UNTIL THERE WAS US by Samantha Chase

April 28, 2019

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Montgomery Brothers, Book 8

From the publisher:

He’ll have to play his cards just right for her to take a chance on him…

Megan Montgomery has always been careful…except that one time she threw caution to the wind and hooked up with a sexy groomsman at her cousin’s wedding. But that was two years ago―so why can’t she stop thinking about Alex Rebat?

Alex has been living the good life. He loves his job, has a great circle of friends, and doesn’t answer to anyone. The problem? There’s only one woman he wants and she ran out on him after one amazing weekend. But now that Megan’s coming back to town, Alex hopes he can convince her to take another chance on him…and on a future that can only be built together.

Montgomery Brothers Series:
Wait for Me (Book 1)
Trust in Me (Book 2)
Stay with Me (Book 3)
Return to You (Book 4)
Meant for You (Book 5)
I’ll Be There (Book 6)
Until There Was Us (Book 7)

This was my first book by this author and I have a theory about why that is. I got this book as a digital galley, pre-publication. In many instances, the books I’m reviewing don’t have cover art yet, so I get a white cover with the title and author in black print on it and that’s it.

There is an old adage not to judge a book by its cover, except publishers often spend quite a bit on cover art so really, don’t they want us to judge their books by their expensive covers? The publisher here chose not to go that route. Or if they did, it was not money well spent. I found this book on my Kindle (I have close to 3000 books on there so stuff gets missed sometimes) and I read it. I really liked it, too. When I went to write this review, I finally got a gander at the cover and I was surprised. To me, this looks like one of those cheesy romance novels from the 1980’s. I really dislike this cover and had I seen it, I probably would not have picked up this book and that would have been a shame. Plus I had no idea this was the eighth book in a series; that information is not always included in the advanced reader copy either.

This series apparently centers around the Montgomery family, and I’m guessing the brothers started out the series. But by book 8, we are dealing with a Montgomery sister, Megan. Megan has some baggage, as most of us do, and after spending a crazy, sex filled weekend with Alex, they sort of tried to keep it going. Except she lived on the east coast, and he lived on the west coast. And the one weekend they were supposed to meet up, she didn’t show up.

In an interesting twist, Megan is a workaholic who has spent her life trying to prove her worth to her father. He seems to think that women should be raised to get a husband and men to be brought into the ultra successful family business. But Megan is an IT expert, and has proven her worth to the company by being that workaholic. When she is offered a position working with her brothers on the west coast, she moves there. Her first night there, she runs into Alex, her brother’s best friend.

It may have been two years since they were together, but time has not lessened their attraction to one another. As much as she tries to fight it, Megan just can’t help herself. And the fact that her brothers are really big on work-life balance and refuse to allow her workaholic ways into their business, she has time to have a social life. And finds herself re-prioritizing her life.

I liked this book enough to search out the rest of the series. It really does seem like there is an endless supply of good romance series. And while good is subjective, that is the point of this blog. I am still in need of happily ever afters and thoroughly enjoyed my escape with the Montgomery family.

4/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

UNTIL THERE WAS US by Samantha Chase. Sourcebooks Casablanca (May 1, 2018). ISBN 978-1492655909. 384p.

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SECOND CHANCE COWBOY by A. J. Pine

April 27, 2019

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Crossroads Ranch Series, Book 1

From the publisher:

Ten years ago, Jack Everett left his family’s ranch without a backward glance. Now, what was supposed to be a quick trip home for his father’s funeral has suddenly become more complicated. The ranch Jack can handle—he might be a lawyer, but he still remembers how to work with his hands. But turning around the failing vineyard he’s also inherited? That requires working with the one woman he never expected to see again.

Ava Ellis broke her own heart the night she let Jack go. She was young and scared—and secretly pregnant with Jack’s baby. Now that he’s back and asking for her help, Ava sees her opportunity to right the wrongs of the past. But how will he feel about the son he’s never known? Could this be their second chance—or their final heartbreak?

I’m including an excerpt from my review of Hard Loving Cowboy, book 3 in the series, the why of which will become clear in a moment.

I read the third book in this series, Tough Luck Cowboy, which I mistook for the second book, but somehow missed the first (not unusual for me!) and the actual second book. Maybe. Apparently Amazon is as confused as I am about the order of this series! I am going to have to backtrack and find them because I know there are holes in the background that I’m missing.

So first things first, as my mother used to say, do as I say, not as I do, and read this series in order! I am investigating. Because of my little bit of confusion, I skipped reading the bonus novella but I’m sure I will get to that eventually.

So I found this book, the first book in the series, at my library. Yay, libraries! Which reminds me, do you all know about the Google Chrome and Firefox library extension? This is the coolest thing ever! I tweeted about it and facebooked and then CNET wrote about it:

This browser extension shows you which Amazon books are available free at your local library. Available for Chrome and Firefox, the insanely great Library Extension saves you time and money.

I don’t know about you all, but I am all about saving time and money. I work full time as a librarian and do this blog and I’m working on a book as well and I read about a book a day so time is definitely precious. As for saving money, well, here is one of my favorite librarian “jokes,” in quotes because, well, maybe more true than funny?

What’s the difference between a large pizza and a librarian?

A large pizza can feed a family of four.

And after all those digressions, back to my review of the first book in this terrific series.

Having read the later books, I sort of knew what was going to happen, mostly because these characters are so memorable. Nonetheless, it was fun seeing how it all got started. Why Jack, an attorney, is primarily running a winery. Why all the brothers are so close. Why they are all attracted to strong women. Well, pretty much every romance written in the past few years has strong women protagonists. The helpless female being rescued by the strong male is no longer. He may save her a time or two, but he knows damn well that she could probably have saved herself.

So great characters here. Ava is a frustrated artist who had to make a living instead of making art but she’s never given up her dream. The surprise child, a popular trope in romance, works which probably explains its popularity. The chemistry between Jack and Ava is strong and fiery, and a treat to observe. All in all, I’m very glad I hunted down this book and will stick to my assertion that this is a series that is best read in order. But do read it, especially if you like cowboys, because it is a really fun and sexy series.

Crossroads Ranch Series, in order according to Amazon, sometimes:

  1. Second Chance Cowboy (Crossroads Ranch Book 1) Feb 27, 2018
  2. Saved by the Cowboy (Crossroads Ranch Book 2) Aug 7, 2018 (according to the author’s website, this is book 1.5 so maybe a novella?)
  3. Tough Luck Cowboy (Crossroads Ranch Book 3) Aug 28, 2018 (according to the author’s website, this is book 2)
  4. Hard Loving Cowboy (Crossroads Ranch Book 4) Mar 26, 2019 (according to the author’s website, this is book 3)

So according to the author, I’ve now read books 1, 2, and 3 and there is no book 4. I can’t borrow “Saved by the Cowboy” from my library so I guess I’ll have to cough up a few bucks and buy it for my Kindle. Stay tuned…

4/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SECOND CHANCE COWBOY by A. J. Pine. Forever (February 27, 2018). ISBN 978-1538727065.  320p.

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GOOD LUCK CHARM by Helena Hunting

April 26, 2019

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From the publisher:

Treat yourself to an “outrageously sexy” (Entertainment Weekly), “fabulously fun” (Jill Shalvis) second-chance romance from the New York Times bestselling queen of hockey romance!
Lilah isn’t sure what hurt worse: the day Ethan left her to focus on his hockey career or the day he came back eight years later. He might think they can pick up just where they left off, but she’s no longer that same girl and never wants to be again.
Ethan wants his glory days back. And that includes having Lilah by his side. With her, he was magic. They were magic. All he has to do is make her see that.
Just when Lilah might finally be ready to let Ethan in, though, she finds out their reunion might have nothing to do with love and everything to do with improving his game. But Ethan’s already lost her once, and even if it costs him his career, he’ll do anything to keep from losing her again.

I had read Meet Cute by this author and really enjoyed it, so I went looking for more and found this book in my library’s ebook collection. I love the subgenre of sports romances, and this one, centered on a hockey player, was a really good one.

There is also the trope of high school sweethearts breaking up and finding each other again as adults, and Hunting does a really good job of it. Lilah is a strong woman and she is confused by the relationship that is rebuilding with Ethan. She felt like as a teen, she lost herself in that relationship. It was all about Ethan, with her needs and desires coming in second, if at all. Not that it was his fault, she allowed it. So now, as an adult who has been on her own for a while and has a failed marriage behind her, Lilah is determined to have equity in this relationship and it’s not easy for her, or for him.

As an aside, my son is getting married this summer and we recently had a conversation about the difference between equality and equity in a relationship, so I think that is probably why that stood out for me.

I liked the subplot about athletes and their superstitions. If you’ve ever known any athletes, or if you are an athlete, you can probably relate. I sure did.

I really enjoyed this romance and feel like Hunting is growing as a writer. I will be on the lookout for her next book for sure. If you like Sally Thorne or Christina Lauren as much as I do, you should enjoy Hunting as well.

4/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

GOOD LUCK CHARM by Helena Hunting. Forever (August 7, 2018).  ISBN 978-1538760147. 352p.

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THE TIME COLLECTOR by Gwendolyn Womack

April 24, 2019

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Womack has come up with quite an ingenious idea and used it to bring us a very entertaining novel.

Roan West was born with a unique gift given to him by nature. He can hold an object in his hands and glean it’s history back as long ago as the time the piece came into being. In his lifetime Roan has personally made a fortune but more important has devised a method of helping people by examining a valuable object, detecting where it originates and if feasible returning it to its rightful owner or their descendants. He has also met a few other individuals with the gift and is part of an international organization they belong to.

The problem for Roan is that he feels alone in life since there are no women he has met that can live with him and the gift he possesses on a one to one basis.

By sheer chance he comes upon a young lady, Melicent Tilpin, who has earned more than a million dollars selling a priceless pocket watch which she admits she has discovered by “sensing it”. Roan seeks her out to warn her to hide her gift since there are people that would love to use it for their own purposes and possibly do harm to Melicent.

The two meet and become involved with a problem involving an associate of Roan who has used his own intuitive powers to obtain a ring owned by the famed mathematician and philosopher Rene Descartes. The ring was found in an area that it should never have gotten to which brings up the concept of “out of place artifacts” or “ooparts.” These occurrences provide puzzling circumstances for Roan and his group. Since Stuart, the associate and friend of Roan, has disappeared when the ring was publicized, it is feared that he was kidnapped to obtain it.

The novel certainly presents the circumstances and events surrounding the search for both Stuart and Descartes’ ring but it also sets up a well described romance between Roan and Melicent. The difficulty and finally joy in finding a person with the same gift as each possesses is very logically handled by the author and if two people with the same gift got together, they would most likely handle the relationship in the manner described. Hopefully, the stage is also set for additional works about the two and it would certainly attract a wide audience.

4/19 Paul Lane

THE TIME COLLECTOR by Gwendolyn Womack. Picador (April 16, 2019). ISBN 978-1250169235. 368p.

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THE KEY TO HAPPILY EVERY AFTER by Tif Marcelo

April 23, 2019

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Marisol, Janelyn, and Pearl de la Rosa are sisters who just took over their parents’ wedding planning business. While mom and dad are enjoying retirement, the girls need to sort out the business, the financials are a bit of mess.

Although they are equal partners, contention arises when Pearl, the youngest sister and the social media manager, wants to be a full-fledged wedding planner like her sisters, but Mari, the eldest, is too much of a control freak to turn her baby sister loose. Jane, the middle child, is the peacemaker but it takes almost a complete break before things get back under control. Can’t have a wedding planner story without some romance and Mari is the lucky sister who finds true love.

There was a real opportunity missed here. We are told that the girls are Filipino, yet we don’t get much of the culture beyond brief mentions and I really would have liked to learn more. Instead, the story focuses on relationships between the sisters and their wedding clients.

Verdict: This sweet family story/romance will appeal to fans of Susan Mallery and RaeAnne Thayne. Especially suitable for public libraries looking for more #ownvoices authors.

©Library Journal, 2019

4/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE KEY TO HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Tif Marcelo. Gallery Books (April 23, 2019). ISBN 978-1501197581. 320p.

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ALICE’S ISLAND by Daniel Sanchez Arelvalo

April 21, 2019

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A beautifully written story of great loss, the seeking of redemption and eventually finding of one’s self.

Alice Dupont is a happily married woman enjoying life with her adoring husband Chris. It is obvious that each has found the perfect mate in the other. They have one young daughter and Alice pregnant with another child. Chris had founded a small business building tennis courts which has become successful enough possibly due to his background of playing tennis on a semi professional basis. His work takes him to sites around his home area in getting business. He has always kept in close touch with Alice while traveling and made it obvious that it is her that he thinks about.

Suddenly Alice’s world comes crashing down on her head when she receives a dreaded call from the police that Chris has been severely injured in an auto crash. She rushes to the hospital that he is in but unfortunately only in time to learn that he has passed away from his injuries. After the funeral Alice decides that in order to find some sort of closure she has to learn about the project he has been working on when killed. When she finds that the accident occurred several hundred miles away from where he was scheduled to be Alice decides to discover where he actually was and what he was doing. Determination is made that Chris was on an island near Nantucket in Massachusetts. Made independent by a hefty insurance settlement Alice moves to that island and begins her search for Chris’ reason to be there and if he had been there more than once.

The story of her search and her experiences in befriending other residents of the island comprise the major part of the novel. There is no horror to the story and one that follows Alice’s closure as well as that of several of the island’s residents. Written originally in Spanish and later translated into English, Sanchez Arelvalo’s novel reaches a level of beauty that does captivate the reader. The ending is well done and an adventure into a level of prose that is a pleasure to find and certainly indicative of both a very skilled author and a translator that has complete understanding of the nuances of both English and Spanish. I trust that we will see additional works by the author translated into English for our great enjoyment.

4/19 Paul Lane

ALICE’S ISLAND by Daniel Sanchez Arelvalo. Atria Books (April 16, 2019). ISBN 978-1501171956. 400p.

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A DUKE CHANGES EVERYTHING by Christy Carlyle

April 20, 2019

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The Duke’s Den, Book 1

From the publisher:

In the first novel in Christy Carlyle’s sizzling Duke’s Den series, three men, intent on making a fortune,discover irresistible opportunities . . .

Nicholas Lyon gambled his way into a fortune and ownership of the most opulent, notorious gentlemen’s club in England. But when Nick’s cruel brother dies, he inherits a title he never wanted. The sooner Nick is rid of the estate that has always haunted him, the sooner he can return to the life he’s built in London. But there’s one obstacle—the exquisite Thomasina Thorne.

When the new heir to the Tremayne dukedom suddenly appears in Mina Thorne’s life, she’s flustered. Not only is he breathtakingly handsome, but he’s also determined to take away her home and position as steward of the Enderley estate. If Mina learns what makes the enigmatic duke tick, perhaps she can change his mind—as long as she doesn’t get too close to him.

With each day Nick spends with Mina, his resolve weakens as their colliding wills lead to explosive desire. Could she be the one woman who can help him finally bury the ghosts of his past?

This was a really emotional story. Our hero, Nick, has an unsightly scar across his face and how he got it is simply heartbreaking. As is his whole backstory. Mina’s story is much easier, thank goodness. I don’t think I could have handled any more. Interestingly, Mina is the estate steward, a job she trained for all her life and inherited when her father died. The new Duke is not aware of this, however, since Mina’s full name is Thomasina and she signs all her correspondence with her initial, just like her father. So when the Duke arrives, he is not happy that he’s been lied to.

Mina and Nick are an unlikely couple, and it’s just class that separates them. The bigger hurdle is the estate she calls home and he calls hell. They need to overcome many obstacles to reach their happily ever after, and it was not a smooth journey by any means. I was racing through this book but the last part sort of slowed down and meandered a bit, but ultimately it was worth it. No spoilers here – let’s just say there were some unusual plot twists that I really enjoyed.

I am really looking forward to the next book in this series, Anything But a Duke, which comes out April 30. A review should be out sometime that week – stay tuned!

4/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

A DUKE CHANGES EVERYTHING by Christy Carlyle. Avon (November 27, 2018).  ISBN 978-0062853950. 384p.

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LADY DERRING TAKES A LOVER by Julie Anne Long

April 18, 2019

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The Palace of Rogues, Book 1

From the publisher:

A mistress. A mountain of debt. A mysterious wreck of a building.

Delilah Swanpoole, Countess of Derring, learns the hard way that her husband, “Dear Dull Derring,” is a lot more interesting—and perfidious—dead than alive. It’s a devil of an inheritance, but in the grand ruins of the one building Derring left her, are the seeds of her liberation. And she vows never again to place herself at the mercy of a man.

But battle-hardened Captain Tristan Hardy is nothing if not merciless. When the charismatic naval hero tracks a notorious smuggler to a London boarding house known as the Rogue’s Palace, seducing the beautiful, blue-blooded proprietress to get his man seems like a small sacrifice.

They both believe love is a myth. But a desire beyond reason threatens to destroy the armor around their hearts. Now a shattering decision looms: Will Tristan betray his own code of honor…or choose a love that might be the truest thing he’s ever known?

In a very weird coincidence, I read two books in a row, both romances but one contemporary (Under the Table) and this one, historical, where the hero is named Tristan. This book actually came out at the end of February but somehow it slipped under my radar. I must confess to having a ridiculous number of books on my Kindle, hovering just under 3000. No, that is not a typo. I don’t know how many of those I’ve already read as Amazon has no way of me sorting them that way, but a lot! Figure a book a day for close to 3 or so years that I’ve read mostly on my Kindle so maybe about a third? (Side note to Amazon, you really should let me sort out the books I’ve read, it would be beneficial for me to be able to delete all the books I’ve read before I run out of room!) Lately I have been removing titles from my device when I finish reading them but that’s new. And sometimes I forget. Oh well.

Back to our story. So this Tristan is your basic, run-of-the-mill, tall, strong, gorgeous hero who, as many heroes are, is rather reticent in sharing his thoughts or feelings. So much so that it is a running joke throughout the book that he when he utters more than a word or two, it is commented upon. Cute.

Deirdre definitely falls into the new historical romance class of heroines who are strong, independent, and most unlikely given the time period, career driven. I don’t mind these liberties being taken in sacrifice of historical accuracy. It’s about time women were put in a better place, even if it rarely happened back then; I rather enjoy seeing it happen now.

The boundaries of realism are pushed even further when the wife and mistress of a member of the peerage end up in business and living together. It actually makes sense here so kudos to Long for writing such a believable suspension of disbelief, that is quite the coup. But best of all, it is a really good story with interesting, quirky characters, delicious humor and sizzling sex.

I started this new series with the first book – quite the coup for me, I tend not to do that for some reason – but I really have enjoyed this author’s previous books so when I saw a new one on Edelweiss (one of the homes of advanced digital galleys for reviewers) I grabbed it. I was very glad I did. This was a very enjoyable read and now I can’t wait for the next book in this series – this one ends on quite the cliffhanger! Very well done.

4/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

LADY DERRING TAKES A LOVER by Julie Anne Long. Avon; Reissue edition (February 26, 2019).  ISBN 978-0062867469. 384p.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF SENSITIVE CRIMES by Alexander McCall Smith

April 17, 2019

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A Detective Varg Novel, Book 1

The novel is set in Malmo, Sweden and describes the activities and antics of a small group of policemen that have been set up to handle sensitive crimes that are strange and different. It is wrapped around a series of vignettes that are handled by the group.

Smith brings to bear a droll sense of humor that takes situations and shapes their form via a definite tongue in cheek delivery. No murder, no bank holdups, no mob beatings but a series of “crimes” adroitly handled by the members of the squad.

There is a case of someone stabbing another person in the knee. Why? What caused this heinous crime? A lonely girl trying to impress other girls who have boyfriends makes up a boyfriend via taking a selfie with a young man she meets on the street. Then in order not to produce him, tells a tale of him moving to a facility at the north pole. Problem is the police work on the premise that he was murdered and the girl making him up is the murderer.

Finally, an investigation is requested by a police executive into the weird goings on at a hotel that his cousin owns. These happenings are causing the hotel to begin failing. This one leads via a circuitous route into investigations of a werewolf being the cause of what is going on at the hotel.

A free and easy read. The characters are likable with a dedicated man in charge. One woman working for the group who is more than a little in love with Ulf (the man in charge of the group). Carl who loves filling out paperwork and can sit and do that all day, and Erik whose main interest in life is fly fishing. While the setting is in Sweden the group can exist anywhere and do supply a great deal of fun in a nice departure from more serious police procedural novels. I certainly look forward to learning about future escapades of this pleasant group of policemen.

4/19 Paul Lane

THE DEPARTMENT OF SENSITIVE CRIMES by Alexander McCall Smith.  Pantheon (April 16, 2019). ISBN 978-1524748210. 240p.

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UNDER THE TABLE by Stephanie Evanovich

April 16, 2019

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From the publisher:

The New York Times bestselling author of Big Girl Panties puts a modern twist on My Fair Lady in this funny, romantic confection in which a canny young woman makes over her awkward millionaire client . . . with some hot, sexy, and surprising results.

Suffocating in a dead-end marriage, Midwesterner Zoey Sullivan fled to New York and moved in with her older sister Ruth, a carefree, vivacious beauty with a string of eligible bachelors at her beck and call. Giving herself three months in the city to clear her head and find a direction, Zoey dodges calls from her ex Derek, and distracts herself by cooking and catering a few private dinners and parties. Pursuing her passion for cooking was never an option when she was with Derek, and now Zoey relishes her independence.

When Zoey’s meets reclusive millionaire Tristan Malloy, she’s blown away by his kitchen—a marble and stainless steel temple worthy of the culinary gods—and charmed by his impeccable gentlemanly manners. But despite his firm body, handsome looks, and piles of cash, Tristan—a computer programmer—is shy and more than a little socially awkward. Zoey is sure that Tristan has all the right raw ingredients—and she’s the right person to spice them up turn him into a delectable dish.

But Zoey’s unprepared for just how well her makeover works. Tristan turns out to be even sexier once he’s gained a little confidence and the right wardrobe. Beneath the gorgeous package, Tristan is a great guy who deserves a woman who really appreciates him. Slowly but surely, Zoey realizes she may have found her perfect match—but does Tristan even know how her feelings have changed? Is that warm look in his eyes gratitude for the new and exciting world she’s ushered him into, or something more? And what will happen when Zoey’s ex comes to town, looking to win her back?

I was so excited that Evanovich finally had a new book coming out – it had been about three years since her last book (The Total Package) and I really loved all three of her previous books. While I enjoyed this one, I must admit that I was the tiniest bit disappointed.

This is a very short book (272 pages) and a very quick read. The basic plot line is good, but I would have liked a bit more character development, especially for Tristan, our man of the hour, and Derek, the ex. I felt like I got to know Zoey pretty well and this is definitely her story to tell, but her ex was a real mystery. He barely made a blip in the story even though a lot of the plot, Zoey’s reason for being in New York, the reason she almost loses Tristan, depended on Derek. There was just enough back story to make the major plot points feasible but I would have liked more, especially his relationship with Zoey’s family – as lifelong friends before marriage, that seemed important but is barely glossed over.

Tristan was also a bit of an enigma but definitely a man in want of a makeover. We do get most of his backstory, but some of the choices he makes throughout the book weren’t always clear to me. That said, I couldn’t help but root for Zoey and Tristan to find their way to one another so I did get my happy ending. There’s not as much sizzle as in previous books, but that really worked well for these characters in this story.

There are some really funny moments in the story, as well as some sweet ones. And of course, I loved the foodie subplot. Wishing hard for that kitchen! Ultimately, I couldn’t put the book down and read it in one sitting, despite my minor quibbles. Now I hope I don’t have to wait as long for the next book!

4/19 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

UNDER THE TABLE by Stephanie Evanovich. William Morrow (April 16, 2019). ISBN 978-0062415929. 272p.

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