the books publish. Comments are always welcome! Thanks for reading.
Thanks to The New York Times and The Washington Post for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles and recipes, a lovely perk for subscribers!
For fans of the Lovelight series and The Christmas Tree Farm, this cozy Christmas romance follows an overworked publicist who is snowed in at the Honeycrisp Orchard Inn with her nemesis, a sexy brewery owner, for the holidays. The festive spirit, hot chocolate, and six feet of sparkling snowdrifts conspire to turn these enemies into lovers.
Maria never expected to spend Christmas in a small, snow-covered town—but a visit to her best friend Ellie’s Honeycrisp Orchard Inn turns into an unplanned holiday stay when a snowstorm leaves her stranded. The inn feels like stepping into a holiday fairy tale, with twinkling lights, crackling fires, and garlands everywhere, yet Maria can’t help missing her big, loud Italian family. Adding to her frustrations? Jesse, the ruggedly handsome, annoyingly charming brewery owner, who seems to delight in pushing her buttons.
Jesse has enough on his plate managing his bar and helping the inn stay merry for the holidays, but he can’t seem to resist Maria’s city-girl sass. As snow continues to fall and their paths keep crossing, Maria finds herself drawn into the inn’s festive magic and Jesse himself, as he shows her the charm of slowing down and being present in the moment.
With stolen glances under mistletoe and sparks flying by the fireplace, the line between a holiday fling and something deeper blurs.
But when the snow clears, will Maria follow her heart? Perfect for anyone craving snow-kissed romance, holiday warmth, and happily-ever-after magic.
Tropes:
• Enemies to lovers • Forced proximity • City girl x country boy • Quirky locals • Small-town romance
Bowman’s follow-up to The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn is a sweet-and-spicy Christmas romance that reads easily as a standalone. Maria, a stressed-out publicist for a demanding young movie star, is stranded in New York City by a blizzard while trying to get home to California for Christmas, so her best friend Eli invites her to spend the holidays at the Inn on Long Island. When Eli and her husband come down with the flu, Maria pitches in at the sold-out inn—unfortunately, that means working closely with Jesse, the flannel-wearing bartender she’s been avoiding since their rocky first meeting. But as Jesse helps care for a rescued kitten and sincerely apologizes, Maria begins to see him differently.
Their chemistry quickly heats up, though their lives seem headed in opposite directions: Maria is devoted to city life, while Jesse is building his future at the inn. After a passionate New Year’s Eve together, Maria panics and flees to California, leaving Jesse hurt and angry. Months later, fate brings them together again, forcing them to decide if love is worth the risk.
VERDICT: A warm, festive holiday romance filled with small-town charm, humor, and second chances. Perfect for fans of B.K. Borison, Jacqueline Snowe, and Laurie Gilmore.
Welcome to Peachtree Bluff: a sweet, cozy small town where family is everything. The “go-to for elevated beach reads,” (People), Kristy Woodson Harvey, returns just in time for pumpkin spice season.
The air is crisper, the water is calmer, but, when it comes to the Murphy family, nothing is ever quite as simple as it seems.
Youngest sister Emerson is busy planning her dream wedding to Kyle. But her difficulty expanding her family is overshadowing her joy. Pregnant middle sister Sloane and her husband Adam’s dream house has turned into a nightmare. Everything is over time, over budget, and Sloane is over it. Eldest sister Caroline, as always, is there to swoop in and get her sisters’ lives under control. Until her focus is more than a little shifted by Emerson’s hunky costar who manages to sweep her right off her feet—just as her not-quite-ex-husband decides it’s high time he begged Caroline for a second chance.
Matriarch Ansley and her new husband Jack have finally hit their stride. But when a scandal that would affect every single Peachtree Bluff citizen comes to light—and it seems like Jack just might be at the center of it—Ansley questions whether he is actually the man she thought he was.
Through it all, these women must rely on their powerful family bonds, and the quirky characters and small-town charm of the place that, no matter what, always calls them home.
The fifth installment in the Peachtree Bluff series, following Christmas in Peachtree Bluff, may offer some long-awaited closure for fans. Murphy family matriarch Ansley is happily married to her childhood sweetheart Jack — until the town turns on him over a hasty misunderstanding. Meanwhile, each of her daughters faces her own crossroads.
Eldest daughter Caroline is close to finalizing her divorce while holding the family together through their various challenges. Middle daughter Sloane stresses over a never-ending home renovation while pregnant—until Caroline steps in. Youngest sister Emerson is planning her wedding and quietly struggling with infertility, even as her acting career thrives.
When Caroline visits Emerson on set, the co-star falls hard for her — abandoning his womanizer reputation to pursue her seriously. For perhaps the first time, Caroline is in love, even as her ex attempts a reconciliation. In a selfless move, Caroline considers becoming a surrogate for Emerson despite her age and past fertility struggles, while her lifelong instinct to protect her sisters may cost her the relationship she’s finally ready to embrace.
VERDICT Told from multiple perspectives, the story may feel overwhelming to newcomers and is best read in order. Longtime readers will appreciate the emotional depth and interconnected storylines.
It feels like the summer has just flown by! I always thought I’d never retire, just keep working until I couldn’t, but as man plans, God laughs, and here we are. I am enjoying my retirement way more than I ever expected. I’ve been reading, of course, but not reviewing. So I’m trying something new —
Even at a time of anti-immigration politics, there has never been a richer variety of Mexican restaurants in the United States.
Good News
Perhaps the saddest news in August was of Dolly Parton’s passing. Her gifts were extraordinary, and she shared them with the world. This honor is just one of many befitting this amazing woman.
The governor said he is partnering with the airport to get the process going. It comes after a petition to rename the airport after the country icon skyrocketed in support following her death.
So….here we are. Not sure when I’ll be posting again but subscribers will be notified.
Thanks to The New York Times and The Washington Post for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles and recipes, a lovely perk for subscribers!
Comments Off on BookBitch Diary: September 1, 2026 | Ramblings | Permalink Posted by Stacy Alesi
From the bestselling author of I Hope This Finds You Well comes a sharply funny, surprisingly tender novel about a woman stuck in place, her nosy neighbors, and the journey to find where she belongs—with all the heart of a grown-up The Breakfast Club.
Mona thought her living situation was bad… but the real mess is just beginning.
One day is all it takes for Mona’s life to implode. After years of climbing at her marketing firm, she was supposed to be getting promoted and finally moving out of her crumbling apartment building. Instead, she’s jobless, aimless, and still stuck in a space barely big enough for a yoga mat.
Then her eccentric landlady takes a tumble and asks Mona to step in as the building’s reluctant super. The deal is simple: help prep the place for sale, and she can secure the upgrade she’s been chasing. But that’s easier said than done when the neighbors treat “boundaries” as optional. There’s the shouting couple, the mysterious shut-in, a possible panty thief in the laundry room—and Sami, the relentlessly cheerful diner owner who keeps showing up with coffee and unsolicited ideas about community. As Mona gets pulled deeper into the building’s chaos—and closer to the people inside it—she’s forced to confront what, and who, she’s really been trying to outrun. Sometimes, the place you’re desperate to leave is the one that finally shows you who you are.
Wise, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud funny, Natalie Sue’s sophomore novel is a story about burning out, starting over, and finding your people in the most unexpected places—perfect for fans of The Wedding People and Anxious People.
Sue’s second novel (after I Hope This Finds You Well) is a biting, soulful, and deeply funny portrait of modern city life and a life in freefall. After botching a major presentation at work, Mona is placed on six weeks’ leave—and makes things worse by drunkenly vandalizing her own lobby. When her landlady, Irene, is injured, Mona steps in to manage the building and care for her dog. Though she barely knows her neighbors beyond unflattering nicknames, Mona is suddenly responsible for a chaotic cast of tenants. Sami, the charming diner owner next door, is helpful and a good sounding board. Then Irene’s niece offers her a deal: help prepare the building for sale, get a nicer apartment in return. It seems simple—until growing close to the residents makes the cost of that choice impossible to ignore. Wry, heartfelt, and never preachy, the novel captures the disorientation of starting over when everything falls apart.
VERDICT A warm, humorous, and deeply touching novel, book groups will find lots to discuss here. Should appeal to readers who enjoy Fredrik Backman, Shelby Van Pelt, or Elinor Lipman.
Financial and ecological realities tear at the heart of a multigenerational farm family in this debut novel from a “deft and daring” (Los Angeles Times) Whiting Award winner.
Maggie Brandt is finishing her third season as a small-scale organic vegetable farmer in rural Colorado when the Great Recession of 2008 hits. After months of unemployment, her husband, Fish, takes a job with an oil and gas company, a decision that rocks Maggie and their fifteen-year-old daughter, Ozzie, both committed environmentalists. As the community organizes against a suspicious outsider who is buying farmland and water rights throughout the county, Ozzie’s activism escalates toward criminal mischief, and Maggie and her grandmother, Flora, must confront the complicated truths of the past in search of a path forward.
Boyles grounds the threats posed by resource extraction and consolidation of land and water ownership in the wrenching, rich lives of her characters. At once tender and urgent, Appraisals is a moving portrayal of ecological and financial catastrophe, the powerful generational bonds between women, and the fierce impulse to protect the places we love.
Boyles’ debut novel, following her short story collection Site Fidelity, offers a thoughtful look at small family farms struggling to survive. Set in rural Colorado during the 2008 economic downturn, the story centers on Maggie Brandt, who runs a financially strained organic farm with the help of her family and neighbors. Her husband, Fisk, has been laid off but eventually takes a job with the oil and gas company planning a pipeline through the community’s farmland, a compromise that strains his marriage.
As a severe water shortage grips the area, a tech billionaire begins buying up nearby land and water rights, tightening control around the Brandt farm. Maggie is outraged, while Fisk remains pragmatic, focused on paying overdue bills and keeping the peace. Meanwhile, their teenage daughter, Ozzie, becomes an activist, joining forces with classmates and her grandmother to protest the pipeline and those controlling the region’s water, pushing the boundaries of the law.
The novel is deliberately unhurried, rich in imagery that reflects the rhythms of rural life, even as the Brandt family edges toward catastrophe.
VERDICT: A strong choice for readers of literary fiction interested in contemporary farming issues, and well-suited for book discussion groups.
My husband and I were thinking of retiring to Panama, and after exhaustive research, we found Jackie Lange’s Panama Relocation Tours. We were very excited to visit the country and learn about living life as ex-pats in Panama. Jackie promised the unvarnished truth, not a sales pitch, and her tour delivered and then some!
There were about 30 of us on Tour #339, led by our fabulous tour leaders, Allison and John. We felt so lucky to have their guidance on our journey. They shared their knowledge and their personal journeys, making this an invaluable experience. We learned about the visa process, medical care, best practices for moving and finding a rental, how to move pets, and so much more! We met with a lawyer who explained the legal process, and many ex-pats throughout the country who were kind enough to share their stories. We toured an amazing hospital and visited all sorts of stores. The hotels were all comfortable with friendly, responsive staff, and we were fed three fabulous meals a day (yes, I gained three pounds!!!), from hotels to local restaurants. The bus was comfortable, and our driver, Jorge, made us all feel safe.
It truly was a whirlwind seven-day, all-inclusive tour, and surpassed all our expectations. They showed us the good, the bad, and everything in between. So now our plan is to move to Panama sometime next year.
Our original retirement plan, started way back in 2022-2023, was to retire to Portugal. I fell in love with Portugal, found the town I wanted to move to (Braga), and we started planning. Then the Portuguese government started messing with their immigration laws. They changed the Golden Visa from buying a home for $250,000 and getting citizenship to now you have to invest $500,000 in Portugal, not a home, but into a business, or whatever. So basically, pay the government half a million dollars for citizenship. Hard pass on that one. Then they offered a five-year temporary visa that would lead to citizenship, but they just upended that to ten years – even if you’ve been living there for four years and 11 months, you get to wait another five years now. And worst of all, they did away with their ex-pat tax plan, which was a flat tax of 10% in concert with your US taxes, not in addition. They did away with that completely, so now the tax rate for ex-pats is around 27%. The Portuguese people are lovely, but not thrilled with their country being overrun by Americans and Brits. Rents have skyrocketed, especially in the cities, and locals are having a really hard time. I still love Portugal, and would have loved to retire there, but it just isn’t working for us anymore.
Panama has a lot going for it. It’s beautiful, and the people are incredibly kind and friendly. They welcome Americans with a pension, offering a “pensionada visa” if you can show you have Social Security or a pension of at least $1000/month or $1250/per couple. You don’t even have to live there to get the visa. Once you have the permanent visa, the government mandates discounts for seniors – things like 20% off medical, drugs, restaurants, utilities, 25% off airfare anywhere in the world (and the Panama City airport is the main departure hub for most of Central and South America). Discounts on hotels and other things, too, and the government is serious about it – it is strictly enforced.
It is a Spanish-speaking country, so we will all be learning Spanish, but it was our experience that if you make any kind of attempt, they welcome it and will help. Most of the younger people speak English; they start learning in kindergarten, and in the larger ex-pat communities, a lot of the people living there speak English. We had no trouble. For things like banking and government agencies, you can hire “fixers”, local Panamanians who know the system and will help you through it at a very reasonable cost.
I like that it is only a three-hour flight from Miami, and five hours from NY. It is in the same time zone as the East Coast, which is helpful. Their monetary system is based on the US dollar, so no conversion necessary. They do have one dollar coins called Balboas, but still no conversion necessary. They use the same electrical systems as the US, so no converters necessary, which means my KitchenAid Mixer, Cuisinart, and sous vide machine are coming with me!
We are planning to start our journey by applying for our visas in March, and hopefully moving over the summer. We really liked a town called Alto Boquete. It is up in the mountains – quite a change from flat Florida! Because Panama is on the equator, the temperature stays the same year round. They have two seasons, wet and dry, and after living in Florida for so many years, we are used to rain. But the temperature in Alto Boquete is around 75 during the day, and drops down to the 60s at night. Cold for me, but my family loves that! The beaches are an hour or so away, and are beautiful and inexpensive. We saw gorgeous condos for rent on the ocean with all sorts of amenities for $1000-1500 per month. Places that would cost ten times that where we live now. But the temps there stay around 90 and that is too hot for my family, but will be nice for long weekends! We are very excited about all this and will let you know how things are going as we progress.
I love Deb Perelman and Smitten Kitchen, and this is a winner! I usually make it with a short pasta, like rotini or farfalle, and it’s great to riff on; I’ve added halved cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, roasted shrimp – it’s all delicious and super easy!
I’ve also been making all kinds of salads without lettuce (I’ve no interest in cyclospora, thank you very much!) Here are a few that my family loves…
2 lbs tomatoes – use a variety like sun gold, cherry or grape tomatoes, heirlooms, beefsteak, whatever looks good at the market! Halve the small ones, cut up the big ones into bite size pieces. Sprinkle with salt and toss. It can sit while you make dinner, or just add a bit of good olive oil and some balsamic vinegar. Tear up some fresh basil and toss once more. It’s ready to serve! We topped ravioli with this, and it was so good! You can also add fresh mozzarella bocconcini, ciliegine, or pearls. Enjoy!
Just a word about this site: as I enter retirement, I somehow have less time to devote to this blog. I am working on cleaning out forty years of accululated stuff in my house before we move to Panama, and my time is going in different directions. I’ll post when I can, but I’m rethinking the format of what I’ve been doing here and will be recalibrating at some point, sooner rather than later. Thanks for coming along for the ride!
As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.
Thanks to The New York Times for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles and recipes, a lovely perk for subscribers!
New from the beloved New York Times bestselling author of Summers at the Saint and Hello, Summer!
Pack your bags for a summer journey shaped by family secrets, long-buried history, and charming men with Irish accents.
Maeve and Therese Dunigan haven’t spoken in years. Raised under the same roof in Savannah, the two sisters could not be more opposite―Maeve the rule follower, Therese the unapologetic rebel. But when their mother’s death pulls them back together, they inherit more than just grief: a mysterious painting that may be worth millions…if it’s real.
Determined to uncover the truth―and desperately in need of the money―the sisters set out on a journey to Ireland, tracing their family’s roots and the origins of the portrait. What begins as a search for answers soon becomes something deeper―a reckoning with the past, as they uncover secrets that span generations and reshape everything they thought they knew about their family.
With tensions simmering, the two hit the road and find themselves on twisty lanes, in colorful villages, at local pubs, and with handsome men whose gift of the gab is surpassed only by their charm.
Can Maeve and Therese actually survive the journey without killing each other? Join Mary Kay Andrews on a road trip that will entertain you for miles.
“A cozy romp that touches lightly on multiple genres to spin an intriguing tale: murder mystery, IRA art heist, coming-to-America immigrant story, justice for elder financial abuse, dual rom-com narratives, and an earnest story of two sisters learning to appreciate each other again. A delightful tale with vivid characters.” ―Kirkus
“With well-developed characters, a taut plot, and a keen sense of place, this lively tale is perfect for the beach bag.” —Publishers Weekly
“The pacing is consistent throughout the entire story, making the entire reading experience enjoyable. These characters shine under Andrews’s established hand, and their story arc is very satisfying.” —Library Journal
Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors, and this may be her best book yet! Road Trip is the kind of novel that sneaks up on you with its heart.
Sisters Maeve and Therese Dunigan haven’t spoken in years, and for good reason. Maeve is the dutiful one — tightly wound, reliable, the sister who stayed behind in Savannah to care for their mother. Therese is the opposite: impulsive, unapologetic, gone for seven years and only now returning home for the funeral. When they reunite to sort out their mother’s estate, they expect very little — and that’s almost exactly what they get. Instead of an inheritance, they discover their mother quietly mortgaged the family home to bankroll a Texas televangelist. What she left them instead is $9,000 in cash and a strange, legally binding request: travel together to Ireland and uncover the story behind the elegant oil painting that’s hung in their childhood home for generations.
What follows is equal parts mystery and reconciliation. The painting — brought over by their great-grandmother a century ago — may be worth a fortune, and chasing its provenance pulls the sisters into their family’s Irish roots. The story alternates between present-day Ireland and a historical thread that slowly reveals how the portrait became entwined with the Dunigan family in the first place, touching on emigration, hardship, and the pull of home.
The real pleasure here isn’t the treasure hunt, though — it’s watching Maeve and Therese figure each other out. Their relationship starts in old resentment and miscommunication, all sharp edges and unspoken hurt, and gradually softens into something like understanding. Maeve, admittedly, can be grating for long stretches — her rigidity occasionally makes you want to shake her — but that friction is the point. Watching two people who’ve spent years assuming the worst about each other slowly reconsider is genuinely moving.
Ireland itself is practically a character: the small villages, the pubs, the wary-then-welcoming locals of a place like Tarrymore all come alive on the page. The historical sections — following the painting’s journey and the immigrant story behind it — add real weight and texture.
Ultimately, Road Trip is a story about what heritage can heal. It’s about two very different women learning that forgiveness and identity are often found in the same place — sometimes literally, on the other side of an ocean. Warm, satisfying, and easy to sink into, it’s a lovely blend of family saga, light mystery, a touch of romance, and travelogue that will especially appeal to readers who love stories about sisters, secrets, and the past that shapes us. I loved it.
7/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews.St. Martin’s Press (June 2, 2026). ISBN: 978-1250372888. 448p.
A bookseller with a dream of running her beloved bookstore vs. the owner’s out-of-touch grandson who inherits everything. Game on.
From the author of Not in My Book comes another irresistible, bookish contemporary romance.
Ella has grown up at The Last Page, a charming local bookstore in New York City where she now works. Her first kiss was in the women’s health section. A boyfriend dumped her in comedy. The owner is like a second father to her and has begun training her to take over the store. So when he unexpectedly dies and his estranged grandson is left everything in the will, Ella is devastated.
Henry doesn’t know the first thing about running a bookstore. With his aging mom back in Tennessee, he plans to stay in New York just long enough to sell the store and then head back home. What he never could have counted on was the beautiful, funny bookseller who loves The Last Page more than any place in the world—and who sees him as the villain who’s come to ruin her life.
But when it becomes evident that the store is in deep financial trouble and Henry and Ella are both at risk of losing everything, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and team up, despite their very different end goals—and the inconvenient chemistry blossoming between them.
Fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood will adore this rivals-to-friends-to-lovers bookish romance!
“Holt expertly injects their romance with humor while crafting a love letter to book lovers and New York City. This is a charmer.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Holt’s novel has so much to savor: a large cast of lively characters, laugh-out-loud banter, a whimsical bookshop setting, an excellently executed slow-burn enemies-to-lovers storyline, and a bustling backdrop. Recommended for fans of emotional, steamy, bookish romances with strong Latine leads.” —Library Journal, starred review
Ella grew up tucked between the shelves of The Last Page, a tiny New York City bookstore that smelled like old paper, new beginnings, and the man who practically raised her. Leo wasn’t just her boss—he was her second father, her honorary grandfather, her mentor, her person. He taught her how to run the store, how to love it, how to breathe books like oxygen. She was supposed to inherit it one day.
Except she didn’t.
When Leo dies suddenly and leaves the store to his estranged grandson, Ella’s grief curdles into something sharp. Henry doesn’t know the store. He doesn’t know the customers. He doesn’t know her. Yet he’s the one holding the keys to her second home.
Henry, meanwhile, wants nothing more than to get back to Tennessee—back to his mom, his best friend, and a life that makes sense. His plan is simple: get the bookstore in order, sign whatever papers need signing, and head south. But then he meets Ella: beautiful, prickly, funny, and absolutely convinced he’s the villain of her story. Which shouldn’t matter, because he’s leaving… right?
But The Last Page is in trouble—real trouble—and suddenly Henry and Ella are forced into a reluctant partnership. And ignoring their chemistry becomes about as impossible as ignoring a book that keeps calling your name.
And listen… Henry? He’s the kind of shy, hot nerd who wears glasses he actually needs, blushes when Ella teases him, and has the body of someone who definitely played college football. A walking contradiction in the best way. Ella never stood a chance.
Their initial tension is delicious, but what makes this story sing is how quickly they choose vulnerability over miscommunication. No dragged-out drama. No third-act breakup. Just two emotionally mature adults figuring out grief, change, and each other with honesty and care. It’s the kind of romance that makes your chest feel warm.
The bookstore setting wraps everything in cozy charm—found family, stacks of books in every scene, New York magic humming in the background. The contrast between Ella’s lifelong bond with Leo and Henry’s distant, complicated relationship with him adds a quiet emotional thread that ties them together long before they realize they’re on the same team.
Their slow-burn shift from strangers to uneasy allies to friends to lovers feels organic and deeply satisfying. Henry’s protectiveness, Ella’s stubborn independence, the way they learn to take care of each other—it’s tender, grounded, and genuinely swoony. The side characters add texture and humor, making the whole world feel lived-in and real.
The Last Page is a warm hug of a romance—comforting, bookish, emotional, and full of yearning. Predictable in the best way, like a favorite trope done right. A perfect cozy escape, and a love letter to readers who find home in stories.
7/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE LAST PAGE by Katie Holt.Sourcebooks Landmark (November 3, 2026). ISBN: 978-1728264080. 368p.
Posted by Stacy Alesi 
