The latest Stephanie Plum novel from #1 New York Times bestseller and “the most popular mystery writer alive” (The New York Times) Janet Evanovich.
She said yes to Morelli. She said yes to Ranger. Now Stephanie Plum has two fiancés and no idea what to do about it. But the way things are going, she might not live long enough to marry anyone.
While Stephanie stalls for time, she buries herself in her work as a bounty hunter, tracking down an unusually varied assortment of fugitives from justice. There’s Eugene Fleck, a seemingly sweet online influencer who might also be YouTube star Robin Hoodie, masked hero to the homeless, who hijacks delivery trucks and distributes their contents to the needy. She’s also on the trail of Bruno Jug, a wealthy and connected man in the wholesale produce business who is rumored to traffic young girls alongside lettuce and tomatoes. Most terrifying of all is Zoran—a laundromat manager by day and self-proclaimed vampire by night with a taste for the blood of pretty girls. When he shows up on Stephanie’s doorstep, it’s not for the meatloaf dinner.
With timely assists from her stalwart supporters Lula, Connie, and Grandma Mazur, Stephanie uses every trick in the book to reel in these men. But only she can decide what to do about the two men she actually loves. She can’t hold Ranger and Morelli at bay for long, and she’s keeping a secret from them that is the biggest bombshell of all. Now or never, she’s got to make the decision of a lifetime.
“Stephanie Plum’s 31st adventure shows that Trenton’s preeminent fugitive-apprehension agent still has plenty of tricks up her sleeve, and needs every one of them . . . As usual, Evanovich handles the funny stuff better (much better) than the mystery stuff.” Kirkus Reviews
I stopped reading this series a while ago but picked up the last book, the thirtieth in the series, just because it was such a milestone, and I really enjoyed it. This one, not as much, so not sure I’ll continue. Not that anyone has asked, but to be honest, this would be a good book to end the series on.
For the past thirty books, Stephanie has been going back and forth between the hunky former Special Forces now private security company owner Ranger, and her childhood sweetheart, the hunky good guy, Morelli. This is ostensibly a mystery series, and every book has at least one madcap mystery and usually more than one. I think the readers keep coming back for the laughs more than the mystery, but most importantly, for the romance. Who will she choose?
Thirty-one On the Run opens with Stephanie engaged to both Morelli and Ranger, so business as usual has taken a step up. She also thinks she’s pregnant, and is willing to marry whoever the father is. The mysteries involve picking up bail jumpers for various crimes and are usually more silly than scary, but there is always a sense of danger.
By the book’s end, the bail jumpers have all been rescheduled and Stephanie is married, (NO SPOILERS HERE!) so what is the point of going on after this?
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
NOW OR NEVER by Janet Evanovich.Atria Books (November 19, 2024). ISBN: 978-1668003138. 320p.
Rosie writes romance novels and listens to Taylor Swift on loop. Aiden is a literary fiction writer who doesn’t believe in happy endings. They’re about to write a book together—what could go wrong?
The Hating Game meets Beach Read in this sexy and hilarious enemies-to-lovers romance from a debut Peruvian-Tennessean voice.
Rosie, an idealistic and passionate Peruvian American, leaves her Tennessee hometown to pursue her dream of making it in New York as a writer. But her plan is derailed when she ends up in class with her archnemesis and ex-crush, Aiden Huntington—an obnoxious, surly, and gorgeous literary fiction writer who doesn’t have much patience for the romance genre or for Rosie.
Rosie and Aiden regularly go to verbal battle in workshop until their professor reaches her breaking point. She allows them to stay in her class on one condition: they must cowrite a novel that blends their genres.
The reluctant writing duo can’t help but put pieces of themselves into their accidentally steamy novel, and their manuscript-in-progress provides an outlet for them to confess their feelings—and explore their attraction toward each other.
When Rosie and Aiden find themselves competing against each other for a potentially career-changing opportunity, the flames of old rivalry reignite, and their once-in-a-lifetime love story is once again at risk of being shelved—unless they can find a way to end the book on their own terms.
DECEMBER 2024 INDIE NEXT PICK! LIBRARYREADS TOP PICK FOR DECEMBER!
“Atmospheric, beautifully conveying the appeal of bustling NYC . . . Readers will not be able to put down this delightful, witty romance.” —Library Journal
“Rosie [is] a particularly effective, effusive advocate when it comes to championing the delights of romance fiction.” —Booklist
Katie and Aiden are taking a writing workshop at a prestigious university in New York City. Katie writes romance and the professor is Katie’s mentor, but she doesn’t pull any punches with her. Aiden writes literary fiction and is a complete snob about romance. Their in-class bickering reaches new heights of dysfunction and the professor decides to force them to write a book together. Katie will write romance and Aiden will do his thing and destroy her happy ending. They have no choice if they want to get a grade in this class, so they get to work.
It’s not an easy assignment but eventually, they find a way to do this. As they spend time together they start to have feelings for one another, but find the best way to communicate is through their characters and I really loved that. Both these characters had interesting backstories which added a lot of depth, and there was enough heat to set the pages on fire. The premise was appealing and the story compelling, making this an engaging read. Looking forward to what comes next!
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
NOT IN MY BOOK by Katie Holt. Alcove Press (December 10, 2024). ISBN: 978-1639109753. 32
Conceited, unattainable, and downright delicious, renowned Michelin-starred chef Ambrose Casablancas has one passion in life: food.
Women are a distraction, and he doesn’t do those. Especially Cal Litvin, his baby sister’s best friend. Her entire existence is a complication; she’s awkward, eccentric, infuriating…
And, much to his chagrin, hotter than his kitchen.
Ambrose has a lot on his plate: a new restaurant to open, a multi-million-dollar property deal to execute, and a violent stalker to tame.
Then Cal shows up at his doorstep, looking for both a job and salvation after their messy goodbye. His resolve, like his patience, is ebbing each day she works at his restaurant.
Because Cal is no longer a doe-eyed girl.
Now? She’s the woman he’ll do anything to conquer.
Quirky, compassionate ball of sunshine Calla Litvin can’t catch a break, and not just because she swore off running.
Back in her hometown to nurse her mother’s broken heart after losing her father, she finds herself jobless, hopeless, and penniless. She hopes to rekindle her friendship with her former BFF, but Dylan is attached at the hip to her cruel brother—the one Cal’s been secretly crushing on since middle school.
Falling for the bad boy the second time around would be a mistake of gargantuan proportions.
Too bad she’s always been clumsy.
Truly, Madly, Deeplyis a grumpy x sunshine, enemies-to-lovers romance. It is the first in the Forbidden Love series but can be listened to as a standalone.
It’s a new year, and I’m trying something new. I’ve been listening to audiobook romances lately, so I’m going to try reviewing an audiobook every Sunday. We’ll see how it goes!
I’ve often wondered how I would feel listening to sex scenes, and this book tested my limits – turns out I didn’t mind at all. Although if I didn’t have AirPods in my ears, I don’t think I’d want to broadcast it into the atmosphere, if that makes sense?
This was one of the longer audiobooks I’ve read lately. Honestly, it probably could have used a bit of editing, it felt long. But I liked the characters and their backstories, and it definitely held my interest. Cal and Dylan have been best friends forever, but what Dylan doesn’t know is that Cal has a crush on her brother, Ambrose – like every other girl in school. Cal decides she wants to lose her virginity before heading off to college, and she asks Ambrose to be the one. Dylan catches them and their friendship blows up.
Several years later Cal returns home after losing her father, and she is broke. Ambrose runs a Michelin-starred restaurant in their small town, and his manager hires Cal. She desperately needs the money and would like to try and rekindle the friendship she had with Dylan. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Cal, Ambrose has been carrying a torch for her for years. He is mercurial and demanding as a boss and, as Cal comes to find out, as a lover. These relationships are new and somewhat precarious, and there is a lot of small town drama as well.
I liked how all these relationships were explored, and the character development kept me engrossed. This is a very spicy romance with some humor and witty banter, but it’s the drama that is the big draw here. These characters were complex, and the storyline was compelling. The narrators were very good and added dramatic tension to the story. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
TRULY MADLY DEEPLY by L.J. Shen.Narrators: Lila Winters, Teddy Hamilton. Dreamscape Media; September 10, 2024. ASIN: B0D5ZJWQZS. Listening Length: 15 hours and 50 minutes
Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.
The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room two days before Christmas.
Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:
She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.
He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.
She hates his guts.
He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)
But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.
That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.
She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?
As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.
Assuming they don’t kill each other first.
The laugh out loud holiday “romystery” that you’ve been waiting for!
“Full of tongue-in-cheek humor, excellent dialogue, and fantastic characters, this expertly crafted story from Carter (The Blonde Identity) is a heart-melting rivals-to-lovers romance combined with a delightful locked-room mystery.” — Library Journal (starred review)
“Perfect for fans of “Knives Out” and “The Hating Game,” this enemies-to-lovers cat-and-mouse game boasts serious stakeouts and charged make-outs.” — Washington Post
“Carter spins a clever romantic mystery with a Christmassy twist. [Her] impressive plotting means the final, Agatha Christie–esque reveal is a genuine surprise, and she pulls off the enemies-to-lovers trope beautifully. Romantic suspense fans on the hunt for something festive will want to snap this up.” — Publishers Weekly
“The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter blends genres with the expert hand of a bartender crafting the perfect gingerbread martini.” — People
I know Christmas is over but I don’t care – this was such a great read! It may be my favorite holiday read this season.
I love a good locked-room mystery, and this one goes above and beyond because in addition to the mystery, there are a lot of laughs and a romance, making this an unputdownable read.
Maggie is our heroine, a best selling cozy mystery writer who has a bit of a bump in her career when she dumps her husband after finding him in bed with her best (and only) friend. He manages to get his hands on her copyrights, and she is working her butt off, writing several books under a variety of pseudonyms to make enough money to buy him out. When she reluctantly attends her publisher’s holiday party, her editor tells her she has been invited to spend the holidays with her biggest fan, but won’t say who it is. She decides to go as she has no family and no one to spend the holidays with. She is shocked to find a private jet waiting to whisk her off to England, but before she can enjoy it too much, the “leather jacket” she hates shows up to make the trip as well.
Ethan is the “leather jacket”, a best selling thriller writer with the obligatory author photo on the back of the book with the very good looking Ethan wearing a leather jacket. Look at most thrillers and you will see a similar author photo, men and women alike. It’s a thing for sure. Maggie detests Ethan; for one thing he always calls her Marcie which she finds maddening. But off they go and it turns out the fan is Eleanor Ashley. Maggie has read every one of her 99 books, most more than once, and is shocked to find her own books in Eleanor’s library. After greeting her guests, she goes to work in her office, locking herself in. The next morning, the door is still locked but Eleanor is gone.
Maggie thinks that this is some sort of contest, possibly to pick her successor. There are several other guests there for the holidays, and everyone is a suspect to Eleanor’s disappearance. Maggie finds a clue in the library, but when she follows her instincts, she ends up outdoors with Ethan hot on her trail. When shots are fired at her, Ethan saves her and Maggie decides maybe he isn’t as bad as she thought.
There are lots of red herrings and suspects galore, but as Ethan and Maggie work together, it turns out they have more in common than she thought and feelings are burgeoning. This was a fast read with lots of laughs and a terrific mystery with a totally unexpected ending, and I loved it!
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR by Ally Carter.Avon (September 24, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063276680. 304p.
A new holiday enemies-to-lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn.
Every Kringle in Kringletown celebrated Christmas a lot.
But Cole Black on Whistler Lane, unfortunately, did not.
As his fellow citizens decorate their quaint town, brimming with carols and glad tidings, Cole wants nothing more than to hibernate the winter away. But his dreary plans are thwarted when his Christmas nemesis, Storee Taylor, moves in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Immediately, the new neighbor turns his life into a real nightmare before Christmas, especially when she decides to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest in honor of Cindy. And better yet, Storee is determined to win.
Over Cole’s dead body, she will. With help from his friend Max, Cole decides to enter the competition as well, to beat Storee at her own game by pretending that this hometown grump’s heart has grown three sizes this season and he’s fallen for the girl next door. And unfortunately for Storee, she has to follow his lead to have a chance at the Christmas Kringle title.
But the competition isn’t the only thing that heats up. Cole and Storee’s fake relationship becomes very real, and before they know it, they’re attempting to hide it from Aunt Cindy. Things get complicated, the competition gets tough, and all it takes is one single night for someone to steal it all…
This book has gotten so much buzz, granted mostly from TikTok, but I heard it was really cute and funny so I went for it. The thirty-second elevator pitch is a contemporary rom-com based on The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, replete with chapter introductory bad Seuss-like poetry. Really bad. Seuss-spinning-in-his-grave bad. But the poetry was just a tiny part of the story.
Theoretically, this is a small-town romance with the always popular enemies-to-lovers trope as well as a smidge of fake dating, and it is Christmas all the way in this small town of Whoville, I mean Kringletown. The town leader is Bob Krampus, and this whole town celebrates Christmas all year long, culminating in the annual Christmas Kringle contest, a series of holiday-themed challenges from home decor to crafting to caroling and more. Storee’s favorite Aunt Cindy is recovering from hip replacement surgery and needs help. Storee’s sister is a nurse and she corrals Storee into spending the holidays in Kringletown and helping Aunty Cindy out.
Storee is surprised to find out that while her sister will be doing the actual caregiving, including a long-running and not-funny joke about cleaning her “crevices”, Cindy wants Storee to enter the contest. Cindy came in second the previous year and is determined to take the crown this year. Storee reluctantly agrees and it looks like it will be a fun time for all until the next-door neighbor, Cole, also decides to enter. Storee and Cole were friends when they were younger, but Storee hasn’t been back in Kringletown for ten years and for some reason, Cole is really pissed about it. These enemies resolve their issues rather quickly but don’t tell anyone, hence the “fake-dating” that is really only fake to probably Storee’s sister and aunt. It’s not as complicated as it sounds, but it leads to a lot of sex including the TikTok infamous candy cane sex scene. The Christmas contest challenges are adorable but it just went on forever.
This author was new to me, and I’m sorry to say that this book was too over the top for me; three-quarters of the way through I felt like I was overdosing on Christmas cutesiness. I slogged through the rest to get to the happy ending. Not my favorite Christmas romance.
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
HOW MY NEIGHBOR STOLE CHRISTMAS by Meghan Quinn.Bloom Books (October 15, 2024). ISBN: 978-1464230158. 480p.
“Nine out of the ten most frequently borrowed titles were written by women and tell stories that center on women’s experiences and inner lives across multiple settings, decades, and literary styles.”
These titles span cuisines, subjects and styles, but all would be an asset to your cookbook shelf.
Other News
When I got my job at Lynn University, one of the first things I did was mount a framed copy of “A Great Day in Harlem,” the iconic black-and-white photograph of 58 jazz musicians in Harlem, New York, taken by freelance photographer Art Kane, in my office. Only two of the musicians pictured were still alive; today, there is only one, Sonny Rollins, and he spoke to The New York Times about it. They created this interactive look at the photograph, and I loved it! Hope you do, too!
As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.
Thanks to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers.
Comments Off on BookBitch Diary: January 1, 2025 | Ramblings | Permalink Posted by Stacy Alesi
This year the first night of Hanukkah falls on Christmas day, so thanks to The O.C., we have a word for that!
Wishing all my readers a very Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, and Happy Hanukkah! Whatever you celebrate, I hope you get to share the holidays with family and friends, some good food, and all the joys of the season.
It’s that time of year again; these are the books that I liked best this year. This is my very subjective, very personal list. I loved a lot of books this year; I mostly read romances and romcoms, and those books tend to keep me happy. But to be honest, I forget a lot of them as soon as I’ve moved on to the next. So the ones that stay with me are the ones that end up on my annual list. I’ve read about 300 books this year, so had plenty to choose from. And I’m limiting myself to a top ten list again this year!
I hope you find this list useful and interesting!
THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah: There are so many important themes here, from war to racism to alcoholism and other addictions, and family discordance, and reading groups will have much to discuss. While it was gut-wrenching at times, it is also poignant, provocative, and too important to be ignored. This is the kind of book that makes me glad I have this platform so I can encourage people to read it. I hope you love it as much as I do.
THE CLIFFS by J. Courtney Sullivan: This highly anticipated novel from J. Courtney Sullivan was worth the wait. Our protagonist, Jane, is a Harvard archivist who is also an alcoholic, like her mother and sister. After getting blackout drunk at a work event, she finds her job in jeopardy, as well as her marriage, making this the perfect time to escape from all her troubles. She heads up to Maine to settle her mother’s estate, which is complicated by the fact that her mother was a hoarder.
Research is at the heart of this novel that spans generations, Colonialism, Native American history, spiritualism, the Shakers, and so much more in a beautifully written, expansive novel sure to appeal to book groups. I loved it.
THE WAITING by Michael Connelly: Let me start by saying this: Michael Connelly has never phoned it in, or slacked in any way. Every one of his books is carefully researched and written with the sort of sensibility we expect from Connelly, yet he never panders. If you haven’t read Connelly, you are in for a treat. If you have, this book is everything you would expect; totally engrossing and fast-paced, with twists and red herrings laid out much like the freeways in Los Angeles with its extensive network of interconnected highways, until the supremely satisfying ending.
THE HUSBANDS by Holly Gramazio: Cue the Twilight Zone music…Lauren meets her husband Michael for the first time when she gets home late one night. He’s there, in her apartment. Except she’s not married. Never been married. And not surprisingly, she freaks out a bit. Lauren experiences a couple of hundred husbands before the realization hits that she needs to end this endless parade somehow. The ending was unexpected yet not, but this book is really about the journey.
This is a book that begs discussion for a lot of reasons, so if your book group is in need of something different, something hopeful instead of depressing (as I find most discussion books,) this is a great option. This compelling read had the most unusual premise and was completely thought provoking; highly recommend!
SEVEN SUMMER WEEKENDS by Jane L. Rosen: I have read and loved every one of Rosen’s books and I am happy to say that this one is stellar. After a misdirected comment about her boss goes viral, Addison gets fired instead of the promotion she was seeking. Feeling somewhat lost, her aunt’s final gift, her beach house on Fire Island, is just what she needs.
While she hadn’t seen her aunt since the Big Terrible Thing happened when she was a young child, she does remember her. But she really gets to know her deceased aunt when she moves to the island for the summer. Staying at the beach house changes Addison’s life in many ways, and I loved seeing her growth. The Fire Island of Rosen’s books is idyllic, but the relationships are fraught, making for a compelling read. I loved it.
If you love the show, you will love this book. If you don’t understand the popularity of the show – now celebrating its 25th anniversary! – then this book will make it clear why it is still popular so many years later. The West Wing was in the infancy of what is now thought of as prestige television; the cast was perfect, the writing incomparable, and the storylines interesting and engaging. The West Wing introduced the “walk and talk,” now a fairly common way of filming. Even the music by W. G. Snuffy Walden was unforgettable. What’s Next is a must-read for any fan of the show. I loved it.
LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE by Kristan Higgins: What a compelling read! I started reading it Sunday morning and finished it Sunday evening – and I hated turning that last page. There are some heartwrenching scenes here, and I found myself crying a few times, but to her credit, Higgins doesn’t really write tearjerkers; there is a lot of humor and sweetness here as well. Higgins has become one of my favorite authors – her books remind me of Elin Hilderbrand, somewhat of Jodi Picoult, and this book in particular, of Colleen Hoover, but with slightly older protagonists. To be a tad more succinct – I loved it and could not put it down!
NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG by Julie Soto: I had no idea what a “Reylo-inspired grumpy-sunshine romance” was but it turns Reylo is “a nickname for the romantic relationship between Star Wars characters Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey Skywalker (Daisy Ridley.)” Apparently, there is a ton of fanfiction about them, including this book. Despite having seen the film, I would have never known about this relationship. This is a romance set in the world of professional classical musicians, and I found that world fascinating. I loved it.
THE PARADISE PROBLEM by Christina Lauren: This writing duo’s hit another home run here. A marriage of convenience with an unusual twist – Liam and Anna get married so they can live in subsidized campus housing, and it works out great. They barely see one another, and when their two-year lease is up, they go their separate ways. Liam gives Anna some legal documents and she signs them without even looking at them, assuming they are divorce papers. But they are not. And it turns out he needs to be married for financial reasons.
This is a sizzling romance with a lot of laughs and heart – I loved it! Christina Lauren never disappoints, and this may be their best book yet. Don’t miss it.
ALWAYS REMEMBER by Mary Balogh: This was such an interesting twist on the Regency romance. Our heroine, Lady Jennifer, comes from a well-to-do family high up in society. She suffered an illness in childhood that left one of her legs and one of her feet deformed. She is unable to walk unassisted and uses a wheelchair. Ben is a fixer – he likes nothing better than solving a tricky problem. He speaks with Lady Jennifer, and a friendship is formed. He is strongly attracted to her, and she to him, but his lack of title makes him ineligible for marriage to a lady. I really enjoyed this story, and I’m sure the research was impeccable. The story moves quickly, and I couldn’t help but get caught up in this romance. I was so sorry to turn that last page!
Limiting myself to a specific number of favorites in any given year is not easy. These are my top ten for the year, but there were several other books I felt were worthy of a mention.
When Maddie Grainger’s longtime boyfriend dumps her on TV for the entire world to see, she thinks she’s hit rock bottom.
Until her parents announce that they’re spending the holidays with her ex’s family… And he’ll be bringing the woman he left her for.
All Maddie wants for Christmas is to stick it to her cheating ex. But how?
Enter Sebastian Slater, the NHL’s most infamous player.
On a drunken night out in Vegas, Maddie asks the superstar athlete to pose as her new boyfriend. She’s kidding, mostly. But Seb shocks her by making a counter offer: he doesn’t want to date Maddie for the holidays… he wants to marry her.
Show up at her ex’s cabin alone, or with a surprise new hockey-playing husband? Maddie opts for the ultimate level up.
Because maybe, just maybe, revenge is a dish best served betrothed.
Sparks fly and Christmas cheer is abundant in this festive marriage of convenience rom com. Season’s Schemings is a closed door/fade to black romance that includes mild language, innuendo, and tons of sizzle without the spice..
This holiday hockey rom-com was the perfect read for me! Everything I like all rolled up into one terrific read. I consider myself still a somewhat new audiobook reader, and as many as I have enjoyed, this one had me popping in my airPods all the time. I even watched a hockey game on TV while listening; it was a very meta experience!
Maddie entered a baking competition along with her boyfriend of over ten years in order to help him with his career as a pastry chef. Maddie cooks too, but her emphasis is on healthy treats. The boyfriend dumps her on national TV, she shoves his face into red frosting, and we are off to the races!
Maddie lands a good job as a nutritionist/kitchen help for a fictional NHL team in Atlanta, the Cyclones. Having a bit of a meltdown because the ex has become engaged to the woman he was cheating on her with, she ducks into the public restroom at the stadium. Except she doesn’t realize it’s the men’s room until Seb walks in.
Sebastian is the star center for the Cyclones, and only been with the team a year. Their meet-cute ratchets up a notch when he wanders into the kitchen looking for a snack, and there’s Maddie again. They chat for a while, then it’s back to work for both of them. Seb has been singularly focused on hockey for most of his life. He hooks up with the puck bunnies now and then, but he barely has time for his family much less a relationship.
The team flies to Las Vegas for a game, and Maddie gets to go. When it turns out Seb’s visa has expired (he’s Canadian) he is benched and really upset. He runs into Maddie in the hotel bar where she is already three sheets to the wind. Tearfully, she tells him that her parents are expecting her to spend Christmas with her ex, his family and new fiancée. She comes up with the wild idea that Seb should come with her and pretend to be her boyfriend. He is her ex’s favorite hockey player. But Seb has a better idea – he proposes – literally. If she marries him, he can continue to play while the immigration paperwork is in process, and he will accompany her to the family nightmare of a Christmas. They’re in Vegas, so a drunk Elvis marries the drunk couple Seb also invites her to move in with him. She’s been sleeping on the couch in her brother’s apartment since the breakup, so it’s a win-win all the way around.
It turns out Seb is the perfect husband, especially when they reach Aspen, the family, and her ex. Seb is surprised by how much he enjoys Maddie’s company and living with her. He looks forward to coming home after work, which is a first for him. And their relationship moves to the next level. Maybe this marriage shouldn’t be temporary? While I was thinking that the ‘Canadian marrying an American for citizenship’ plot was reminiscent of one of my favorite rom-com movies, The Proposal, up pops a mention of it in the book!
Happy endings are why I read so many romances, and this was such a fun read. I loved these characters and watching their relationship bloom and grow. The narrators were terrific, too, they really made the story come alive. Can’t wait for the next book in this new series.
12/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
SEASON’S SCHEMINGS by Katie Bailey.Narrators: Austin Rising & Melissa Moran. Dreamscape Media; February 27, 2024. ASIN: B0CQ18T61Q. Listening Length: 7 hours and 38 minutes
A heartwarming and humorous romance in which an unlikely couple fall in love over Wordle.
Twenty-seven-year-old Emily doesn’t have a lot going well in her life right now. She dreams of a creative career but works as a receptionist in an auto shop. She longs for big city life but lives in a small town on Prince Edward Island. She craves a close group of friends but is stuck with irritating, car-obsessed coworkers.
What Emily does have is a 300+ day streak on the New York Times Wordle. But one day, with only one guess left and no clue what the answer is, she’s forced to turn to one of her irritating, car-obsessed coworkers, John, for help—and in doing so, realizes that he might not be so irritating after all.
As they make their way, word by word, toward a 365-day streak, Emily is drawn into a surprising romance that will take her outside of her comfort zone—and challenge everything she thought she knew about happiness, success, and love.
“Readers will find the snappy dialogue and genuine enthusiasm of the main character very endearing. An easy read for fans of puzzles and breezy romance, this book is also a great choice for those who prefer their romances on the lighter side.” -Booklist
“James’ debut is a sweet small-town romance that revolves around Emily’s journey of self-discovery and personal improvement . . . Wordplay and romance collide in this charming debut.” -Kirkus Reviews
“Emily is living on autopilot on Prince Edward Island in James’s debut. The best thing in her life is a 300-plus-day streak on Wordle. When she is forced to turn to her coworker John for help with a puzzle, the two pair up and push to 365 days, finding love in and beyond the squares . . . This heartfelt novel will surely garner an enthusiastic following for debut author James.” -Library Journal
“James debuts with a lighthearted coming-of-age romance . . . James shines depicting the simple joys of small-town life.” -Publishers Weekly
This has to be my favorite debut of the year! I love Wordle, and this is a romance where the two main characters find love when they start playing together at lunch. There is a lot of humor here, and I found myself laughing out loud, and telling my family all about this book. Emily is a quirky yet loveable character, and I truly enjoyed watching her grow.
Emily is a receptionist at a small auto repair shop on Prince Edward Island (one of my favorite settings, thanks to Anne of Green Gables!) The owner of the shop is ready to retire and rarely comes in to work. There are two mechanics, an older man and John, a very good-looking young man. But in the several months that Emily has worked there, John has pretty much ignored her and Emily has decided that his name, John Smith, really suits his taciturn personality. Until he sees her playing Wordle at lunch one day, and everything changes.
Turns out that John also enjoys Wordle. They start playing together every day at lunch, and eventually texting over Wordle on the weekends, too. Emily has an interesting style of play, which I found fun to read, as would any fans of the game. But Emily has big dreams, and they don’t include living in this small town and working as a receptionist. She struggles with what she truly thinks will make her happy, and while she is happy with John, she feels like there is a bigger life out there for her.
Emily starts volunteering at the small barrel-making museum in town. The woman who runs it inherited her job, and obviously couldn’t care less about the museum. She stays in her office scrolling Facebook all day and lets the volunteers run the place. Emily loves the museum and wishes more people would visit. To that end, she has some great ideas for drumming up more business, which her boss takes full credit for. She also helps out her elderly neighbor with grocery shopping and really enjoys talking to the elderly. This small town is full of old people and tourists, and Emily accidentally stumbles onto a part time job caregiving for her elderly neighbor, which leads to a couple more jobs like it.
Emily is searching for something bigger though, and decides to apply to NYU for a graduate degree in museum studies. She also applies to the Met in New York City for an internship, never really thinking she’d land either one of those. Meanwhile, she grows closer with John and she’s pretty sure she’s falling in love with him. The only drawback to this book is that because we see everything through Emily’s eyes, John remains something of an enigma.
Emily has been making friends in this small town and really loves living there. She’s sure her happiness lies elsewhere though. Her pursuing happiness elsewhere does not bode well for her relationship with John, but everything falls into place by the end of the book; Emily is heading for a 365-day Wordle streak, and a happily ever after. I loved this sweet and funny romance, and can’t wait to see what this new author comes up with next!
12/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
A FIVE-LETTER WORD FOR LOVE by Amy James.Avon (December 3, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063399013. 368p.
Posted by Stacy Alesi 
Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™ 