October | 2025 | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

Spotlight Review: CHRISTMAS AT THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT by Pamela M. Kelley

October 7, 2025

The Nantucket Restaurant Series, Book 2

From the publisher:

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller Pamela Kelley invites readers to experience the warm glow of family, friends, and festivities this Christmas. Come spend the holidays on Nantucket.

Nantucket’s famous Christmas Stroll is always the first week of December and this year Mimi’s Place co-owners want to do something extra special for the restaurant. It will be Emma and Paul’s first Christmas together as a couple and Mandy’s first holiday as a newly divorced mother of two. Although Mandy does have a promising new relationship, she wants to take things very slow, and the holidays are for sure not the time to dive in too deep.

Their sister Jill and her new husband, Billy, are planning to spend the whole month of December on Nantucket too, juggling remote work for the executive search firm they own together in Manhattan with relaxing, spending time with family, and helping out at the restaurant too.

Gina Caruso, the awesome bar manager, is spending her first winter on Nantucket after having lived for years in Boston. It’s a bit of an adjustment―winters on Nantucket are so much quieter than the city life she was used to. She’s even more confused when someone she had a major crush on back in the city moves to Nantucket, while Jared Hawthorne, the new sous chef at Mimi’s Place makes it his mission to introduce Gina to all of Nantucket’s holiday festivities. Suddenly her boring winter is starting to look a lot more interesting.
https://amzn.to/3HG5kHn

In this heartwarming sequel to The Restaurant, Kelley returns to her beloved Nantucket to blend romance, family ties, and holiday charm. The story centers on three sisters—Jill, Emma, and Mandy—who come together to celebrate Christmas. Jill and her husband, who run a successful executive search firm in New York, have temporarily relocated to Nantucket for a month of remote work while helping out at the family restaurant they inherited from their grandmother. Along with the restaurant came its gifted chef, Paul—now Emma’s husband—as they share their first Christmas as newlyweds. Meanwhile, bar manager Gina is spending her first winter on the island, caught in a romantic tangle between her longtime crush and the restaurant’s new sous chef.

Kelley’s trademark love for food comes through in her vivid, mouthwatering descriptions, and her depiction of a wintry Nantucket—complete with locals, visitors in fur coats, and the festive Christmas Stroll—feels authentic and inviting. Though a sequel, this cozy, feel-good novel easily stands on its own and makes for a delightful holiday read.

VERDICT: A perfect pick for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Debbie Macomber, and Hallmark Christmas movies.

©Library Journal, 2025

10/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CHRISTMAS AT THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT by Pamela M. Kelley. Sourcebooks Landmark (October 7, 2025). ISBN: 978 1464246210. 272p.

Kindle

Audible

Comments Off on Spotlight Review: CHRISTMAS AT THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT by Pamela M. Kelley | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction | Tagged: Christmas, Holiday | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

Audiobook Sunday: SEXY FILTHY BOSS by Piper Rayne

October 5, 2025

Narration by Lynn Norris & David Brenin

White Collar Brothers, Book 1

From the author:

IHe’s the sexy alpha male in the corner office who goes through assistants faster than free donuts in the break room.

I’m the assistant who was chosen to cover for his last fire.

The owner of the company is clear – hook the biggest client in our firm’s history and there’s a partnership for him and a promotion for me. Stipulation – we do it together.

It doesn’t take a tarot card-reading psychic to figure out where our story is headed…late nights, trips out of town, and more than a few awkward moments filled with sexual tension.

No worries though. I pride myself on my willpower. I can totally ignore his sexy grin, his rock-hard body, and his dreamy brown eyes. I will not become the woman other women hate.

But it turns out that Enzo Mancini has a lot of layer,s and if I don’t stop peeling, I’m going to lose everything, including my dignity.

https://amzn.to/4mnwrpq

I’d nominate this book for Worst Title Ever, but the algorithm knew what it was doing when it recommended it to me—I’m a devoted Piper Rayne reader who’ll tackle anything they write. Despite being put off by the title, I gave it a chance and ended up genuinely enjoying it.

Annie works as an assistant at a male-dominated advertising firm, hoping to climb the corporate ladder. Her sweet but unhelpful boss keeps her stuck in a support role, making it impossible to prove her capabilities. Enter Enzo Mancini, a fellow ad executive notorious for burning through assistants at lightning speed. When his latest quits, Annie’s boss desperately asks her to fill in temporarily. Though reluctant to take on extra work—especially for someone like Enzo—she agrees.

Everything changes when Enzo includes her in his latest campaign for a diaper company. This potential account could be the firm’s biggest win and Enzo’s ticket to partnership. As they work together, their professional relationship evolves into something deeper.

Enzo is drop-dead gorgeous but emotionally unavailable, preferring one-night stands over relationships. However, working with Annie awakens unfamiliar feelings. His close-knit family adds another layer—their widowed mother desperately wants grandchildren, especially since her sister’s kids are already reproducing. The three single Mancini brothers hatch a plan to set up their baby sister, hoping for future grandbabies.

Though that matchmaking effort doesn’t quite succeed, Enzo and Annie’s connection intensifies. I loved Annie’s backbone—she refuses menial tasks and demands meaningful work, which Enzo genuinely respects. Their growing attraction builds naturally to its steamy conclusion, and based on the cover and title, you know these two will generate serious heat.

The family dynamics shine throughout. Enzo’s seamless integration into Annie’s family feels authentic, while his own family’s closeness adds warmth to the story. A running gag about the brothers settling everything through Rock, Paper, Scissors—with Enzo always losing—provides perfect comic relief.

The dual narration elevated this audiobook significantly, with both narrators bringing their characters to vivid life. It was compelling enough to send me hunting for the rest of the series. Enzo’s brother Carm is up next, and I’m here for it.

10/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SEXY FILTHY BOSS by Piper Rayne Narrators: Lynn Norris & David Brenin. Piper Rayne Inc.. June 19, 2019. Listening Length: 7 hours and 42 minutes.

Kindle

Paperback

Hardcover

Comments Off on Audiobook Sunday: SEXY FILTHY BOSS by Piper Rayne | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance | Tagged: Audiobook, steamy | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

THE CAPTAIN’S COOK by Victoria Vanransom

October 3, 2025

From the publisher:

“The wind is like a dance partner, always changing, always leading us in a different direction . . .”

When an ad for a luxury yacht searching for a chef crosses Jessica Kline’s eyes, she knows this it it: the chance for a fresh start. Broke, divorced, uninspired in her career, and unlucky in love in her late fifties, she finds herself at Marina del Rey’s California Yacht Club, staring down the Slow Dance as it waits to embark on a voyage to Tahiti and beyond. It is time for her interview to be the captain’s cook.

Jess’s culinary skills aren’t in question. The real test is whether she’s willing to take the leap of rediscovery into unchartered waters-with no guarantee this time she’ll make it out unharmed. But as soon as Jess meets Captain Cliff Reed, she begins to get the sense she’s not the only one who’s been tossed around by life’s waves . . .

Once upon the high seas, Jess must balance her ship duties with navigating the unpredictable winds of the skies and her crewmates alike-her enigmatic captain not excluded. But as she becomes filled with the breath of adventure and the fire of renewal, she soon realizes that it will be up to her to find the courage to face what lies ahead with an open heart and a sense of wonder.
https://amzn.to/43KXS6l

Vanransom’s debut novel unfolds like a sailor’s journal, charting a course from port to port, introducing an ever-changing crew, and weathering emotional and literal storms along the way. Jess Kline, a divorced woman in her fifties, is eager for a new adventure. A seasoned professional chef, she applies for a position aboard the Slow Dance, a large yacht heading for Tahiti. She joins Captain Reed, a charming, seasoned sailor with a reputation as a playboy, and his poodle, along with a crew of attractive young women, most of them novice sailors, which adds tension and unpredictability to the journey. As they cross the Pacific, each port of call is vividly described, along with the revolving door of crew members; however, the novel’s flow is occasionally disrupted by stilted dialogue. A slow-burning attraction builds between the Captain and his cook, but Jess values connection in intimacy, while the Captain resists commitment. Despite moments of jealousy and emotional turbulence, they eventually find common ground—and a happy ending.

VERDICT This detailed maritime journey may appeal to fans of nautical adventures and travelogues, but its slow pace and uneven dialogue may test some readers’ patience. Recommended only where there is strong demand.

8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE CAPTAIN’S COOK by Victoria Vanransom. Brown Books Publishing Group (September 30, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593639153. 368p.

Comments Off on THE CAPTAIN’S COOK by Victoria Vanransom | Book Reviews, Fiction, Women's Fiction | Tagged: Foodie Fiction | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

BookBitch Diary: October 1, 2025

October 1, 2025

Welcome to fall in Florida! Yes, we get pumpkins but no pumpkin patches. Not real ones, anyway. Some of the churches and schools create their own by bringing in truckloads of pumpkins and scattering them on the grass. They tend to charge a small fortune for them, too, as they use it as a fund raiser. We did that for years when my kids were little and were entrhalled with the pumpkin patch idea. Now that my kids are grown and my grandkids live in NY where they have real pumpkin patches, we generally pick up the biggest pumpkin we can find at Costco for anywhere from $6-8. Much better than the $25 and up we’ve paid in the past!

My husband loves carving pumpkins, and he has created some amazing jack-o-laterns!

*Clockwise from top left: Daniel Tiger, Mickey Mouse, Classic, Grim Reaper, my grandson, Boo Cat*

This month is a short but sweet diary entry, as I am in the midst of preparing for Rosh Hashanah and a trip to New York and then Portugal. We are spending the first night of Rosh Hashanah at home with my daughter, then flying to New York to spend the second night with my son and his family. The following day, we fly to Lisbon, then take the high-speed train to Braga for several days, where I hope to be able to see the Bom Jesus do Monte. There is a funicular to go up, then 573 steps to go down. This funicular is not like the one that crashed in Lisbon, although it is even older than that one. It is moved via water, so I’m excited to see that, too. I visited the rheumatologist yesterday and got a cortisone shot in my knee, so hopefully, I will be able to do it.

We are also going to the dentist for cleanings! We are planning to retire to Portugal, and after our first trip there, we are leaning towards living in Braga, so it seems like a good idea to check out the medical situation. We have heard great things about medical care there, and my husband had a really good experience at the dentist last year. He went for a checkup and cleaning, and part of the exam was a panoramic X-ray. He said they had the latest and greatest equipment, and he had the most thorough cleaning ever, including powerwashing out his mouth with some sort of solution he had never experienced before. They found a cavity and filled it, and told him he didn’t need all the additional work our dentist at home suggested. All of that for $110 – my dentist here gets $135 just for the cleaning, extra for X-rays, and certainly a lot more for a filling. I am also excited to check out the shopping, especially the mall and the outdoor markets.

Then we head to Porto for a few days. We are going on an all-day tour of some wineries along the Douro River, then taking a boat trip on the river. The next day, we are visiting a Port house in Gaia, an area on the river in Porto, for a tour, a tasting, and we get to see hoopers making barrels, which I’m very excited about. Then onto Lisbon, where we head back to New York for a couple of days to spend some more time with my family. There is a scheduled strike at the Lisbon airport the day we are leaving, so fingers crossed that we make that flight! Then, finally, home.

Wishing all who celebrate L’Shana Tovah tikatevu!

As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.

2 Comments | Ramblings | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi