Stacy Alesi

Spotlight Review: NOT THAT KIND OF EVER AFTER by Luci Adams

March 14, 2023

From the publisher:

Fairytale meets feminism in Luci Adams’s Not That Kind of Ever After, a frothy adventure of one woman’s journey to claim happily ever after in times of serial dating, swiping right, and the quest to find your soulmate.

Bella Marble’s life isn’t what she imagined. Instead of an author, she’s receptionist at a small press. Instead of happily married, she’s single, and her lovey-dovey parents are divorcing. And to top it off, her best friend of twenty-nine years, Ellie Mathews, is moving out and marrying the heinously boring Mark. (He’s not worthy of her. No one could be). Bella feels rudderless, only slightly soothed by time spent with Ellie’s (not hot) brother, (he’s not hot) Marty (okay, he’s hot. But he’s also the aggravating brother she never had―right)?

When Marty recommends Bella stop looking for “the one” and just have fun, Bella finds a new, empowered side of herself. But when she posts a fairy-tale retelling of a disastrous one night stand on a storytelling app, all of a sudden, Bella has become @B.Enchanted. And she’s gone viral.

Now, Bella’s in a fight with Ellie, her new roommates are so, deeply, weird, and the pressure is mounting to find new fairy tales to write about―but she’s got to live them first.
https://amzn.to/3KVPje9

Luci Adams’ debut novel is a British rom-com with quirky characters finding their happily ever afters. Bella is not yet 30 and is struggling with her parent’s impending divorce, her job as a receptionist in a small publishing house when she really wants to be a writer, her best friend Elle’s engagement to a boring, unworthy man, some very odd roommates, and a sad dating life. Elle’s brother Marty suggests she stop looking for the “one” and just have some fun, which leads her to turn bad one-night stands into funny fairy tales on a Wattpad-type website. No one is more surprised than Bella to find her stories are going viral. Bella should be happy, but she misses her best friend, and the one-night stands are getting old. Luckily, she has Marty on her side, but it takes a while for her to figure out he wants to be more than just friends – and so does she. There are lots of laughs, some angst, and a few surprises before the satisfying ending.

Verdict: This book is a charming British romantic comedy that should appeal to fans of Sophie Cousens, Josie Silver, or Christina Lauren.

©Library Journal, 2023

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NOT THAT KIND OF EVER AFTER by Luci Adams. St. Martin’s Griffin (March 14, 2023). ISBN: 978-1250842206. 400p.

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THE FIREFIGHTERS DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman

March 10, 2023

Mile High Firefighters, Book 3

From the publisher:

Firefighter Stephanie Díaz won’t let anyone stop her from becoming the youngest female fire chief in Denver. Not the jerks who’d like to see an ambitious Latine woman admit defeat. Not the ultra-bro firefighters she has to work with. And definitely not her ridiculously hot and often infuriating, fellow firefighter Eli Ward. Now Stephanie has the chance to prove to everyone that she’s got what it takes…but there’s one helluva catch.

The Battle of the First Responders is a live, balls-out competition in the secluded Rockies and Stephanie has been selected—along with Ward as her partner. On the line are their reputations, a whole lot of cash…and the promotion they’ve been fighting for. Teaming up is the perfect chance to finally settle their never ending one-upmanship, but it also exposes the smoldering attraction they’ve held at bay.

Now their days are fueled by a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled competition. Their nights are filled with sizzling deep kisses that steal her breath away. But this sexy little fling is about to set off a five-alarm blaze she can’t control…
https://amzn.to/420yW88

I read the second book in this series, The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman, and really enjoyed it so I’m not sure why I didn’t read the first book, The Wedding Dilemma – maybe my library didn’t have it? I’m going to do a deeper dive and try and find it. I feel confident in saying that these books stand alone because while I was reading this new one, I didn’t even realize it was part of a series. Well done, Ms. Ankenman!

This is a really fun read. Stephanie is a career firefighter who is looking to move up. Eli is a legacy; his father and grandfather were both chiefs in the fire department. Before his father passed away, Eli promised him he’d follow in his footsteps, so he is determined to move up and eventually become chief. Stephanie and Eli work really well together, but that’s only because Eli is holding back his feelings for her.

Stephanie had a really bad experience in her previous job when she dated another firefighter. Things went south and it all landed on her, prompting her to move halfway across the country to Colorado, and she swore she’d never date a co-worker again. Eli is well aware of her rule, so keeps his feelings to himself. Until their chief picks them to enter a new online reality show pitting first responders against one another.

Eli and Stephanie are both supercompetitive, and the chief has made it clear that whoever ends up on top in the competition will get a promotion, so there is a lot at stake here for both of them. Things get more complicated when they find out their living arrangements for the two weeks of filming – they’ll be sharing a small cabin. Yes, it has two bedrooms, but they still will be together 24/7, and Eli isn’t sure how he’s going to hold back.

What he doesn’t know is that Stephanie also has feelings for him, but she is tamping them down hard. As the competition heats up, so does their relationship. It is obvious to everyone there that there is something happening between them, but they are both in deep denial until they finally give in.

There are some hurdles along the way, but Stephanie & Eli find their happily ever after. This was a fun, forced-proximity type romance with some heat and a lot of laughs…and the hot firemen are just a bonus!

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE FIREFIGHTERS DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman. Entangled: Amara (February 27, 2023). ISBN:‎ 979-8378520558. 290p.

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FOR TWICE IN MY LIFE by Annette Christie

March 10, 2023

From the publisher:

A second try at love becomes more than one woman bargained for in this “timeless, enchanting” rom-com from the author of The Rehearsals (Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author).

Can one little lie lead to a big second chance?

Layla’s chaotic life transformed when she met Ian Barnett. Ambitious, committed, and thoughtful, Ian has been everything she’d dreamed of, and she knows he’d say the same of her. So when he breaks up with her out of the blue, Layla is stunned. What went wrong?

But then, Layla gets a call from the local hospital. Ian’s had a biking accident. He’s okay, but he needs someone—his someone—to get him home safely. As it becomes clear Ian doesn’t remember he ended things, it also becomes clear that the accident has given him a new outlook on life . . . and Layla a second chance to get things right.

That is, until Ian’s younger brother comes to town. Matt is restless, unpredictable, and threatens to upset the careful balance Layla and Ian have rebuilt. As things get more complicated both at home and at work, Layla realizes she might lose her chance at real love—and real happiness—if she doesn’t come clean about the stories she’s been telling: to Ian, to Matt, to her family, and most importantly, to herself.

“Second chances take center stage in this cute contemporary . . . Christie does a good job fleshing out Layla’s backstory so that readers will sympathize with her despite her deception. This is a charmer.”―Publishers Weekly

“A clever take on While You Were Sleeping . . . Christie deftly upends romantic comedy tropes. Her characters are complex and realistic, even in heightened situations. A unique love story that will keep readers guessing.”―Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/3ytAZ7e

When I saw the comparison to While You Were Sleeping, one of my favorite movies, I was all in. This book lacks the sweetness of that movie and it has a lot more crazy going on, but it is an apt comparison and an enjoyable read – once I got a handle on the main character, Layla.

Let me backtrack a tiny bit and say I just loved that Layla and her siblings were all named after 1970’s songs; Jude, Rhiannon, and so forth. Layla is a complex character and reveals herself bit by tantalizing bit. I don’t want to give anything away because that’s half the fun of this book. We quickly learn that she works for a small local theater as an administrative assistant, has a bad relationship in her past, is the youngest of a big family, all of whom are coupled up, and she generally feels like a failure in a myriad of ways. She is also a huge fan of the Rat Pack, Audrey Hepburn, and is a total romantic at heart.

We also learn that Layla was dumped two weeks previously by Ian, because they weren’t spending enough time together. They both have busy work lives, but that explanation just haunts Layla and she can’t understand it. So when she receives a phone call from the hospital saying that she is the emergency contact for Ian, she rushed over there to find he was in bicycle accident and has a concussion – and doesn’t remember breaking up with her. As far as Ian’s concerned, they are still happily dating. Layla shakes off her misery over the breakup and grabs this second chance with both hands. But can you build a lasting relationship on a lie?

The accident has changed Ian in other ways. He is no longer entirely work-driven, and he wants to make amends with his younger brother Matt, a wastrel that has spent years wandering around the country and couch surfing. Or so he thinks. He invites Matt to come stay with him and is surprised when he accepts. But Matt is quite withdrawn and surly with Ian, and he drives Layla nuts.

Turns out Matt had written a blog about his wanderings that was turned into a streaming TV show. Unfortunately he was fired after the first season leading Ian to think he is a failure. But when Layla’s theater has to drop their upcoming “emerging playwright” due to a scandal. they are desperate to find another writer. With only a month until the show is supposed to open, they leap at the chance Layla is offering – Matt. Of course she has to talk him into it and who knows if he can even write a play.

Ian and Layla continue dating, Layla spends more time with Matt to eventually realize that she can be completely herself with him, while she continues to hide things from Ian. If you’ve seen While You Were Sleeping, you know how it ends, and if not. enjoy the surprise! I must admit it took me a while to get through it; it slogs a bit through the middle but all in all, it was a fun read and I recommend it.

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FOR TWICE IN MY LIFE by Annette Christie. Little, Brown and Company (February 7, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0316451031. 320p.

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Spotlight Review: JOHANNA PORTER IS NOT SORRY by Sara Read

March 7, 2023

From the publisher:

The headlines dubbed it the art heist of the decade…

Twenty years ago, Johanna Porter was a rising star in the art world. Now she’s an unknown soccer mom. When an invitation arrives for an elite gallery opening for her former lover, the great Nestor Pinedo, Johanna wants to throw it in the trash where it belongs. But with some styling help from her daughter, she makes an appearance and comes face-to-face with the woman she was before the powerful and jealous Nestor ruined her.

La Rosa Blanca is a portrait of Johanna herself, young and fierce and fearless—a masterwork with a price tag to match. When she cuts it out of its frame, rolls it up and walks out, Johanna is only taking back what was stolen from her.

Hiding out with La Rosa Blanca in a shack on the Chesapeake Bay, Johanna digs into the raw work of reviving her own skills while battling novice-thief paranoia, impostor syndrome and mom guilt. But Johanna doesn’t just want the painting—she wants to paint again. To harness her powerful talent, she must defy everyone’s expectations—most of all her own—for what a woman like her should be.

“Debut novelist Read has created a thoroughly sympathetic character in this witty, quick, and emotionally turbulent tale that will have readers cheering for Johanna well after the last page.”
—BOOKLIST
https://amzn.to/3JhjgpK

I am almost hesitant to call this a debut as I’ve been burned on this before, but that’s what the publicist said so I’m going with it. I do not want to find out that this is just a pseudonym for someone who writes in other genres or used to write young adult and has pivoted to adult fare or whatever crazy reason the publisher decided to make this a debut. If you call it a debut, it better be their very first book of any kind (short stories don’t count.)

So this was a hard book to quantify. It starts off with Johanna complaining about how she used to be an artist twenty years earlier, and now she has been invited to some fancy, snooty art show featuring her mentor/lover, Nestor Pinedo, of the past. Since his daughter, Pilar, invited her, she decides to go as she has some kind of score to settle with the two of them – and she does.

One of Pinedo’s most famous paintings is of Johanna when she was just 23 years old, and it’s called La Rosa Blanca. At that party, Johanna manages to steal the painting. She just doesn’t want him to have it anymore. This is kind of a problem since the painting is valued at several million dollars. She starts panicking almost as soon as she does it, and she decides to go on the lam, of sorts; she and her ex share custody of their 16-year-old daughter so she can’t really disappear. But she can drive out to her dad’s old house on the lake. He moved to Florida and she has been taking care of the house for many years, but it’s not in great shape.

Johanna is very frustrated with her life. She’s teaching art at her daughter’s high school instead of making art. She’s been divorced for a few years with no great men in sight. Until she moves into that old house and meets the doctor next store, so to speak.

Mitchell had a bad fall and suffered severe nerve damage to his hand, rendering him unable to operate anymore. He has separated from his wife, and is living in their large, lavish vacation home. He asks Johanna if she would go out sailing with him; he’s afraid the useless hand will make him a useless sailor, and off they go, a new relationship in the making.

Meanwhile, Johanna can’t decide what to do with the stolen painting. Cops and private detectives are sniffing around, and Pilar is absolutely sure she stole it – but has no proof. The good doctor has some issues that weren’t readily apparent, and that relationship goes sideways for a while. Johanna gets back to her art, and while everything still seems all topsy-turvy, things finally start going right for her.

Part mystery, part romance, this is a complex story that probably could have used a bit more filling out, but it is a tight, fast-moving story with intriguing characters that would really work well for a book discussion group. It was a one day read for me, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for Sara Read.

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JOHANNA PORTER IS NOT SORRY by Sara Read. Graydon House; Original edition (March 7, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1525899980. 320p.

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THE WOLF AND THE WILDFLOWER by Stacy Reid

March 3, 2023

From the publisher:

USA Today bestselling author Stacy Reid’s addictive tale of two lost people who are found…by each other

London is buzzing with the news that James Winters, the Duke of Wulverton—thought lost at sea a decade ago—survived in the harsh wilderness of the Yukon. Now he’s been returned to his family, his responsibilities, and a nightmarish world of artifice and noise. He has three weeks to become a refined, elegant duke for the Queen…or doom the entire family to ruin and scandal.

Promising psychologist Jules Southby knows a lot about disguises. She’s secretly been living as a boy since birth, enjoying the freedoms of men and knowing little about how to behave like a woman. When she meets the alluring duke, she’s unprepared for his raw, masculine beauty and icy intelligence…or that he can see through her darkest secret.

Jules has very little time to transform the duke into a true semblance of an English gentleman. Yet his very presence seems to unravel her in every way. Their attraction is stark and achingly real—and forbidden. But loving the lost duke would mean losing every sacrifice she’s made to earn her freedom…
https://amzn.to/3S2dURU

A Duke raised by wolves? Pretty much. Although he was 18 when he disappeared into the Yukon, James, the Duke of Wulverton, survived for 10 years in the wilderness to return home to England, a completely changed man. His mother hires Dr. Southby, an alienist, and his son Jules to determine if the Duke has lost his mind or if he can return to society and the role he is required to play. The Duke is incensed to find Dr. Southby invading his privacy and ignoring his wishes, but something about Jules makes him think they could work together. Jules has been living as a male her whole life, and no one suspects a thing, but she somehow senses that the Duke knows her secret.

Working closely together makes Jules face her feminine side, and once they start sleeping together, she soon realizes that while she has not been brought up as a girl, she is easily acting one with the Duke. Their problems are two-fold; they are falling in love but Jules has no desire to live as a woman and give up her freedom, and the Duke only wants Jules yet he is expected to marry a young woman from a prominent family, but he cannot bear to be touched by anyone, other than Jules, and has no desire to be with anyone other than Jules. This is quite the dilemma.

James and Jules become lovers until they are forced apart by her unwillingness to play the part he needs. There is a happy ending, but it is a bit tricky to get there. The plot was a bit far-fetched but I went with it. I liked these characters and the underlying plotline about the psychology of the Duke’s situation. There is a lot of graphic sex throughout, so if that is not your thing look elsewhere for your next read. I thought it well done and ultimately enjoyed the book.

3/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE WOLF AND THE WILDFLOWER by Stacy Reid. Entangled: Scandalous (February 27, 2023). ISBN:‎ 979-8378521623. 300p.

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BookBitch Diary: March 1, 2023

March 1, 2023

Welcome! This year is moving fast, I feel like I just stopped saying Happy New Year and here we are in March.

My grandson turns 2 on March 3, and I can’t wait to see him! He had his first haircut recently, is learning his letters and counting, knows his colors and so many animals. He knows a bit of sign language, understands Spanish and English, and is learning to speak both. It’s completely exhilarating seeing how fast he absorbs everything. I love Facetiming with him, although his new favorite thing is to say “Jonah hold it” and when he grabs the phone or the Macbook, he invariably ends the call. Hopefully, he’ll figure that out soon enough. He also demands to see Papa, Auntie, and Loki when he calls. We’ve had to squish together so he can see us all at once. Yes, we do anything he asks! That is the joy of being a grandparent.

Jonah loves helping in the kitchen!

Book News

Up Close: Elle Cosimano

An interview with one of my favorite authors, courtesy of the International Thriller Writers “Big Thrill” newsletter.

Read my reviews of this series:

1. Finlay Donovan is Killing It

2. Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead

3. Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun

ALL HAIL THE QUEEN OF THE CON! By K.L. Romo

Debut Spotlight: Rachel Koller Croft, via the International Thriller Writers “Big Thrill” newsletter. (I loved her book, Stone Cold Fox!) Plus, it’s being adapted for TV, so read the book first.

“Conning and scheming and extorting and doing down-right dastardly business is not for the faint of heart… Most people are trusting. Their first mistake.”

Dictionaries lined not only the shelves she had specially built for them but every surface in her sizable two-bedroom apartment. Drawers were pulled out to make more surfaces on which to stack books, which also lay atop the refrigerator and on her bed. Books stood in towers along the floor, with narrow passageways to ease through. “It’s the biggest collection of dictionaries, period,” said the lexicographer Jesse Sheidlower, author of The F-Word, a history of that verb. Sheidlower is one of a cohort of lexicographers who knew Kripke and used her books, and her knowledge, to inspire their own work. Of her collection, “it’s better than what’s in the Bodleian and the NYPL combined,” he said, referring to libraries at the University of Oxford and in New York City.

Note: You have to sign up for a free account at The Chronicle of Higher Education to read.
Mistress of Slang

Food News

And last year…

I love meringue, especially meringue cookies. I used to make lemon meringue pie, my favorite pie, but the last two times I made it, the meringue “weeped,” a problem, I’m told, due to Florida’s humidity. Reading these articles has prompted me to try it again – maybe for Pi Day (3/14).

Here’s an interesting tip for bakers: when you have to fold egg whites into a batter, I’ve always used a large rubber or silicone spatula. Turns out I should have been using a whisk! Courtesy of the King Arthur Baking Company.

Things bakers know: Why a whisk (not a spatula!) is the best tool for folding – Turns out, it’s better at incorporating beaten eggs without deflating them.

Other News

My husband and I are planning a trip to Portugal this spring. This is more than a tourist visit; we are thinking about retiring there in a few years. (Well, he wants to retire – I want to find some kind of part time remote work. The thought of not doing anything at all just freaks me out!) I’d love to hear from anyone who has visited or lived there. Thanks!

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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The Book of My Enemy Has Been Remaindered

February 28, 2023

I learned about remainders when I was a bookseller for Borders, 20+ years ago. This poem makes it personal.

Remainders are printed books that are no longer selling well, and whose remaining unsold copies are liquidated by the publisher at greatly reduced prices.

Copies of remaindered books may be marked by the publisher, distributor, or bookseller to prevent them from being returned. “Remainder marks” have varied over the years, but today most remainders are marked with a stroke with a felt-tipped marker across the top or bottom of the book’s pages, near the spine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remaindered_book

The Book of My Enemy Has Been Remaindered

–Clive James (1939-2019)

The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am pleased.
In vast quantities it has been remaindered
Like a van-load of counterfeit that has been seized
And sits in piles in a police warehouse,
My enemy’s much-prized effort sits in piles
In the kind of bookshop where remaindering occurs.
Great, square stacks of rejected books and, between them, aisles
One passes down reflecting on life’s vanities,
Pausing to remember all those thoughtful reviews
Lavished to no avail upon one’s enemy’s book —
For behold, here is that book
Among these ranks and banks of duds,
These ponderous and seemingly irreducible cairns
Of complete stiffs.

The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I rejoice.
It has gone with bowed head like a defeated legion
Beneath the yoke.
What avail him now his awards and prizes,
The praise expended upon his meticulous technique,
His individual new voice?
Knocked into the middle of next week
His brainchild now consorts with the bad buys
The sinker, clinkers, dogs and dregs,
The Edsels of the world of moveable type,
The bummers that no amount of hype could shift,
The unbudgeable turkeys.

Yea, his slim volume with its understated wrapper
Bathes in the blare of the brightly jacketed Hitler’s War Machine,
His unmistakably individual new voice
Shares the same scrapyart with a forlorn skyscraper
Of The Kung-Fu Cookbook,
His honesty, proclaimed by himself and believed by others,
His renowned abhorrence of all posturing and pretense,
Is there with Pertwee’s Promenades and Pierrots–
One Hundred Years of Seaside Entertainment,
And (oh, this above all) his sensibility,
His sensibility and its hair-like filaments,
His delicate, quivering sensibility is now as one
With Barbara Windsor’s Book of Boobs,
A volume graced by the descriptive rubric
“My boobs will give everyone hours of fun”.

Soon now a book of mine could be remaindered also,
Though not to the monumental extent
In which the chastisement of remaindering has been meted out
To the book of my enemy,
Since in the case of my own book it will be due
To a miscalculated print run, a marketing error–
Nothing to do with merit.
But just supposing that such an event should hold
Some slight element of sadness, it will be offset
By the memory of this sweet moment.
Chill the champagne and polish the crystal goblets!
The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am glad.

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BEST SERVED HOT by Amanda Elliot

February 24, 2023

From the publisher:

Two restaurant critics learn their opposing tastes might make for a five-star relationship in the next foodie romantic comedy from the author of Sadie on a Plate.

By day, Julie Zimmerman works as an executive assistant. After hours, she’s @JulieZeeEatsNYC, a social media restaurant reviewer with over fifty thousand followers. As much as she loves her self-employed side gig, what Julie really wants is to be a critic at a major newspaper, like the New York Scroll. The only thing worse than the Scroll’s rejection of her application is the fact that smarmy, social-media-averse society boy Bennett Richard Macalester Wright snagged her dream job.

While at the Central Park Food Festival, Julie confronts the annoyingly handsome Bennett about his outdated opinions on social media and posts the resulting video footage. Julie’s follower count soars—and so does the Scroll’s. Julie and Bennett grudgingly agree to partner up for a few reviews to further their buzz. Online buzz, obviously.

Over tapas, burgers, and more, Julie and Bennett connect over their shared love of food. But when the competitive fire between them turns extra spicy, they’ll have to decide how much heat their relationship can take.

“Elliot leaves your stomach grumbling and your heart pounding, and it’s hard to discern what’s more delicious: the elaborate dishes or the couple’s simmering chemistry.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“This romantic comedy from Elliot (Sadie on a Plate) is a sexy slow burn with sizzling chemistry between the well-developed protagonists. Julie and Bennett fall in love over countless meals, and the descriptions of the foods they consume are incredibly described and guaranteed to make readers salivate. Highly recommended for all libraries.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“This classic enemies-to-lovers plot is a slow burn, but the result is worth the wait and the food descriptions along the way will make readers salivate. Romance fans are sure to be charmed.”—Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3xEEwyW

Julie is struggling to make it on her own in New York City. She has a roommate, of course, gleaned through an ad but he is the best one she’s had. She works full time for Mr. Decker, a retired network executive who still maintains an office, but is rarely there leaving Julie with lots of free time to pursue her passion – food writing, more specifically, restaurant reviews. As @JulieZeeEatsNYC, she wanders the city from one new restaurant to the next, specializing in those little gems with affordable pricing. She keeps away from the big name, super expensive restaurants, and has gained a significant following online. But she’s ready for more.

A local paper is hiring a new restaurant reviewer, and Julie thinks of it as her dream job. They never get back to her so she isn’t surprised to find out they gave the job to yet another white, privileged man. He will be reviewing those expensive restaurants for sure. When Julie runs into him at a Central Park food festival, they butt heads over reviewing in print versus online, and Julie videos the whole thing and posts it. That video garners her a lot of new followers, but also bumps up the newspaper’s social media as well.

Bennett’s new boss tells him he should do a few joint reviews with Julie, it will be good for both their social media standing. Julie agrees and a partnership of sorts is formed. Except the more time they spend together, the more Julie realizes that Bennett isn’t the spoiled diletante she thought he was, and he learns that online restaurant reviewers have just as much credibility as do the reviews in print. Oh, and they fall in love somewhere along the way.

When they finally stop fighting their feelings, Julie sees something in his apartment that enrages her, and she takes off during the night. It seems this relationship has met its demise – or has it? I’ll give you a hint; this is a romance so there is a requisite happy ending.

An added bonus to this fast paced, often hilarious romance is the food writing. Elliot does a remarkable job with it – half the time I thought I should be taking notes of these intriguing restaurants, but I’m assuming the names were changed or made up. Kudos to Elliot for pulling off this foodie romance with such style – don’t miss it!

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BEST SERVED HOT by Amanda Elliot. Berkley (February 21, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0593335734. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: THE DUKE’S SECRET CINDERELLA by Eva Devon

February 21, 2023

Never a Wallflower, Book 3

From the publisher:

Charlotte Browne could just kick herself. What on earth possessed her to tell the Duke of Rockford that she is a lady? But something about the duke’s handsomeness and kind intelligence makes Charlotte blurt out the teeniest, tiniest falsehood. Now it’s too late to admit she’s just plain Charlotte of no particular importance―with cinder-stained hands, a wretched stepfather, and no prospects for marriage…

Rafe Dorchester, Duke of Rockford, has done what every self-respecting duke must do―avoid marriage at all costs. But the only thing stronger than the duke is his mother. When she lays down the highest ultimatum, he’ll need to find a duchess. Immediately. Only, when he calls on a potential bride, he instead finds the pert, fresh-faced Lady Charlotte. Rafe was warned to never mix the business of marriage with pleasure, but when it comes to her…oh, business would be a splendid pleasure.

One passionate, illicit kiss sends Charlotte fleeing, leaving only a delicate blue ribbon behind. For Rafe can never discover her secret, or it will ruin her beloved sister’s chance at marriage. But the duke knows that when you’ve found the one person that ignites you, body and soul, nothing can keep you away.

Each book in the Never a Wallflower series is STANDALONE:
* The Spinster and the Rake
* Much Ado About Dukes
* The Duke’s Secret Cinderella
https://amzn.to/3S2dURU

I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it, but missed the next book. I will go back and read it for sure. This is the third book in this series. and it was pretty good.

Charlotte is your stereotypical stepdaughter, banned from society and kept busy cleaning and basically being her stepsister’s lady’s maid. Fortunately, they are as close as real sisters, so there is no bad stuff going on with them. The bad stuff comes from Charlotte’s stepfather, a nice twist on the Cinderella story. Charlotte lost her father so early that she doesn’t remember him at all, and lost her mother when she was still pretty young. Her stepfather is a cruel, tight-fisted man, at least with her; he’s much more generous with his daughter, Francesca, but both girls live in fear of his violent temper and demanding ways.

Rockford is a most unusual Duke; beyond wealthy, of course, but also kind and caring and using his position and power to improve the lives of impoverished Londoners, especially the children. His family started a foundling hospital for orphans, and it is his dream to take over that responsibility. He is very close with his mother since losing his father at a young age. The men in this family don’t seem to live very long, and his mother is determined that he will marry and have his heir and a spare lined up before anything happens to him. He can’t say no to her, but when she gives him her “list” of young women he should court, there is only one name on the list, Francesca.

Charlotte has scrounged together enough money to free one of the servants from the horrors of debtors’ prison. Her stepfather had him placed there, mostly to punish Charlotte and the other servants. But on her way to the prison, someone tries to attack her. She is armed with a brick and fends him off, with a little help from a nobleman. He turns out to be the Duke of Rockford, and he insists on accompanying her to the prison. When she realizes that she lost the money she brought to free her friend, Rockford steps up and takes care of it. He is completely smitten with this outspoken, caring young woman.

When he calls on Francesca per his mother’s instructions, he is delighted to find Lady Charlotte also living there. They have real chemistry, but beyond that, they share the same concerns about the poverty around them as well as their views on love.

Charlotte has lied about who she is, and when Rockford wants to marry her she refuses, explaining that she is not good enough for him, but doesn’t come clean. This goes on for most of the book and honestly, it made the story drag a bit. But I hung in there because I knew the happy ending was coming, and much to my surprise, there were several twists I never saw coming that made it all worthwhile. I really enjoyed this book, despite the lag in the middle, and look forward to reading the book I missed, as well as the next one in this series.

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DUKE’S SECRET CINDERELLA by Eva Devon. Entangled: Amara (February 21, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1649372413. 384p.

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GO HEX YOURSELF by Jessica Clare

February 17, 2023

Hex, Book 1

From the publisher:

It’s one hex of an attraction in this romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare.

When Reggie Johnson answers a job ad in the paper, she’s astonished to find that she’s not applying to work at her favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. Instead, she’s applying to be an actual familiar for an actual witch. As in, real magic.

The new job has a few perks – great room and board, excellent pay, and she’s apprenticing to a powerful witch. Sure, the witch is a bit eccentric. And sure, there was that issue with the black cat Reggie would prefer to forget about. The biggest problem, however, is warlock Ben Magnus, her employer’s nephew and the most arrogant, insufferable, maddening man to ever cast a spell.

Reggie absolutely hates him. He’s handsome, but he’s also bossy and irritating and orders her around. Ben’s butt might look great in a crystal ball vision, but that’s as far as it goes. But when someone with a vendetta targets the household, she finds herself working with Ben to break a deadly curse. Apparently, when they’re not fighting like cats and dogs, things get downright…bewitching.

One of…
Amazon’s Best Romances of April, 2022
Goodreads’ Most Anticipated April Romances, 2022
BookRiot’s Best Books of the Week
PopSugar’s Romance Novels for When You Need a Little Spice
Culturess’ April Romance to Have on Your Spring TBR

“A magical rom-com with both literal and figurative sparks aplenty.”—Popsugar

“In this breezy paranormal rom-com from bestseller Clare (Holly Jolly Cowboy), an intense young woman trying to pay off family debts finds a job with unexpected erotic side benefits.”—Publishers Weekly

“A lighthearted and fun romp.”—Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3IpwFeH

This author was new to me and to be honest, so is this subgenre of paranormal romance. I usually avoid paranormals as I have no interest in fantastical worlds, vampires, zombies, etc. I’ve read enough to know it’s not usually my thing. I read the Lizzy & Diesel Series by Janet Evanovich and mostly enjoyed those until they got stupid. I do like a touch of magical realism now and again, too. I guess I was in some kind of weird reading mood – looking for something a little different – when I received an email from Jessica Clare’s publicist about the second book in this series. It sounded fun so I asked for the first book, even though I was assured they each stand alone. This is the first book; the second book, What the Hex, comes out in April and I can hardly wait!

Reggie is a bit of a mess. She has lost many jobs due to her OCD-like tendencies to organize and clean and generally take over. She’s applied for a job as an assistant at what she thinks is a gaming business similar to Magick the Gathering type of thing. Instead, it’s assistant to an old woman, and she has no idea how old she really is. When she arrives at the house for her interview, the young woman she’s replacing due to maternity leave, brings her in and explains that this job includes room and board; she is expected to be available whenever she is needed. And the pay is $25,000, which doesn’t sound like enough, even with the living arrangements, until it is explained to her that that is the monthly salary. Reggie is floored; with that kind of money she can get herself out of debt and keep paying her gay best friend and roommate the rent, even though she won’t be living there.

Reggie has debt due to her parents, a pair of grifters that think nothing of stealing her identity, opening credit cards in her name, and leaving her with the bills. So she moves in and finds out that the sweet old lady thinks she’s a witch, and everyone around her just goes along with it, including her nephew, Ben. He is gorgeous but a real jerk to her and doesn’t want his aunt hiring her at all. On the other hand, he is completely entranced by her freckles…

Ben and Reggie go from enemies to lovers in this fun romance. He is grumpy to her sunshine, and as she gets more immersed in their world, she eventually realizes that the magic is real. While set in our reality, the boundaries are stretched almost to the breaking point but never goes over the top, at least not for me. There is some heat, a lot of snarky dialogue, some really funny subplots, and of course, the happy ending. This was a one night read for me, fast and breezy and just a whole lot of fun – a thoroughly enjoyable book!

2/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

GO HEX YOURSELF by Jessica Clare. Berkley (April 19, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-0593337561. 384p.

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