Fiction | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

THE LOVE SHACK by Lori Foster

August 23, 2024

Indiana Summers, Book 3

From the publisher:

They’ve been trying to avoid each other.
But this town has other ideas…

When Berkley Carr opened The Love Shack Animal Haven, she thought she’d finally put her past behind her. But sometimes she feels the sting of the scandal from her youth, especially when she keeps crossing paths with her handsome neighbor. So, she keeps her head down and pours all her love into caring for animals.

Lawson Salder moved to Cemetery, Indiana, to escape from the grinding poverty of his childhood. He barely knew Berkley from their old neighborhood, but every time he sees her, the shame and pain come crashing back. He knows she’s got major baggage of her own. They’re better off just avoiding each other.

But that’s downright impossible in a town full of matchmaking busybodies. Then there’s the hard-to-ignore attraction they feel every time they see each other. When the universe is conspiring to bring them together, will Berkley and Lawson let past hurts go and embrace the love they deserve?
https://amzn.to/3Awn5VR

I read the first book in this series, The Honeymoon Cottage, which I enjoyed. Somehow I missed the second book, The Little Flower Shop, which I’ll have to hunt down. The Love Shack is a great title (even if I can’t get the B-52’s out of my head!) and it’s also the name of the animal shelter run by the main character, Berkley. Berkley has moved to the small town of Cemetery to escape a troubled past, and is shocked to find someone from her past is already here in town, for the same reasons.

Lawson has a strong protective streak, especially when it comes to Berkley. There is another character of sorts in this series, Katherine, a mannequin that the townsfolk dress up and move around. She creeps out Lawson, but he is good natured enough to deal with it and it adds some levity to the story. The real fun is the animals though!

As Lawson and Berkley spend time together, they fall in love. There are obstacles in the way, but the meddling town founder, the elderly Betty Cemetery, has her heart set on making these two a match. Matchmaking not withstanding, this is a sweet romance with a tiny bit of heat and the requisite happy ending. Foster writes good stories, and I enjoyed this one.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE LOVE SHACK by Lori Foster. Canary Street Press; Original edition (June 11, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1335517142. 336p.

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THE GAME CHANGER by Lana Ferguson

August 23, 2024

From the publisher:

An instant USA Today bestseller

A hockey player and a baker shoot their shot in this steamy new romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Nanny.

When a very public breakup becomes a PR nightmare for Ian Chase’s team, he hopes to focus on his game, but that suddenly seem less likely than a hat trick. With his career and the team’s image in jeopardy, Ian is surprised to find a solution through none other than Delilah Baker, his best friend and teammate’s little sister…who isn’t so little anymore.

Delilah Baker is known as “the darling of baking” on her local cable show, and being in the public eye is her bread and butter. But with her numbers dwindling and her producers turning up the heat, Delilah offers up the half-baked idea to collaborate with her brother’s team to entice the hockey fans of Boston to tune in to her show. Delilah thinks it will be a piece of cake—until the team sends Ian Chase, her brother’s best friend and the object of a decade-long crush that she’s never quite gotten over.

Delilah’s and Ian’s teams think it’s a true win-win situation—gaining higher numbers for Delilah’s show and casting Ian in a more positive light. And viewers are eating them up like a cupcake, sparking the idea to play up their relationship for the goal of good press. With more than just their careers on thin ice, the line between what’s real and what’s for show begins to blur, but one thing’s for certain: This PR stunt will either be a total game changer—or leave them both totally pucked.
https://amzn.to/3yNL7eH

Ian was Delilah’s brother’s best friend and her teenage crush, and now they are both professional hockey players in Boston, where they take their hockey very seriously. When Ian’s reputation takes a hit, his PR team is trying to find a way to make him look good again. Enter Delilah and her local cooking show. Her ratings are in freefall, and she comes up with the idea of baking with a hockey player. Her brother is a pro, and his teammates are askable. Ian is perfect – it will help both of them, and it does, except for that crush that is surprisingly still lingering.

Viewers love seeing Ian and Delilah together, and Ian is surprised at how much he enjoys Delilah’s company. Then things really heat up.

Ferguson writes steamy romances, and this is a good one. The hockey is just the “icing” on the cake! (sorry, I couldn’t help myself and hockey fans will get it!) There are a lot of good romance tropes here, including fake dating, friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, and also a lot of laughs. This is a fun, fast-paced rom-com, and I totally enjoyed it.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE GAME CHANGER by Lana Ferguson. Berkley (July 9, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593816837. 400p.

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Spotlight Review: MORBIDLY YOURS by Ivy Fairbanks

August 20, 2024

A Love in Galway Novel, Book 1

From the publisher:

TikTok sensation Morbidly Yours, an opposites-attract romantic dramedy about a shy, demisexual Irish mortician who must marry by his 35th birthday to keep his beloved family business, and the Texan widow escaping her past who moves in next door.

Falling for the wrong person? Bury your feelings.

Painfully shy Callum Flannelly would rather dive into an open grave than take a stranger to dinner. But he can only inherit the family undertaking business under one condition: He must marry before his 35th birthday. Texan animator Lark Thompson moved to Galway, Ireland, to restart her life and career, not be reminded of losing her husband by moving in next to a funeral home.

But when she learns of Callum’s dilemma, Lark’s certain she can help him find The One, even if she’s sworn off love herself. Though as the dating project progresses and Lark spends more time with straight-laced, sarcastic Callum, he starts to crack the ice around her grieving heart. And the more joy that vivacious Lark brings to Callum’s grey existence, the less he can imagine letting her return to Texas.

If they think they can ignore their connection, they’re dead wrong.

“[A] charming romance…Poignant and heartwarming, this is a quirky love story you won’t forget.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“The setting is unique, and Fairbanks is admirably frank about death and grieving… Callum himself is an admirable hero, with impressive depths…This will appeal to readers who don’t mind some death in their “til death do us part.” –Publishers Weekly

“With a fantastic Irish setting; sensitive portrayals of demisexuality, grief, and workplace misogyny; and a sexy friends-to-lovers romance, Fairbanks makes an excellent debut.” –Library Journal

An LA Times Romance Novel to Heat Up Your Summer
An August LibraryReads Pick
https://amzn.to/46KULLC

I think this was my first romance with an undertaker as the main love interest, but it worked!

Lark is a young widow, and she is tired of talking about it. When an opportunity comes up for her to work in Ireland for nine months, she jumps at the chance to escape. She moves into her new apartment which she believes is next to a Bed & Breakfast – their sign is in Irish Gaelic with no English translation. She decides to pop in to say hello and is shocked to find Callum, her new neighbor, is an undertaker. The building is, in fact, a funeral home, not the B&B she was expecting. Lark’s previous experience with a funeral home was when her husband died, and they tried to upsell her and rip her off in a myriad of ways, so she’s not too interested. But there is something about Callum…

Callum grew up in the family business and takes his work seriously. His grandfather raised him as his parents weren’t interested and took off. But when his “granda” dies, Callum is devastated to find that the only way he can inherit the family business is if he is married by age 35. At 34, the clock is ticking with nary a prospect on the horizon. Callum has a stutter and consequently has difficulties in talking to the opposite sex. He also isn’t the type to just fall in bed with anyone; he needs to feel an emotional connection before he makes a physical connection.

Lark bursts into his life like a ray of sunshine. She doesn’t appear to be bothered at all by his stutter and is kind, sweet, and patient. In need of friends herself, Lark quickly befriends Callum, despite his initial standoffishness. She enjoys her new co-workers, well, most of them. There is one who apparently wanted the job she got and does not hesitate to make that known or to belittle her and her work as often as he can. So Callum is a bit of respite from that problem. But she has no interest in ever marrying again. She blames herself (and so does her sister-in-law) for her husband’s death and doesn’t want to ever feel that way again.

Lark decides to help Callum find the wife he desperately needs. Dating apps and the subsequent dates from hell gleaned from them add some humor here. This is a slow burn, opposites attract romance that really works. If you were a fan of Six Feet Under (I loved it!) this book has some of that same appeal in the setting.

Their duplicate deadlines – Lark’s time in Ireland is fast coming to a close, and 35 is mere months away for Callum – dictate a moment of sudden realization, an epiphany if you will, for the both of them. There are some very steamy moments and some real obstacles along the way to their happily ever after. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MORBIDLY YOURS by Ivy Fairbanks. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (August 20, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593851869. 352p.

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HEARTS ON THIN ICE by Katie Kennedy

August 16, 2024

From the publisher:

A pro hockey player falls for an interior designer in this charming debut sports romance.

For fans of Icebreaker and Set On You, this flirty workplace rom-com explores mental health, belonging, and finding your way in the world.

Nick Sorensen had once been one of the fastest men in hockey—until the devastating plane crash that took the lives of his best friends, leaving him the only survivor. Now he’s physically ready to get back on the ice, but his coach is concerned Nick isn’t doing as well mentally as he says he is. Case in point: Nick’s apartment is completely empty, apart from a single chair and a mattress on the floor.

To prove he’s fine, really, Nick hires Alyssa Compton, an up-and-coming interior designer, to decorate his space. Alyssa’s thrilled at the chance to prove herself to her demanding boss—with job security at last, maybe she can finally put down roots and create a home for herself too. But Nick turns out to be infuriatingly stubborn and impossible to work with, and just when Alyssa decides to throw in the towel on the whole thing, Nick shows up for her in a way she never could have expected.

The icy path ahead of these two lost souls may be slippery and cracking, but when it comes to love, sometimes all you need is someone on your team.

“Kennedy’s shining adult debut will delight readers and intrigue fans of Sarina Bowen’s Brooklyn Bruisers series and Icebreaker by Hannah Grace.” —Library Journal
https://amzn.to/4dEtVXN

This author has written some young adult and children’s books, but this is her first adult romance and it’s terrific!

I have tried audiobooks many, many times over the years, but the only ones I was able to listen to were the Harry Potter series, most of the Lemony Snicket series, and Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series – I loved them all. But anything else I tried, from biographies to thrillers to domestic fiction to romances, just didn’t hold my attention. I would be listening and all of a sudden realize I had no idea what was happening anymore. I gave up for a long time, but as my vision continues to worsen, I decided to make more of an effort with audiobooks. Plus my commute to work is the longest it’s been in over 20 years – about 20-25 minutes.

So I started again. I tried Hoopla, an app provided by my public library because everything they have is always available, so I figured if it took me a really long time to get through a book, I could just check it out again. Other library apps, like Overdrive or CloudLibrary, have limited availability and I didn’t want to get halfway through and then have to reserve it and wait for the book, giving my brain time to forget whatever I had heard.

Hearts on Thin Ice was the first romance I really enjoyed listening to! I think part of it is the reader, or in this case, readers – one for the female lead, Scarlett Everdeen, and one for the male lead, Nick Mondelli. (And I surprised myself by listening at home, too, while I folded the laundry, made dinner, and so forth.) I not only finished the book within the allotted loan period (3 weeks) I returned it early and braved another. I started with an old Brenda Novak book, the first of her Dundee, Idaho series, and I’m now on the fourth book in that series – all audio. I will eventually review that series.

Back to Hearts on Thin Ice – this is a hockey romance, and I do love a good sports romance. Nick is a professional hockey player who was in a small plane crash with several of his teammates, who were also his best friends. Everyone on the plane died except for Nick, and he has a severe case of survivor’s guilt. He also has extensive injuries, but eventually makes a full recovery and is traded to another team.

Nick’s new coach knows what happened and is worried about him. He is living in a completely empty apartment – mattress on the floor, one chair, a TV, and that’s about it. He orders Nick to go to therapy and to furnish his apartment so he can live like a normal person. One of his teammates is becoming a friend, and while at his house his wife recommends her interior designer to help him. Grudgingly, Nick goes to see her but her boss tries to steal his business. That gets Nick’s hackles up, and he refuses and leaves. Next thing he knows, this gorgeous woman is pushed out the door after him – Alyssa, the designer his friend recommended.

Alyssa goes to Nick’s apartment and is appalled by how he is living. But when she tries to talk to him about what he likes, style-wise, colors, etc. he just shuts down and tells her to do whatever she wants. She comes up with a masculine, industrial modern design, and when he sees it, he tells her it’s fine. Then he fires her. Devastated, Alyssa realizes something is wrong but can’t figure it out.

Then Nick is ordered once again to furnish his apartment, so he goes back to Alyssa. This time, he tells her he hated the design, it reminded him of the plane that crashed with all that metal and rivets on the furniture. She figures out a few ways to find out what he likes and they spend some time together. Nick really likes her but doesn’t feel deserving of a relationship when all his dead friends will never have one. Alyssa also has some of her own baggage, making them both interesting and real.

Theirs is a complicated relationship, and the characters are very well drawn with real depth, making it easy to root for them. There is some heat as well as some laughs. It’s not all death and destruction! That’s actually a small part of the story, but important background. This was a very enjoyable listen, and I’m so happy I am finding my way with audiobooks at last. I am grateful to Katie Kennedy, Scarlett Everdeen, and Nick Mondelli for getting me to this point.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HEARTS ON THIN ICE by Katie Kennedy. Alcove Press (June 18, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1639107735. 320p.

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THE AU PAIR AFFAIR by Tessa Bailey

August 16, 2024

Big Shots, Book 2

From the publisher:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with an all-new sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny…

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah.

“Come for the buzzy hockey romance trope, stay for the unique spins and swoon-worthy leading man that Bailey has become famous for crafting.” — USA Today

“Bailey writes banter and rom-com scenarios with aplomb, but for those who like their romance on the spicier side, she’s also the Michelangelo of dirty talk. She wields filth like Da Vinci does a paintbrush, and there’s a lot to be said for an author who can fill such exchanges with all the requisite heat, enthusiastic consent, and yes, even humor, of such a scenario without veering into corny territory.” — Entertainment Weekly
https://amzn.to/3Awn5VR

Bailey is one of my favorite writers, and I loved her latest! I was already halfway there with the hockey player storyline, and the single dad, grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, age difference, and all the other romantic subgenres just brought this together in one terrific read for me.

Falling for the nanny is a time-honored romance tradition – not sure how often it happens in real life (forget Hollywood, I mean real people life!) but it was definitely believable here – maybe because Burgess falls first? And fortunately, he is already divorced (I hate any nanny marriage breakups.) He has to work to sweep Tallulah off her feet, and he does. But then comes the tween-age daughter. She adores Tallulah until she realizes that her dad is involved with the nanny. Like most kids, she wants her parents to get back together and Tallulah refuses to be the reason they don’t.

There is a lot of turmoil and angst before they reach their happy ending, and a lot of very steamy sex, making this an emotional yet fun read. I enjoyed getting to know these characters, and I was invested enough to root for their happily ever after. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series!

Note: Like most romance series, you do not need to read these in order. Each book is about a different couple, and while the couple from book one is mentioned, it wouldn’t matter if you hadn’t read it. That said, I think the first book, Fangirl Down, a golf romance, may have been even better than this one, so why not read both!

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE AU PAIR AFFAIR by Tessa Bailey. Avon (July 16, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0063308428. 384p.

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Spotlight Review: THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE by Kirsty Greenwood

August 13, 2024

From the publisher:

A recently deceased woman meets “the one” in the afterlife waiting room, scoring a second chance at life (and love!) if she can find him on earth before ten days are up…

If she wasn’t dead already, Delphie would be dying of embarrassment. Not only did she just die by choking on a microwaveable burger, but now she’s standing in her ‘shine like a star’ nightie in front of the hottest man she’s ever seen. And he’s smiling at her.

As they start to chat, everything else becomes background noise. That is until someone comes running out of a door, yelling something about a huge mistake, and sends the dreamy stranger back down to earth. And here Delphie was thinking her luck might be different in the afterlife.

When Delphie is offered a deal in which she can return to earth and reconnect with the mysterious man, she jumps at the opportunity to find her possible soulmate and a fresh start. But in a city of millions, Delphie is going to have to listen to her heart, learn to ask for help, and perhaps even see the magic in the life she’s leaving behind…

A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK! AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

“Greenwood offers a charming, unique twist on a plethora of the best romance tropes. Sure to be a favorite of readers who love Sophie Cousens and Katy Birchall.” —Library Journal

“[T]he emotions are sweeping, the humor feels straight out of a network sitcom…. Fans of The Good Place should snap this up.” —Publishers Weekly

“Greenwood weaves themes of loneliness, grief and self-discovery into a romance filled with laugh-out-loud moments.” —USA Today
https://amzn.to/3SkMQPi

I kept hearing about this book so I finally picked it up – I’m so glad I did! I don’t care for a lot of woo-woo paranormal type romances, but I can deal in limited doses. An occasional witch. I do like time travel, and this sort of falls into that category, but with a twist. The afterlife twist.

Delphie is alone and very lonely, although it seems like she doesn’t even realize it. One day, she choked to death on a microwaveable hamburger, with no one there to Heimlich her. She arrives in what appears to be a laundromat but is actually the waiting room of heaven. There, a strange woman is trying to explain all of this to her when someone else pops in. A good-looking man who takes one look at Delphie and appears smitten – and she is as well. Except it turns out he is in the wrong place – not that place, but he’s not really dead and needs to be sent back. She’s told that he is her soulmate, and if she can get him to kiss her in ten days, she’ll be returned to life as well. All Delphie knows about him is that he lives in London and his first name, so not a whole lot to go on. But certainly worth a shot!

Delphie enlists the aid of her downstairs grumpy neighbor, Cooper. She thinks he is a computer programmer of some sort, and he does have some skills in that regard. They finally find out his full name, where he works, and Delphie has several attempts at trying to meet him. All are hilarious! Of course, spending time with Cooper has them growing closer and causing Delphie to wonder about her “soulmate”. Lots of hijinks ensue in this missing person’s type case, and everyone gets the happy ending they need.

This was such a fun read! It had many laugh-out-loud moments, some steamy sex, and a lot of heart. I loved it.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE LOVE OF MY AFTERLIFE by Kirsty Greenwood. Berkley (July 2, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593816134. 384p.

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SLOW DANCE by Rainbow Rowell

August 9, 2024

From the publisher:

A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park and Attachments comes Slow Dance—a novel of true love and friendship.

Back in high school, everybody thought Shiloh and Cary would end up together . . . everybody but Shiloh and Cary.

They were just friends. Best friends. Allies. They spent entire summers sitting on Shiloh’s porch steps, dreaming about the future. They were both going to get out of north Omaha—Shiloh would go to go to college and become an actress, and Cary would join the Navy. They promised each other that their friendship would never change.

Well, Shiloh did go to college, and Cary did join the Navy. And yet, somehow, everything changed.

Now Shiloh’s thirty-three, and it’s been fourteen years since she talked to Cary. She’s been married and divorced. She has two kids. And she’s back living in the same house she grew up in. Her life is nothing like she planned.

When she’s invited to an old friend’s wedding, all Shiloh can think about is whether Cary will be there—and whether she hopes he will be. Would Cary even want to talk to her? After everything?

The answer is yes. And yes. And yes.

Slow Dance is the story of two kids who fell in love before they knew enough about love to recognize it. Two friends who lost everything. Two adults who just feel lost.

It’s the story of Shiloh and Cary, who everyone thought would end up together, trying to find their way back to the start.

“A will-they, won’t-they second chance romance for the ages, this one is poised to be one of summer’s breakout hits.” —People

“Rowell takes her time revealing the couple’s origins as high-school besties, the conflicts they helped each other through as teens in working-class families and those they’re dealing with now, the long period of silence between them, and the undeniable glimmers of their enduring mutual attraction. Their dance is sweet and sexy, and Rowell draws out the whole, simmering affair as she ping-pongs through her characters’ past and present. . . . [Slow Dance is] sure to be a crowd-pleaser.”— Booklist (starred review)

“Rich, real, and emotionally raw, this satisfying contemporary is sure to impress.” — Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3SFJuq8

This is Rowell’s first adult novel in ten years, so I was very excited about it. I read all of her earlier books and loved them. I met her at the American Library Association’s annual conference many years ago, and loved her! She verged off into graphic novels after writing a couple of novels with some graphic elements, but I am not a fan of graphic novels (for the most part), so I didn’t read them. All that said, as much as I was looking forward to this book, I almost didn’t finish it.

The “slow” of the title is appropriate. I was maybe a quarter of the way in and put it down. It felt like nothing was happening of any consequence, and I wasn’t invested enough with these characters to care. But then I saw Reese Witherspoon had selected it for her book club, and I almost always like the books she chooses, so I picked it back up. At about three-quarters of the way through, I finally felt invested. We are talking super s-l-o-wwwwwwwww here. I realize not every book has to be fast-paced, but that is my preference whether a romance, a thriller, or anything else.

Cary and Shiloh grew up together as the best of friends. But then life happened; he joined the Navy, and she went off to college. They got together once during that time, but hadn’t spoken in many years before a mutual friend’s wedding brought them back together. But it took a lot more time for them to really find their way back to one another as friends, and a lot more time after that to find their way into love and a lasting relationship.

Neither of them had good role models growing up. They both came from toxic, dysfunctional families and really were the glue that held them together. Now Shiloh is back home, living with her mother, and trying to raise her two kids alone. Luckily, her mother is a better grandmother than she was a mother.

Carey is dealing with an elderly parent who needs more help than his half-siblings care to give her, so he is constantly having to step in, taking leave from the Navy as he can. As he and Shiloh become friends again, she starts helping with his mom as well. It seems like they both have emotional and mental struggles that need more attention than they are getting.

Eventually, they realize they are in love and find their happy ending, but it is such a long, difficult road to get there. I did end up liking this book, but not to harp on it or anything (and sorry if I’m being too repetitive), it was slow going.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SLOW DANCE by Rainbow Rowell. William Morrow (July 30, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0063380196. 400p.

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A IS FOR AMISH by Shelley Shepard Gray

August 9, 2024

Amish ABCs, Book 1

From the publisher:

In a heartwarming new series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray, four siblings take a genuine leap of faith when they move to their grandparents’ farm in rural Ohio and decide to become Amish.

Exploring the relationship between Amish and English cultures through the lens of a single family, the Amish Again series is perfect for fans of Beverly Lewis, Suzanne Woods Fisher, and Charlotte Hubbard – and anyone who enjoys uplifting stories about faith, family, love, and the simple life.

Siblings Martin, Kelsey, Beth, and Jonny are as different as can be, but they have one thing in common. They’re all longing to reinvent their lives. Raised by their divorced lapsed-Amish father and English mother, they only knew real stability and a sense of family when visiting their Old Order grandparents, Josiah and Sylvia Schrock, in peaceful Holmes County, Ohio. Now the four want to try living with them and joining their faith—much to the Schrocks’ surprise . . .

Martin, the eldest, is reeling from a bad breakup, so he’s especially determined to make a fresh start. When he meets his grandparents’ neighbor, Patti Coblentz, he’s immediately drawn to her outgoing, helpful nature—but is so overwhelmed that he appears blunt and rude. Is there any way he can drop his defenses enough to admit she’s captured his heart?

Always self-conscious about the birthmark on her temple, Patti is resigned to never marrying and busying herself with the responsibilities of the large home and property she has inherited. Besides, Martin’s ill-mannered behavior and disconcerting directness make him the last man she’d ever want to wed—no matter how handsome he is.

Yet given time and patience—and adhering to their grandparents’ unexpectedly challenging rules—the whole family might just find what they’re looking for, even Martin and Patti.

SIMULTANEOUS HARDCOVER AND TRADE PAPERBACK RELEASE!
https://amzn.to/4duMKfU

This was an interesting and surprising look at living Amish. These four siblings have grandparents who are Amish, but their father left the community and their mother is an Englisher. They all decide they might want to be Amish but all four of them will be overwhelming to their grandparents, so just two of them go to live there to see how they fit in and if they want to make it permanent. Martin just had a bad breakup, and recalls the peace he always felt at his grandparents’ home. Kelsey, the youngest, truly believes she wants to be Amish, so they are the first two siblings to stay with their grandparents.

Martin meets their neighbor, a young woman named Patti who has never married. She has a prominent birthmark on her face and believes that makes her unmarriageable. And Martin is very good looking and could have his pick of any of the single women in town. Martin doesn’t see her birthmark as marring or undesirable, just as a part of Patti and he likes all of her. But he can’t decide if he can commit to her and being Amish.

Kelsey meets someone in town, and even though hers is the secondary plotline to Martin, she is the one who gets the happy ending while Martin and Patti still are very much undecided. Hopefully, that will conclude in the next book in the series. This is a good start to a new series from the queen of the Amish romance. Shepard Gray is nothing if not consistent as she spins out one entertaining tale after another. If you like a gentle romance or an inspirational romance, this is a good read.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

A IS FOR AMISH by Shelley Shepard Gray. Kensington (June 25, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1496748843. 288p.

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Spotlight Review: PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS by Sophie Brickman

August 6, 2024

From the publisher:

In the vein of Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Fleishman Is in Trouble, a wickedly funny and incisive debut novel following a mother trapped in the rat race of NYC parenting as her life unravels.

“Heavenly hilarity for readers.”—Good Housekeeping

It takes a village…just not this one.

Annie Lewin is at the end of her rope. She’s a mother of three young children, her workaholic husband is never around, and the vicious competition for spots in New York City’s kindergartens is heating up. A New York Times journalist-turned-parenting-advice-columnist for an internet start-up, Annie can’t help but judge the insanity of it all—even as she finds herself going to impossible lengths to secure the best spot for her own son.

As Annie comes to terms with the infinitesimal odds of success, her intensifying rivalry with hotshot lawyer Belinda Brenner—a deliciously hateful nemesis, what with her perfectly curated bento box lunches and effortless Instagram chic—pushes her to the brink. Of course, this newly raw and unhinged version of Annie is great for the advice column: the more she spins out, the more clicks and comments she gets.

But when she commits a ghastly social faux pas that goes viral, she’s forced to confront the question: is she really any better than the cutthroat parents she always judged?

A shimmering epistolary novel incorporating emails, group texts, advice columns, newspaper profiles, and more, Plays Well with Others is a whip-smart, genuinely funny romp through the minefield of modern motherhood. But beneath its fast-paced, satirical veneer, Brickman gives us a fresh, open-hearted, all-too-real take on what it means to be a parent—fierce love, craziness, and all.

“This biting commentary on the travails of modern parenthood is perfect for fans of Laurie Gelman and Laura Zigman, and for those who appreciate funny portraits of imperfect women.” — Booklist

“Heavenly hilarity for readers.”—Good Housekeeping
https://amzn.to/3SkMQPi

Brickman’s first novel after Baby, Unplugged: One Mother’s Search for Balance, Reason, and Sanity in the Digital Age, also centers on parenting and mental health, but in epistolary fiction full of the warmth, emotions, and humor necessary for any family to thrive.

Annie was an arts writer for the New York Times, but three kids in four years means taking a job writing a parenting column for a new internet startup. Her “editress” is obsessing about clicks, and Annie’s anxiety about her own parenting skills are sending her into occasional panic attacks. Living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan brings its own special kind of pressure, and now that her eldest is four, that means getting him into the right school for kindergarten, and life! Her nemesis is Belinda, a fierce divorce lawyer who regularly gets her digs in as their kids compete for entry into the top schools.

Annie’s husband is busy making money and figures he can start parenting in about a decade, leaving Annie to wonder if she’ll make it until then. Told through her parenting columns, text chains replete with emojis, school newsletters, and more, eventually, everything comes to a head and implodes into a glorious, satisfying ending.

Verdict: You don’t have to be a young mom to appreciate this hilarious look at family life in an elite city. Should appeal to readers who enjoy Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Lauri Gelman, or Laura Zigman.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS by Sophie Brickman. William Morrow (August 6, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063371200. 320p.

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VISCOUNT IN LOVE by Eloisa James

August 2, 2024

Accidental Brides, Book 1

From the publisher:

Two eccentric orphans bring together a grumpy viscount and the free-spirited heroine who steals his heart in the first novel in Eloisa James’s new Accidental Brides series, in which haughty aristocrats find themselves married to the wrong women.

He wants a nanny, not a bride…

Suddenly guardian to twins, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne is luckily betrothed to a suitable lady—until she elopes. With no time to woo, Dominic decides to marry his fiancée’s unconventional sister. Torie isn’t perfect, but their kisses are so passionate that society thinks he’s actually chosen her.

She wants to marry for love…

Torie has never been able to make sense of words on a page, so she has turned her talents to art. She longs for a man who values her as she is… but marries for the sake of the twins. She doubts Dominic is capable of love, let alone respect, but as their heated debates turn into something more, Torie begins to imagine a life as a wife, not a nanny.

But when the arrogant viscount finds that his viscountess has stolen his heart, he’ll have to give all he has to win her love.

“The first in James’s (Not That Duke) new “Accidental Bride” series takes readers on a journey to find love, with a plot that takes shape quickly, even as the dynamic cast of characters are more slowly developed and carefully crafted… James’s latest book is a must-read for fans of historical romance.” — Library Journal (starred review)

“Launching her new Regency-set Accidental Brides series, James (Not That Duke, 2023) once again displays her usual perfect sense of literary aplomb by first creating a uniquely appealing pair of protagonists (including a heroine who is not about to let not being able to read or write hold her back) and then setting them loose in a wit-infused plot enhanced by a wildly entertaining cast of secondary characters.” — Booklist

“An unusual dyslexic heroine provides depth to a solid Georgian romance.” — Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/4dcNerz

It’s always a happy day when James starts a new series, and this one is set in the Georgian era. Torie can’t read or write, and not for lack of trying. She has some sort of dyslexia that her governesses tried to unsuccessfully beat out of her. What she does have is a fantastic memory, so her older sister would read to her at night and she could answer the governess the next morning. Torie’s sister is engaged to Viscount Dominic Kelbourne, but it’s been over a year and she hasn’t set a date. Now the Viscount’s sister and brother-in-law have died, so they can’t marry until the year of mourning has passed. Meanwhile, his fiancee is out galivanting with someone else and eventually elopes.

Part of the reason for her elopement is that the Viscount is now guardian to his sister’s twins, a young boy and girl, who have had little to do with their parents and consequently a very poor upbringing. On the other hand, Torie loves how unique their personalities are, and they adore her. The Viscount finds himself strongly attracted to the lush-figured Torie, the opposite of her tall, skinny, proper sister. Torie has been called a fool or worse for most of her life, including from her own father, a drunken gambler, due to her illiteracy. The Viscount is determined to have her, and due to some financial shenanigans, is able to talk her father into the match.

On the other hand, Torie isn’t so sure. She is strangely attracted to the man who is built, in her mind, like a farmer – thick and muscled. But he is known for his temper in the House of Lords, and she doesn’t want any part of that. But she does adore those children.

Torie’s passion lies in painting. Since she can’t read, it is what occupies most of her childhood and she is quite good. The Viscount doesn’t know much about art, but he knows his lust for her knows no bounds, and hers for him as well. There are some definite bumps in the road and some heat as well until they reach their happily ever after. I love Eloisa James and always learn something from her books, and this one was a terrific start to this new series. Looking forward to book 2!

Note: I hate the cover and the trend of putting obviously 21st-century men on the covers of historical romances, especially when they don’t match the descriptions in the book. I must be alone in this as it has been happening for a while now.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

VISCOUNT IN LOVE by Eloisa James. Avon (July 23, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063347410. 384p.