This summer, the town’s juiciest secrets are revealed in New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s joyful and sparkling new novel
Jax has a slight issue with control—as in, she needs it. Always. Too bad she has power only over the Painted Lady Bookstore, the Victorian mansion turned bookshop she inherited. No one else listens to a word she says. Her ex gets engaged for questionable reasons. Her beloved sister, Ryleigh, wants to move away to find a husband. And the handsome contractor Jax has chosen to convince Ryleigh to stay is only interested in Jax.
Still, she’s living the bookworm dream—until an unhappy accident erases the names from the bookshop lockboxes where the town keeps their diaries. Which means the only way to find a diary’s owner is…to read it.
As secrets spill and scandals surface, life at the Painted Lady Bookstore gets a lot more colorful and chaotic. But for a woman who’s always had to take charge, Jax will see that losing control—especially with the right wrong guy—can set you free.
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Mallery (Otherwise Engaged) delivers her signature warmth and humor in this engaging tale. Jax owns a cozy bookstore in a small California town. Divorced and co-parenting two children with her ex, Jax navigates life with the help of her sister, Ryleigh, and her precocious African Gray parrot, Ramon. Ryleigh wants to marry but fears this small town is devoid of any romantic prospects. Her best friend, a widower with a young son, lends her support as she navigates her best path forward.
When the shop needs major renovations, Jax hires a charming young contractor and immediately tries to match him with Ryleigh—only to learn he’s interested in her. Meanwhile, a worker cleans a section of an old brick wall, unaware that the wall conceals secret diaries that townspeople had hidden there. Chaos ensues as customers search for their lost journals. Through unexpected discoveries, heartfelt connections, and a touch of romance, both sisters discover that love can find them when they least expect it.
VERDICT Mallery fans and new readers alike will relish this charming read with plenty of fodder for discussion, and should appeal to Robin Carr or Brenda Novak fans.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 at 9:41 AM and is filed under Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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