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Spotlight Review: JANE & EDWARD by Melodie Edwards

March 28, 2023

A Modern Reimagining of Jane Eyre

From the publisher:

This powerful reimagining of Jane Eyre, set in a modern-day law firm, is full of romance and hope as it follows the echoing heartbeats of the classic story.

A former foster kid, Jane has led a solitary life as a waitress in the suburbs, working hard to get by. Tired of years of barely scraping together a living, Jane takes classes to become a legal assistant and shortly after graduating accepts a job offer at a distinguished law firm in downtown Toronto. Everyone at the firm thinks she is destined for failure because her boss is the notoriously difficult Edward Rosen, the majority stakeholder of Rosen, Haythe & Thornfield LLP. But Jane has known far worse trials and refuses to back down when economic freedom is so close at hand.

Edward has never been able to keep an assistant—he’s too loud, too messy, too ill-tempered. There’s something about the quietly competent, delightfully sharp-witted Jane that intrigues him though. As their orbits overlap, their feelings begin to develop—first comes fondness and then something more. But when Edward’s secrets put Jane’s independence in jeopardy, she must face long-ignored ghosts from her past and decide if opening her heart is a risk worth taking.

“Fans of Jane Eyre will enjoy spotting the Easter eggs…More importantly, the love story stays faithful to the original, with the addition of some spice… Edwards’s debut is a retelling that will please both diehard Brontë devotees and contemporary romance readers.” —Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3LLcoT3

As every English major knows, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is a classic for a good reason. While I don’t love it like I love the Austen books, it is a story worth modernizing for sure, and Edwards does a superb job. She keeps all the important plot points yet manages to transform them into a contemporary romance.

Jane lost her father, a renowned professor and author, when she was barely a teenager. Her mother died when she was a baby, and as far as she knows, there is no other family. Unfortunately, her father left no will, no provisions for her or his estate. Jane ends up in foster care until she ages out at 18. Her social worker helps her find a cheap apartment and she finds a job waitressing.

Jane has overheard some co-workers discussing this program to be a legal assistant at a nearby school, and she signs up. Much to her surprise, when she finished the program she is offered a job as assistant to the top partner at a downtown Toronto white-shoe law firm. Edward Rosen has not been able to keep an assistant for more than a few weeks – he is loud, messy, ill-tempered and a bit of a bully. Jane has dealt with worse – hello, foster child here – and to Rosen’s surprise, he doesn’t make her cry or walk out. He is intrigued with his super-organized, smart assistant. That intrigue turns to something more.

Jane eventually realizes she has feelings for her boss, a definite no-no in this corporate environment, and when she finally admits her feelings to him, he reciprocates, much to her surprise. They fall into a hot and heavy romance, but it turns out Edward has a secret that ends up destroying their relationship.

If you are familiar with Jane Eyre, you will guess the secret, but I’m not telling. I really enjoyed this book; the characters are very well developed, more so Jane than Edward, and I liked the way the story played out. My only criticism is that the ending seemed a bit rushed to me, but maybe that was me being sorry it ended! All in all, an excellent read (especially for Jane Eyre fans) and a terrific debut. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author. Let me add that I loved the cover of this book, too – it’s a bit different than the usual contemporary romance covers and serves the story well.

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JANE & EDWARD by Melodie Edwards.‎ Berkley (March 21, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0593440773. 352 p.

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THE WEDDING DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman

March 24, 2023

Mile High Firefighters, Book 1

From the publisher:

My life has always been pretty predictable. Run into burning buildings, save those in distress, be a hero. Shoot the shit with my fireman buddies, come home, and do it all again tomorrow. Little did I know that a random SOS call from a woman stuck in a plaster cast with nothing underneath (I swear I only caught a flash of skin) would throw me for a complete loop.

Until I see the flighty artist again. At my mom’s engagement party. To her dad.

Suddenly the unpredictable woman I couldn’t stop thinking about is my soon-to-be-stepsister. Yeah, the same one I mortified when I accidentally saw her a tiny bit naked. This should make family gatherings way more interesting.

Except when your mom’s as loaded as mine is, you can never fully let your guard down when a guy comes sniffing around. So I can’t help but be suspicious, even though his daughter’s the perfect blend of beautiful and wild. As we spend more time together, prepping for our parents’ wedding, we both agree that maybe there’s nothing wrong with having a little bit of fun in the meantime. But if she knew I was investigating her dad on the side, she would never forgive me…
https://amzn.to/3yUBoQ4

Somehow, I missed this book but read the next two in the series. I liked those so much I hunted this one down, and I’m so glad I did.

This is a really fun read. Tamsen is a young artist who is waitressing to make a living and interning in an art gallery, plus doing her own artwork. She is one busy young woman, so it’s easy to understand how she forgot to oil her skin before covering her torso with plaster to make a mold for her latest piece. But as the plaster dries, she quickly realizes she is in trouble. She calls 911 and three super hot firemen come to her rescue.

Parker loves being a firefighter, and helping out a damsel in distress is all in a day’s work to him. But this damsel really appeals to him. Hitting on someone you’re helping doesn’t feel ethical to him, so he puts off that idea. Until they meet up again – turns out Tamsen’s dad is now engaged to Parker’s mom.

Tamsen lost her mother when she was just a toddler and grew up watching her father struggle on his own. He was a wonderful father, but devastated by losing his wife. Tamsen is really happy he has found someone else to love.

Parker’s father took off when he was a teenager, and was rarely heard from since. His mother is very wealthy and in fact, her first marriage was a society one. She’s come close to marrying again, but both times Parker hired a private investigator to look into those men, and they were bad news. So he hires the same P.I. to investigate her new fiance.

Parker and Tamsen are shocked to find they are going to become step-siblings, and their parents ask them to plan a wedding shower for them. Their attraction to one another is so strong that they can’t put it aside, and Tamsen comes up with the idea of just getting it out of their system – keep it fast and fun and end it. Neither one of them is interested in a relationship but you know that it’s only a matter of time.

This book was a bit uneven for me, and I liked the two that followed more. Nonetheless, I’m glad I went back and read this one. The books all stand alone, but I enjoyed reading them all.

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE WEDDING DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman. Entangled: Amara (May 17, 2021). ISBN:‎ 979-8504056166. 280p.

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IN ISABEAU’S EYES by Lora Leigh

March 24, 2023

Kentucky Nights, Book 1

From the publisher:

The first novel in a new series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh—you’ve met the Mackays; now it’s time to meet their friends.

Danger is stalking Isabeau Boudreaux. After the deaths of her parents ten years ago during a violent attack that left her blind, remnants of her vision are returning. But a series of accidents has convinced her friends the Mackays of Somerset, Kentucky, that someone wants her dead. When a roadside blowout proves to be almost fatal for Isabeau and her good friend Angel, Angel’s brother mercenary Tracker Calloway knows this was no accident.

After a particularly bloody job, the last thing Tracker wants to do is get involved. But whoever is after Isabeau almost hurt his sister, and Isabeau is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Tracker is determined to protect her but knows staying away from Isabeau is impossible. He begins a steady seduction to tempt the innocent woman into a world of hunger like she could have never imagined. And keeping her is the only option—if he can save her from an unknown enemy as her sight begins to slowly return.
https://amzn.to/40p0PVS

This was a different sort of read for me; the best way I can describe is that it’s an erotic romantic thriller! Isabeau is blind, and her brother and his best friends treat her as a fragile object. Isabeau was blinded when her father killed her mother, shot her in the head, then killed himself. She has had several “accidents” since the murder, and has escaped each time. But when her friend Angel’s driving her to a party, someone shoots out the tire, but somehow Angel manages to keep the car on the road until it is safe to pull over.

Angel’s brother Tracker is a mercenary and has experienced enough horror in his life to protect his heart at all costs. Until he meets Isabeau. He is very observant, and quickly realizes that she is not completely blind. He also thinks she is beautiful and wants her in his bed. He quickly seduces her, but it goes beyond sex. She feels safe with him. She is warned to protect her heart as he is not the type to stick around. and she tries. But as her sight slowly returns, more “accidents” keep happening, and Tracker realizes the killer is closing in.

Isabeau could never understand how her father, who was so loving and kind to her and her mother, could have done what she was told. But even Tracker doubts the story – why would someone else be trying to kill her if the man who shot her was already dead? It makes no sense but he will figure it out – eventually.

There is violence throughout the story and a lot of very explicit sex. I finished the book, but I doubt I’d read another in this series; it’s all a bit too much for me but it is a page-turner for sure.

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

IN ISABEAU’S EYES by Lora Leigh. Berkley (March 21, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0399583872. 288p.

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Spotlight Review: THE WEDDING AT MOONGLOW BAY by Lori Wilde

March 21, 2023

Moonglow Cove, Book 4

From the publisher:

A wedding brings a shocking surprise in New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde’s newest Moonglow Cove novel. Perfect for fans of Susan Wiggs, Jill Shalvis, and Robyn Carr.

It wasn’t the wedding night she’d expected!

When Samantha said “I do” to Luca Ginelli, she knew she’d found a reliable soulmate—a strong, sexy man who’d stand beside her through thick and thin. And so she’d started her wedding day filled with joyful expectation, only to have her dreams shattered when the man she married years before shocking, unexpectedly, reappears, insisting she was still his wife!

Seven years before, Luca’s brother, Nick, had stubbornly set off in a sailing adventure, ignoring the pleas of his young bride and all common sense. He’d disappeared without a trace; everyone thought he was dead—but now he’s expecting to pick up where they’d left off. He’d once been Samantha’s “lightning strike,”—the person you know is the one from the moment you first see them.

But seven years is a long time and so much has changed. Now Samantha is faced with an impossible choice and no matter which decision she makes, it threatens to shred the very fabric of the one thing she holds most dear—family.

“Fans of Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery will relish the complex family relationships Wilde creates.” — Booklist
https://amzn.to/3FB7vbt

Lori Wilde is an author I always read, and this unusual story was unputdownable. Samantha is all set to marry Luca Ginelli in a beach wedding in this small town, which would be an unconventional way to start a romance – except this is not her first wedding. Her first wedding was to Nick Ginelli, Luca’s younger brother. But this isn’t a book version of While You Were Sleeping; Nick has just been declared dead after being lost at sea for seven years.

Turns out Luca has been deeply attracted to Samantha since she was in high school, but he was several years older and his brother had declared his intentions the first time they met. Luca stepped aside, and after Nick married her, Luca moved as far away as he could get, to Alaska. But with Nick’s disappearance and his father’s subsequent stroke, Luca has moved back to Moonglow Bay to take over running the family restaurant. Samantha does the books, and over the seven months or so that they work together, they start dating, and they fall in love. They decide to wait for their wedding night to consummate the relationship, and the wedding is scheduled right after Nick has met the legal standard to be declared dead.

I don’t think it is a spoiler to say that Nick is rescued and returned home that night, sending Samantha spiraling down an emotional rollercoaster. Nick was her first love, and she is torn between what she felt for him and what she currently feels for his brother. This is a complicated triangle, to say the least, but in Wilde’s competent and creative hands, we are led gently along for the ride. It was an engrossing read that leads to an ending that is not a surprise but is satisfying. Family relationships can be fraught, and I really liked the way this was handled. While this is the fourth book of a series, it easily stands alone. Highly recommend!

I also want to add that I loved that every chapter started with a quote about love – some were really meaningful to me and some were sort of sad. I especially loved these two:

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves. – Victor Hugo

Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. – Robert A. Heinlein

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE WEDDING AT MOONGLOW BAY by Lori Wilde. ‎ Avon (March 21, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0063135901416. 368 p.

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THE LOVE WAGER by Lynn Painter

March 17, 2023

Mr. Wrong Number, Book 2

From the publisher:

Two people make a wager on who can find love first, not realizing what they should be betting on is each other, in this new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of Mr. Wrong Number.

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

“Painter follows up Mr. Wrong Number with an equally cute friends to lovers romance…Their equally filthy sense of humor makes their connection feel real and their game of constant one-upmanship is a lot of fun. Painter’s fans won’t be disappointed.”—Publishers Weekly

“A fun, flirty, and timely read from Painter (Mr. Wrong Number), with likable characters to boot.”—Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3n1OEzS

I loved Mr. Wrong Number, so I was thrilled to get this new book, and it did not disappoint. This was laugh-out-loud funny, sweet, a bit sexy, and totally unputdownable. This book is the second book in the series; the first book revolved around Olivia, and this book is about her brother, Jack. That said, this book stands alone easily, and I didn’t even realize it was a sequel until I saw the series title on Goodreads.

Jack meets Hallie at his sister’s wedding, and they have such amazing chemistry that they end up drunk and in bed together. Hallie is not usually a one-night-stand sort of girl, so when she wakes up to find herself in bed with Jack, she decides to sneak out of the room and try and forget about it.

Jack’s sister signs him up on a dating app and when Hallie joins the app, he is the first one she sees. They start messaging in the app, then off the app, and decide to be each other’s wingman. They also make a wager to see who finds love, the “one”, first. They set up dates with their app matches, but at the same place and time so they can bail each other out and go get tacos if things aren’t going well. That leads to a lot of tacos until Hallie meets Alex.

Alex is a good looking man and the first one that Hallie feels comfortable with. She likes him, he seems kind, and they have fun together, which is driving Jack nuts. Hallie and Jack have become best friends – or is it more? When Hallie needs a last minute date for a family wedding, Jack happily steps in and agrees to be the perfect boyfriend/wedding date, reminiscent of one of my favorite romcoms with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney, The Wedding Date. Jack and Hallie have fallen in love, but neither wants to pull the plug on their friendship for a shot of romance – until they just can’t help themselves.

This is a terrific romcom with a bit of heat and a lot of laughs, and Painter is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. If you are looking for a really fun read, you’ve found your book. Don’t miss it!

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE LOVE WAGER by Lynn Painter. Berkley (March 14, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0593437285. 320p.

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Spotlight Review: THE SISTER EFFECT by Susan Mallery

March 14, 2023

From the publisher:

Beloved bestselling author Susan Mallery brings readers an emotional, witty, and heartfelt story that explores the nuances of a broken family’s complex emotions as they strive to become whole in this uplifting story of human frailty and resilience.

Finley McGowan is determined that the niece she’s raising will always feel loved and wanted. Unlike how she felt after her mom left to pursue a dream of stardom, and when the grandfather who was left to raise them abandoned her and her sister, Sloane, when they needed him most. Finley reacted to her chaotic childhood by walking the straight and narrow—nose down, work hard, follow the rules.

Sloane went the other way.

Now Sloane is back, as beautiful and as damaged as ever…and she wants a relationship with her daughter. She says she’s changed, but Finley’s heart has been burned once too often for her to trust easily. But is her reluctance to forgive really about Sloane or worry over losing what she loves the most? With the help of a man who knows all too well how messy families can be, Finley will learn there’s joy in surrendering and peace in letting go.

“Mallery beautifully illustrates the power of female friendship and the importance of reaching for one’s dreams.”—Publishers Weekly

“Mallery is an expert at writing about strong women, their friendships, and their romances.” —Booklist
https://amzn.to/407bR1T

Susan Mallery is one of my favorite authors, and this book is a good example of why. The sisters are Sloane, a recovering alcoholic, and Finley, who is raising Sloane’s daughter. Sloane hit rock bottom after she stole Finley’s work truck with over a $100,000 worth of plumbing fixtures, sold them for pennies, and crashed the truck. She dried out in prison and when she got out, she started working the AA program. Her ex was killed and that’s how Finley ended up with her niece, and after she paid back her boss for the stolen fixtures by maxing out her credit cards, they end up living with Finley’s mother, Molly.

Molly floated in and out of her daughters’ lives in her pursuit of stardom. Her father, Lester, was the stabilizing influence in their lives until her mother decided to return home permanently. She forced the girls to choose between her and their grandfather, and he was so hurt that they chose their mom that he disappeared from their lives altogether. Until he got old and sick, and Molly decided to take him in.

Finley is a plumber and meets the owner of the construction company that is building this new neighborhood that she is working in. Jericho is a really nice guy, not to mention good looking, who has some family troubles of his own. His wife and his brother had an affair, he got divorced and stopped talking to both of them, but his mother is not happy about that. When his ex announces she is pregnant and they are getting married, his brother has the nerve to ask him to be his best man. He refuses, but eventually his mother wears him down.

Finley and Jericho become friends, commiserating with each other about their horrible families. Eventually, they become more than friends, but while their romance is a subplot here, the real story is about the sisters. Finley has a lot of resentment about her life, with good reason. She feels like she has always done the right thing, but all this horrible stuff happens to her. She is not interested in her sister’s sobriety other than making sure her niece is kept safe. We learn a lot about alcoholism and the toll it takes on the family in this moving, emotional read. I fell into this story and couldn’t stop turning the pages. I was rooting for everyone to find their happy ending, and they did. I loved this unputdownable read that is perfect for book discussion. Don’t miss it!

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SISTER EFFECT by Susan Mallery. HQN; Original edition (March 7, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1335448644. 416p.

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Spotlight Review: NOT THAT KIND OF EVER AFTER by Luci Adams

March 14, 2023

From the publisher:

Fairytale meets feminism in Luci Adams’s Not That Kind of Ever After, a frothy adventure of one woman’s journey to claim happily ever after in times of serial dating, swiping right, and the quest to find your soulmate.

Bella Marble’s life isn’t what she imagined. Instead of an author, she’s receptionist at a small press. Instead of happily married, she’s single, and her lovey-dovey parents are divorcing. And to top it off, her best friend of twenty-nine years, Ellie Mathews, is moving out and marrying the heinously boring Mark. (He’s not worthy of her. No one could be). Bella feels rudderless, only slightly soothed by time spent with Ellie’s (not hot) brother, (he’s not hot) Marty (okay, he’s hot. But he’s also the aggravating brother she never had―right)?

When Marty recommends Bella stop looking for “the one” and just have fun, Bella finds a new, empowered side of herself. But when she posts a fairy-tale retelling of a disastrous one night stand on a storytelling app, all of a sudden, Bella has become @B.Enchanted. And she’s gone viral.

Now, Bella’s in a fight with Ellie, her new roommates are so, deeply, weird, and the pressure is mounting to find new fairy tales to write about―but she’s got to live them first.
https://amzn.to/3KVPje9

Luci Adams’ debut novel is a British rom-com with quirky characters finding their happily ever afters. Bella is not yet 30 and is struggling with her parent’s impending divorce, her job as a receptionist in a small publishing house when she really wants to be a writer, her best friend Elle’s engagement to a boring, unworthy man, some very odd roommates, and a sad dating life. Elle’s brother Marty suggests she stop looking for the “one” and just have some fun, which leads her to turn bad one-night stands into funny fairy tales on a Wattpad-type website. No one is more surprised than Bella to find her stories are going viral. Bella should be happy, but she misses her best friend, and the one-night stands are getting old. Luckily, she has Marty on her side, but it takes a while for her to figure out he wants to be more than just friends – and so does she. There are lots of laughs, some angst, and a few surprises before the satisfying ending.

Verdict: This book is a charming British romantic comedy that should appeal to fans of Sophie Cousens, Josie Silver, or Christina Lauren.

©Library Journal, 2023

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NOT THAT KIND OF EVER AFTER by Luci Adams. St. Martin’s Griffin (March 14, 2023). ISBN: 978-1250842206. 400p.

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THE FIREFIGHTERS DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman

March 10, 2023

Mile High Firefighters, Book 3

From the publisher:

Firefighter Stephanie Díaz won’t let anyone stop her from becoming the youngest female fire chief in Denver. Not the jerks who’d like to see an ambitious Latine woman admit defeat. Not the ultra-bro firefighters she has to work with. And definitely not her ridiculously hot and often infuriating, fellow firefighter Eli Ward. Now Stephanie has the chance to prove to everyone that she’s got what it takes…but there’s one helluva catch.

The Battle of the First Responders is a live, balls-out competition in the secluded Rockies and Stephanie has been selected—along with Ward as her partner. On the line are their reputations, a whole lot of cash…and the promotion they’ve been fighting for. Teaming up is the perfect chance to finally settle their never ending one-upmanship, but it also exposes the smoldering attraction they’ve held at bay.

Now their days are fueled by a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled competition. Their nights are filled with sizzling deep kisses that steal her breath away. But this sexy little fling is about to set off a five-alarm blaze she can’t control…
https://amzn.to/420yW88

I read the second book in this series, The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman, and really enjoyed it so I’m not sure why I didn’t read the first book, The Wedding Dilemma – maybe my library didn’t have it? I’m going to do a deeper dive and try and find it. I feel confident in saying that these books stand alone because while I was reading this new one, I didn’t even realize it was part of a series. Well done, Ms. Ankenman!

This is a really fun read. Stephanie is a career firefighter who is looking to move up. Eli is a legacy; his father and grandfather were both chiefs in the fire department. Before his father passed away, Eli promised him he’d follow in his footsteps, so he is determined to move up and eventually become chief. Stephanie and Eli work really well together, but that’s only because Eli is holding back his feelings for her.

Stephanie had a really bad experience in her previous job when she dated another firefighter. Things went south and it all landed on her, prompting her to move halfway across the country to Colorado, and she swore she’d never date a co-worker again. Eli is well aware of her rule, so keeps his feelings to himself. Until their chief picks them to enter a new online reality show pitting first responders against one another.

Eli and Stephanie are both supercompetitive, and the chief has made it clear that whoever ends up on top in the competition will get a promotion, so there is a lot at stake here for both of them. Things get more complicated when they find out their living arrangements for the two weeks of filming – they’ll be sharing a small cabin. Yes, it has two bedrooms, but they still will be together 24/7, and Eli isn’t sure how he’s going to hold back.

What he doesn’t know is that Stephanie also has feelings for him, but she is tamping them down hard. As the competition heats up, so does their relationship. It is obvious to everyone there that there is something happening between them, but they are both in deep denial until they finally give in.

There are some hurdles along the way, but Stephanie & Eli find their happily ever after. This was a fun, forced-proximity type romance with some heat and a lot of laughs…and the hot firemen are just a bonus!

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE FIREFIGHTERS DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman. Entangled: Amara (February 27, 2023). ISBN:‎ 979-8378520558. 290p.

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FOR TWICE IN MY LIFE by Annette Christie

March 10, 2023

From the publisher:

A second try at love becomes more than one woman bargained for in this “timeless, enchanting” rom-com from the author of The Rehearsals (Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author).

Can one little lie lead to a big second chance?

Layla’s chaotic life transformed when she met Ian Barnett. Ambitious, committed, and thoughtful, Ian has been everything she’d dreamed of, and she knows he’d say the same of her. So when he breaks up with her out of the blue, Layla is stunned. What went wrong?

But then, Layla gets a call from the local hospital. Ian’s had a biking accident. He’s okay, but he needs someone—his someone—to get him home safely. As it becomes clear Ian doesn’t remember he ended things, it also becomes clear that the accident has given him a new outlook on life . . . and Layla a second chance to get things right.

That is, until Ian’s younger brother comes to town. Matt is restless, unpredictable, and threatens to upset the careful balance Layla and Ian have rebuilt. As things get more complicated both at home and at work, Layla realizes she might lose her chance at real love—and real happiness—if she doesn’t come clean about the stories she’s been telling: to Ian, to Matt, to her family, and most importantly, to herself.

“Second chances take center stage in this cute contemporary . . . Christie does a good job fleshing out Layla’s backstory so that readers will sympathize with her despite her deception. This is a charmer.”―Publishers Weekly

“A clever take on While You Were Sleeping . . . Christie deftly upends romantic comedy tropes. Her characters are complex and realistic, even in heightened situations. A unique love story that will keep readers guessing.”―Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/3ytAZ7e

When I saw the comparison to While You Were Sleeping, one of my favorite movies, I was all in. This book lacks the sweetness of that movie and it has a lot more crazy going on, but it is an apt comparison and an enjoyable read – once I got a handle on the main character, Layla.

Let me backtrack a tiny bit and say I just loved that Layla and her siblings were all named after 1970’s songs; Jude, Rhiannon, and so forth. Layla is a complex character and reveals herself bit by tantalizing bit. I don’t want to give anything away because that’s half the fun of this book. We quickly learn that she works for a small local theater as an administrative assistant, has a bad relationship in her past, is the youngest of a big family, all of whom are coupled up, and she generally feels like a failure in a myriad of ways. She is also a huge fan of the Rat Pack, Audrey Hepburn, and is a total romantic at heart.

We also learn that Layla was dumped two weeks previously by Ian, because they weren’t spending enough time together. They both have busy work lives, but that explanation just haunts Layla and she can’t understand it. So when she receives a phone call from the hospital saying that she is the emergency contact for Ian, she rushed over there to find he was in bicycle accident and has a concussion – and doesn’t remember breaking up with her. As far as Ian’s concerned, they are still happily dating. Layla shakes off her misery over the breakup and grabs this second chance with both hands. But can you build a lasting relationship on a lie?

The accident has changed Ian in other ways. He is no longer entirely work-driven, and he wants to make amends with his younger brother Matt, a wastrel that has spent years wandering around the country and couch surfing. Or so he thinks. He invites Matt to come stay with him and is surprised when he accepts. But Matt is quite withdrawn and surly with Ian, and he drives Layla nuts.

Turns out Matt had written a blog about his wanderings that was turned into a streaming TV show. Unfortunately he was fired after the first season leading Ian to think he is a failure. But when Layla’s theater has to drop their upcoming “emerging playwright” due to a scandal. they are desperate to find another writer. With only a month until the show is supposed to open, they leap at the chance Layla is offering – Matt. Of course she has to talk him into it and who knows if he can even write a play.

Ian and Layla continue dating, Layla spends more time with Matt to eventually realize that she can be completely herself with him, while she continues to hide things from Ian. If you’ve seen While You Were Sleeping, you know how it ends, and if not. enjoy the surprise! I must admit it took me a while to get through it; it slogs a bit through the middle but all in all, it was a fun read and I recommend it.

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FOR TWICE IN MY LIFE by Annette Christie. Little, Brown and Company (February 7, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0316451031. 320p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

Spotlight Review: JOHANNA PORTER IS NOT SORRY by Sara Read

March 7, 2023

From the publisher:

The headlines dubbed it the art heist of the decade…

Twenty years ago, Johanna Porter was a rising star in the art world. Now she’s an unknown soccer mom. When an invitation arrives for an elite gallery opening for her former lover, the great Nestor Pinedo, Johanna wants to throw it in the trash where it belongs. But with some styling help from her daughter, she makes an appearance and comes face-to-face with the woman she was before the powerful and jealous Nestor ruined her.

La Rosa Blanca is a portrait of Johanna herself, young and fierce and fearless—a masterwork with a price tag to match. When she cuts it out of its frame, rolls it up and walks out, Johanna is only taking back what was stolen from her.

Hiding out with La Rosa Blanca in a shack on the Chesapeake Bay, Johanna digs into the raw work of reviving her own skills while battling novice-thief paranoia, impostor syndrome and mom guilt. But Johanna doesn’t just want the painting—she wants to paint again. To harness her powerful talent, she must defy everyone’s expectations—most of all her own—for what a woman like her should be.

“Debut novelist Read has created a thoroughly sympathetic character in this witty, quick, and emotionally turbulent tale that will have readers cheering for Johanna well after the last page.”
—BOOKLIST
https://amzn.to/3JhjgpK

I am almost hesitant to call this a debut as I’ve been burned on this before, but that’s what the publicist said so I’m going with it. I do not want to find out that this is just a pseudonym for someone who writes in other genres or used to write young adult and has pivoted to adult fare or whatever crazy reason the publisher decided to make this a debut. If you call it a debut, it better be their very first book of any kind (short stories don’t count.)

So this was a hard book to quantify. It starts off with Johanna complaining about how she used to be an artist twenty years earlier, and now she has been invited to some fancy, snooty art show featuring her mentor/lover, Nestor Pinedo, of the past. Since his daughter, Pilar, invited her, she decides to go as she has some kind of score to settle with the two of them – and she does.

One of Pinedo’s most famous paintings is of Johanna when she was just 23 years old, and it’s called La Rosa Blanca. At that party, Johanna manages to steal the painting. She just doesn’t want him to have it anymore. This is kind of a problem since the painting is valued at several million dollars. She starts panicking almost as soon as she does it, and she decides to go on the lam, of sorts; she and her ex share custody of their 16-year-old daughter so she can’t really disappear. But she can drive out to her dad’s old house on the lake. He moved to Florida and she has been taking care of the house for many years, but it’s not in great shape.

Johanna is very frustrated with her life. She’s teaching art at her daughter’s high school instead of making art. She’s been divorced for a few years with no great men in sight. Until she moves into that old house and meets the doctor next store, so to speak.

Mitchell had a bad fall and suffered severe nerve damage to his hand, rendering him unable to operate anymore. He has separated from his wife, and is living in their large, lavish vacation home. He asks Johanna if she would go out sailing with him; he’s afraid the useless hand will make him a useless sailor, and off they go, a new relationship in the making.

Meanwhile, Johanna can’t decide what to do with the stolen painting. Cops and private detectives are sniffing around, and Pilar is absolutely sure she stole it – but has no proof. The good doctor has some issues that weren’t readily apparent, and that relationship goes sideways for a while. Johanna gets back to her art, and while everything still seems all topsy-turvy, things finally start going right for her.

Part mystery, part romance, this is a complex story that probably could have used a bit more filling out, but it is a tight, fast-moving story with intriguing characters that would really work well for a book discussion group. It was a one day read for me, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for Sara Read.

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JOHANNA PORTER IS NOT SORRY by Sara Read. Graydon House; Original edition (March 7, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1525899980. 320p.