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Spotlight Review: THE DUKE STARTS A SCANDAL by Sophie Jordan

October 31, 2023

Duke Hunt, Book 4

From the publisher:

A gentleman never dallies with the help, but the new Duke of Penning is no gentleman in this steamy fourth and final book in The Duke Hunt series by New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan.

A duke with secrets.

Lucian, the newly minted Duke of Penning, has much to prove— to himself, his family and the ton. Craving spotless respectability, he must find an aristocratic wife. Unfortunately, he can’t keep his eyes—and thoughts—off his deliciously distracting housekeeper. Such a dalliance can only mar the facade he’s constructed to protect his sisters’ future from the demons of his past…but this fiery passion is a temptation he cannot resist. While Susanna may not the bride he needs, she is everything he desires.

A woman with a past.

As the housekeeper to one of the grandest estates in England, Susanna Lockhart has worked determinedly to become all that is proper and efficient, and she never steps over the line. Romance is an indulgence for the upper class, not for her—and most especially not with her employer. But every smoldering glance from the surly, handsome duke calls to the long-buried reckless wanton inside Susanna. A love between them can never be, but will Lucian and Susanna risk being together…

Even if it starts a scandal…

“For fans of the series, this book is a stunning finale and perfect for readers looking for a steamy novel. Those who enjoy alluring historical romances won’t be disappointed.” Library Journal

“The final entry in Jordan’s Duke Hunt quartet is just about as steamy as the earlier volumes, and adds a new twist by introducing both a heroine and a hero who fear ruination.” Kirkus Reviews

“Jordan wraps up her Duke Hunt series with another Regency-set romantic confection that successfully mines her literary talents for combining fetching characters and fanciful plotting with an abundance of sizzling sensuality.” Booklist
https://amzn.to/3rFYpGI

Taking a break from Christmas romances for the last book in the Duke Hunt series. I haven’t read them all, but I’ve enjoyed the ones I read. And with Jordan, her books usually stand alone just fine, and I don’t think you would know this was part of a series if I hadn’t told you.

Susanna is the head housekeeper at the Duke of Penning’s estate – except it turns out that the duke in residence is a fake. She meets the real Duke as he’s riding onto the property, and she accuses him of lying. Not an auspicious beginning!

The new and real Duke is as arrogant as one would expect. What Susanna doesn’t know is that he was brought up in very different, and much poorer circumstances, than one would expect of a Duke’s heir. What the Duke doesn’t know is that Susanna is using a fake name, hiding a youthful indiscretion that caused her family to cast her out. Her aunt worked for the Duke and arranged a position for her, and she worked hard to achieve her position at such a young age.

The two bump heads regularly, but Susanna bites her tongue. She needs this job, not to mention the roof over her head. The more time they spend together, the more confused the Duke gets about her. He enjoys her company but refuses to dally with a servant.

Lots to overcome here, and the happy ending is worth the ride. This was a steamy Regency romance, just the way I like them!

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DUKE STARTS A SCANDAL by Sophie Jordan. Avon (October 24, 2023). ISBN: 978-0063035751. 352p.

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THE HOLIDAY MIX-UP by Ginny Baird

October 27, 2023

From the publisher:

While You Were Sleeping meets The Wedding Date with a fun Puerto Rican holiday twist in NYT and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird’s latest romance, in which a diner waitress agrees to be her patron’s fake date…only for him to land in a coma and her to be stuck playing his sweetheart with his family all week long.

Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family’s winery, Katie leaps at the chance…that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the “news.” Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there’s Juan’s brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right―and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.

Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan’s plan to “rebrand and expand” Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she’s still committed to Juan…even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead. With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?

“Baird excels at capturing the Martinez family’s warmhearted and somewhat kooky dynamic, adding to the cozy, homey atmosphere. This is a delight.” ― Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Hallmark movies and authors Sophie Cousens and Lia Louis will appreciate this wholesome holiday offering from Baird.” ― Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3tHiNI5

While You Were Sleeping is one of my favorite romcoms, and I rewatch it every year. So that description grabbed me right away. I loved the premise of the book, and it really lived up to my expectations.

Katie has no family left, other than her boss at the diner where she is a waitress. Her boss isn’t really her family, but she is like a surrogate mom. Katie has a huge crush on one of her customers, Juan. He is extremely good looking and kind to Katie, but she knows she is completely out of his league. Much to her surprise, he asks her if she would consider coming to his family home for Christmas. He is very tired of his family setting him up on blind dates, and if she would do it, he could finally have an enjoyable holiday. Of course she agrees, thinking once her spends a little time with her, he’ll probably ask her out for real.

The next day, as he leaves the diner, there is an accident, and only Katie’s quick thinking saves his life. But he has a head injury, and the doctor puts him into a coma until the swelling in his brain goes down. While she is at the hospital, his family arrives. It turns out he must have spent the day texting his family about her, because they immediately embrace her as his girlfriend – then fiancé.

Katie knows she needs to come clean, but she did make him a promise so she is torn about what to do. She hasn’t had a family Christmas in too long, and she just can’t bring herself to tell them. Meanwhile, she meets Juan’s brother, Mateo, who is a bit suspicious of her. But as he gets to know her, he starts wishing she was his girlfriend instead of Juan’s. And Katie can’t help thinking that maybe she had a crush on the wrong brother.

Everything works out the way it is supposed to in the end, but it was so much fun getting there. There are some serious issues as well, and I was completely engrossed in this story until I turned that last page. If you want a sweet, funny, heartwarming holiday romance, this is a good one!

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE HOLIDAY MIX-UP by Ginny Baird. Sourcebooks Casablanca (October 10, 2023). ISBN: 978-1728256528. 352p.

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HIGHLAND SURRENDER by Heather McCollum

October 27, 2023

Sons of Sinclair, Book 5

From the publisher:

With his family’s honor on the line, Norse warrior Erik Halverson has no choice but to follow the orders of the royal house of Denmark. Now he must follow his destiny―and royal command―to sail to Scotland, find his enemy’s weakest link, and abduct her. Their mistake, of course, was thinking the Sinclair lass wouldn’t fight back.

From the moment her four brothers took control of their clan, Hannah Sinclair has learned to stand tall and defend herself. So when a big, brawny, and admittedly handsome warrior tries to abduct her, she isn’t about to give in. And the more he tries, the more she’s determined to make it as hard as possible…and enjoy it all the while.

Now Norway’s greatest warrior has a Highland hellcat on his hands, and Odin help him, he can’t resist her. But with the brutal Sinclair brothers coming after them, Erik is out of options. War is inevitable. And when a man is forced to choose between duty and passion, only one will win…

Each book in the Sons of Sinclair series is a STANDALONE:
* Highland Conquest
* Highland Warrior
* Highland Justice
* Highland Beast
* Highland Surrender
https://amzn.to/43GRyu0

I really enjoy the setting of this series, and I love that they can each be read as a standalone. But they are so much better read as a series, even if not in proper order. The stories are built around four brothers, whose crazy and thankfully deceased father, has named them and raised them as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Their sister is the heroine in this, the last book of the series.

This book centers on their sister, Hannah. She has been raised as a warrior, too, but more for her own defense. She doesn’t go out riding with her brothers. So when three of them are gone, leaving only one brother behind, things get a bit tricky. Hannah is kidnapped by a visiting tradesman of sorts – he’s actually there on direct orders from the Queen of Denmark. She is afraid that the Sinclairs will somehow compromise her daughter, and she orders her soldiers to find out if their sister is enough of a draw to keep the Sinclair brothers in line.

Turns out that was a good plan. Except Erik is the first man that Hannah has felt anything for – and he really admires her, too. But orders are orders, and he and his men proceed as planned. Turns out the Queen is holding Erik’s only family member, his sister, hostage until they return. The Queen’s plan is to marry off either Erik’s sister or Hannah to a man of her choosing, to keep her with the Queen and the Sinclair brothers malleable. That plan goes awry when Erik is determined to marry Hannah himself, and he along with the Sinclair brothers, hatch a plan to save both women from the fates the Queen has in store for them.

This was a really good read, fast-paced, a very interesting time period, and, of course, Scotland. What is it about men in kilts?? These truly can be read in any order, so if you like historical Highland romances, grab any book in the series and hunker down for a good, sexy read.

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HIGHLAND SURRENDER by Heather McCollum. Entangled: Amara (October 24, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1649374943. 400p.

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Spotlight Review: THE SECRET by Lee Child & Andrew Child

October 24, 2023

Jack Reacher, Book 28

The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child

A string of mysterious deaths. A long-classified mission. A young MP with nothing to lose.

1992. All across the United States respectable, upstanding citizens are showing up dead. These deaths could be accidents, and they don’t appear to be connected—until a fatal fall from a high-floor window attracts some unexpected attention.

That attention comes from the secretary of defense. All of a sudden he wants an interagency task force to investigate. And he wants Jack Reacher as the army’s representative. If Reacher gets a result, great. If not, he’s a convenient fall guy.

But office politics isn’t Reacher’s thing. Three questions quickly emerge: Who’s with him, who’s against him, and will the justice he dispenses be the official kind…or his own kind?

“This is a terrific novel. Reacher continues to be one of the most compelling lead characters in the thriller genre, and the lean, unadorned writing continues to pull us through the story. If there were any doubts when Lee Child announced his retirement and started cowriting the books with his brother, Andrew, his eventual successor as Reacher’s chronicler, the last few books should have put them to rest.”–Booklist

“The plot gets a bit complicated, and readers will find a few nice twists. But mainly, Reacher provides the entertainment with his not quite believable fighting skills. An enjoyable, fast-moving yarn.”–Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/40b0hEb

I had almost given up on this series as I didn’t much care for the first two books written by Lee Child with his brother, Andrew. The Sentinel was okay, but I hoped the next book would be better. Better Off Dead was worse though, I didn’t really enjoy it, not the way I loved all the earlier books. In fact, I skipped the third book, No Plan B. But then I read that Andrew had gotten a contract for the next four books in the series alone, with no Lee Child involvement. So I decided to give him one more chance, and I’m very glad I did. I enjoyed The Secret; it was a one-day read for me, as it should be!

In an interesting turn, the book was set in 1992, so it was nice getting some more of Reacher’s back story. Reacher is an Army MP and is assigned to an inter-agency task force. There are representatives from Treasury, the CIA, the FBI, etc. The group is told that in 1969, there was a special project in India with a team of seven men, all chemists, working on a project together. One of the men has since died of cancer, but two of them had recently died under suspicious circumstances. The task force is asked to figure out who is behind the possible murders and more importantly, how to stop them.

This was a completely engrossing read with all the usual Reacher tropes; a decidedly taciturn Reacher, a deserted old building, underground passages, an occasional fight with Reacher against multiple opponents, and some really good twists at the end. I am so happy to say I am now looking forward to the next book in this series.

11/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SECRET by Lee Child & Andrew Child. Delacorte Press (October 24, 2023). ISBN: 978-1984818584. 304pp.

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THE TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS by Susan Wiggs

October 20, 2023

From the publisher:

The ultimate holiday gift from New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs: a delightful novel about a Christmas transport of rescue puppies that’s guaranteed to warm readers’ hearts.

Brenda Malloy wants nothing to do with Christmas ever again. Last year, Brenda and her husband rushed their beloved dog Tim to the emergency vet on Christmas eve. The good news: Tim survived after the vet cleared the obstruction–a pair of women’s lace undies. The bad news: the undies were not Brenda’s.

A year after the breakup, Brenda has put her life back together. She’s trained for a marathon, is writing a children’s novel, and she’s found purpose and healing as a volunteer with a dog rescue organization in Houston, Texas. The rescue partners with a program in Avalon, New York–a small, snowy town deep in the Catskills. Now Brenda is arranging the transport of rescued dogs from Houston to Avalon—just in time for a merry Christmas with their forever families. Brenda’s friends worry about her driving a van two thousand miles with twelve dogs in crates, but she shrugs off their concern. How hard can it be? She knows the way, and she’s just looking to escape the Christmas overload for a while.

But a blinding snowstorm, an escaped mutt, and a life-saving encounter with Adam Bellamy—a single dad and paramedic—means Brenda has to stay in Avalon longer than she planned. As she drops off each precious pup at their new homes, some of the comfort and joy of the season begins to creep up on Brenda despite her determination to avoid the holidays. Perhaps you can bring Christmas into your heart after all…if you have the right furry friends to guide the way.

“When it comes to celebrating Christmas, Brenda Malloy has two words: bah humbug. But when she reluctantly volunteers to help transport a dozen rescue dogs to their new homes, she discovers the true meaning of the holidays. No one knows how to tug at readers’ hearts quite like Wiggs, and her latest canine-centered charmer brims with good cheer.” —Booklist

“Readers looking for a quick and satisfying Christmas novel, with the bonus of uplifting dog rescues, will love every page.” —Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3tHiNI5

This was a sweet treat from one of my favorite authors. Brenda works for a dog rescue operation that prides itself on finding forever homes for their fur babies. Located in Houston, they have partnered with a small town in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. Brenda processes the applications and matches their homeless dogs with families who want them. That’s usually the extent of her involvement, but this year, Brenda gets roped into a road trip from Houston to New York with a dozen dogs ready to be rehomed.

When they narrowly miss hitting some deer on the icy, snowy mountainous road, Brenda is fine but the driver, not so much. And their van is on its side, dogs safe in their crates but scared. When the paramedic, Adam, arrives, he helps Brenda get the dogs out of the topsy-turvy van and ensures the driver is taken care of. Then, he offers to help her deliver the dogs.

As Brenda and Adam spend time together on this doggie project, they realize how much they enjoy each other; their only problem is geography. Adam has a young son and really can’t leave the area, but is Brenda willing to make a move for love?

This is a heartwarming romance full of love, puppies, charity, and Christmas cheer – all the good stuff. I loved it!

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS by Susan Wiggs. William Morrow (October 17, 2023). ISBN: 978-0063253513. 256p.

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2 Comments | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance | Tagged: Christmas, Holiday | Permalink
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CHRISTMAS IN PAINTED PONY CREEK by Linda Lael Miller

October 20, 2023

From the publisher:

Get cozy with this heartwarming holiday story!

Can a Christmas miracle mend her broken heart?

Tessa Stafford will do anything for her daughter, Isabel…even stay on the run to protect Isabel from her narcissistic grandmother. But when her car breaks down in Painted Pony Creek, Tessa gets caught up in the warm embrace of the town and feels safe enough to build a home—and a life—for them both. Love is the last thing on her mind until rugged cowboy and lawyer Jesse McKettrick’s sexy smile and easy way tempt her into imagining more. But can she trust this handsome stranger with her heart?

When Tessa and her adorable daughter blow into town, Jesse McKettrick is smitten—by both the little girl and her beautiful mother. He’s always wanted a family of his own. Maybe this Christmas, his wish will finally come true. But the walls around Tessa are impenetrable, and when Tessa’s past threatens their newfound future—and the family he’s come to love—Jesse won’t let them go without a fight.

Painted Pony Creek:

Book 1: Country Strong
Book 2: Country Proud
Book 3: Country Born
Book 4: Christmas in Painted Pony Creek

“The subtly Christmassy backdrop and folksy supporting characters up the charm factor. Longtime readers will be thrilled to revisit this small town with a big heart at the most wonderful time of the year.” Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/45GzWin

This was my first read in this series, and I wouldn’t have known it was part of a series – it stands alone beautifully. Miller writes a lot of contemporary westerns, which I love, and combined with Christmas made this a must read for me. It’s a short book with well defined characters that leap off the page, from Tessa to her daughter to Jesse, the cowboy/lawyer who falls in love with both mother and daughter.

Tessa was a foster child, and is determined to make it as a single mother. The baby daddy is a bit of a jerk, but was happy to sign over his rights. His stepmother, on the other hand, takes it upon herself to try and get custody of the baby. The evil stepmother has a ton of money and influence, so Tessa figures she won’t stand a chance. She hits the road, trying to stay one step ahead of the woman chasing her down. Until she gets to the charming town of Painted Pony Creek.

The town feels welcoming to Tess. Before she knows it, she has a job and a place to live, and all the support a single mother could use. When she gets a custody demand, she turns to Jesse, who is only too happy to help her. There is a strong attraction there but Tessa isn’t looking for a relationship, not while she has to stay one step ahead of the stepmother. But it’s hard not to want to stay in this small town filled with caring people who seem to have her back. Not to mention Jesse, who seems to have her heart.

I really enjoyed this sweet romance. It’s a lovely read set during the Christmas holiday, without being preachy. I might have to go find the earlier books in this series.

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CHRISTMAS IN PAINTED PONY CREEK by Linda Lael Miller. Canary Street Press; Original edition (October 10, 2023). ISBN: 978-1335430670. 288p.

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Spotlight Review: SWEETEN THE DEAL by Katie Shepard

October 17, 2023

From the publisher:

She’s lonely, rich, and ten years too young for him—but she’s also his “sugar daddy,” and they couldn’t have less in common. Opposites attract in this charming new romance by Katie Shepard.

MBA student Caroline Sedlacek knows her personal balance sheet is a little lopsided. On the asset side, at twenty-two she’s got an NCAA trophy, a great education…and the two million dollars she unexpectedly inherited. Liabilities? She’s never had friends, a boyfriend, or any life experiences away from the tennis court or the classroom. She’d love to invest herself in everything else, but “everything else” never came easily for her.

In the ten years since he left art school as a vaunted prodigy, Adrian Landry has won shows and major prizes—and done his best to shed his reputation as a pretty man who makes pretty paintings. Though currently broke and sleeping off a bad break-up on his college roommate’s couch, he knows this is the chance to get his life back on track at thirty-three—he just needs the money to find a new gallery.

When Adrian’s roommate lists him on a thinly veiled escort site, Caroline is not the patron he expected. She’s way too young, way too naive, and loudly uninterested in having sex with him. Instead, they’re both going to get exactly what they want: a little culture on her side, and a lot of cash on his. Aside from their sugar baby arrangement, they’ve got nothing in common. But as they reel from the symphony to the Haymarket, they learn that what they want and what they need might be two very different things.

“Readers will have no trouble rooting for this unexpected pair.”—Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient will be charmed by neurodivergent Caroline and worldly, handsome Adrian in Shepard’s (Bear with Me Now) latest.”—Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3rFYpGI

This was a totally engrossing romance with interesting, well-developed characters and some laughs along their journey. Caroline is a very quirky character who is well aware of her idiosyncrasies, and one of the minor characters guesses that she is somewhere on the autism spectrum, based on a family member with similar quirks.

Adrian is also a quirky character. He is an artist who had some success right out the gate, but since his divorce from his gallery owner/wife is over, he hasn’t sold anything. She was influential in changing the direction of his work, but it’s not selling. He’s crashing with his old college roommate and needs money. He signs up for an escort service, and his first bite is Caroline. He assumes he is looking at a really old picture as she is ten years younger than him and beautiful, so why would she need an escort?

I am unfamiliar with escort services, but this one is of the sugar daddy-sugar baby variety more than I just need a date for my sister’s wedding. So Adrian goes to meet Caroline, and she is just as young and beautiful as she appeared to be in her photo. She agrees to pay him $1000 a week, and they work out the hours he will be needed.

Caroline has difficulty making friends, hasn’t really dated much, and doesn’t have much understanding of the arts. She wants Adrian to teach her by taking her to the opera, concerts, art galleries, and the theater. For his part, he can’t understand how she can afford this based on her clothes and car. He doesn’t find out for quite a while that Caroline inherited 2 million dollars from her grandmother, who tells her to have a “big life.” Needless to say, her family is not happy about the inheritance to the point where her father and uncle demand she sign over the money to them. Instead, she climbs out the bathroom window, leaves small-town Texas, and runs away to Boston in hopes of earning her MBA. And hooks up with Adrian.

Caroline also makes it clear she is not looking for sex…for a while. The more time they spend together, the more they enjoy one another’s company. Caroline feels like part of her sugar mama role is to support Adrian’s art. They both are developing strong feelings for one another, but the money is getting in the way. There are lots of hurdles here, and these characters circumvent them wisely. I loved spending time with them, and I was sorry to turn that last page!

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SWEETEN THE DEAL by Katie Shepard. Berkley (October 17, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593549315. 384p.

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EVERY DAY IS CHRISTMAS by Karen Schaler

October 13, 2023

A Heartwarming, Feel Good Christmas Romance Novel

From the publisher:

From Karen Schaler, the Emmy Award-winning writer of Christmas movies for Hallmark, Netflix, and Lifetime, and beloved Christmas romance novels, comes this powerful new Christmas romance for 2023, a heartfelt holiday love story about second chances and believing anything is possible at Christmas…

A shrewd money manager at the top of her game, Alexis Taylor is a proud workaholic who “humbugs” Christmas and love. The only holiday tradition Alexis embraces is always breaking up with her boyfriends right before Christmas.

But this Christmas, everything changes when Alexis gets a holiday visit of a lifetime. As Alexis’s past, present, and future collide, she’s forced to risk the one thing money can’t buy…her heart.

Inspired by Karen Schaler’s treasured Christmas movie Every Day is Christmas, this heartwarming Christmas romance about redemption, forgiveness, family, and second chances is written with Karen’s signature warmth and humor, celebrating the power of true love and Christmas miracles.

Bonus Content: Includes exclusive Christmas recipes, holiday activities, and pictures from the movie set.
https://amzn.to/46jZgvB

I am completely in awe of Schaler – she has written many, many Christmas movies for Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix and I don’t know where else, and given them new life as novels. I never saw this movie (it was on Lifetime,) so I can’t compare, but I enjoyed the book.

This story is based on Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, but brought firmly into the 21st century. Our Scrooge is Alexis Taylor, a self-made millionaire who owns and runs her eponymously named finance company. By any standard, she is uber-wealthy and successful. She owns her own office building, with her company occupying the top floor, in one of Atlanta’s most prestigious neighborhoods, and lives in the penthouse apartment of a very fancy building. What she doesn’t have is family – her parents were killed in an accident on Christmas Eve, twenty years earlier. She’s been on her own ever since.

When Alexis lost her parents, she lost everything – they died in debt, and she had to sell everything they owned to pay it off. It also put her own very expensive Ivy League education on hold. Eventually, she went to community college and worked her way through before starting her own company. Now she has everything she has ever wanted. Or so she thinks.

When Alexis gets her year-end report, she sees that they did not meet their goals for the year. She immediately walks into the unauthorized Christmas party her staff is having and lets them all know they need to get back to work immediately, and to plan on working Christmas day through the new year – no time off for anyone. Then, she rescinds all their year-end bonuses.

Alexis has very few people in her life that she can count on. Her driver, Justin, has been with her for many years and has always been kind and supportive of her. Her COO, Jeff, is the same – and he’s the one who keeps the staff working there, despite her wicked witch energy. And after she cancels Christmas for her staff, she realizes it is time to break up with her boyfriend.

Alexis is beautiful but so anti-Christmas that the minute a boyfriend brings it up, they are history. This latest one seems to actually get it. Instead of trying to persuade her to love Christmas, he plans a vacation to Bali, where he plans to propose. But Alexis isn’t aware of the proposal, and she has to let him know she isn’t going on any vacation but rather working through Christmas. She also dumps him, as is her custom.

The Ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are her parents, a really interesting choice. As Alexis learns about her life and how hollow it truly is, she realizes that she must make drastic changes. Immediately.

The romance is here, but I don’t want to spoil it. My only complaint was the many paragraphs of lyrics of very popular, often classic, Christmas songs – it just felt like page filler. Other than “O Christmas Tree” AKA “O Tannebaum” – I learned that there are lots of different lyrics to that song. I had no idea! (Wikipedia lists several versions if you’re curious.) This is a fast, fun holiday read, as are all of Schaler’s books. This one had me laughing out loud and crying now and then – perfect Christmas fodder. 🎄

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

EVERY DAY IS CHRISTMAS by Karen Schaler. Hawktale Publishing (October 10, 2023). ISBN: 979-8988543510. 314p.

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WRECK THE HALLS by Tessa Bailey

October 13, 2023

From the publisher:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey delivers a sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert…

Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.

“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/46BuFcw

Not sure why, but I kept thinking about Fleetwood Mac while reading this story about a band that broke up, and no one really knows why. All anyone knows is that the two leads, both women, have been hating on each other ever since.

They were both pregnant when they split, so their kids never met until they were teenagers. Both have long been in the public eye due to their famous parents. Beat has always been the golden boy who can do no wrong, while Melody came under the scrutiny of the media, with devastating results to her self esteem. When they meet on the set of a TV morning show, there is an instant rapport that they both feel. They exchange phone numbers, but neither one ever reaches out. Until several years later when Beat agrees to a live streaming show, with him trying to get the band back together. When Melody is told that Beat is on board, she also agrees and the couple gets to meet again.

Their feelings for one another are even stronger as adults, and as they spend time together, they fall in love. But their mothers are none too happy about it. Much to their surprise, Beat’s mother agrees to a reunion when Melody lies and tells her that her mother is already on board – which turns out to be just as difficult as they suspected it would. Beat is being blackmailed; he needs the money from the show to pay off his blackmailer, and while he never told his parents about it, he tells Melody, although withholds the blackmailer’s identity.

With the world watching, Beat and Melody fall in love, and despite the almost insurmountable obstacles to their futures, a happy ending is reached.

I usually love Tessa Bailey’s books, but the emphasis on sex here was a bit over the top for me, so if that is a concern for you, this is your forewarning. Ultimately, I did enjoy this book, but it was not my favorite, maybe because it is a holiday book? I think I like my Christmas romances more on the tame side.

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WRECK THE HALLS by Tessa Bailey. Avon (October 3, 2023). ISBN: 978-0063308305. 368p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

Spotlight Review: DEATH VALLEY by Melissa Broder

October 10, 2023

From the publisher:

The most profound book yet from the visionary author of Milk Fed and The Pisces, a darkly funny novel about grief that becomes a desert survival story.

In Melissa Broder’s astounding new novel, a woman arrives alone at a Best Western seeking respite from an emptiness that plagues her. She has fled to the California high desert to escape a cloud of sorrow—for both her father in the ICU and a husband whose illness is worsening. What the motel provides, however, is not peace but a path, thanks to a receptionist who recommends a nearby hike.

Out on the sun-scorched trail, the woman encounters a towering cactus whose size and shape mean it should not exist in California. Yet the cactus is there, with a gash through its side that beckons like a familiar door. So she enters it. What awaits her inside this mystical succulent sets her on a journey at once desolate and rich, hilarious and poignant.

This is Melissa Broder at her most imaginative, most universal, and finest. This is Death Valley.
https://amzn.to/3LALqvC

Melissa Broder (Milk Fed) has written a weird and wacky treatise on grief. The protagonist is an author trying to complete her newest novel while dealing with serious family issues. She hits the road, leaving Los Angeles, and heads to the desert, where she is delighted to find a room in her favorite hotel chain, Best Western. Her husband has been debilitating from an undiagnosed illness for years; her father was in a terrible car accident several months earlier but has cheated death twice while remaining mostly unresponsive in the ICU; her mother deals with it all by adhering to strict superstitions. Written in the first person, the novel’s first half details her journey to this point; the second half is a stream of consciousness of her visit to the desert, hallucinating an enormous cactus and going inside it; very much an escape from reality. The humor is bleak, the metaphors strong, and her grief is palpable. The meandering story finally arrives at a somewhat surprising, almost heartfelt ending. Buy for demand only.

Verdict: For the literary sophisticate – readalikes include novels by Banana Yoshimoto and Jeffrey Eugenides.

10/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DEATH VALLEY by Melissa Broder. Scribner (October 24, 2023). ISBN: 978-1668024843. 240p.