August | 2021 | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

RECIPE FOR PERSUASION by Sonali Dev

August 11, 2021

The Rajes, Book 2

From the publisher:

From the author of Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors comes another , clever, deeply layered, and heartwarming romantic comedy that follows in the Jane Austen tradition―this time, with a twist on Persuasion.

Chef Ashna Raje desperately needs a new strategy. How else can she save her beloved restaurant and prove to her estranged, overachieving mother that she isn’t a complete screw up? When she’s asked to join the cast of Cooking with the Stars, the latest hit reality show teaming chefs with celebrities, it seems like just the leap of faith she needs to put her restaurant back on the map. She’s a chef, what’s the worst that could happen?

Rico Silva, that’s what.

Being paired with a celebrity who was her first love, the man who ghosted her at the worst possible time in her life, only proves what Ashna has always believed: leaps of faith are a recipe for disaster.

FIFA winning soccer star Rico Silva isn’t too happy to be paired up with Ashna either. Losing Ashna years ago almost destroyed him. The only silver lining to this bizarre situation is that he can finally prove to Ashna that he’s definitely over her.

But when their catastrophic first meeting goes viral, social media becomes obsessed with their chemistry. The competition on the show is fierce…and so is the simmering desire between Ashna and Rico. Every minute they spend together rekindles feelings that pull them toward their disastrous past. Will letting go again be another recipe for heartbreak―or a recipe for persuasion…?

In Recipe for Persuasion, Sonali Dev once again takes readers on an unforgettable adventure in this fresh, fun, and enchanting romantic comedy.

I read the first book in the series, Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, when it came out in 2019 and I really liked it. But somehow I missed this second book, and the third book is out now, too. So I went back to the beginning and re-read the first book before running through the rest of the series. Yes, these books are that good.

If you are a Food Network fan, then this is your book. It is centered around a cooking competition show based on Dancing with the Stars; professional chefs are paired with “stars”, most of which are B list celebrities, in a cooking competition. Ashna is a chef and graduate of the Cordon Bleu in Paris.

Ashna’s family is a mess. Her mother left to work in India, and Ashna’s relationship with her is poor, to say the least. Her father raised her but he commits suicide and Ashna is the one to find him. So serious emotional issues abound here. Ashna goes to Paris to learn how to cook at The Cordon Bleu, leaving his chef and manager in charge of the restaurant for two years. Unfortunately, while she is gone, they ripped off the restaurant and disappeared with over $5 million dollars, leaving Ashna is a very bad place. She returns to run the restaurant, but things are really bad. The restaurant is old and looking it, and the customers are few and far between.

Ashna gets some help from her friend DJ as he creates new recipes for her, in hopes of getting new customers. But Ashna has some serious baggage and finds herself having panic attacks when she tries to cook anything other than her father’s recipes. When her cousin, a producer of the cooking show, loses one of the chefs at the last minute, she begs Ashna to fill in. The winner gets $100,000 plus the restaurant will get a ton of free publicity, so despite her misgivings, Ashna feels like she doesn’t really have a choice if she wants to save her restaurant.

She is shocked to find herself paired with Rico, one of the best soccer players in the world, and her high school boyfriend. No one knew about their relationship and she broke his heart when she left him. Rico has enough star power to demand to be on the show and to be paired with Ashna and their first meeting goes viral, pushing them in the lead as the contest starts. Cooking together means Ashna has no way of ignoring him, and as she works through her fear of cooking, especially in public, Rico has her back and they grow even closer.

The Rajes are a large, wealthy family and Ashna, while not exactly a sibling, is considered one. With her mother never around, the Raje matriarch is like a second mother to Ashna, and her children consider Ashna a sister. I love this family, and their relationships give another layer to this story. This was a terrific follow up to the first book, and I can’t wait for the next book. Fortunately, I don’t have to wait. Review to follow shortly.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

RECIPE FOR PERSUASION by Sonali Dev. William Morrow Paperbacks (May 26, 2020). ISBN: 978-0062839077. 448 pages.

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WHILE WE WERE DATING by Jasmine Guillory

August 10, 2021

Wedding Date, Book 6

From the publisher:

An instant New York Times bestseller!

Two people realize that it’s no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.

Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he’s trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, however, it’s hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she’s also down to earth and considerate, and he can’t help flirting a little…

Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she’s booked her next movie. However, she didn’t expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation?

But their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they’ve barely shared with those closest to them.

When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna’s life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?

I love this series and this book reminded me why! I must admit I couldn’t tell you what the last book was about, so this definitely reads like a stand alone to me, so I don’t think this series needs to be read in order. If you want to try this one, it’s as good a place to start as any. Then if you love it as much as I did, you can go back and read the rest of the books in the series.

It’s the characters that make this story. Anna is a plus size Black actress who is hoping this commercial is going to give her more exposure. She’s an Oscar-nominated actress who is hoping for a new role that she thinks will get her the win. But the studio isn’t sure about her, they want a bigger, whiter, name.

Ben is hard working but doesn’t always get the opportunities some of his co-workers get. So when the rest of his team is late for a pitch meeting, he gets to take lead. He is surprised that the star of the commercial is there, but they quickly achieve a rapport that is going to move his career forward in a big way when Anna announces she wants him to run the shoot. The star always gets what she wants in these situations, and reluctantly Ben’s boss allows it.

Ben and Anna have a little fling during the shoot, and she decides it would be good publicity if he could hang out with her for a while, and the fake relationship is born. He agrees and they have an end date when all the fun and games will be over. But of course the fake relationship turns real.

This was a good love story with engaging characters and an interesting plotline, making this a one night read for me. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WHILE WE WERE DATING by Jasmine Guillory. Berkley (July 13, 2021). ISBN: 978-0593100851. 384 pages.

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UNDERCOVER ENGAGEMENT by Samanthe Beck

August 9, 2021

Private Pleasures, Book 5

Buttoned-down Eden Brixton is less than thrilled when she’s partnered with smooth-talking wild card Marcus Swain in an undercover op. Both their careers hinge on convincing folks in tight-knit Bluelick, KY that he’s the love of her life. She’d sooner tase him than prance around in practically nothing, hanging all over his chiseled body like she can’t get enough.

For Swain, being partnered with the too-gorgeous-for-his-sanity Eden promises to test his well-honed control. She’s smart, she’s skilled, she’s not just by-the-book—she knows the damn book backward and forward. And she hates his guts.

When Eden absolutely nails her role as his sexy fiancée—where the hell did she learn to seduce with a single glance?—Swain is knocked right on his ass. Living with a temptation like Eden makes it hard to remember their chemistry is strictly for show. And when the heat gets too real, doing the undercover op might prove to be their undoing.

This author was new to me, so I haven’t read any of the other books in this series. But when I read this one, I had no idea it was part of a series so it definitely works on its own. I also hadn’t seen the cover when I read it, or I might not have picked it up. I hate covers like this with half naked couples.

Eden and Marcus are in the police academy together. She is at the top of their class, he is right behind her. She is the studious type and he trusts his instincts. And they hate each other. Or at least, Eden hates him.

As they graduate, he is hired by the county sheriff, she by the local police. But their first assignment puts them undercover to try and break up a drug ring with both agencies working together. They are to portray an engaged couple, make friends with some of the known dopers in town and try and get to their source. But first they have to find a way to live together without killing one another.

They say there is a fine line between love and hate, and this couple burns it down. There is a lot of explicit sex in this story, so if that is not your thing, look elsewhere for your next read. I liked this book a lot; I liked the main characters and totally bought their relationship. There is a bare modicum of suspense needed for the story to make sense, and it meets that goal. All in all, this was a fast, fun, sexy read and I enjoyed it.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

UNDERCOVER ENGAGEMENT by Samanthe Beck. Independently published (July 28, 2021). ISBN: 979-8545457939. 300 pages.

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THE DUKE GOES DOWN by Sophie Jordan

August 8, 2021

The Duke Hunt, Book 1

From the publisher:

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan begins the all new The Duke Hunt series with the illegitimate son of a duke who meets his match in the daring daughter of a vicar.

The Bastard Rogue…

Peregrine Butler’s privileged blue-blooded world is rocked to the core when it is revealed he was born before his parents’ marriage and therefore is not the legal heir to the dukedom. Facing ruin, Perry must use his charm and good looks to win an heiress—all the while ignoring his fascination with the one interfering and alluring chit who is intent on sabotaging his efforts.

The Lady Vicar…

Everyone knows Imogen Bates, the virtuous daughter of the senile vicar. She can write a sermon in a day and spot a rogue in a second, so she sees right through Perry’s seductive façade. But Imogen’s plan to protect the heiresses of her beloved Shropshire from the erstwhile Duke of Penning, the bane of her existence since childhood, soon turns into something altogether unacceptable for the proper lady … who suddenly finds herself longing to keep his heated glances and tempting kisses all to herself.

It is almost inconceivable to go from being a wealthy Duke to a commoner with nothing, but those are the circumstances in which Perry finds himself. Luckily, his mother lives in the dowager house and she takes him in, but he is not enjoying his stay there. It is difficult to go back to living with your mother when you are an adult and have been living on your own for years. Especially since she isn’t thrilled to have him there, and is pushing hard for him to marry one of the local heiresses.

But there is a problem with his plan. Imogen Bates has had it in for Perry since they were kids, when he was mean to her repeatedly over the years. She’s never forgotten the hateful things he said to her, and when she realizes he is looking to marry money with one of the young women in their small village, she is determined to save them from him. She starts spreading rumors about him and it has the effect she wanted. But then she realizes that the girls’ fathers don’t care so much about the rumors, until she comes up with one that they will care about.

Meanwhile, Perry has been spending some time with Imogen and her father, and he is falling for her. But when he finds out she is the mastermind behind the rumors, he is livid. Imogen has been fighting her feelings for Perry, but eventually she realizes she loves him, but also knows they can’t have a future. She is the daughter of an impoverished vicar, dependent on the Duke’s keeping them in town. So there is a lot against them, but this romance has the requisite happy ending.

Assume the title of this book is double entendre; this was a steamy romance with terrific characters who come to life on the page. I have enjoyed Jordan’s previous series, and this looks to be another winner. Don’t miss it.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DUKE GOES DOWN by Sophie Jordan. Avon (July 27, 2021). ISBN: 978-0063035638. 352 pages.

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THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE by Ginny Baird

August 7, 2021

Blue Hill Brides, Book 2

From the publisher:

A delightful romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Ginny Baird…

Successful Boston matchmaker and television personality Meredith Galanes’s reputation is on the line. During a guest appearance on a morning talk show, she’s broadsided by questions about her own romantic attachments, just as she’s trying to secure a syndication deal. Afraid to admit her love life is a total disaster, Meredith blurts out that she’s seriously involved with a very special man―a boatbuilder in Maine. She never expects that small slip to get spun into a story about her supposed engagement.

Or that the paparazzi will track the guy down…

Derrick Albright is laid-back about many things. Being hounded by the press about some imaginary engagement to a woman he’s only met once―and couldn’t stand―isn’t one of them. Then Meredith actually shows up at his cabin in Blue Hill, Maine, with an apology, a pot roast, and a proposal―play along until she secures her TV deal, and she’ll help him win back his ex.

It’s a simple plan, but if they have any chance of pulling it off, they’ll have to survive each other first…

Each book in the Blue Hill Brides series is STANDALONE:
* The Duplicate Bride
* The Matchmaker Bride

I read this series out of order, but if you can believe the publisher, each book is a standalone. That wasn’t really my experience, so I recommend reading them in order. This is the second book.

Meredith was in the first book, she’s Jackie’s best friend and maid of honor at that disaster of a wedding. But it is also where she meets Derrick, the groom’s youngest brother, when they get into a fender bender. It’s pretty much hate at first sight, so you know something is going to happen. It never does in the first book, but this is their story now.

Meredith is a professional matchmaker with a TV series on a local station. She is in the process of trying to get picked up for syndication, so she happily accepts the offer of a TV interview with another local show. But that interview quickly devolves into one about Meredith’s love life, which is nonexistent. But a nonexistent love life is not a good look for a professional matchmaker, so feeling the pressure of the live interview, she blurts out that she is seriously involved with a boat builder in Maine.

The press starts digging and then Derrick’s name is leaked as the serious boyfriend. Meredith jumps in her car and heads up to Blue Hill, Maine, to warn him and beg him to play along. Unfortunately, the paparazzi beat her to his home, and he is totally confused. He slams the door on the news media, and probably wants to on Meredith once she finally gets there and starts explaining.

Meredith comes up with a plan – she’ll stay in the cabin with Derrick, they pretend they are engaged while she tries to get him back with his ex-wife. He’s not even sure he wants to, but they were both very young when they married and their divorce was acrimonious, to say the least. Ten years later he is curious to see if they still have that attraction so he gives Meredith ten days to pull it off.

Meanwhile, Meredith and Derrick had had a moment at the wedding the previous year, but neither pursued it. Now that they are in such tight quarters, those feelings are starting to return. There is definite chemistry going on, and as they learn more about each other the closer they get. But Meredith is still working on getting Derrick back together with his ex, and figures she and Derrick will “break up” once he gets back with his ex. Good ending for everyone, except she is falling in love with him and is surprised by how much it hurts to put her matchmaking skills to work here.

There are a lot of characters that overlap from the first book, and it was much easier to understand who they all are and their relationships if you read the first book first. This was a good enemies-to-lovers sweet romance, and I highly recommend this series.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE MATCHMAKER BRIDE by Ginny Baird. Entangled: Amara (July 27, 2021). ISBN: 978-1649370266. 350 pages.

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THE DUPLICATE BRIDE by Ginny Baird

August 6, 2021

Blue Hill Brides, Book 1

From the publisher:

Saying “I do” has never been this much fun in this charming new romance from New York Times bestselling author Ginny Baird.

Hope Webb can’t believe her twin sister, Jackie, is begging her to swap places and play fiancée at Jackie’s pre-wedding festivities. Sure, it’s only a business-deal sort of marriage, but Hope is a carb-loving teacher who enjoys curling up with a good book. Jackie is a workaholic whose idea of a good time is a brisk five-mile run at the crack of dawn. The two sisters couldn’t be more opposite.

Now Hope is stuck in the middle of a warm, tight-knit family she can’t help but adore and a groom who turns out to be entirely wonderful…for her.

Hotel magnate Brent Albright knows something is off about his fiancée, but he doesn’t care. Gone is the driven woman with similar career goals, and in her place is someone warm and funny who not only charms his family but him as well. She’s doing everything she can to avoid him, but that’s probably just nerves. Two people about to wed couldn’t know each other less.

Now Brent is determined to woo his fiancée, for real this time, because the more he gets to know her, the more his sweet fiancée turns out to be entirely wonderful…for him.

And that’s when things start to get really complicated…

Each book in the Blue Hill Brides series is STANDALONE:
* The Duplicate Bride
* The Matchmaker Bride

I read this series out of order, but if you can believe the publisher, each book is a standalone. That wasn’t really my experience, so I recommend reading them in order. This is the first book.

There are a lot of characters in this story, but the main characters are Brent and Hope. Brent wants to take over the family business, bypassing his older brother, and he thinks the secret to that is to be married. Jackie is a successful wedding planner in Boston, and she thinks if she is married it will be beneficial to her business. So an agreement is reached; a marriage of convenience. Brent is enough of a romantic to hope that love will follow once they are married, but Jackie is pure business all the way.

Jackie and Hope are identical twins, but while they look alike, their personalities couldn’t be more different. Hope is a school teacher who is laid back, sweet, and doesn’t mind being a size larger than her sister since that means she can eat carbs and she doesn’t have to exercise. So when the wedding Jackie is planning blows up at the last minute, she begs Hope to go to Blue Hill, Maine to stay with her in-laws-to-be just for a day and pretend to be Jackie, like they used to do when they were kids. Hope doesn’t want any part of that, but she agrees to go as herself.

Except when she arrives at the family estate, they immediately assume Hope is Jackie, even her fiancé doesn’t notice anything different. She ends up going with it because it just seems overwhelming to try and fix it. But since Jackie is due the next day, no big deal. But of course that disaster of a wedding just keeps on imploding, and Jackie keeps on extending her stay in Boston, leaving Hope to play Jackie in all the family wedding celebrations for the week leading up to the wedding. And then Jackie misses the wedding itself.

Meanwhile, Hope is falling in love with Brent, her sister’s fiancé, and she is panicking about it. But amazingly, he is falling in love with her as well. You just know this is going to blow up badly, but this is a romance so there will be a happy ending. But it is fun in a tortuous sort of way to get there. There are a lot of laughs in this sweet romance, and I really enjoyed it. (Especially after reading the second book first!)

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DUPLICATE BRIDE by Ginny Baird. Entangled: Amara (September 29, 2020) ISBN: 978-1682815229. 368 pages.

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NONE OF US THE SAME by Jeffrey K. Walker

August 5, 2021

Sweet Wine of Youth, Book 1

From the publisher:

Fiery Deirdre Brannigan had opinions on everything. She certainly hated the very idea of war in 1914. Childhood pals Jack Oakley and Will Parsons thought it a grand adventure with their friends. But the crushing weight of her guilty conscience pushes Deirdre to leave Ireland and land directly in the fray.

Meanwhile the five friends from Newfoundland blithely enlist. After all, the war couldn’t possibly last very long…They learn quickly how wrong they are and each is torn apart by the carnage in France.

What began with enthusiastic dreams of parades and dances with handsome young soldiers turned into long days and nights in the hospital wards desperately trying to save lives. And for the good and decent young men in fine new uniforms aching to prove themselves worthy on the field of battle, the horrors of war quickly descended. But it is also the war which brings them together.

Deirdre’s path crosses with Jack and Will when they’re brought to her field hospital the first day of the slaughter on the Somme. Their lives part, their journeys forward fraught with physical and emotional scars tossing them through unexpected and often painful twists and turns. But somehow, a sliver of hope, love and redemption emerges. And their paths cross again in St. John’s. When the guns finally fall silent, can Deirdre overcome her secret demons through a new life with battered Jack? Can shell-shocked Will confront his despotic father’s expectations to become the man his young family deserves?

One of the strongest antiwar books I have read. The author indicates that it was planned as the first of three books dealing with people caught up in the horrific battles of World War I. His incredible research is one of the many factors contributing to the draw of the situations confronting five characters that take part in the war and in so doing change their lives and outlooks forever.

The first part of the book deals with the entrance of the world into a war that all thought would not last very long and drawing into it characters that were residents of Newfoundland in Canada. Prior to their enlistment an Irish lay nurse (trainee) volunteered to work at a hospital directly serving the British front. Deirdre Brannigan starting her career at a hospital in Ireland wanted to do more in her chosen profession left to aid the wounded of the war.

The battles that the soldiers took part in were the landing at Gallipoli fighting the Turkish army with the accompaniment of mass slaughter and then against German troops at the Somme in France, with much more of the same death and horror. Deirdre, for her part, got her baptism of fire as men and sometimes parts of men that were victims of artillery and machine guns were brought into her hospital for treatment. She became emotionally traumatized at the sight of the human carnage that flowed through her workstation but was forced to carry on driven by the circumstances she found herself in. The men developed friendships that only the circumstances they found themselves in can cause to develop. One of them, seriously wounded met Deirdre and the two found love together.

At the war’s end all returning to home find a truism about war and combat. After battle, killing and fighting no one is ever the same again and it is almost impossible to return to the life lived prior to the war. It is almost the same as if many returning soldiers still have major wounds. Mr. Walker opens a description of men being “shell shocked” by exposure to constant killing and battle.

The attitude at the time was that officers that suffered from this disease were telling the truth and were allowed to rest while enlisted men were simply lying to get out of combat and punished. It wasn’t until later years that the condition was recognized as a genuine condition exacerbated by combat and treated as best as possible as PTSD (post traumatic stress disease).

It is sure that this novel will stay with any reader and is again, one that cannot be put down until finished.

8/2021 Paul Lane

NONE OF US THE SAME by Jeffrey K. Walker. Ballybur Publishing (May 16, 2017). ISBN: 978-1947108004. 285 pages.

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PALM BEACH by Mary Adkins

August 4, 2021

From the publisher:

A thought-provoking page-turner from the author of When You Read This and Privilege that captures the painful divide between the haves and have-nots and the seductive lure of the American dream.

Living in a tiny Queens apartment, Rebecca and her husband Mickey typify struggling, 30-something New Yorkers—he’s an actor, and she’s a freelance journalist. But after the arrival of their baby son, the couple decides to pack up and head for sunny, comfortable Palm Beach, where Mickey’s been offered a sweet deal managing the household of a multimillionaire Democratic donor.

Once there, he quickly doubles his salary by going to work for a billionaire: venture capitalist Cecil Stone. Rebecca, a writer whose beat is economic inequality, is initially horrified: she pillories men like Stone, a ruthless businessman famous for crushing local newspapers. So no one is more surprised than her when she accepts a job working for Cecil’s wife as a ghostwriter, thinking of the excellent pay and the rare, inside look at this famous Forbes-list family. What she doesn’t expect is that she’ll grow close to the Stones, or become a regular at their high-powered dinners. And when a medical crisis hits, it’s the Stones who come to their rescue, using their power, influence, and wealth to avert catastrophe.

As she and Mickey are both pulled deeper into this topsy-turvy household, they become increasingly dependent on their problematic benefactors. Then when she discovers a shocking secret about the Stones, Rebecca will have to decide: how many compromises can one couple make?

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Are the rich different? Mary Adkins (Privilege) attempts to answer that in this entertaining read. Mickey, a Broadway actor, loses his voice and his career. He’s always hustled side jobs, and lucks into a full time job in Palm Beach for one of his clients and moves his wife and 8-month-old baby to Florida.

Mickey quickly finds an even better job as butler to a billionaire couple, the Stones, for twice the money, but his journalist wife, Rebecca, is horrified that he is considering working for the “vulture capitalist” who destroys every company he buys, but the money is too good to pass up, plus it leads to an opportunity for Rebecca to ghostwrite Mrs. Stone’s memoirs.

When the baby is diagnosed with a life threatening illness, the Stones come to the rescue, causing the young couple to reexamine their feelings about the Stones and the power of money.

Verdict: Adkins offers great fodder for book discussions, and should appeal to readers who enjoyed The Darlings by Cristina Alger, Snobs by Julian Fellowes, or The Unfortunates by
Sophie McManus.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PALM BEACH by Mary Adkins. Harper (August 3, 2021). ISBN: 978-0063011373. 304 pages.

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THE SINGING TREES by Boo Walker

August 3, 2021

From the publisher:

**A young artist forges a path of self-discovery in an enriching novel about forgiving the past and embracing second chances, from the bestselling author of An Unfinished Story.**

Maine, 1969. After losing her parents in a car accident, aspiring artist Annalisa Mancuso lives with her grandmother and their large Italian family in the stifling factory town of Payton Mills. Inspired by her mother, whose own artistic dreams disappeared in a damaged marriage, Annalisa is dedicated only to painting. Closed off to love, and driven as much by her innate talent as she is the disillusionment of her past, Annalisa just wants to come into her own.

The first step is leaving Payton Mills and everything it represents. The next, the inspiring opportunities in the city of Portland and a thriving New England art scene where Annalisa hopes to find her voice. But she meets Thomas, an Ivy League student whose attentions―and troubled family―upend her pursuits in ways she never imagined possible. As their relationship deepens, Annalisa must balance her dreams against an unexpected love. Until the unraveling of an unforgivable lie.

For Annalisa, opening herself up to life and to love is a risk. It might also be the chance she needs to finally become the person and the artist she’s meant to be.

Boo Walker’s beautifully written coming of age story (after An Unfinished Story) is set against the backdrop of the unpopular Vietnam War. We get to view life in those turbulent times through the eyes of a young artist, Annalisa Mancuso. Annalisa tragically lost her parents when she was young, and her Nonna stepped in and took care of her. Annalisa remembered her mother’s creativity being stifled in her marriage, and as an artist herself, is determined to never let that happen. The only path she sees forward is to live in solitude, but when she meets Thomas, he changes the trajectory of her life in more ways than she could ever imagine.

Annalisa’s goal to escape the small town in Maine where she grew up and move to Portland is realized. There she finds a thriving art community, a teacher, and a gallery owner who recognize and encourage her talent. Meanwhile, Thomas’s wealthy family threatens to cut him off unless he ends things with Annalisa.

Annalisa grows up the hard way when Thomas loses his deferment and is sent to Vietnam. She breaks up with him so she can concentrate on her art, but she still feels their connection. They correspond during the war, and she spends a week with him in Hawaii when he gets some leave. Annalisa is torn between following her dream or her heart and has many difficult decisions to make.

Verdict: Walker’s latest is ideal for book discussion groups and should appeal to readers who enjoyed Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Dance Away with Me by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, or the emotional resonance of Nicholas Sparks’ books.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SINGING TREES by Boo Walker. Lake Union Publishing (August 3, 2021). ISBN: 978-1542019125. 429 pages.

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ISN’T IT BROMANTIC? by Lyssa Kay Adams

August 2, 2021

Bromance Book Club, Book 4

From the publisher:

One of Bustle’s Best New Books of July 2021

A Popsugar Best Book and Best Romance of July 2021

With his passion for romance novels, it was only a matter of time before Vlad wrote one.

Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, she escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville.

Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But it’s become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he’s learned is that he deserves more. He’s ready to create his own sweeping romance—both on and off the page.

The bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love—and this time they’re not operating solo. They join forces with Vlad’s neighbors, a group of meddling widows who call themselves the Loners. But just when things finally look promising, Elena’s past life intrudes and their happily ever after is cast into doubt.

This is one of my favorite series and this latest entry is just as wonderful as the previous books. This is one series I’ve actually read in order! The premise behind the series is this group of men, most professional athletes and one country music star, have a friendship unlike most. These men talk, really talk, about relationships and life and they help one another. They also have a book club where they read romance novels, the idea being that they will learn how to be better boyfriends and husbands. It works pretty well for them.

This book centers around Vlad, nicknamed “the Russian” because he is from Russia. He is married to Elena, but none of the men have ever met her. While they all live in Nashville, Elena’s been living in Chicago for six years attending Northwestern University, where she’s almost completed her master’s degree in journalism. So when she shows up at a wedding, Vlad is so happy to see her, until she takes off. They are at crossed purposes here; he wants their marriage to be real, and she wants to move back to Russia to be a journalist. Her father was “disappeared” while working on a story about sex trafficking, and she wants to continue his work. She’s been digging into his story all the while she’s been in school, but with her masters at hand, she is ready to go to work.

Turns out that Vlad and Elena were childhood friends, and his parents often took care of her as her mother died when she was very young, and her father was often away working. When she turns 18, Vlad asks her to marry him, giving her the chance to move to America and go to school. They never even consummate their marriage before she moves away.

But this is not your typical green card marriage. For one thing, they have been friends for most of their lives. For another, Vlad isn’t an American citizen. He’s got a work visa because he’s a professional hockey player, and the rules are different for athletes. But Vlad is in love with Elena, and wants her to come home after she graduates.

Elena overheard something when they were getting married that led her to believe that Vlad was only being kind to her. She feels like a burden to him, and wants to stop having him support her. But right as she was getting ready to go, she gets a phone call from the hospital, asking her to come in. Vlad had been severely injured in a game, and she decides that is one way she can pay him back for all the kindness and generosity he has shown her. She moves into his house to take care of him.

Vlad has several secrets that he hasn’t shared with Elena or his book club buddies, but as he is dependent on his wife and friends during his recuperation, the secrets start to come out, one of which is that he has written his own romance novel. The guys are all excited about that, and even Elena gets to read it eventually.

I love these books because I think the premise is so clever, and I love these characters. Plus the books are all really funny, including this latest. While this is a series and is probably best if at least the first book is read before this one, I think they all stand alone pretty well. Reading this book left me feeling happy all day, and what better recommendation do you need that that! Don’t miss it. BONUS: I spotted this on Adams’ twitter page: “coming soon to Netflix!”

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ISN’T IT BROMANTIC? by Lyssa Kay Adams. Berkley (July 20, 2021). ISBN: 978-0593332771. 352 pages.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi