Audiobook Sunday: NINE MONTH CONTRACT by Amy Daws

August 10, 2025

Duet narration by Erin Mallon  &  Teddy Hamilton

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Mountain Men Matchmaker, Book 1

From the publisher:

Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.

I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life. But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap. Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.

Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect. Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect. She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.

And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance—when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter—I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate. I want to make her mine.

Perfect for fans of:

  • Grumpy/Sunshine
  • Small Town Romance
  • Age Gap
  • Curvy FMC
  • Meghan Quinn and Tessa Bailey

https://amzn.to/40GTe7v

This romance offered a premise I hadn’t encountered before. At 38, Wyatt has sworn off relationships after experiencing romantic trauma. He lives on a mountain near his brothers, and his devotion to his teenage niece, Everly, sparks a desire for a child of his own. However, with no interest in finding a traditional partner, he decides to pursue surrogacy.

Wyatt approaches a reputable agency but finds none of their candidates appealing. When his brothers place an ad that proves equally fruitless, his enterprising niece takes matters into her own hands. While visiting the agency, she literally runs into Trista, a 28 year old woman the agency had rejected because she weighs over 200 pounds, despite being otherwise healthy.

When Everly tells her about Wyatt, Trista agrees to meet with her uncle. Trista herself has no interest in relationships or children. Her true passion is rescuing wild animals, and her dream is to open a wildlife refuge—but she needs money to make that happen. Surrogacy offers the perfect solution: she can help Wyatt while funding her dream.

Facing eviction along with her pet potbellied pig, Trista gratefully accepts Wyatt’s offer of an apartment above his barn. His lawyer draws up the paperwork, and everything is set—Trista just needs to get pregnant. She suggests using her own egg instead of a donor’s, and they opt for the “turkey baster” method she’s read about in lesbian forums. The process adds some humor to the story, and it works.

Once pregnant, Trista thrives, gradually adopting more animals despite Wyatt’s lack of enthusiasm for her menagerie. His soft heart prevents him from refusing either the animals or Trista’s requests. As they spend more time together, both develop feelings they’re determined to resist. However, their hearts ultimately override their heads, leading to their happily ever after.

My one concern involved Trista’s frequent self-references as a “cow.” While clearly intended as breeding terminology rather than body-shaming, I found it uncomfortable despite her supposed body positivity. The author introduces what’s apparently called a “breeding kink”—new territory for me in romance—but the backstory and rationale were well-developed enough that I could embrace this element.

The narration enhanced my enjoyment significantly. The readers effectively drew me into the story and brought both characters to vivid life. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.

8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NINE MONTH CONTRACT by Amy Daws. Narrators: Erin Mallon & Teddy Hamilton. Harlequin Audio. October 29, 2024. Listening Length: 10 hours and 50 minutes.

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L. A. WOMEN by Ella Berman

August 8, 2025

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From the publisher:

An electrifying novel about the complicated friendship between two ambitious and talented women writers in 1960s Los Angeles and the ultimate artistic betrayal: one writes a book based upon the other’s life… from the author of Reese’s Book Club Pick Before We Were Innocent.

After a steady descent from literary stardom, Lane Warren is back. She’s secured a new book deal based off the life of her sometime friend and more often rival, notorious free spirit and muse Gala Margolis. Lane’s only problem is that Gala has been missing for months.

Ten years earlier, Gala was a charming socialite and Lane was a Hollywood outsider amidst the glittering 1960s L.A. party scene. Though they were never best friends, Lane found Gala sharp and compelling. Gala liked that Lane took her seriously. They were both writers. They were drawn to each other.

That was until Gala’s star began to rise, and Lane grew more envious. Then Lane decided to do something that she wouldn’t ever be able to take back…changing the trajectories of both their lives.

https://amzn.to/3DPGH9C

Berman (Before We Were Innocent) offers a fascinating look at two women, Lane and Gala, whose lives intersect and diverge throughout the 1960s and 1970s in Los Angeles, California. Lane, a writer with a troubled past, and Gala, the quintessential Hollywood party girl, form an intricate relationship. The story focuses on the nuanced dynamics of their friendship, which is underscored by their rivalry. As their paths diverge—Lane opts for a conventional lifestyle with marriage and children, while Gala becomes entangled with a substance-dependent rock star—their professional lives continue to intersect, but their successes strain the relationship. The tension ratchets up when Lane begins crafting a novel inspired by Gala’s life, but before she can finish it, Gala disappears, and Lane becomes obsessed with finding her. The narrative structure employs a non-linear approach, moving back and forth over a decade, which effectively illustrates the evolution of their relationship. The vivid depictions of the era’s social scene and their interpersonal drama make for compelling reading.

VERDICT This razor-sharp exploration of female friendship and rivalry is likely to resonate with readers who appreciate the works of Anna Quindlen, Elizabeth Berg, or Jodi Picoult.

©Library Journal, 2025

8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

L. A. WOMEN by Ella Berman. Berkley (August 5, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593639153. 416p.

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THE SUMMER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING by Brenda Novak

August 8, 2025

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From the publisher:

She returned to prove her father’s innocence, but there’s no telling what she’ll find…

It’s been fifteen years since Lucy Sinclair saw her father. Fifteen long years since she sat in a courtroom and watched him sentenced to life in prison. He murdered three victims—all people she knew—which ruined her life at just seventeen. But now she’s back in Virginia to talk to him, wondering if there’s more to the story of what happened that fateful night.

An old flame, Ford Wagner, makes his own return to North Hampton Beach, fleeing a marriage that seems destined for divorce. He’s wary of Lucy and her digging into the past, but the more time they spend together, the closer they get and the more he finds himself reconsidering the truth behind the death of their mutual friend that summer. Problem is, there are plenty of those in this small coastal town who would prefer things stay quiet…

https://amzn.to/3H9av2B

Lucy was seventeen when her father was convicted of murdering three people in their small town. The conviction shattered her world—the townspeople turned against her, and she felt forced to flee. She hasn’t returned home or spoken to her father in fifteen years.

Now, haunted by unanswered questions about that terrible summer, Lucy decides to return to uncover the truth she’s never understood.

The town has always drawn wealthy summer residents to their sprawling beachfront homes, and Ford is among them this year. He’s come back to prepare his family’s house for sale while grappling with his impending divorce. Fifteen years ago, he and Lucy had shared an intense but brief romance during that fateful summer. Though they’d fallen hard for each other, Ford abandoned Lucy when his family pressured him to cut ties after her father’s arrest—a decision that has haunted him ever since.

When Ford discovers Lucy has returned, his protective instincts flare. The townspeople make their hostility clear, especially as Lucy begins asking dangerous questions about the past. What begins as renewed friendship deepens into something more as Ford joins Lucy’s search for answers.

While a bit slow and somewhat repetitive in the beginning, as the story unfurls, it becomes much more engaging. This second-chance romance weaves together mystery and passion as two former lovers investigate the crimes that tore their world apart. The combination of coastal intrigue and rekindled love creates a compelling story of redemption, truth, and the courage to face the past.

8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SUMMER THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING by Brenda Novak. MIRA (June 3, 2025). ISBN: 978-0778360162. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: FULL BLOOM by Francesca Serritella 

August 5, 2025

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From the publisher:

The power to be seen. The power to be heard. The power to be adored. . .

A woman’s life is forever changed by a mysterious perfume in this stunning novel about ambition and untapped desire from the New York Times bestselling author of Ghosts of Harvard.

Reeling from a breakup and overlooked at her job as a lighting designer, Iris Sunnegren finds herself stuck, disconnected, and lonely in crowded New York City. Her wealthy friends are married and having babies, while she’s trying to pay for freezing her eggs. And the future she longs for feels out of reach.

Then, a mysterious neighbor, an older Frenchwoman, makes her a gift: a bespoke perfume.

One spritz, a dab behind the ears, and Iris feels like a different woman. Suddenly, she is the object of every man’s desire, and she can satisfy her own hungers for sex, love, and ambition. She can cast off her inhibitions and use her newfound allure to dazzle the high-profile client, attract a man who excites her like no other, and access all the rarified spaces that once excluded her. Invigorated by the perfume, Iris embodies her maximum power—a flower fully bloomed.

But there is danger in connecting to our primal emotions. Scent awakens buried memories, and nightmares of the childhood house fire she barely survived return to haunt her. As Iris ventures deeper into the glamorous and male-dominated worlds of New York real estate, dimly-lit steakhouses, and beachfront mansions in the Hamptons, she finds herself getting closer to unspeakable truths—about the people she trusted, about the people she loved, and about the new circle of power-players that invited her in.

A sensual and seductive novel set among the upper echelons of New York City, Full Bloom is at once a poignant story of becoming and a riveting mystery that asks: Who are you without your inhibitions? Does being wanted get what you want, or will you be devoured by desire?

https://amzn.to/42qSQdh

This beautifully written new novel from Serritella (Ghosts of Harvard) is a New York City-centric tale of a woman’s journey of self-discovery sparked by a perfume created especially for her, as well as an exploration of scent. Iris, who lost her parents in a tragic house fire as a child, now finds herself at a crossroads: at thirty-five, she’s single, freezing her eggs, stuck in a dead-end job as a lighting designer, and unsure of her future. A touch of magic imbues the fragrance and gives Iris newfound confidence; when wearing the bespoke perfume, her life transforms. Suddenly, she becomes irresistible to men and lands a major new client at work. After losing out on a promotion, she takes a job offered by her new client, and life couldn’t be better. Her new boss supports her in every way possible, but when Iris stumbles across some unsavory business dealings, she faces impossible choices. Torn between her newfound success and her conscience, Iris must decide what truly matters.

Verdict: This engaging story is part mystery, part romance, and is infused with a hint of magic, making it an excellent choice for book groups.

©Library Journal, 2025

8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FULL BLOOM by Francesca Serritella. Ballantine Books (August 5, 2025). ISBN: 978-0525510390. 416p.

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Audiobook Sunday: THE COMPLICATION WITH THE BEST MAN by Piper Rayne

August 3, 2025

Duet narration by Scott Rose & Willa Jaymes

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Lake Starlight, Book 5

From the author:

One wild night turns into two pink lines.

Sleeping with the best man at my cousin’s wedding felt right at the time—he was a hot, available firefighter, and I was the tipsy maid of honor. It’s a rite of passage.

No regrets… until two pink lines flipped my world upside down.

Now I’m wildly unprepared and trying to hide my pregnancy in my small Alaskan town where privacy is a myth and gossip spreads faster than frostbite.

But wait, it gets worse.

Baby Daddy just came back to town—with a fiancée in tow.

And guess who she wants to plan their wedding?

Me.

Keeping the secret was hard enough.

Keeping my distance from the father of my baby? Impossible.

Just when I think I have it all figured out, he reveals his own secret that changes everything.

Authors Note: There is no cheating in this book. Gasp! We would never.

https://amzn.to/40GTe7v

Harper Bailey runs a thriving wedding planning business in the small Alaskan town of Lake Starlight. After serving as maid of honor at her cousin’s wedding, she has an unforgettable one-night stand with Finn, the best man. Despite taking precautions, Harper discovers she’s pregnant. With Finn living thousands of miles away in Vermont, Harper knows she has to tell him, even though she expects nothing in return.

While summer keeps her busy with destination weddings, Harper never expected fall and even winter to become so popular for Alaskan weddings, with couples choosing Alaska’s scenic beauty over traditional sunny destinations. When a new client arrives for a consultation, Harper is stunned to see that the woman’s fiancé is Finn. Unable to risk losing clients in her growing business, Harper decides to stay quiet about their situation for now.

During the couple’s return visit to tour venues, only Finn shows up—his fiancée is swamped with work and has left the wedding decisions to him. As Harper guides him through potential locations, she finally reveals her pregnancy. Finn’s reaction is far more supportive than she anticipated from what was supposed to be just a one-night encounter.

After returning to Vermont and telling his fiancée the truth, Finn’s engagement ends. The relationship had complications from the start, involving a family inheritance and his family’s struggling ski resort that needed financial help. Determined not to be an absent father, Finn decides to relocate to Alaska. As a firefighter, he’s confident he can find work there.

Harper is amazed when Finn expresses his desire to be actively involved in their child’s life. Though the attraction between them remains strong, they agree to focus on friendship and co-parenting rather than complicate things further. In tiny Lake Starlight, Finn struggles to find long-term housing, so Harper offers her guest room as a temporary solution. She also asks her uncle, an Anchorage firefighter, to recommend Finn to both his station and the local Lake Starlight department.

Living under the same roof intensifies their connection and the undeniable chemistry between them. Pregnancy hormones add fuel to the fire, and eventually, they give in to their physical attraction. When Finn gets hired at the local fire station, a colleague mentions his rental property becoming available. As they tour the place together, Harper impulsively admits she doesn’t want him to move out.

In the end, Harper and Finn choose to be together and find their happily ever after.

The narrators brought this story to life brilliantly and kept me engaged throughout. It’s an entertaining tale with just the right amount of heat, and now I’m eager to find the earlier books in this series. Piper Rayne never disappoints!

8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE COMPLICATION WITH THE BEST MAN by Piper Rayne. Narrators: Scott Rose & Willa Jaymes. Piper Rayne Inc. June 20, 2025. Listening Length: 7 hours and 32 minutes.

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BookBitch Diary: August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

There is a housing crisis in this country. Yes, that includes people who are unhoused due to unemployment, mental health issues, etc., but it also includes people who have good jobs and families who still may be unhoused or living in precarious situations. When I was a manager at Borders Books, I had two full-time employees who were homeless from time to time. That was more than 25 years ago, and it has only gotten worse since then.

I live in an area that has seasonal residents. The population swells from roughly October through April every year, from around 100,000 who live here all year round, to an additional 12,000 people during the season. That may not sound like much, but Boca Raton is not a huge city; it’s a suburb, and we can definitely feel the difference. There is tons more traffic, it’s hard to get reservations for popular restaurants, or to make appointments for doctors or even at the hair salon. The stores are more crowded, with long lines at the gas station or supermarket checkout. It’s not fun, and I always enjoy summer more, despite the heat and the hurricanes.

I grew up in New York, and not in a seasonal community, but we had good friends who lived year-round in the Hamptons, a very seasonal community. Many of our Boca Raton seasonal winter visitors move to the Hamptons, Fire Island, or the Catskills for the summer, or to the summer resorts in Massachusetts like Nantucket, Cape Cod, or Martha’s Vineyard, or back to Canada. The thing that most of the seasonal residents don’t think about is where the people who serve them live – the firefighters, the waiters, the librarians, the cops, even the small business owners who cannot afford seasonal pricing, with many being priced out of their neighborhoods.

It’s bad in Boca Raton. We bought our house in 1987, and we have no mortgage anymore. But the price of homeowners’ insurance is almost as much as my mortgage payment was, and the price of these homes has gone up tremendously. Yay for me when I sell, but if I had to buy my house now, or even rent my house now, I couldn’t afford it. It’s not even close. My husband and I would both have to work two jobs each to afford it. Some of my co-workers have 90-minute commutes each way to get to work because that’s how far they have to go for more reasonable housing prices. And even that’s not great, just a tiny bit better. The median home price in Boca Raton, Florida, is $682,500. There is no way a librarian and a retired engineer could afford that!

I feel lucky to live where I do, and I totally understand why Millennials and Gen-Xers are so resentful about home ownership. A former co-worker librarian is still living at home and waiting for her parents to move out so she can buy their house from them. She’s 40 years old! Even though she’s been living with her parents forever and is banking a lot of her paycheck, it’s still the only way she’ll be able to afford to buy. Another co-worker was looking for a house they could afford that was close enough to their aging parents to be helpful, yet still be somewhat affordable. He finally found something, but it took more than two years!

I’ve read all of Elin Hilderbrand’s books set on Nantucket, several of Nancy Thayer’s, and recently have been ripping through Pamela M. Kelley’s books that are set there. Kelley’s characters live there year-round, and I have often found myself wondering how these characters can afford it. It’s fiction, so I suspend my disbelief and just go with it, but really, how do they afford it? The New York Times doesn’t know, either…

Book News

This was a terrific discussion of the classic American novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Iit’s only about 40 minutes, and well worth your time if it’s been a while since you read it. I read it three times, all assigned; once in junior high, again in high school, and in a college lit class (from a reading list of dead white male authors, the usual of a late 1970s curriculum).

Book bans are getting weirder, targeting cats, dogs and civic-minded grandmas

‘There is no political power without power over the archive’
by Richard Ovenden

Titles banned, data deleted, the nation’s librarians sacked without explanation – Donald Trump’s war on books is a threat to democracy across the world, writes the head of Oxford University’s libraries

The library faculty at Western Illinois University won the Academic Librarian of the Year Award from the Illinois Library Association. It is an honor, but wouldn’t be quite so newsworthy had not the entire staff been fired: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://savewiulibrarians.org/content/2025_IL_Academic_Librarian_of_the_Year_Award_PR.pdf

Food News

Love this show! It is one of two that I think of as just a nice place to spend a little time. An escape from reality. Phil genuinely loves food and people. (The other show that gives me that same sort of pleasure is Clarkson’s Farm.)

More on seasonal living, this time in the Hamptons

Good News

Unusual seasonal residents, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, have rented a home for the spring/summer season in Boca Raton. I personally haven’t spotted them anywhere, but I did see them on TV at a Panthers’ Stanley Cup playoff game. Swift has been making her presence known locally – in a very good way–

My kids came to visit and we had the best time – except for little Sylvie, who was teething and very uncomfortable the first few days of their visit. But then it looked like the tooth broke through, and she was her happy, giggly self again (except for depriving her parents of a single good night’s sleep!) We had a great time at the Museum of Science & Discovery, Splash Adventure Water Park, lunch at the Lazy Dog Cafe (highly recommend!), and just hanging out. Jonah and I baked Raspberry Streusel Muffins and a chocolate cake, and Jonah and Papa played with trains – he still loves all things train, from the subways in New York to Thomas & Friends to these electric trains.. We love spending time with them, and now I miss them so much!

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, a lovely perk for subscribers.

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Spotlight Review: THESE SUMMER STORMS by Sarah MacLean

July 29, 2025

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From the publisher:

From New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean, a razor-sharp, wildly sexy novel about a wealthy New England family’s long-overdue reckoning . . . and the one week that threatens to tear them apart.

Alice Storm hasn’t been welcome at her family’s magnificent private island off the Rhode Island coast in five years—not since she was cast out and built her life beyond the Storm name, influence, and untold billions. But the shocking death of her larger-than-life father changes everything.

Alice plans to keep her head down, pay her final respects (such as they are), and leave the minute the funeral is over. Unfortunately, her father had other plans. The eccentric, manipulative patriarch left his family a final challenge—an inheritance game designed to upend their world. The rules are clear: spend one week on the island, complete their assigned tasks, and receive the inheritance.

But a whole week on Storm Island is no easy task for Alice. Every corner of the sprawling old house is bursting with chaos: Her older sister’s secret love affair. Her brother’s unyielding arrogance. Her younger sister’s constant analysis of the vibes. Her mother’s cold judgment. And all under the stern, watchful gaze of Jack Dean, her father’s intriguing and too-handsome second-in-command. It will be a miracle if Alice manages to escape unscathed.

A smart and tender story about the transformative power of grief, love, and family, this luscious novel explores past secrets, present truths, and futures forged in the wake of wild summer storms.

“A gripping inheritance drama, wrapped around a swoony summer romance.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Longtime fans of MacLean’s historical novels will recognize her singular romance prowess in this tale of twisted family drama and unfortunate connections.”—The Washington Post

“In her contemporary fiction debut, a glamorous, scandalous picture of a messy family whose wealth has given them everything except for love.”—Library Journal, starred review

“MacLean’s dedicated readers will recognize her strong characterization and her ability to spin a tight plot with enough surprises to keep the pages turning.”—Booklist, starred review

“MacLean’s first foray into contemporary family drama has notes of Succession along with the steamy romance she’s known for in her historical novels.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

https://amzn.to/4nHVmWu

Alice Storm has been estranged from her ultra-wealthy family for five years, but when her father dies, she’s summoned back to the family’s private island. She hasn’t spoken to her parents or siblings in all that time, but plans to pay her respects and leave quickly—or so she thinks. But her father has one final surprise waiting.

Jack Dean, her father’s trusted second-in-command, delivers shocking news to the assembled family. Their patriarch has left explicit instructions for the week ahead: everyone must remain on the island and complete specific assigned tasks. If anyone fails or leaves early, no one inherits a dime. With so much money at stake, everyone reluctantly agrees—except for Alice, who has built a life completely independent of the family’s fortune. Yet, under pressure and guilt, she stays to see her father’s strange, week-long challenge through.

The setup creates fertile ground for exploring years of unresolved emotional baggage. The story dives deep into the tangled web of family resentments and secrets, reminiscent of the power struggles in Succession. But unlike the rest of the family, Alice is a grounding force—practical, self-aware, and resistant to the family’s toxic pull. Meanwhile, Jack is there to judge the competition, but sparks fly between him and Alice, leaving her uncertain whether getting close to him is wise. The novel expertly balances intense family drama with a compelling romantic subplot that never overshadows the main story.

This is MacLean’s first novel outside the historical romance genre, and she absolutely nailed it. The premise is fresh and compelling, the characters vividly drawn, and the story itself impossible to put down. Highly recommend!

Personal note: This book brought back a lot of memories for me. It was reminiscent of my family dynamic, in particular my father, who had money and thought he could control everyone that way. It worked, for the most part, except with me. We didn’t get along; our values, morals, and ethics were just too disparate. In fact, I hadn’t spoken to him in more than thirty years when he passed away.

Unlike the father in the book, mine didn’t leave behind a set of challenges after his death. Instead, a few years earlier, when his wife was seriously ill, she convinced him to give her children a lot of money. Not sure how much, but one of my step-siblings described it as “never having to work again” money, so not insignificant.

As for me, I never cared about his money, and he could never understand that. I used to joke that my father’s side of the family put the “dys” in dysfunctional, and truthfully, I was much happier living my life without them.

Fortunately, I had a wonderful mother, and when she eventually remarried, her husband became so much more than just a stepfather—he truly was my dad in every way that mattered. He also became my husband’s best friend. I miss them both terribly.

7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THESE SUMMER STORMS by Sarah MacLean. Ballantine Books (July 8, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593972250. 400p.

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Audiobook Sunday: IGNITE by Rebecca Yarros

July 27, 2025

Dual narration by Carly Robins & Tim Paige

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The Legacy Series, Book 0.7

From the publisher:

From USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros comes a friends to lovers romance novella set in her Legacy world.

It only takes a spark . . .

In Legacy, Colorado, I buried my father alongside his elite Hotshot team. Ten years later, I’ve followed in his footsteps—fighting fires in the mountains of Alaska with my brother.

Amid the flames, nothing ignites me like Avery Claire. She’s stubborn, strong, sexy as hell, and my best friend. She also has no idea that I’m in love with her.

But Colorado is calling me home, needing every Legacy-born firefighter to successfully rebuild our fathers’ team.

One night will change everything between us, but she’s tied to Alaska, and my future is in Colorado. Now I’m torn between what my honor demands, and what my heart can’t live without.

Contains mature themes.

https://amzn.to/44GTjt8

After their father died fighting a fire, River and his brother left Legacy behind. Though they followed in their father’s footsteps as hotshots, they relocated to Alaska to escape painful memories and start fresh. When they learn they’re needed to help resurrect the Legacy Hotshot team, they realize it’s finally time to go home.

Avery, River’s best friend, has long wished their friendship could become something more—unaware that River feels the same way. But Avery is bound to the small town by the responsibility of caring for her abusive, alcoholic father. When she and River finally confess their feelings, Avery finds herself torn between staying to care for her father and following her heart. There is a way forward, but the path is anything but smooth.

Even shorter than the series’ first novella, Point of Origin, this book felt rushed because of its brevity. While I generally prefer full-length novels over novellas, I enjoyed this story despite feeling it would have benefited from more development and expansion.

7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

IGNITE by Rebecca Yarros. Narrators: Carly Robins & Tim Paige. Tantor Audio. March 26, 2024. Listening Length: 3 hours and 37 minutes.

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MAID FOR EACH OTHER by Lynn Painter

July 25, 2025

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From the publisher:

A millionaire and a house cleaner are a match maid in heaven in this sparkling new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Happily Never After.

As a professional cleaner, Abi Mariano never thought her apartment would have any sort of infestation, but because of a building-wide outbreak, she now needs somewhere to stay for a week. As a part-time student with two jobs, she doesn’t have many options. Then the solution presents itself: the owner of the penthouse she cleans is out of town for the week. She normally wouldn’t consider it, but he’s literally never around (she hasn’t even met him). It goes great…until one morning she finds two strangers in the kitchen. They’re the parents of the penthouse owner and they seem to think they’ve heard all about Abi—not as their son’s maid, but as his girlfriend.

Declan Powell has always put his career first, working his way up to become an executive at his company, but he still has his sights set on the next level. When his parents mention that they met his girlfriend, “Abby,” he all but chokes on his escargot. As wonderful as it sounds that she was just darling, he doesn’t actually have a girlfriend—he made her up to get everyone off his back. When Dex finds out who Abi really is, he makes her a proposition: pretend to date him, and he’ll provide everything she needs during their little arrangement. What harm would it do? It’s purely business, no pleasure…right?

“Painter injects a familiar trope with both levity and genuine emotion. Readers will especially be drawn to Abi, whose smarts and sass make her the perfect match for the more staid but driven Declan. This is a treat.”—Publishers Weekly

“Filled with laughs and a warmhearted spirit, this quick-reading romance from Painter is a charmer.”—Library Journal

https://amzn.to/3GNjtm7

Leave it to Lynn Painter to take the classic billionaire fake-dating trope and turn it into something fresh and magical.

Abi is juggling two jobs—one at a grocery store that offers health benefits and another as an overnight cleaner—while working toward her MFA in creative writing. Her dream is to become a professor who writes on the side, but money is always tight. When she has to leave her apartment for a week and can’t afford a hotel, she comes up with an idea: she’ll stay at the luxurious penthouse she cleans each week. The owner is never there, so what could go wrong?

Everything, as it turns out. On her first morning, she wakes up to find the owner’s parents in the kitchen, happily eating the muffins she baked. They assume Abi is their son’s girlfriend, and before she can correct them, Declan himself walks in. Declan is young, wealthy, and furious to find a stranger posing as his girlfriend. But his parents seem to adore her, and Declan has a crucial weekend ahead: the shareholders’ annual meeting in Omaha, where he hopes to convince America’s richest man (his boss) that he’s ready for a promotion. A girlfriend would definitely add the gravitas he needs.

Abi has $40,000 in student loans, so she asks Declan for the cash and to stay in his apartment for the week. In return, she’ll keep up the charade for his family and accompany him as his pretend girlfriend to the shareholder event. Knowing Abi doesn’t have the means to dress for the occasion, Declan arranges for a stylist and hair and makeup team to help her. When Declan sees the stunning results, he’s speechless. At the function, Abi charms everyone, including his boss.

As they fake their relationship, real feelings blossom. But when Declan’s best friend offers a similar proposition to Abi, she’s hurt and calls the whole thing off—a moment that is reminiscent of a scene in Pretty Woman. Thankfully, Abi and Declan find their way back to each other, leading to a truly happy ending.

While the destination is familiar, the journey is pure delight. Painter delivers another excellent romantic comedy that belongs on your must-read list. A super fun read!

7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MAID FOR EACH OTHER by Lynn Painter. Berkley (July 15, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593638033. 368p.

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MUCH ADO ABOUT HATING YOU by Sarah Echavarre Smith

July 25, 2025

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From the publisher:

 A Shakespearean Fanfic Spicy Enemies to Lovers Rom Com

Enemies by day. Spicy fanfic author and devoted reader by night.

Things are about to get downright Shakespearean.

All’s fair in love. And war. And fandom.

Financial auditor Micah Mila is used to being the bearer of bad news, and her latest assignment in the local university’s English department has been especially taxing—no thanks to a literature professor who clashes with her at every turn. Thankfully, she has an after-hours escape: reading spicy Shakespearean fanfic.

Professor Aidan Scott is damn good at his job. But Micah has been a thorn in his side since the moment he laid eyes on her—eyes that really like what they see. Yet, with his job on the line, there’s no room for distractions. At least, not beyond the sexy fanfic he secretly writes.

When Micah discovers the man getting under her skin is the writer heating her up, their enemy vibe turns steamy. But with Micah’s audit due and Aidan’s career at risk, separating fantasy from reality becomes more than a little complicated…

https://amzn.to/4fmaVzz

Aidan Scott, an English professor with a secret passion for writing steamy Shakespeare fanfiction on a Wattpad-style platform, has an immediate problem when financial auditor Micah Mila arrives at his university. Hired to audit the English department and identify cost-cutting opportunities, Micah poses a direct threat to everything Aidan holds dear—his beloved teaching position and the students who adore his classes.

When Aidan and Micah first meet, sparks fly—but not in a good way. In the elevator, Aidan makes a snide remark about the incoming auditor, unaware that Micah is standing right beside him. The resulting animosity creates an immediate barrier between two people whose substantial egos prevent them from moving past their initial antagonism.

What neither realizes is that they’ve already formed a connection through the very fanfiction site where Aidan publishes his work. In the anonymous comment sections, they’ve found solace in venting about their real-world nemesis, completely unaware they’re confiding in each other. Their online dynamic is playful and open in stark contrast to their tense real-life interactions.

The novel attempts to navigate the enemies-to-lovers trope, working toward an inevitable romantic resolution despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles. However, the execution falls short of its ambitious premise. The character development lacks depth, making it difficult to invest in their constant bickering and eventual romance. Both Aidan and Micah remain frustratingly surface-level throughout most of the story.

While the book includes steamy scenes, they feel more like obligatory additions than meaningful moments that advance the relationship or deepen our understanding of the characters. The romance ultimately ends with a resolution that strains credibility rather than satisfying the emotional journey.

Despite an intriguing setup that cleverly combines academic drama with digital-age romance, this novel disappoints by prioritizing conflict over character growth, leaving readers with a love story that never quite convinces, making for a disappointing read.

Note: I never heard of this imprint, Afterglow Books by Harlequin, and now I will be leery of any other books they publish. Harlequin has several imprints, but this is the first time I’ve felt this way.

7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MUCH ADO ABOUT HATING YOU by Sarah Echavarre Smith. Afterglow Books by Harlequin (May 27, 2025). ISBN: 978-1335574992. 288p.

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