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THE CHRISTMAS DARE by Lori Wilde

October 27, 2019

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Twilight Texas, Book 10

From the publisher:

A jilted-at-the-altar bride reunites with her high school sweetheart in Lori Wilde’s sensational new Twilight, Texas Christmas novel.

Kelsey James always played by the rules and look where it got her—dumped and half-drunk in a poofy white dress, her Christmas wedding ruined. Then her best friend talks her into going on her “honeymoon” anyway, daring her to a “Christmas of Yes.” It’s about time she lets loose a little, so Kelsey agrees to say “yes” to fun, to romance, and to adventure! And adventure leads her right smack into the arms of sexy Noah MacGregor.

Noah’s never one to say no to a risk—from leading his NBA team to victory to making Christmas cookies in Twilight, he’s up to the challenge! But a lot has gone on since they were teenagers, and he knows he has to take his time to make Kelsey dare to believe that what they feel is more than just the holiday magic that’s in the air . . .

I enjoy the Twilight, Texas series and this year’s Christmas entry is a good one. Kelsey is basically a psychologically abused daughter. She grew up with a mother that constantly belittles her, “gaslights” her, and in general, keeps her self esteem lower than a hole in the ground. The mom here reminded me a bit of my stepmother, in a slightly more exaggerated way (sorry, Helena, if you’re reading this, but it’s true.) So when Kelsey gets dumped on her wedding day when her fiance runs off with his best man, she is ready for a change.

Luckily, she has a best friend, Tasha, who is there to help her pick up the broken pieces and put them back together in a stronger, more independent way. Phase one of the process involves cashing in the honeymoon plans and taking Kelsey to Twilight, where she is reunited with her high school sweetheart, her first love, the one who got away.

This whole series is based on the first love is your one true love subgenre and Wilde does a good job with it. Personally, though, I had a hard time with Kelsey. She is a real dichotomy of controlled, strong campaign manager and weak, ineffectual woman. She wallows in self-pity, not because she was left at the altar, but because of her mother. Noah, her first love, understands her though. Their history is bumpy, to say the least, but he is on board in helping her gain control of her life. Finally.

These damaged characters make for a good story, and this was a one night read for me. The Christmas magic happens in Twilight, and I bought it.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE CHRISTMAS DARE by Lori Wilde. Avon (October 22, 2019). ISBN 978-0062468314. 400p.

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WHEN THE MARQUESS WAS MINE BY Caroline Linden

October 26, 2019

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The Wagers of Sin, Book 3

From the publisher:

In the game of love…

Georgiana Lucas despises the arrogant and cruel Marquess of Westmorland even before learning that he’s won the deed to her friend Kitty’s home in a card game. Still, Georgiana assures Kitty the marquess wouldn’t possibly come all the way to Derbyshire to throw them out—until he shows up, bloody and unconscious. Fearing that Kitty would rather see him die, Georgiana blurts out that he’s her fiancé. She’ll nurse the hateful man back to health and make him vow to leave and never return. The man who wakes up, though, is nothing like the heartless rogue Georgiana thought she knew…

You have to risk it all

He wakes up with no memory of being assaulted—or of who he is. The bewitching beauty tending him so devotedly calls him Rob and claims she’s his fiancée even as she avoids his touch. Though he can’t remember how he won her hand, he’s now determined to win her heart. But as his memory returns and the truth is revealed, Rob must decide if the game is up—or if he’ll take a chance on a love that defies all odds.

I somehow missed the first book in this series, but I really liked the second, An Earl Like You, so I don’t think they need to be read in order. This one stands quite well on its own, but it is probably more fun if you have some of the backstory.

This is one of the most popular tropes in romance, the amnesia story, yet it feels fresh and fun here. Besides losing his memory, the Marquess of Westmorland also loses his arrogance and cutting sarcasm. Georgiana has felt that cut, so it is with some dread that she nurses him back to health, worrying the whole time if he is going to remember and really tear into her.

These characters really come to life on the pages, getting me invested in their story very quickly, and I couldn’t put the book down. There is a bit of sex, a lot of witty banter, and the requisite happily ever after. An excellent addition to the series that has made me determined to find the first book.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WHEN THE MARQUESS WAS MINE BY Caroline Linden. Avon (September 24, 2019). ISBN 978-0062913593. 400p.

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MEANT TO BE YOURS by Susan Mallery

October 25, 2019

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Happily Inc, Book 5

From the publisher:

Wedding coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she never could have planned on gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing—a fling, that is. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake…and eat it, too.

After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation—and more—with fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up…until his flame becomes his muse.

Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: love?

I love Susan Mallery, and this series is one of my favorites. This latest entry is another terrific romance filled with interesting (and occasionally quirky) characters that we really get to know, lots of humor, and of course, a happily ever after. This is book five of the series, but I think Mallery does a really good job of bringing new readers up to speed without annoying readers who have been there since book one, like me. Let me tell you, that is a difficult feat to pull off, but I think she does a really good job of it. The book comes with a short story at the end which is basically a synopsis of one of the earlier books in the series, so once I saw what it was about, I didn’t bother with it. But if you haven’t read the other books, this is a good glimpse of what you missed.

Renee and Jasper both think they are too damaged for any kind of real relationship beyond friends with benefits, but that would not make for a very good story. The relationship springs up before either one of them realizes what’s happening, and both are a little freaked out by it. Renee has the usual baggage of a woman who has had a few bad relationships. Jasper has been a one-night-stand kind of guy and hasn’t really had a relationship since high school. So both are happy to just be together without any kind of commitment. Until Jasper realizes that he’s fallen in love.

There are some really funny subplots going on as well. Renee’s mother has this weird gift of being able to hear what animals are thinking and she has embarrassed Renee for most of her life, so their relationship is not as good as it could be. But the elements are there for some really funny scenes. Jasper is a thriller writer who is winding up his popular series by marrying off his main character. Except the only women he has ever written about were victims of a serial killer, and he just doesn’t have a clue. Renee suggests he watch some movies, which helps, and he also watches the Gilmore Girls, starting with the reboot then going back to the beginning, He has some strong opinions about Rory, and if you are a fan, you will definitely relate. It made me laugh out loud (and want to go back and watch the whole series. Again.) It becomes clear to the reader that these two are meant to be together, although it takes them a lot longer to work that out.

If you like contemporary romances with warm, wonderful characters, some humor, and a bit of sex, then read this book. I couldn’t put it down.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

MEANT TO BE YOURS by Susan Mallery. HQN; Original edition (October 22, 2019). ISBN 978-1335041494. 4646p.

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NOW ENTERING ADDAMSVILLE by Francesca Zappia

October 24, 2019

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When the Addamsville high school janitor is killed in a suspicious house fire, Zora Novak is the prime suspect in the arson. After all, she has a history of being in the wrong place at the wrong time when it comes to fire, and the Novak family is not exactly beloved by the rest of the citizens of Addamsville. What no one else knows is that Zora can see ghosts and hunts demons called firestarters. With the whole town turning against her, Zora begins looking for the real killer, who is likely connected to a string of deadly fires that struck Addamsville thirty years earlier. Zora’s investigation, with help from her cousin Artemis, is complicated when the crew of a ghost-hunting television show arrives in town.

If you are like me and prefer your ghost stories to fall more into the category of creepy and atmospheric than outright horror, then you will likely enjoy Zappia’s latest novel. Zappia does an excellent job of establishing the world and lore of Addmasville. From the descriptions of the small midwestern town and its history of the paranormal, to Zora’s own family history of a missing mother and an ability to see ghosts. Zora’s propensity to get in trouble while trying to secretly fight monsters will likely remind many readers of a certain Vampire Slayer. Zora is a compelling main character who is resourceful, snarky and surrounded by an interesting cast of secondary characters, including her cousin and older sister, who are also willing to jump in a fight Addamsville’s ghosts and demons. The plot moves quickly, and with plenty of descriptions of abandoned mines, cemetery’s and old houses, Now Entering Addamsville is the perfect read for the Halloween season. Now Entering Addamsville has a satisfying conclusion, but Zappia leaves enough of loose ends that there is plenty of material for a sequel, and I am eager for the chance to return to Addamsville.

A creepy Halloween read perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Supernatural, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

10/19 Caitlin Brisson

NOW ENTERING ADDAMSVILLE by Francesca Zappia. Greenwillow Books (October 1, 2019). ISBN 9780062935274. 368 p.

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ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Jami Attenberg

October 23, 2019

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Victor Tuchman is the family patriarch at the center of this swirling dervish of a novel. Victor is at the end of his life; the novel unfolds on the day he has his fatal heart attack.

The quandary here is that Victor was a criminal in his business life, and a tyrant in his personal life. His wife Barbra, pacing the hospital halls, is counting her steps and recounting their dysfunctional life together. Alex, his daughter, an attorney in Chicago, flies to New Orleans, not for her final goodbye, but to cajole her mother into spilling the beans about her father’s criminality. Gary, his son, is in Los Angeles and deliberately misses his flight, unwilling to say goodbye, understandable as he rehashes his life with the abusive man lying in that hospital bed. Gary’s wife, Twyla does visit, her mind wandering through her Southern upbringing and her disastrous, shocking affair.

Attenberg is a master of subtlety as she divulges everyone’s thoughts, including the one-off characters like the clerk at a CVS and the coroner. The unusual twist here is that the reader learns all their stories, while the characters do not.

Verdict: Contemporary family sagas don’t get much better than this, and should appeal to fans of The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen or Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan.

©Library Journal, 2019

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Jami Attenberg. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (October 22, 2019). ISBN 978-0544824256. 304p.

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THE NIGHT FIRE by Michael Connelly

October 22, 2019

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A Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch Novel, Book 2

From the publisher:

PEOPLE Best Books of Fall 2019

“A darkly thrilling tale of survival and obsession. Lisa Unger never disappoints.” —Riley Sager, bestselling author of Lock Every Door

Even good people are drawn to do evil things…

Twelve-year-old Rain Winter narrowly escaped an abduction while walking to a friend’s house. Her two best friends, Tess and Hank, were not as lucky. Tess never came home, and Hank was held in captivity before managing to escape. Their abductor was sent to prison but years later was released. Then someone delivered real justice—and killed him in cold blood.

Now Rain is living the perfect suburban life, her dark childhood buried deep. She spends her days as a stay-at-home mom, having put aside her career as a hard-hitting journalist to care for her infant daughter. But when another brutal murderer who escaped justice is found dead, Rain is unexpectedly drawn into the case. Eerie similarities to the murder of her friends’ abductor force Rain to revisit memories she’s worked hard to leave behind. Is there a vigilante at work? Who is the next target? Why can’t Rain just let it go?

Introducing one of the most compelling and original killers in crime fiction today, Lisa Unger takes readers deep inside the minds of both perpetrator and victim, blurring the lines between right and wrong, crime and justice, and showing that sometimes people deserve what comes to them.

Connelly keeps cranking out these exceedingly well-written police procedurals. When the publicity comes out introducing a new series, inevitably he manages to tie his characters together. Renée Ballard was supposed to have her own series, as was Mickey Haller, the “Lincoln Lawyer.” All three are tied together in this new book.

Ballard and Bosch have an interesting dynamic. He’s old school, retired LAPD; she’s LAPD but on the late show, the graveyard shift, where she works alone, and that’s how she likes it. Ballard has a terrific back story, and while Connelly includes enough here to keep a first-time reader up to date, these books are best read in order. No, you don’t have to start with the first Bosch book, but maybe with a couple of those, then the Lincoln Lawyer, then The Late Show, Dark Sacred Night, then this one. I don’t feel the least bit guilty telling anyone to read at least half a dozen Connelly books because they are that good. I would read them all over again if I could. I love his characters, his writing style, and his stories. Just read them and say thank you. And if you haven’t watched Bosch on Amazon Prime, do yourself a favor and do so immediately! Start with Season 1.

This time out, Bosch is helping Mickey Haller get his murder defendant acquitted, which pisses off Ballard. See, all together now. It also pisses off the detectives who were on the case. But of course, Bosch is on to something. Hooking up with Ballard to work another cold case may actually help with the new murder investigation. Lots of personalities clashing, political shenanigans within the police force, some good, some bad. Somehow different murders in different states and timelines are solved, and I bought all of it. Even the cliffhanger ending, or maybe especially the ending; I can’t wait for the next Ballard & Bosch book. The master proves his worth once again.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE NIGHT FIRE by Michael Connelly. Little, Brown and Company (October 22, 2019). ISBN 978-0316485616. 416p.

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TWICE IN A BLUE MOON by Christina Lauren

October 21, 2019

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During a two-week trip to London eighteen-year-old Tate Jones falls hard for Sam Brandis. Her first love is all-consuming and Tate finds herself confiding in Sam and telling him a secret she has had to keep her entire life. When Sam betrays her trust and reveals her secret to the tabloids, Tate is heartbroken, and her life is forever changed. Fourteen years later Tate is a successful actress who has just booked the role of a lifetime. When she arrives on set, however, she discovers that the screenwriter of her new movie is none other than Sam. With a two month shoot ahead of her, Tate is now forced to confront her first love and his betrayal.

Christina Lauren (the pen name of writing duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings) is the author of some of my favorite contemporary romances. “Twice in a Blue Moon,” however, is a departure from their recent romantic comedies, such as “The Unhoneymooners” and “Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating,” and takes a more melancholy and at times serious tone. One of the main flaws with this book is that I never really felt the chemistry between Tate and Sam. Character development is something Christina Lauren usually excels at, so this was a disappointment. Their two-week romance in London feels rushed but I was willing to look past that because it was first love and a teenage romance.

Unfortunately, even once they are reunited as adults their relationship does not feel entirely fleshed out. Tate forgives Sam very quickly when it felt like a lot more time needed to be spent talking about his betrayal and their past. Sam’s character and personality are also never fully developed, his motives often remaining a mystery. In fact, his grandparent’s love story, which the screenplay he wrote is based on, often seemed more interesting than him and Tate. The final two-thirds of the book take place on a film set, and while this setting could have been interesting it also never felt fully realized like writing about Hollywood and the movie business was outside of the authors’ comfort zone.

While “Twice in a Blue Moon” is a perfectly fine second chance romance, for me it did not live up to the highs set by Christina Lauren’s previous works.

10/19 Caitlin Brisson

TWICE IN A BLUE MOON by Christina Lauren. Gallery Books (October 22, 2019). ISBN 9781982135706. 368 p.

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FINDING CHRISTMAS by Karen Schaler

October 19, 2019

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From the publisher:

From the writer of the Netflix sensation, A Christmas Prince, and Christmas Camp, the Hallmark movie and novel, comes a heartwarming new Christmas story, Finding Christmas, showing how sometimes the detour in your journey is the path to true love.

With all the glittering decorations, twinkling lights, snow angels, gingerbread men and mistletoe, Christmas is Emmie’s first love.

This year, she can’t wait to share her favorite Christmas traditions with her boyfriend, Grant. She thinks he’s “the one.” So when Grant’s hectic work schedule has him more “Bah Humbug” than “Ho, Ho, Ho,” Emmie creates a holiday-themed scavenger hunt to help him find his Christmas spirit. At the end of the journey, Grant will arrive at the charming town of Christmas Point where she’s planned a romantic weekend filled with holiday activities.

But Emmie’s plan backfires when a mix-up has the wrong guy following her clues! Sam, a best-selling mystery writer, thinks Emmie’s clever Christmas riddles are from his agent, who is trying to help him get over his epic writer’s block.

When he arrives at Christmas Point and finds the stunned Emmie, he immediately feels she’s someone special, but she can’t see beyond the fact that the wrong guy has shown up. Inspired by the small, charming town, Sam decides to stay and convinces Emmie to join him in a little holiday fun while she waits for Grant.

When Grant finally shows up, Emmie is disappointed to discover he’s not enjoying the activities she planned and can’t help wonder if he’s really the one for her. She also can’t get Sam out of her mind and all the great times they had together. With Christmas coming fast, Emmie will need the magic of the season to help steer her in the direction of true love…

I enjoyed the Netflix movie, “A Christmas Prince,” mostly because it felt new and more modern than the typical Hallmark channel Christmas romance movies. I haven’t seen “Christmas Camp” because I have been very turned off by how crappy the Hallmark movies have been this past year. It feels like since they started pushing a new movie every week, the quality, which let’s face it, was never great, has gotten even worse. I just couldn’t watch them anymore. But if I find the Christmas Camp movie, I’ll give it a try. Probably. Maybe. Who knows.

This book. I started reading it and put it down. A couple of times. The first five chapters or so are basically descriptions of Christmas decorations and I got bored. Fast. But I persevered because I kept hearing about this book (good publicity department!) Once the scavenger hunt kicked in, the story started progressing. It was entirely predictable, a generic Christmas romance, which I dont mind at all. I stuck it out for the happily ever after. Mostly because of what’s been going on in the news this week. I really, really needed a break, an entertaining read that required little to no thinking whatsoever. This book worked beautifully for my escape from reality, if only for one night.

I loved the meta touches – Emmie and her friend talk about watching “A Christmas Prince” and “Christmas Camp.” Cute, and it worked. Sam and Emmie were mostly developed characters, Grant nothing but a caricature of the overworked, ambitious lawyer.

If you, too, want a fast, easy read to escape your reality, give this book a try. There is no sex, and barely any kissing either, so suitable for a Hallmark movie. Which I’m guessing is where it’s headed.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

FINDING CHRISTMAS by Karen Schaler. William Morrow Paperbacks (October 15, 2019). ISBN 978-0062883711. 384p.

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SUMMER OF ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand

October 18, 2019

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From the publisher:

The #1 New York Times Bestseller

Four siblings experience the drama, intrigue, and upheaval of a summer when everything changed, in New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand’s first historical novel

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century. It’s 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother’s historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, nothing is the same: Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha’s Vineyard. Only-son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother and her worried mother, each of them hiding a troubling secret. As the summer heats up, Ted Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, man flies to the moon, and Jessie and her family experience their own dramatic upheavals along with the rest of the country.

In her first historical novel, rich with the details of an era that shaped both a nation and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again earns her title as queen of the summer novel.

I was ten years old during the summer of 1969, just a few years younger than the youngest sibling in this story. I remember a lot about what was happening then.

I was a big reader, including newspapers; we got the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Newsday, and I read them all cover to cover. I never had enough reading materials. My parents were not readers and back then books were a special occasion gift. My mom would take me to the library once a week, wait outside in her car, so I always felt rushed, not to mention that the library limited the number of books I was allowed to borrow. I don’t recall exactly, but it was something like 3-5 books at a time. I could read that many children’s books in a day. When I ran out of children’s books, the librarian let me borrow adult books. I read everything I could get my hands on.

I knew about Vietnam and it scared me. I don’t really remember Chappaquidick, but I definitely remember the man walking on the moon. All that comes up during the Summer of ’69, wrapped up in a family that lived through it all.

While the publisher notes that this is Hilderbrand’s first historical novel, the rest is pure Hilderbrand. She is known for fabulous beach reads, and this certainly fits the bill. The family, Nantucket, the romance, the squabbling, it’s all here. I was immediately caught up in the story and these characters, and she does a really good job making them all come to life.

There are deeper issues woven throughout the story; racism, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, suicide, and more all come to light, making this a very satisfying read. Lots for book groups to discuss for sure. I really enjoyed this book, though it was more nostalgic than historical for me.

10/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SUMMER OF ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand. Random House (June 18, 2019). ISBN 978-0525510871. 384p.

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THE NUGGET by P.T. Deutermann

October 16, 2019

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World War II Navy Series, Book 6

is a retired Captain of the U.S. Navy who has found a brilliant second career as an accomplished author. Many of the books he has had published concern action by the Navy in different areas and also various periods. He also has a set of equally well written novels that do not concern the military, which are just as engrossing as the military novels. All in all, a man with a superb background and obviously a gift for telling a story, keeping his readers pinned to the book, and assuring his place as a writer in constant demand.

The Nugget is a story set during a period beginning with the outbreak of World War II for the United States. Bobby Steele is a graduate of Annapolis, the U.S. naval academy. He has had a two-year assignment, after which he is sent to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii where he is assigned to an aircraft carrier. We meet him as he is awakened from a sleep aboard a ship by the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and with this is run full tilt into high action.

Deutermann describes the first days of the war in the Pacific against the Japanese and the first victory against them at Midway. Bobby Steele plays his role in much of the action that actually took place during the first several years of the war. He is shot down twice, rescued each time, but eventually ends up in the Philippines. It is there that Bobby and the copilot that flew with him unable to return to U.S. forces work with the Philippine resistance forces against their Japanese invaders.

The Nugget is a book that successfully keeps the reader glued to a plot involving plenty of hair raising action with the incredible dangers of war, making sure that the reader must finish the book before attempting to go to sleep. A definite five star novel for an author who has plenty of them to his credit, with the certainty that more will follow.

10/19 Paul Lane

THE NUGGET by P.T. Deutermann. St. Martin’s Press (October 8, 2019). ISBN 978-1250205889. 320p.